Housing and ventilation equipment

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a housing and a blower device in which the main body and the panel can be easily attached and detached, and in which various parts can be easily replaced while preventing damage to the parts. [Solution] The housing comprises a main body, a panel attached to the main body so as to face in a first direction, and a latch mechanism that allows the panel to be attached and detached to the main body. The latch mechanism has a hook provided on one side of the main body or the panel, and a locking portion provided on the other side of the main body or the panel, and is configured to change states between a locked state in which the hook and the locking portion are engaged, and an unlocked state in which the engagement between the hook and the locking portion is released, depending on the change in the relative position of the hook and the locking portion in the first direction. The panel further has a locking portion, and the main body further has a support portion that comes into contact with the panel so that the locking portion rests on top of it when the panel is attached.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The following disclosure relates to a housing and a blower device. [Background technology]

[0002] As an example of a blower, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air purifier. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-179196 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an embodiment in which a rear panel mounting port is provided on the rear cover of an air purifier, and a rear panel is attached to the rear panel mounting port. The rear panel has a rear plate and a pre-filter, but because the pre-filter is fixed to the rear plate, replacing the old pre-filter with a new one requires completely removing the rear panel from the rear cover, and there is a need to reduce the burden of this work. In addition, because parts replacement can damage the part being replaced or surrounding parts, there is a need to prevent damage to the parts.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a housing and a blower device in which the main body and the panel can be easily attached and detached, and in which various parts can be easily replaced while preventing damage to the parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A housing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a main body, a panel attached to the main body so as to face in a first direction, and a latch mechanism that enables the panel to be attached and detached to the main body, wherein the latch mechanism has a hook provided on one side of the main body or the panel, and a locking portion provided on the other side of the main body or the panel, and is configured to change states between a locked state in which the hook and the locking portion are engaged and an unlocked state in which the engagement between the hook and the locking portion is released depending on a change in the relative position of the hook and the locking portion in the first direction, wherein the panel further has a locking portion, and the main body further has a support portion that comes into contact with the panel so that the locking portion rests on it when the panel is attached.

[0007] Another aspect of the blower device of the present disclosure comprises the housing, a fan housed in the main body of the housing, and a filter provided on the panel of the housing, wherein the main body further has an air intake port through which the airflow generated by the fan passes, and the panel is attached to the main body so that the filter faces the air intake port in the first direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a housing and a blower device in which the main body and the panel can be easily attached and detached, and in which various parts can be easily replaced while preventing damage to the parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a housing 1 or a blower device 1X. [Figure 2] 2 is a front view schematically showing the housing 1 or the blower device 1X. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a left side view schematically showing the housing 1 or the blower device 1X. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the housing 1 or the blower device 1X in a state where the left panel 13L and the right panel 13R are half-opened from the main body 11. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a left panel 13L. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion where a hook L1 is provided. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion where a locking portion L2 is provided. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the locking portion L2 alone. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a front view schematically showing the locking portion L2 alone. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view schematically showing the locking portion L2 alone. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the latch mechanism L when the hook L1 and the locking portion L2 are engaged with each other and in a locked state. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is an enlarged schematic view of a part of the housing 1 in a state where a locking claw 13n is inserted into a locking hole 11h. FIG. [Figure 13] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 14] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along a cutting line BB in FIG. 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of a housing 1 and a blower device 1X according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments, and appropriate design changes can be made within the scope of the configuration of the present disclosure. In the drawings, identical or equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Only the main parts are shown in the drawings. The following description will focus on the main parts and parts related to the present disclosure.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) 1 to 3 are diagrams schematically showing the housing 1 of this embodiment. Of these, FIG. 1 is a perspective view, FIG. 2 is a front view, and FIG. 3 is a left side view. When indicating the directions of the housing 1 and a blower device 1X (described later), the upward and downward directions in the vertical direction when the housing 1 is placed on a horizontal surface are referred to as the upward and downward directions, respectively. The drawings also include arrows indicating the upward, downward, leftward, rightward, forward, and backward directions of the housing 1 and the blower device 1X.

