Ventilation systems and ventilation methods

Abstract

The goal is to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning without compromising indoor comfort, while minimizing indoor temperature drops and achieving energy-saving ventilation. [Solution] A ventilation system 100 used in conjunction with a combustion heating device 90 installed indoors, the ventilation system 100 comprises a ventilation device 10 that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors and / or supplies outdoor air to the indoors, a circulation device 20 that purifies and circulates indoor air by drawing in indoor air, passing it through a predetermined filter, and then exhausting it indoors, an air quality sensor 30 that detects the air quality of the indoor air, and a control unit 40 that controls the ventilation device and / or circulation device based on the air quality information detected by the air quality sensor, wherein the control unit activates the ventilation device when the air quality information meets predetermined air pollution conditions while the circulation device is operating, and then stops the ventilation device when the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a ventilation system and a ventilation method.

Background Art

[0002] There are combustion-type heating devices that heat air with the combustion heat of oil (kerosene) or gas to warm a room (stove), or indirectly warm the indoor air by hot air or heat radiation with the heat obtained from the energy generated by the combustion of oil (kerosene) or gas (heater). Such combustion-type heating devices have the advantage of quickly warming the room, but it is necessary to ventilate regularly to take in outdoor air into the room.

[0003] Regarding the problem of regular ventilation, heating devices that give a notification to promote ventilation when certain conditions are met have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a ventilation instruction device for a combustion heating device for heating, which includes a timekeeping means for measuring the combustion time, a detection means for detecting that the measured time has reached a predetermined value, and a notification means driven in relation to this detection output. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a gas fan heater capable of always ensuring fresh air in a room during heating and its control method. In this control method, the operation time is measured by a timer. When the operation time exceeds a first time, a warning to promote ventilation is output to a display / operation panel and a speaker. When the operation time exceeds a second time, the supply of gas to a gas burner and the supply of power to a motor that rotates a convection fan are cut off.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, with the conventional technology described above, the precise timing and duration of ventilation are unknown, which may lead to excessive or insufficient ventilation. Insufficient or excessive ventilation can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, and it can also cause problems such as excessive exhaust of warm indoor air, causing the room to cool down.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention was devised in view of these circumstances, and provides a ventilation system and ventilation method that prevents carbon monoxide poisoning without compromising indoor comfort by minimizing ventilation, and also minimizes the decrease in indoor temperature, thereby saving energy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, a ventilation system is provided for use with combustion heating equipment installed indoors, comprising: a ventilation device that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors and / or supplies outdoor air to the indoors; a circulation device that purifies and circulates indoor air by drawing in indoor air, passing it through a predetermined filter, and then exhausting it indoors; an air quality sensor that detects the air quality of the indoor air; and a control unit that controls the ventilation device and / or circulation device based on the air quality information detected by the air quality sensor, wherein the control unit activates the ventilation device when the air quality information meets predetermined air pollution conditions while the circulation device is operating, and then stops the ventilation device when the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions. According to this system, if the air quality information of the air circulating indoors by the circulation device meets predetermined air pollution conditions, the ventilation device is activated. Subsequently, if the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions, the ventilation device is stopped. This minimizes ventilation, prevents carbon monoxide poisoning without compromising indoor comfort, and minimizes the drop in indoor temperature, thus providing an energy-saving ventilation system. Furthermore, because the indoor air quality is monitored while the indoor air is circulating by the circulation device, it is possible to determine whether ventilation is necessary when using the combustion heating equipment, even if the air quality sensor and the combustion heating equipment are located far apart.

[0008] Furthermore, the control unit may be characterized in that, when predetermined air pollution conditions are met and the ventilation device is activated, it will stop the ventilation device and activate the circulation device when predetermined air purification conditions are subsequently met. According to this, if the circulation system is stopped when the specified air pollution conditions are met, and then the ventilation system is stopped and the circulation system is activated when the specified air purification conditions are met, it is possible to determine whether ventilation associated with the use of combustion heating equipment is necessary again after it has become unnecessary.

[0009] Furthermore, the predetermined air pollution condition may be characterized by the air quality information being above a predetermined pollution threshold, the predetermined air purification condition by the air quality information being below a predetermined purification threshold, and the predetermined pollution threshold being greater than the predetermined purification threshold. According to this, by setting a predetermined contamination threshold higher than a predetermined clean threshold, it is possible to prevent the ventilation system from frequently turning on and off, thus preventing users from experiencing inconvenience.

[0010] Furthermore, the control unit may determine whether the combustion heating equipment is in use or not, and may be characterized in that a predetermined contamination threshold is greater when it is determined to be in use than a predetermined contamination threshold when it is determined to be in unused condition. According to this, by setting a predetermined pollution threshold for combustion heating equipment in use to be higher than the predetermined pollution threshold for equipment not in use, it is possible to create a comfortable space that prioritizes user comfort while taking into account energy loss when using combustion heating equipment.

[0011] Furthermore, the specified air pollution conditions may be characterized by the air quality information showing an increase rate of a specified value or higher. According to this, the predetermined air pollution condition is defined as when air quality information shows an increase rate or higher. This allows for the prediction of a sudden deterioration in air quality and the discharge of polluted air outdoors, thereby preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

[0012] Furthermore, the circulation device may be located near a ventilation device that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors, and the air quality sensor may be located near both the circulation device and the ventilation device. According to this, by installing a circulation device, a ventilation device that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors, and an air quality sensor in close proximity, contaminated air can be collected in the circulation device before being exhausted outdoors, thus preventing the exhaust of clean air and allowing for ventilation to be kept to the minimum necessary.