[0012] The housing 1 includes a main body 11, a panel 13, and a latch mechanism L.

[0013] The main body 11 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has an upper surface 11T, a lower surface 11B, and a side surface 11S. The upper surface 11T faces upward, and the lower surface 11B faces downward. The side surface 11S of the main body 11 faces in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and the main body 11 has a left surface 11SL, a right surface 11SR, a front surface 11SF, and a rear surface 11SB. The left surface 11SL faces left, the right surface 11SR faces right, the front surface 11SF faces forward, and the rear surface 11SB faces rearward.

[0014] The panels 13 are plate-shaped and are attached, for example, to each side surface 11S of the main body 11 (i.e., the left surface 11SL, right surface 11SR, front surface 11SF, and rear surface 11SB). The panels 13 attached to each side surface 11S of the main body 11 are referred to as the left panel 13L, right panel 13R, front panel 13F, and rear panel 13B, respectively. The direction in which the panels 13 face the main body 11 is referred to as the first direction. The front panel 13F and the rear panel 13B are attached to the main body 11 so as to face each other in the first direction (which in this case means the front-to-rear direction), and the right panel 13R and left panel 13L are attached to the main body 11 so as to face each other in the first direction (which in this case means the left-to-right direction).

[0015] Preferably, panel 13 is rotatable about a rotation axis located near the bottom end of panel 13 and parallel to a direction perpendicular to the first direction. This allows panel 13 to be opened downward. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, left panel 13L is preferably rotatable about a rotation axis located near the bottom end of left panel 13L and parallel to the front-to-rear direction, and right panel 13R is preferably rotatable about a rotation axis located near the bottom end of right panel 13R and parallel to the front-to-rear direction, allowing left panel 13L and right panel 13R to be opened downward. FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically illustrating housing 1 with left panel 13L and right panel 13R half-opened from main body 11.

[0016] When the panel 13 opens downward, a gap is formed between the panel 13 and the main body 11 at the top of the housing 1. This gap widens when the panel 13 opens downward. When the panel 13 opens downward, the user can easily reach the main body 11 and the parts on the main body 11 side from above the housing 1, making it easier to replace various parts. For example, as will be described later, in the case where a filter 142 is provided on the panel 13, when the panel 13 opens downward, the user can easily reach the filter 142 from above the housing 1, making it easier to replace the filter 142.

[0017] For example, the panel 13 is fully opened by rotating it about the rotation axis by an angle of 90 degrees or more. The panel 13 is also half-opened by rotating it about the rotation axis by an angle of less than 90 degrees (see FIG. 4). A stopper 31 may be attached between the main body 11 and the panel 13. The stopper 31 can limit the opening angle of the panel 13 to an opening angle equal to or less than the opening angle in the half-open state. The opening angle in the half-open state is, for example, 30 degrees or less, preferably 20 degrees or less, and more preferably 5 to 10 degrees. The stopper 31 is formed, for example, from a stay or the like.

[0018] Attachment of the panel 13 to the main body 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 11 in addition to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view that schematically illustrates the left panel 13L. FIGS. 6 to 11 show the latch mechanism L included in the housing 1. More specifically, FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion where the hook L1 is provided, FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion where the locking portion L2 is provided, FIGS. 8 to 10 are schematic views that show the locking portion L2 alone (FIG. 8 is a perspective view, FIG. 9 is a front view, and FIG. 10 is a side view), and FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the latch mechanism L when the hook L1 and the locking portion L2 are engaged and in a locked state. Note that FIG. 7 shows only the upper portion of the locking portion L2 shown in FIGS. 8 to 10. When the locking portion L2 is attached to the main body 11 as shown in FIG. 7, the lower portion of the locking portion L2 shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 cannot be seen from the outside. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the left panel 13L is used as the panel 13.