[0013] Furthermore, the air quality sensor may include a first air quality sensor provided near the circulation device and ventilation device, and a second air quality sensor provided outside the vicinity of the circulation device and ventilation device, and the control unit may be characterized by increasing the airflow rate of the circulation device when the air quality information from the second air quality sensor meets predetermined air pollution conditions. According to this method, by installing air quality sensors both near and remotely from the circulation and ventilation systems, and increasing the airflow of the circulation system when the remote air quality sensor meets predetermined air pollution conditions, contaminated air can be drawn to the ventilation system and exhausted outdoors more quickly. Furthermore, even if the nearby air quality sensor is installed far from the combustion heating equipment, the presence of the remote air quality sensor allows for early detection of air pollution conditions, preventing delays in exhausting air outdoors and thus preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

[0014] Furthermore, the ventilation device may be a range hood installed near a cooking appliance, and the control unit may determine whether the cooking appliance is in use or not. If it determines that the appliance is in use, it may control the range hood to control the airflow according to the type of cooking appliance. If predetermined air pollution conditions are met, it may increase the airflow of the range hood. If predetermined air purification conditions are met, it may return to controlling the range hood to control the airflow according to the type of cooking appliance. According to this, the ventilation device is a range hood, and it controls the airflow according to the type of cooking appliance. When predetermined air pollution conditions are met, the airflow of the range hood is increased, and when predetermined air purification conditions are met, the range hood returns to airflow control according to the type of cooking appliance. As a result, even when cooking with an induction cooktop where ventilation is not necessary, ventilation is performed if air pollution conditions are met, thus preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

[0015] Furthermore, the system may also include a CO monitoring device for detecting CO indoors, and the control unit may activate the ventilation system when the CO monitoring device detects a concentration and / or a predetermined rate of increase in concentration above a predetermined threshold. According to this, by further equipping the system with a CO monitoring device in addition to the air quality sensor, and activating the ventilation system when a concentration and / or rate of increase in concentration above a predetermined threshold is detected, carbon monoxide can be detected by the monitoring device and the ventilation system activated even if the air quality sensor does not detect carbon monoxide, thus reliably preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

[0016] Furthermore, the control unit may be characterized by determining whether the combustion heating equipment is in use or not, increasing the airflow rate of the circulation device if it is determined to be in use, and decreasing the airflow rate of the circulation device if it is determined to be in unused condition. According to this method, increasing the airflow of the circulation system when the combustion heating equipment is in use and decreasing the airflow of the circulation system when it is not in use can more reliably prevent carbon monoxide poisoning when the combustion heating equipment is in use.

[0017] Furthermore, the air quality sensor may include a temperature sensor, and the control unit may determine whether the combustion heating equipment and the cooking equipment are in use. If it is determined that the cooking equipment is in use, the control unit controls the airflow of the ventilation system that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors in a manner corresponding to the type of cooking equipment. If it is determined that the combustion heating equipment is in use and the temperature sensor detects that the temperature is above a predetermined temperature, the control unit may increase the airflow of the ventilation system that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors. According to this, when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature is above a predetermined temperature during the use of the combustion heater, by increasing the air volume of the ventilation device that exhausts indoor air outdoors, when the room temperature rises due to the use of the cooking heater and the combustion heater, the room temperature can be lowered by exhausting indoor air outdoors, so comfort can be maintained.

[0018] Furthermore, it may further include a notification unit for notifying the user, and the control unit may be characterized in that the notification unit notifies that the air quality information satisfies a predetermined air purification condition and / or does not satisfy a predetermined air pollution condition. According to this, by notifying that the air quality information satisfies a predetermined air purification condition and / or does not satisfy a predetermined air pollution condition, the user can know that ventilation is not required, so unnecessary ventilation by manual operation of the user can be prevented and energy loss can be prevented.

[0019] Furthermore, the combustion heater has a function of transmitting a notification indicating that ventilation should be performed. When the control unit receives a notification indicating that ventilation should be performed from the combustion heater, it determines whether the air quality information satisfies a predetermined air purification condition or a predetermined air pollution condition. If it is determined that the air quality information satisfies a predetermined air purification condition or a predetermined air pollution condition, it may be characterized in that the notification unit notifies. According to this, when used together with a combustion heater having a function of transmitting a notification indicating that ventilation should be performed, when a notification indicating that ventilation should be performed is received and it is determined that the air quality information satisfies a predetermined air purification condition or a predetermined air pollution condition, by notifying by the notification unit, even when the combustion heater notifies that ventilation is to be performed by a timer or the like, it is possible to know whether ventilation is really necessary from the notification from the notification unit, so unnecessary ventilation can be avoided and energy loss can be prevented.

[0020] A ventilation method used together with a combustion-type heating device installed indoors, which circulates indoor air by sucking indoor air, passing it through a predetermined filter, and then exhausting it indoors, detects the air quality of the air circulating indoors, and when the detected air quality information meets a predetermined air pollution condition, exhausts indoor air outdoors and / or supplies outdoor air indoors, and then stops exhausting indoor air outdoors and / or supplying outdoor air indoors when the air quality information meets a predetermined air cleanliness condition. According to this, when the air quality information of the air circulating indoors meets a predetermined air pollution condition, the ventilation device is operated, and then when the air quality information meets a predetermined air cleanliness condition, the ventilation device is stopped, so that ventilation is minimized, carbon monoxide poisoning is prevented without impairing the comfort of the room, and the temperature drop in the room is minimized to achieve energy savings. Also, since the air quality in the room is monitored while circulating the indoor air with the circulation device, it is possible to determine whether ventilation is necessary even when the air quality sensor and the combustion-type heating device are located at a distance from each other.