[0019] The main body 11 and the panel 13 are detachably coupled by a latch mechanism L. The latch mechanism L is configured by a combination of a hook L1 provided on one of the main body 11 and the panel 13 and a locking portion L2 provided on the other. In this embodiment, the hook L1 is provided on the panel 13, and the locking portion L2 is provided on the main body 11 (see FIGS. 1 to 5). The latch mechanism L changes its state between a locked state in which the hook L1 and the locking portion L2 are coupled and an unlocked state in which the coupling between the hook L1 and the locking portion L2 is released, depending on a change in the relative position between the hook L1 and the locking portion L2 in the first direction. That is, the latch mechanism L switches between the locked state and the unlocked state depending on a change in the relative position between the hook L1 and the locking portion L2 in the first direction.

[0020] When the user attaches the panel 13 to the main body 11, the user pushes the panel 13 toward the main body 11 in a first direction (which means the left-right direction when attaching the left panel 13L to the main body 11), which pushes the locking portion L2 toward the hook L1 and places the latch mechanism L in a locked state (see FIG. 11). The locked state is maintained even after the locking portion L2 stops being pushed toward the hook L1. When the user removes the panel 13 from the main body 11, the user pushes the panel 13 toward the main body 11 in the first direction in the locked state. The housing 1 according to this embodiment is provided with the latch mechanism L, which allows the panel 13 to be easily removed without using any other tools. This makes it easy to check the inside of the housing 1 and to easily replace various parts.

[0021] The latch mechanism L is also referred to as a "push latch." The hook L1 and the lock portion L2 are arranged opposite each other in the first direction, and are coupled together by fitting one member (protrusion) into the other member (recess). The number of latch mechanisms L is not limited, but in this embodiment, one pair of a hook L1 and a lock portion L2 is arranged at each end of the upper part of the housing 1 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). More specifically, one hook L1 is arranged at each end of the upper part of the panel 13 (see FIGS. 4 and 5), and one lock portion L2 is arranged at each end of the upper part of the main body 11 (see FIG. 4).

[0022] The latch mechanism L is preferably located near the top end of the housing 1. For example, when the total length of the panel 13 in the vertical direction is taken as 100%, the hook L1 is preferably provided at a position that is within 10% of the length from the top end of the panel 13. A locking portion L2 is provided on the main body 11 in accordance with the position of this hook L1.

[0023] The panel 13 further has a locking portion R0, and the main body 11 further has a support portion S. When the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11 (i.e., in a locked state), the locking portion R0 and the support portion S are in contact with each other so that the locking portion R0 rests on the support portion S (see FIG. 11). In this state, most of the load of the panel 13 is applied to the support portion S rather than the latch mechanism L, which sufficiently prevents the hook L1 or lock portion L2 that constitute the latch mechanism L from being damaged.

[0024] To further prevent damage to the latch mechanism L, it is preferable that the support portion S be formed so as to surround at least a portion of the lock portion L2 (see FIG. 7). Similarly, to further prevent damage to the latch mechanism L, it is preferable that the engagement portion R0 be formed so as to surround at least a portion of the hook L1 (see FIG. 6).

[0025] The locking portion R0 is a rib that protrudes from the panel 13 in the first direction (see FIG. 6). The support portion S is a recess P0 into which the rib R0 is inserted when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11 (see FIG. 7). The recess P0 is formed to be recessed in the direction toward the panel 13 in the first direction.

[0026] In Fig. 6, the engaging portion R0 is a rib that protrudes in a first direction from the panel 13 so as to surround the hook L1, and in the locked state, this rib R0 is inserted into the recess P0 shown in Fig. 7. In the locked state, the rib R0 is in contact with the lower surface P5 of the recess P0 such that the rib R0 rests on the lower surface P5 of the inner surfaces of the recess P0 (i.e., the upper surface P3, side surface P4, and lower surface P5).