Effects of the Invention

[0021] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a ventilation system and a ventilation method that minimize ventilation, prevent carbon monoxide poisoning without impairing the comfort of the room, and minimize the temperature drop in the room to achieve energy savings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] Block configuration diagram of the ventilation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Control flowchart of the control unit of the ventilation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Block configuration diagram of the ventilation system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Block configuration diagram of the ventilation system according to the first modification of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] A block diagram of a ventilation system of a second modified example in a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] A control flowchart of the control unit of a ventilation system in a second modified example according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] A block diagram of a ventilation system of a third modified example in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] A control flowchart of the control unit of a ventilation system according to a third modified example in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] A block diagram of the ventilation system of the fourth modified example in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] A control flowchart of the control unit of a ventilation system according to a fourth modified example in a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] A block diagram of the ventilation system of the fifth modified example in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] In the following sections, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. <First Example> Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the ventilation system 100 in this embodiment will be described. The ventilation system 100 is used in conjunction with a combustion-type heating device 90 installed indoors. Here, the combustion-type heating device 90 is a heating device that uses gas or oil (kerosene) to burn, and the combustion-type heating device 90 has the potential to generate various gases (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, odor-causing substances, etc.). Therefore, in a building where a combustion-type heating device 90 is installed, it is necessary to ventilate the indoor air at least periodically to bring in outdoor air. In addition, "indoors" refers to the interior space of a building in the case of a detached house, or the interior space of a single dwelling unit in the case of a residential building such as an apartment building. Furthermore, "indoors" may refer not only to a residence, but also to an office space, factory or warehouse space.

[0024] The ventilation system 100 comprises a ventilation device 10, a circulation device 20, an air quality sensor 30, and a control unit 40 that acquires air quality information from the air quality sensor 30 and controls the ventilation device 10 and the circulation device 20. In this embodiment, these are each installed separately in a single indoor space. For example, the ventilation device 10 and the circulation device 20 are installed on a wall, the air quality sensor 30 is installed on the ceiling, and the control unit 40 is installed in a home controller, and each has known communication functions and communicates with each other as appropriate. Note that the ventilation device 10, the circulation device 20, and the air quality sensor 30 are not separate components, and any two of them may be arranged as a single unit within the same housing.

[0025] The ventilation system 10 has one or both functions: exhausting indoor air to the outdoors, supplying outdoor air to the indoors, and / or other functions. More specifically, as a function to exhaust indoor air to the outdoors, the ventilation system 10 is equipped with a fan that generates airflow from indoors to outdoors at an exhaust port or exhaust pipe connecting the indoors and outdoors. Furthermore, as a function to supply outdoor air to the indoors, the ventilation system 10 is equipped with a fan that generates airflow from outdoors to indoors at an air intake port or air intake pipe connecting the indoors and outdoors. Not only when the air intake function is operating, but also when the exhaust function is operating, outdoor air enters the building through gaps in the building or air intake and exhaust ports, causing a change in the indoor air quality.

[0026] The circulation device 20 purifies and circulates indoor air by drawing in indoor air, passing it through a predetermined filter, and then exhausting it back into the room. More specifically, the circulation device 20 includes an air intake port for drawing in indoor air, a filter for purifying the drawn-in air, an outlet for exhausting the filtered air back into the room, and a fan for creating airflow from the air intake port to the outlet port. The filters include, for example, an air filter to remove fine dust and dirt, and a deodorizing filter to remove various odors. The indoor air quality is gradually purified as the circulation device 20 operates.

[0027] The air quality sensor 30 is a sensor that detects the air quality of indoor air. Examples of air quality sensors 30 include a CO2 sensor that detects carbon dioxide, a CO sensor that detects carbon monoxide, an odor sensor that detects odorous gases, a VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) sensor that detects VOC gases, and a temperature and humidity sensor that detects the temperature and humidity of the air. The air quality sensor 30 detects the air quality of indoor air and makes this information available to the control unit 40.

[0028] The control unit 40 controls the ventilation device 10 and / or the circulation device 20 based on the air quality information detected by the air quality sensor 30. Typically, the control unit 40 is a microprocessor that has a communication function to communicate with the air quality sensor 30, the ventilation device 10, and the circulation device 20 and performs processing. The control by the control unit 40 is performed as shown in the flowchart in Figure 2. In the flowchart, S represents a step. The control unit 40 activates the circulation device 20 at S100 and activates the combustion heating device 90 at S102. In this embodiment, the control unit 40 can perform controls such as turning the combustion heating device 90 on and off. In this embodiment, the circulation device 20 is activated first and then the combustion heating device 90 is activated, but this order may be reversed. The circulation device 20 may also be kept running at all times, but may be stopped only while the ventilation device 10 is operating.

[0029] In S104, the control unit 40 acquires air quality information from the air quality sensor 30 and checks whether predetermined air pollution conditions are met. Here, predetermined air pollution conditions refer to, for example, when a predetermined substance (CO2, CO, odor gas, VOC, etc.) is at or above a predetermined concentration, i.e., above a predetermined pollution threshold, or when the concentration of a predetermined substance is increasing at or above a predetermined rate of increase. For example, this refers to cases where CO is 4 ppm or higher, CO2 is 800 ppm or higher, or when the rate of increase of CO concentration is 1% or higher, or when the rate of increase of CO2 concentration is 1% or higher.