[0027] The height of the locking portion R0 is preferably approximately the same as or higher than the height of the hook L1. This further prevents damage to the latch mechanism L and more securely holds the latch mechanism L. The height of the locking portion R0 refers to the distance between the main surface of the panel 13 facing the main body 11 and the portion of the locking portion R0 that is farthest from the main surface. The height of the hook L1 refers to the distance between the main surface of the panel 13 facing the main body 11 and the portion of the hook L1 that is farthest from the main surface.

[0028] The depth (height) of the recess P0 is preferably approximately the same as the height of the locking portion R0 or deeper (higher) than the height of the locking portion R0. This further prevents damage to the latch mechanism L and more securely holds the latch mechanism L. The depth (height) of the recess P0 refers to the distance between the main surface of the main body 11 facing the panel 13 and the portion of the recess P0 that is farthest from the main surface. The portion of the recess P0 that is farthest from the main surface is usually the bottom P2 located on the opposite side of the opening P1 of the recess P0.

[0029] The support portion S preferably has a protrusion S1 formed to protrude upward from the lower surface P5 of the recessed portion P0 (see FIGS. 7 and 11). In the locked state, the locking portion R0 and the protrusion S1 come into contact with each other so that the locking portion R0 rests on the protrusion S1 (see FIG. 11). Having the protrusion S1 on the support portion S makes it easier to attach the panel 13 to the main body 11 and also makes it easier to position the panel 13 in the vertical direction when attaching it to the main body 11. The number of protrusions S1 is not limited. For example, in FIG. 7, two protrusions S1 are formed on the lower surface P5 of the recessed portion P0.

[0030] The support portion S also preferably has an inclined surface S2 that slopes downward toward the opening P1 of the recess P0 (see FIG. 7). The inclined surface S2 is provided on the protrusion S1. Specifically, the inclined surface S2 is provided on the end of the protrusion S1 on the opening P1 side.

[0031] The locking portion L2 is preferably provided on the bottom P2 of the recess P0 of the main body 11 on the opposite side to the opening P1 (see FIG. 7). In addition, the rib protruding in the first direction from the panel 13 as the engaging portion R0 is preferably formed so as to surround at least a part of the hook L1 (see FIG. 6).

[0032] In this embodiment, the main body 11 further has a locking hole 11h, and the panel 13 further has a locking claw 13n that is inserted into the locking hole 11h when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11 (see FIGS. 5 and 12). The locking claw 13n is spaced apart from the edge of the locking hole 11h in the vertical direction when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11. It is also preferable that the locking hole 11h and the locking claw 13n are provided below the latch mechanism. FIG. 12 is an enlarged schematic diagram of a portion of the housing 1 with the locking claw 13n inserted into the locking hole 11h. FIG. 12 illustrates the locking claw 13n provided at the lower front portion of the left panel 13L and the corresponding locking hole 11h (see also FIG. 5).

[0033] An example of the operation when the user attaches the panel 13 to the main body 11 will be described. First, the user hooks the locking claw 13n of the panel 13 onto the edge of the locking hole 11h of the main body 11. Then, the user rotates the panel 13 using the locking claw 13n and the locking hole 11h as fulcrums so that the upper end of the panel 13 approaches the main body 11. Then, the user inserts the locking portion R0 of the panel 13 into the recess P0 of the main body 11 and pushes the hook L1 of the panel 13 into the locking portion L2 of the main body 11, thereby engaging the hook L1 with the locking portion L2.