[0030] If the predetermined air pollution conditions are not met, the control unit 40 repeats S104 to monitor whether the indoor air quality is deteriorating. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, the control unit 40 activates the ventilation device 10 in S106, and it is preferable to stop the circulation device 20 from an energy-saving standpoint. In this case, it is not necessary to stop the circulation device 20. This allows various gases generated indoors from the combustion heating equipment 90 to be discharged outdoors when the predetermined conditions are met. Furthermore, by setting the predetermined air pollution conditions to when the air quality information shows an increase rate of a predetermined level or higher, a sudden deterioration in air quality can be predicted and the polluted air can be discharged outdoors, thereby preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

[0031] After the ventilation device 10 is activated, the control unit 40, in S108, acquires air quality information from the air quality sensor 30 and checks whether predetermined air purification conditions are met. Here, predetermined air purification conditions refer to, for example, that, in the air quality information, a predetermined substance is below a predetermined concentration, i.e., below a predetermined purification threshold. For example, this refers to cases where CO is 3.5 ppm or less and CO2 is 700 ppm or less. In this case, it is preferable that the predetermined contamination threshold is greater than the predetermined purification threshold. For example, in the case of CO, it is preferable that the predetermined contamination threshold is 0.5 ppm greater than the predetermined purification threshold, and in the case of CO2, it is preferable that the predetermined contamination threshold is 100 ppm greater than the predetermined purification threshold. By setting the predetermined contamination threshold greater than the predetermined purification threshold, it is possible to prevent the ventilation device 10 from frequently activating and deactivating, thereby preventing users from feeling inconvenienced.

[0032] If the predetermined air purification conditions are not met, the control unit 40 repeats S108 and operates the ventilation device 10 until the indoor air quality is purified. If the predetermined air purification conditions are met, the control unit 40 stops the ventilation device 10 in S110, activates the circulation device 20, and returns to the initial state. After that, the control unit 40 returns to S104 and monitors whether the predetermined air pollution conditions are met. In this way, the control unit 40 activates the ventilation device 10 when the air quality information meets the predetermined air pollution conditions while the circulation device 20 is operating, and then stops the ventilation device 10 when the air quality information meets the predetermined air purification conditions.

[0033] In this way, by activating the ventilation device 10 when the air quality information of the air circulating indoors by the circulation device 20 meets predetermined air pollution conditions, and then stopping the ventilation device 10 when the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions, it is possible to provide a ventilation system 100 that minimizes ventilation, prevents carbon monoxide poisoning without compromising indoor comfort, minimizes the drop in indoor temperature, and saves energy. Furthermore, because the indoor air quality is monitored while the indoor air is circulated by the circulation device 20, it is possible to determine whether ventilation is necessary when using the combustion heating equipment 90, even if the air quality sensor 30 and the combustion heating equipment 90 are located far apart.

[0034] Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit 40, when it has activated the ventilation device 10 and stopped the circulation device 20 (S106) when predetermined air pollution conditions are met, then stops the ventilation device 10 and activates the circulation device 20 when predetermined air purification conditions are met. In this way, by stopping the circulation device 20 when predetermined air pollution conditions are met, and then stopping the ventilation device 10 and activating the circulation device 20 when predetermined air purification conditions are met, it is possible to determine whether ventilation associated with the use of the combustion heating equipment 90 is necessary again after ventilation associated with the use of the combustion heating equipment 90 has become unnecessary.

[0035] As described above, in this embodiment, the ventilation device 10, the circulation device 20, and the air quality sensor 30 are appropriately arranged separately within the same room at positions where each device can perform its function. However, it is preferable that the circulation device 20 be installed near the ventilation device 10, which exhausts indoor air to the outdoors, and that the air quality sensor 30 be installed near both the circulation device 20 and the ventilation device 10. By installing the circulation device 20, the ventilation device 10, and the air quality sensor 30 in close proximity in this way, contaminated air can be collected in the circulation device 20 before being exhausted outdoors, thus preventing the exhaust of clean air and allowing for ventilation to be kept to the minimum necessary.

[0036] Furthermore, when we say that the circulation device 20 is in the vicinity of the ventilation device 10, it means that the circulation device 20 and the ventilation device 10 are installed in the same device, or that the circulation device 20 and the ventilation device 10 are on the same wall surface, adjacent to each other, and installed so that there are no other devices or equipment between them. Also, when we say that the air quality sensor 30 is in the vicinity of the circulation device 20 and the ventilation device 10, it means that the air quality sensor 30 can capture the air that has been collected near the ventilation device 10 by the circulation device 20, and the air quality sensor 30 is installed on the flow path of the airflow generated by the circulation device 20, at a distance of 1 m from the circulation device 20 or the ventilation device 10, or the air quality sensor 30 is installed in the same device as the circulation device 20 and the ventilation device 10.

[0037] The control flow of the control unit 40 described above is a ventilation method used in conjunction with a combustion-type heating device 90 installed indoors. In this ventilation method, indoor air is circulated by drawing in indoor air, passing it through a predetermined filter, and then exhausting it back into the room, and the air quality of the air circulating indoors is detected. If the detected air quality information meets predetermined air pollution conditions, the indoor air is exhausted to the outside and / or outdoor air is supplied to the room. Subsequently, if the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions, the control unit 40 stops exhausting indoor air to the outside and / or supplying outdoor air to the room. In this way, by activating the ventilation device 10 when the air quality information of the air circulating indoors meets predetermined air pollution conditions, and then stopping the ventilation device 10 when the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions, it is possible to provide a ventilation method that minimizes ventilation, prevents carbon monoxide poisoning without compromising indoor comfort, minimizes the drop in indoor temperature, and saves energy. Furthermore, since the indoor air quality is monitored while the indoor air is circulated by the circulation device 20, it is possible to determine whether ventilation is necessary when using the combustion heating device 90, even if the air quality sensor 30 and the combustion heating device 90 are located far apart.

[0038] <Second Example> Referring to Figures 3 to 11, the ventilation system 100A in this embodiment will be described. To avoid duplication, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted, and the focus will be on the differences from the above embodiment. In the ventilation system 100 of the above embodiment, the ventilation device 10, circulation device 20, air quality sensor 30, and control unit 40 each exist as separate units and are installed indoors at a distance or nearby. However, in the ventilation system 100A of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, these are arranged as a single unit within the same housing and are configured as a range hood installed in a kitchen.