[0034] Here, a protrusion S1 is provided on the lower surface P5 of the recess P0, and the locking portion R0 is inserted into the recess P0 while making contact with the protrusion S1. The protrusion S1 reduces the contact area between the locking portion R0 and the recess P0, making it easier to insert the locking portion R0 into the recess P0. The protrusion S1 also has an inclined surface S2 that slopes downward toward the opening P1 of the recess P0. The inclined surface S2 widens the opening of the recess P0, making it easier to insert the locking portion R0 into the recess P0. The locking portion R0 is inserted into the recess P0 along the inclined surface S2. In this embodiment, the dimension (first dimension) between the locking claw 13n in the panel 13 and the locking portion R0 is shorter than the dimension (second dimension) between the locking hole 11h in the main body 11 and the recess P0. Specifically, the first dimension is the dimension between the portion of the locking claw 13n that contacts the edge of the locking hole 11h and serves as a fulcrum and the lower end of the locking portion R0. The second dimension is the dimension between the portion of the edge of the locking hole 11h that contacts the locking claw 13n and serves as a fulcrum and the upper end of the protrusion S1 in the recess P0. Because the first dimension is shorter than the second dimension, when the locking portion R0 is inserted into the recess P0 along the inclined surface S2, the position of the panel 13 rises so that the locking claw 13n moves away from the edge of the locking hole 11h in the vertical direction. In other words, when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11, the locking claw 13n moves away from the edge of the locking hole 11h in the vertical direction. Due to the above dimensional relationship, when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11, the locking portion R0 of the panel 13 is prevented from moving away from the support portion S, which is the recess P0, and the load of the panel 13 can be prevented from being applied to a location other than the locking portion R0.

[0035] In this embodiment, the protrusion S1 is provided on the lower surface of the recess P0 (support portion S), but this configuration is not limited to this. For example, the protrusion may be provided so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the locking portion R0. In this case, it is preferable that the protrusion provided on the locking portion R0 has an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the tip of the locking portion R0. Furthermore, the protrusion is not an essential configuration, and the lower surface of the recess P0 and the lower surface of the locking portion R0 may be in surface-to-surface contact.

[0036] Furthermore, multiple panels 13 are attached to the main body 11 in the front-rear and left-right directions (see FIG. 4 ). From the viewpoint of aesthetics, it is preferable to align the upper ends of the multiple panels 13 at the same height. In this embodiment, as described above, the relative positions of the main body 11 and the panels 13 in the up-down direction when the panels 13 are attached to the main body 11 are determined by the positions of the support portion S (recess P0) of the main body 11 and the locking portion R0 of the panel 13. The support portion S (recess P0) and the locking portion R0 are provided near the upper ends of the main body 11 and the panel 13. Therefore, in the panel 13, the locking portion R0 and the upper end of the panel 13 are relatively close to each other, which reduces manufacturing errors in the dimension between the locking portion R0 and the upper end of the panel 13. This reduces variations in the positions of the upper ends of the panels 13 when multiple panels 13 are attached to the main body 11.

[0037] (Variation 1) In the first embodiment, the hook L1 is provided on the panel 13 and the locking portion L2 is provided on the main body 11, but the member on which the hook L1 is provided and the member on which the locking portion L2 is provided may be reversed. In the housing 1 according to this modification, the hook L1 is provided on the main body 11 and the locking portion L2 is provided on the panel 13. The other configurations of the housing 1 according to this modification are substantially the same as those of the housing 1 according to the first embodiment, so in this modification, the configurations that differ from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the remaining explanations will be taken from the explanation of the first embodiment.

[0038] For example, when the total length of the panel 13 in the vertical direction is taken as 100%, the locking portion L2 is preferably provided at a position where its length from the top end of the panel 13 is within 10%. A hook L1 is provided on the main body 11 in accordance with the position of this locking portion L2.

[0039] From the viewpoint of further suppressing damage to the latch mechanism L, it is preferable that the support portion S be formed so as to surround at least a portion of the hook L1. Similarly, from the viewpoint of preventing damage to the latch mechanism L, it is preferable that the engagement portion R0 be formed so as to surround at least a portion of the lock portion L2.

[0040] It is preferable that the height of the engaging portion R0 be approximately the same as or higher than the height of the locking portion L2 in order to further prevent damage to the latch mechanism L. The height of the locking portion L2 refers to the distance between the main surface of the panel 13 on the main body 11 side and the portion of the locking portion L2 that is farthest from the main surface.