[0039] The ventilation system 100A comprises a ventilation device 10A, a circulation device 20A, an air quality sensor 30A, and a control unit 40A that acquires air quality information from the air quality sensor 30A and controls the ventilation device 10A and the circulation device 20A. The control unit 40A is wiredly connected to the ventilation device 10A, the circulation device 20A, and the air quality sensor 30A, and is configured to transmit and receive electrical signals.

[0040] The ventilation system 10A has a function to exhaust indoor air to the outside, and may also have a function to supply outdoor air to the inside. More specifically, the ventilation system 10A includes a sirocco fan that draws in oil fumes and the like from a hood installed above cooking equipment and generates an airflow that exhausts it through an exhaust pipe connected to the outside, and a grease filter that captures oil and moisture generated during cooking. The airflow generated by the ventilation system 10A preferably varies from a large airflow to a small airflow to correspond to the amount of oil and the like generated. The ventilation system 10A may also be further equipped with an air supply pipe connected to the outside and a fan that generates airflow from the outside to the inside. When the ventilation system 10A is operating at a particularly large airflow, outdoor air enters the building through gaps or air intake / exhaust vents, causing a change in the indoor air quality.

[0041] The circulation device 20A purifies and circulates indoor air by drawing in indoor air, passing it through a predetermined filter, and then exhausting it back into the room. More specifically, the circulation device 20A includes an air intake port for drawing in indoor air, a filter for purifying the drawn-in air, an outlet for exhausting the filtered air back into the room, and a fan for creating airflow from the air intake port to the outlet port. The airflow generated by the circulation device 20A preferably varies from a large airflow to a small airflow to correspond to the size of the indoor space and the circulation time.

[0042] The ventilation system 10A draws in air at a larger volume than the airflow of the circulation system 20A from the lower hood section, so the intake and outlet of the circulation system 20A are located at the top of the range hood, close to the ceiling. Filters include, for example, an air filter to remove fine dust and dirt, a deodorizing filter to remove various odors, a smoke removal filter to remove smoke generated by cooking, and an oil adsorption filter to remove oil generated by cooking. The indoor air quality is gradually purified as the circulation system 20A operates.

[0043] The air quality sensor 30A is a sensor that detects the air quality of indoor air, and is preferably installed on the upper part of the range hood facing the kitchen or in the flow path within the circulation device 20A. The control unit 40A is configured as a control element for the range hood, controlling the ventilation device 10A and / or the circulation device 20A based on the air quality information detected by the air quality sensor 30A. The combustion heating device 90 is assumed to be installed in the dining room or living room. In this figure, the ventilation system 100A and the combustion heating device 90 do not communicate with each other.

[0044] <First modified example in the second embodiment> Figure 4 shows a first modified example of this embodiment. In this modified example, the ventilation system 100A is configured to communicate with the combustion heating equipment 90, and is provided with known communication functions that enable communication at the distance over which it is installed indoors. For example, the control unit 40A of the ventilation system 100A communicates with the combustion heating equipment 90 and can determine whether the combustion heating equipment 90 is in use or stopped by obtaining its usage status. In this case, it is preferable that the predetermined pollution threshold indicating that the air quality is polluted when it is determined to be in use is greater than the predetermined pollution threshold when it is determined to be in unused condition. For example, in the case of CO, it is preferable that the predetermined pollution threshold when it is determined to be in use is 0.5 ppm greater than the predetermined pollution threshold when it is determined to be in unused condition, and in the case of CO2, it is preferable that the predetermined pollution threshold when it is determined to be in use is 100 ppm greater than the predetermined pollution threshold when it is determined to be in unused condition.

[0045] Furthermore, the control unit 40A preferably determines whether the combustion heating equipment 90 is in use or not. If it determines that the equipment is in use, it increases the airflow of the circulation device 20A, and if it determines that the equipment is not in use, it decreases the airflow of the circulation device 20A. This allows for more reliable prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning when the combustion heating equipment 90 is in use by increasing the airflow of the circulation device 20A when the equipment is in use and decreasing the airflow of the circulation device 20A when the equipment is not in use. Note that this modified example is almost identical to the control flow of the ventilation system 100 of the first embodiment (shown in Figure 2). If the predetermined air purification conditions are met and the process proceeds to S110 in Figure 2, the airflow of the circulation device 20A may be set to a relatively large airflow. This is because it is assumed that the combustion heating equipment 90 is in use since the predetermined air pollution conditions have been met and the ventilation operation has started, and the airflow of the circulation device 20A is increased. In this case, if the air purification conditions are maintained for a certain period of time or longer, the airflow of the circulation device 20A is returned to its original level. This system assumes that the combustion-type heating device 90 has been stopped if the air purification conditions have been maintained for a certain period of time or longer, and reduces the airflow of the circulation device 20A to its original setting.

[0046] <Second modified example of the second embodiment> A second modified example of this embodiment is shown in Figure 5. In this modified example, the ventilation system 100A has an additional air quality sensor 30 located indoors, separate from the range hood, in addition to the air quality sensor 30A located inside the range hood. In this modified example, there is one air quality sensor 30 separate from the range hood, but there may be multiple separate air quality sensors 30. The air quality sensor 30 has a known communication function that enables it to communicate with the control unit 40A of the ventilation system 100A, which is the range hood, at a distance where it is installed indoors.

[0047] The air quality sensor 30 (second air quality sensor), which is installed separately from the range hood, i.e., not in the vicinity thereof, is located at a greater distance than the air quality sensor 30A (first air quality sensor), which is located inside the range hood, i.e., in the vicinity of the ventilation device 10A and the circulation device 20A. It is preferable to take advantage of this distance and position it so as to be able to proactively detect the presence of pollutants such as CO by placing it near the combustion heating equipment 90 that may generate CO, in the living room where CO2 is likely to be generated, or in the airflow path from the combustion heating equipment 90 or the living room to the range hood.

[0048] Figure 6 shows the control flow of the control unit 40A in this modified example. In S200, the control unit 40A confirms that the combustion heating equipment 90 is operating and activates the circulation device 20A in S202. In S204, the control unit 40A obtains air quality information from the first air quality sensor 30A located inside the range hood and checks whether predetermined air pollution conditions are met.

[0049] If the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, the control unit 40A proceeds to S212. If the conditions are not met, in S206 it obtains air quality information from a remote second air quality sensor 30 and checks whether the predetermined air pollution conditions are met. If the conditions are not met, it returns to S204 and monitors whether the air quality at a location far from the range hood and near the range hood has deteriorated. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, that is, if the air quality near the range hood has not deteriorated but the air quality at a location far from the range hood has deteriorated, in S208 the control unit 40A increases the airflow of the circulation device 20A to draw the air at a location far from the range hood to the vicinity of the range hood as quickly as possible.

[0050] Subsequently, in S210, the control unit 40A obtains air quality information from the air quality sensor 30A located inside the range hood and checks whether predetermined air pollution conditions are met. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are not met, the control unit 40A repeats S210 and monitors whether the air quality near the range hood has deteriorated. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, the control unit 40A determines that the air that was previously detected as contaminated at a location away from the range hood has been drawn to the range hood, and in S212, activates the ventilation device 10A and stops the circulation device 20A.

[0051] In this way, air quality sensors 30A / 30 are installed near and remotely from the circulation device 20A and ventilation device 10A. When the remote air quality sensor 30 (second air quality sensor) meets predetermined air pollution conditions, the airflow of the circulation device 20A is increased, allowing contaminated air to be drawn to the ventilation device 10A and exhausted outdoors more quickly. Furthermore, even if the nearby air quality sensor 30A (first air quality sensor) is installed far away from the combustion heating equipment 90, the presence of the remote air quality sensor 30 (second air quality sensor) allows for early detection of the air pollution conditions, preventing delays in exhausting air outdoors and thus preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

[0052] After activating the ventilation device 10A, in S214, the control unit 40A acquires air quality information from the air quality sensor 30A inside the range hood and checks whether predetermined air purification conditions are met. If the predetermined air purification conditions are not met, the control unit 40A repeats S214 and continues to operate the ventilation device 10A and exhaust air until the air quality near the range hood is purified. If the predetermined air purification conditions are met, in S216, the control unit 40A stops the ventilation device 10A, activates the circulation device 20A, and returns to the initial state. After that, the control unit 40A returns to S204 and performs monitoring to check whether predetermined air pollution conditions are met.

[0053] <Third modified example in the second embodiment> Figure 7 shows a third modified example of this embodiment. In this modified example, the ventilation system 100A, in addition to the configuration of the second modified example, is further equipped with an infrared receiver 70 inside the range hood for communicating with the cooking appliance 91. The infrared receiver 70 communicates with the infrared transmitter 911 of the cooking appliance 91 installed below the range hood and obtains information regarding the type and usage status of the cooking appliance 91. The type of cooking appliance 91 is, for example, an induction cooker or a gas cooker, and the usage status is, for example, operating or stopped, and if operating, the magnitude of the heat output. The air quality sensor 30 / 30A includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the air.

[0054] Figure 8 shows the control flow of the control unit 40A in this modified example. In S300, the control unit 40A detects that the heating appliance 91 has been activated, and in S302, it activates the ventilation device 10A in an operation corresponding to the type of heating appliance 91. Operation corresponding to the type of heating appliance 91 means that if the heating appliance 91 is a gas cooker, the ventilation device 10A is activated to perform exhaust operation to the outside, and if the heating appliance 91 is an IH cooker, the circulation device 20A is activated to perform indoor circulation operation. The start of cooking may be detected by receiving a signal from the heating appliance 91, by detecting pollutants or temperature with the air quality sensor 30A, or by detecting it with a cooking state monitoring unit (temperature sensor, camera, gas sensor, etc.) provided separately from the air quality sensor 30A.

[0055] In S304, the control unit 40A acquires air quality information from the air quality sensor 30A located inside the range hood and checks whether predetermined air pollution conditions are met. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are not met, the control unit 40A proceeds to S310. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, in S306, it increases the airflow of the ventilation device 10A. If the ventilation device 10A was not operating, it starts operation and operates at a relatively large airflow. In other words, the control unit 40A determines whether the cooking appliance 91 is in use. If it determines that it is in use, it controls the range hood to control the airflow corresponding to the type of cooking appliance 91. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, it increases the airflow of the range hood. This allows for ventilation even during cooking with an induction cooktop, which does not require ventilation, if the air pollution conditions are met, thus exhausting pollutants. The control unit 40A may also control the range hood to return to airflow control corresponding to the type of cooking appliance 91 if predetermined air purification conditions are met. In other words, if the heating appliance 91 is an induction cooker, the control unit 40A activates the circulation device 20A and switches to indoor circulation operation.

[0056] Next, in S308, the control unit 40A acquires air quality information from the air quality sensor 30A and checks whether predetermined air purification conditions are met. If the predetermined air purification conditions are not met, the control unit 40A repeats S308 and operates the ventilation device 10A at an increased airflow rate until the indoor air quality is purified. If the predetermined air purification conditions are met, in S310, the control unit 40A checks whether the combustion heating equipment 90 is in use. If the combustion heating equipment 90 is in use, in S312, the control unit 40A acquires temperature information near the range hood from the temperature sensor of the air quality sensor 30A and checks whether it has detected that the temperature is above a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is the upper limit of temperature that people in the room will find comfortable, and can be set as appropriate.