[0041] The hook L1 is preferably provided on a bottom P2 opposite to the opening P1 in the recess P0 of the main body 11. In addition, the rib protruding in the first direction from the panel 13 as the engaging portion R0 is preferably formed so as to surround at least a part of the locking portion L2.

[0042] (Variation 2) In the first embodiment and the first modification, the locking portion R0 is a rib that protrudes in a first direction from the panel 13, and the support portion S is a recess into which the rib is inserted. However, this protrusion-recess relationship may be reversed. In the housing 1 according to this modification, the support portion S is a rib that protrudes in a first direction from the main body 11, and the locking portion R0 is a recess into which the rib is inserted when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11. The other configurations of the housing 1 according to this modification are substantially the same as those of the housing 1 according to the first embodiment or the first modification.

[0043] (Variation 3) In the first embodiment, the first modification, and the second modification, the panel 13 is supported on the main body 11 and the latch mechanism L is protected by contacting the engaging portion R0 (i.e., a rib or a recess) formed to surround at least a portion of either the hook L1 or the locking portion L2 with the support portion S (i.e., a recess or a rib) formed to surround at least a portion of the other. However, instead of contacting the protrusion (rib) formed around the hook L1 or the locking portion L2 with the recess, a protrusion and a recess for supporting the panel may be provided in a separate location and the protrusion and recess for supporting the panel may be provided in contact with each other. In this case, the protrusion and recess provided around the hook L1 or the locking portion L2 protects the latch mechanism L, and the protrusion and recess provided in the separate location support the panel 13 on the main body 11.

[0044] This modified example is substantially the same as the housing 1 of embodiment 1, modified example 1 or modified example 2, except that the convex and concave portions formed around the hook L1 or lock portion L2 are configured so as not to come into contact when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11, and that further convex and concave portions for supporting the panel 13 on the main body 11 are provided in a location separate from the convex and concave portions.Therefore, in this modified example, the configuration that differs from embodiment 1, modified example 1 or modified example 2 will mainly be described, and the remaining explanation will be cited from the explanations of embodiment 1, modified example 1 and modified example 2.

[0045] In the housing 1 of this modification, a rib (protrusion) protruding from the panel 13 in a first direction may be provided on the panel 13 so as to surround at least a portion of the hook L1, and a recess into which the rib is inserted may be provided on the main body 11 so as to surround at least a portion of the locking portion L2 (see Embodiment 1), or a rib protruding from the panel 13 in the first direction may be provided on the panel 13 so as to surround at least a portion of the locking portion L2, and a recess into which the rib is inserted may be provided on the main body 11 so as to surround at least a portion of the hook L1 (see Modification 1), or a rib protruding from the main body 11 in the first direction may be provided on the main body 11 so as to surround at least a portion of either the hook L1 or the locking portion L2, and a recess into which the rib is inserted may be provided on the panel 13 so as to surround at least a portion of the other (see Modification 2). In Embodiment 1, Modification 1, and Modification 2, the protrusion and a lower surface P5 of the recess come into contact in the locked state, but they do not come into contact in this modification. In this modification, the panel 13 is further provided with a protrusion for supporting the panel, and the main body 11 is further provided with a recess into which the protrusion is inserted. Note that the members on which the protrusion and recess for supporting the panel are provided may be reversed, or the recess may be provided on the panel 13 and the protrusion on the main body 11. The protrusion and recess for supporting the panel are configured so that they come into contact with each other when the panel 13 is attached to the main body 11. There are no particular limitations on the positions of the protrusion and recess for supporting the panel.

[0046] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, a blower 1X including a housing 1 according to the present disclosure will be described. Specific examples of the housing 1 include the housing 1 described in any one of embodiment 1 and variations 1 to 3. For details of the housing 1, the descriptions in embodiment 1 and variations 1 to 3 are cited.