[0057] If the control unit 40A detects that the temperature is above a predetermined level, in S314, it increases the airflow of the ventilation device 10A. That is, if the control unit 40A determines that the combustion heating equipment 90 is in use and the temperature sensor of the air quality sensor 30A detects that the temperature is above a predetermined level, it further increases the airflow of the ventilation device 10A that exhausts indoor air to the outside. As a result, if the room temperature rises due to the use of the heating and cooking equipment 91 and the combustion heating equipment 90, the room temperature can be lowered by exhausting the indoor air to the outside, thereby maintaining comfort.

[0058] Subsequently, in S316, the control unit 40A acquires temperature information near the range hood from the temperature sensor of the air quality sensor 30A, and repeats the inspection until the temperature falls below a predetermined level. Once the temperature falls below the predetermined level, in S318, it checks whether the heating appliance 91 is in use. If the heating appliance 91 is in use, the control unit 40A repeats S302 to S316. If the heating appliance 91 is no longer in use, in S320, it terminates the operation of the ventilation system 10A corresponding to the heating appliance 91. If the combustion heating appliance 90 was not in use in S310, and if the temperature was not above a predetermined level in S312, the control unit 40A proceeds to S318 and performs the same control.

[0059] <Fourth modification in the second embodiment> A fourth modified example of this embodiment is shown in Figure 9. In this modified example, in addition to the configuration of the third modified example, the ventilation system 100A is further equipped with a CO monitoring device 50 that is located at a distance from the range hood (for example, near the combustion heating equipment 90) and has a communication function that communicates with the control unit 40A. The CO monitoring device 50 is a sensor that detects carbon monoxide contained in the air.

[0060] Figure 10 shows the control flow of the control unit 40A in this modified example. In S400, the control unit 40A confirms that the combustion heating equipment 90 is operating, and in S402, it activates the circulation device 20A. In S404, the control unit 40A obtains air quality information from the CO monitoring device 50 and checks whether predetermined specified conditions are met. Here, predetermined specified conditions mean that the CO concentration is above a predetermined threshold and / or above a predetermined concentration increase rate. Preferably, the predetermined threshold of CO concentration by the CO monitoring device 50 is smaller than the predetermined CO contamination threshold by the air quality sensors 30A / 30. Also, preferably, the predetermined concentration increase rate of CO concentration by the CO monitoring device 50 is smaller than the predetermined CO increase rate by the air quality sensors 30A / 30.

[0061] If the predetermined conditions are met, the control unit 40A proceeds to S418 and operates the ventilation device 10A at a high airflow rate for a predetermined time. If the predetermined conditions are not met, in S406, it obtains air quality information from the air quality sensor 30A and checks whether the predetermined pollution conditions are met. If the predetermined pollution conditions are not met, it returns to S404 and obtains air quality information from the CO monitoring device 50 and checks whether the predetermined conditions are met. That is, if the CO monitoring device 50 does not meet the predetermined conditions and the air quality sensor 30A also does not meet the predetermined pollution conditions (i.e., the air quality is good), steps S404 and S406 are repeated.

[0062] On the other hand, if the CO monitoring device 50 meets strict predetermined conditions, it immediately proceeds to S418 and activates the ventilation device 10A at a high airflow. In this way, by providing a CO monitoring device 50 in addition to the air quality sensor 30A, and activating the ventilation device 10A when predetermined conditions (concentration and / or concentration increase rate above a predetermined threshold) are detected, carbon monoxide can be detected by the CO monitoring device 50 and the ventilation device 10A can be activated even if the air quality sensor 30A does not detect carbon monoxide, thus reliably preventing carbon monoxide poisoning. Note that activating the ventilation device 10A for a predetermined time means a sufficient amount of time to draw air from the location where the CO monitoring device 50 is installed to the range hood.

[0063] If the predetermined contamination conditions are met in S406, the control unit 40A activates the ventilation device 10A and stops the circulation device 20A in S408. Next, in S410, the control unit 40A checks whether the air quality detected by the air quality sensor 30A meets the predetermined air purification conditions. If it does not, the control unit 40A repeats S410 and continues exhausting until the air quality near the range hood improves. If it does meet the conditions, in S412, the control unit 40A checks whether the air quality detected by the CO monitoring device 50 meets the predetermined specified conditions.

[0064] If the condition is met, that is, if the air quality near the range hood has improved but the air quality at the location where the CO monitoring device 50 is installed has deteriorated, the control unit 40A proceeds to S418 and operates the ventilation device 10A at a high airflow rate for a predetermined time. If the condition is not met, that is, if the air quality near both the range hood and the CO monitoring device 50 has improved, the control unit 40A stops the ventilation device 10A in S414, activates the circulation device 20A, and returns to the initial state.

[0065] <Fifth Modification Example in the Second Embodiment> Figure 11 shows a fifth modified example of this embodiment. In this modified example, the ventilation system 100A is further equipped with an alert unit 60 in the range hood, in addition to the configuration of the fourth modified example. The alert unit 60 may be a speaker that provides auditory alerts to the user, a light that provides visual alerts, or a communication device that provides electronic alerts to a smartphone or other device held by the user.

[0066] Preferably, the control unit 40A notifies the notification unit 60 whether the air quality information detected by the air quality sensors 30A / 30 and the CO monitoring device 50 meets predetermined air purification conditions, does not meet predetermined air pollution conditions, or does not meet predetermined specified conditions. By notifying the air quality information that it meets predetermined air purification conditions, the user can know that ventilation is unnecessary, thereby preventing unnecessary ventilation by the user's manual operation and preventing energy loss.