[0047] In the present disclosure, the term "air blower" refers to any device having an air blowing function that blows out air. The air blower 1X may have a function other than air blowing in addition to the air blowing function, for example, an air purifier having an air cleaning function, or a air blower other than an air purifier. The air cleaning function may simply remove dust and dirt from the air using a filter, or may perform sterilization or deodorization by blowing out air containing charged particles. The temperature of the air blown out by the air blower 1X is not particularly limited, and the air blower 1X may have a heating function that blows out warm air, for example. Examples of air blowers other than air purifiers include humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heaters, air conditioners, and air blowers.

[0048] In this embodiment, the air blower 1X is an air purifier. The air blower 1X has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has an upper surface 1T, a lower surface 1B, and a side surface 1S. The upper surface 1T faces upward, and the lower surface 1B faces downward. The side surface 1S of the air blower 1X faces in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and the air blower 1X has a left surface 1SL, a right surface 1SR, a front surface 1SF, and a rear surface 1SB. The left surface 1SL faces left, the right surface 1SR faces right, the front surface 1SF faces forward, and the rear surface 1SB faces rearward.

[0049] The air blower 1X includes a housing 1, a fan 17 housed in a main body 11 of the housing 1, and a filter 142 provided on a panel 13 of the housing 1. FIGS. 1 to 3 are diagrams that schematically illustrate the air blower 1X of this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view that schematically illustrates the air blower 1X in a state in which the left panel 13L and the right panel 13R are half-opened from the main body 11. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. 2.

[0050] The main body 11 of the housing 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is hollow inside. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 , a fan 17 is housed within the main body 11. Airflow is generated by the rotation of the fan 17. The main body 11 also has an air intake port and an air outlet 21S through which the airflow generated by the fan 17 passes. For example, a left air intake port 22L is provided on the left side 11SL of the main body 11, and a right air intake port 22R is provided on the right side 11SR of the main body 11. In addition, a front air outlet 22F is provided on the front surface 11SF of the main body 11, and air drawn in through the left air intake port 22L and the right air intake port 22R is blown out of the main body 11 from the front air outlet 21F, etc. The air blown out of the main body 11 is blown out from air outlets 21S formed around the entire periphery of the side surface 1S of the blower 1X (for example, air outlets formed near the upper ends of the left surface 1SL, right surface 1SR, front surface 1SF, and rear surface 1SB of the blower 1X). The arrows in Figures 13 and 14 indicate the direction of the airflow generated by the blower 1X. AF represents wind.

[0051] The panel 13, which is detachable from the main body 11, will be further described with reference to Figure 5. The panel 13 includes, for example, a first panel 141, a filter 142, and a second panel 143. The panel 13 is attached to the main body 11 so that the filter 142 faces the air intake port of the main body 11 in a first direction. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the left panel 13L is attached to the main body 11 so that the filter 142 faces the left air intake port 22L of the main body 11 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0052] The first panel 141 is located on the outermost side of the housing 1, the filter 142 is located inside the first panel 141, and the second panel 143 is located inside the filter 142. By positioning the filter 142 inside the first panel 141, the filter 142 cannot be seen from the outside when it becomes dirty. The first panel 141, the filter 142, and the second panel 143 are overlapped.

[0053] Of the panels 13, a hook L1 or a locking portion L2 is provided on a second panel 143 that is closest to the main body 11 of the housing 1. The second panel 143 is also provided with a locking claw 13n. In FIG. 5, one hook L1 is provided on one end and the other end of the upper part of the second panel 143, and one locking claw 13n is provided on one end and the other end of the lower part of the second panel 143 (see FIG. 5).

[0054] The first panel 141 and the second panel 143 each have a lattice shape. This makes the first panel 141 and the second panel 143 breathable. The filter 142 is also breathable and purifies the air by capturing dust in the air that passes through it. The material of the filter 142 is not particularly limited, and for example, a nonwoven fabric is used.

[0055] When the fan 1X is in operation, the surrounding air is purified by passing through the filter 142 via the first panel 141. The fan 1X may further include one or more of a deodorizing filter, a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, and an ion generator. If the fan 1X includes these, the fan 1X can purify the air not only with the filter 142 but also with the deodorizing filter, the HEPA, or the ion generator.