[0067] Furthermore, if the combustion heating equipment 90 has a function to transmit a notification that ventilation should be performed, when the control unit 40A receives a notification from the combustion heating equipment 90 that ventilation should be performed, it is preferable that the control unit 40A determines whether the air quality information detected by the air quality sensor 30A satisfies predetermined air purification conditions or predetermined air pollution conditions, and if it determines that the predetermined air purification conditions or predetermined air pollution conditions are met, the notification unit 60 transmits a notification. In this way, when used with a combustion heating equipment 90 that has a function to transmit a notification that ventilation should be performed, if a notification that ventilation should be performed is received and it is determined that the air quality information satisfies predetermined air purification conditions or predetermined air pollution conditions, the notification unit 60 transmits a notification, so that even if the combustion heating equipment 90 has sent a notification to ventilate using a timer or the like, the notification unit 60 can tell whether ventilation is really necessary, thus preventing unnecessary ventilation and saving energy.

[0068] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments, and can be implemented in configurations that do not depart from the content described in each claim. In other words, although the present invention is illustrated and described in particular with respect to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the embodiments described above in terms of quantity and other detailed configurations without departing from the technical idea and objectives of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 100 Ventilation System 100A Range Hood 10 Ventilation system 20 Circulation device 30 Air quality sensor 31 Temperature sensor 40 Control Unit 50 CO monitoring device 60 Hochi Department 70 Infrared light receiving section 90 Combustion-type heating equipment 91 Heating cooker

Claims

1. A ventilation system used in conjunction with combustion-type heating equipment installed indoors, A ventilation system that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors and / or supplies outdoor air to the indoors, A circulation device that purifies and circulates indoor air by drawing in indoor air, passing it through a designated filter, and then exhausting it back into the room. An air quality sensor that detects the air quality of indoor air, A control unit that controls the ventilation device and / or the circulation device based on the air quality information detected by the air quality sensor, Equipped with, The control unit activates the ventilation device when the air quality information meets predetermined air pollution conditions while the circulation device is operating, and then stops the ventilation device when the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions. Ventilation system.

2. The ventilation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit, when the predetermined air pollution conditions are met and the ventilation device is activated, then when the predetermined air purification conditions are met, stops the ventilation device and activates the circulation device.

3. The aforementioned predetermined air pollution conditions are those in which the air quality information is equal to or greater than a predetermined pollution threshold. The aforementioned predetermined air purification conditions are that the air quality information is below a predetermined purification threshold, The ventilation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined contamination threshold is greater than the predetermined clean threshold.

4. The ventilation system according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit determines whether the combustion heating equipment is in use or not, and the predetermined contamination threshold when it is determined to be in use is greater than the predetermined contamination threshold when it is determined to be in non-use state.

5. The ventilation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined air pollution condition is that the air quality information shows an increase rate of a predetermined value or higher.

6. The circulation device is installed near the ventilation device that exhausts indoor air to the outside. The ventilation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the air quality sensor is provided in the vicinity of the circulation device and the ventilation device.

7. The air quality sensor comprises a first air quality sensor provided near the circulation device and the ventilation device, and a second air quality sensor provided outside the vicinity of the circulation device and the ventilation device. The ventilation system according to claim 6, characterized in that the control unit increases the airflow rate of the circulation device when the air quality information of the second air quality sensor satisfies the predetermined air pollution conditions.

8. The ventilation device is a range hood installed near a cooking appliance. The control unit determines whether the heating appliance is in use, and if it determines that it is in use, The range hood is designed to control the airflow according to the type of cooking appliance. If the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, the range hood's airflow is increased, and if the predetermined air purification conditions are met, the range hood returns to airflow control corresponding to the type of heating appliance. The ventilation system according to claim 1.

9. It is further equipped with a CO monitoring device that detects CO indoors. The ventilation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit activates the ventilation device when the CO monitoring device detects a concentration and / or a predetermined concentration increase rate exceeding a predetermined threshold.

10. The ventilation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit determines whether the combustion heating equipment is in use or not, increases the airflow rate of the circulation device if it is determined to be in use, and decreases the airflow rate of the circulation device if it is determined to be in unused condition.

11. The air quality sensor includes a temperature sensor, The control unit determines whether the combustion heating equipment and the cooking equipment are in use, and if it determines that the cooking equipment is in use, The ventilation system that exhausts indoor air to the outdoors is configured to control the airflow according to the type of cooking appliance. When it is determined that a combustion-type heating device is in use and the temperature sensor detects that the temperature is above a predetermined level, the airflow of the ventilation device that exhausts indoor air to the outside is increased. The ventilation system according to claim 1.

12. It also includes a notification unit to inform the user, The ventilation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit notifies, via the notification unit, that the air quality information satisfies the predetermined air purification conditions and / or does not satisfy the predetermined air pollution conditions.

13. Combustion heating equipment has a function to send a notification that ventilation is required. The ventilation system according to claim 12, characterized in that when the control unit receives a notification from a combustion heating device that ventilation should be performed, it determines whether the air quality information satisfies the predetermined air purification conditions or the predetermined air pollution conditions, and if it determines that the predetermined air purification conditions or the predetermined air pollution conditions are met, the notification unit notifies the system.

14. A ventilation method used in conjunction with combustion-type heating equipment installed indoors, The indoor air is circulated by drawing in indoor air, passing it through a designated filter, and then exhausting it back into the room. It detects the air quality of the air circulating indoors. If the detected air quality information meets predetermined air pollution conditions, the system will exhaust indoor air outdoors and / or supply outdoor air indoors. Subsequently, if the air quality information meets predetermined air purification conditions, the system will stop exhausting indoor air outdoors and / or supplying outdoor air indoors. Ventilation methods.

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