[0056] In the air blower 1X of this embodiment, an operation unit including buttons for a user to control the operation of the air blower 1X and a display unit that displays the operating status of the air blower 1X may be arranged on the outer surface of the top surface 11T of the main body 11. In addition, a top plate 12 that can be attached to and detached from the top surface 11T is provided above the top surface 11T of the main body 11 for the purpose of hiding the operation unit from the outside, etc.

[0057] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components disclosed in the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate. For example, some of the components shown in one embodiment may be added to the components of another embodiment, or some of the components shown in one embodiment may be deleted from the embodiment.

[0058] Furthermore, the drawings mainly show each component in a schematic manner to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may differ from the actual ones due to the convenience of creating the drawings. Furthermore, the configurations of each component shown in the above embodiment are merely examples and are not particularly limited, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within a scope that does not substantially deviate from the effects of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: Housing 1X:Blower 1B:Bottom surface 1S:Side 1SB: Rear 1SF:Front 1SL: Left side 1SR: Right side 1T:Top surface 11: Main body 11B: Bottom surface 11S:Side 11SB: Rear 11SF:Front 11SL: Left side 11SR: Right side 11T:Top surface 11h: Locking hole 12: Top plate 13: Panel 13B: Rear panel 13F: Front panel 13L: Left panel 13R: Right panel 13n:Latching claw 17: Fan 21S: Air outlet 22L: Left intake 22R: Right intake 31: Stopper 141: First panel 142: Filter 143: Second Panel L: Latch mechanism L1: Hook L2: Lock section P0: Recess P1: Opening of the recess P2: Bottom of the recess P3: Top surface of recess P4: Side of the recess P5: Bottom surface of recess R0: Locking part (e.g., rib) S: Support part S1: Convex part S2: Inclined surface

Claims

1. The main body and panels attached to the main body so as to face each other in a first direction; a latch mechanism that enables the panel to be attached to and detached from the main body, The latch mechanism includes: a hook provided on one of the main body and the panel; a locking portion provided on the other of the main body and the panel, a state change occurs between a locked state in which the hook and the locking portion are coupled to each other and an unlocked state in which the coupling between the hook and the locking portion is released, depending on a change in the relative position between the hook and the locking portion in the first direction; The panel further includes a locking portion, The main body further includes a support portion that the engaging portion contacts and rests on when the panel is attached. Case.

2. the support portion is formed to surround at least a portion of one of the hook and the lock portion, The engaging portion is formed so as to surround at least a portion of the other of the hook and the locking portion. The housing of claim 1 .

3. the engaging portion is a rib protruding from the panel in the first direction, The support portion is a recess into which the rib is inserted when the panel is attached to the main body. The housing according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The support portion has a protrusion formed so as to protrude upward from a lower surface of the recess portion. The housing of claim 3 .

5. The support portion has an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the opening of the recess. The housing of claim 3 .

6. One of the hook and the locking portion is provided on a bottom portion of the main body on the opposite side to the opening of the recessed portion. The housing of claim 3 .

7. The rib is formed so as to surround at least a portion of the other of the hook and the locking portion. The housing of claim 6.

8. The hook is provided on the panel, The locking portion is provided on the main body. The housing of claim 7.

9. The main body further has a locking hole, the panel further includes a locking claw that is inserted into the locking hole when the panel is attached to the main body; the locking claw is spaced apart from the edge of the locking hole in the vertical direction when the panel is attached to the main body; The housing according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The locking hole and the locking claw are provided below the latch mechanism. The housing of claim 9.

11. The housing according to claim 1 or 2; a fan housed in the main body of the housing; a filter provided on the panel of the housing, The main body further has an air intake port through which the airflow generated by the fan passes, the panel is attached to the main body so that the filter faces the air intake port in the first direction; Blower.

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