Air purifiers and air purification systems

Abstract

We provide an air purifier that effectively disinfects indoor spaces while preventing unnecessarily long operating times and extending the lifespan of the UV lamp. [Solution] An air purifier according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing, a first sterilization unit, a second sterilization unit, a human presence sensor, and a control unit. The housing has an air intake and an air outlet, and a ventilation passage connecting the air intake and the air outlet. The first sterilization unit is positioned in the ventilation passage and irradiates ultraviolet light. The second sterilization unit is positioned in the ventilation passage and generates ions in the air. The human presence sensor detects the presence of a person in a predetermined area around the housing. The control unit determines the presence or absence of a person in the predetermined area based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, and controls the first sterilization unit and the second sterilization unit based on the determination result regarding the presence or absence of a person.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to an air purifier and an air purification system.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a vehicle air purification device that uses a dedicated battery to ventilate or deodorize the interior of a vehicle when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, the applicant has previously proposed an air purifier incorporating an ultraviolet lamp that emits ultraviolet rays for sterilization when the ignition switch of an ambulance is turned on (Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-13761).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An ambulance is usually connected to an external power source (commercial power source) at the fire station when the engine is stopped. After the ambulance that has been dispatched for patient transportation returns to the fire station, even when the engine is stopped, by using the external power source, it is possible to continuously operate the air purifier incorporating an ultraviolet lamp for a predetermined time (the time required for sterilization in the vehicle interior, for example, 120 minutes), and thereby perform sterilization in the vehicle interior even when the engine is stopped.

[0005] After the above-mentioned predetermined time has elapsed, it is necessary to manually stop the operation of the air purifier. Therefore, after the above-mentioned predetermined time has elapsed, if the stop operation is not performed, the air purifier will continue to operate, resulting in problems such as shortening the life of the ultraviolet lamp and increasing power consumption.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide an air purifier and an air purification system that can reliably disinfect a room while suppressing unnecessarily long operating times and extending the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An air purifier according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing, a first sterilization unit, a second sterilization unit, a human presence sensor, and a control unit. The housing has an air intake and an air outlet, and a ventilation passage connecting the air intake and the air outlet. The first sterilization unit is placed in the ventilation passage and irradiates ultraviolet light. The second sterilization unit is positioned in the ventilation passage and generates ions in the air. The motion sensor detects the presence of a person in a predetermined area surrounding the housing. The control unit determines whether a person is present in the predetermined area based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, and controls the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit based on the determination result regarding the presence or absence of a person.

[0008] This allows the air purifier to be automatically controlled based on the results of the human presence detection. Furthermore, it prevents unnecessarily prolonged UV irradiation time, thus extending the lifespan of the first sterilization unit.

[0009] The control unit may, while operating the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit, stop the operation of the first disinfection unit if it determines, based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, that there is no person in the predetermined area.

[0010] The control unit may, when it determines that no person is present in the predetermined area, execute a process to measure the absence time, which is the duration of the absence, and when the absence time reaches a first predetermined time, it may stop the operation of the first disinfection unit.

[0011] The control unit may, if it determines, based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, that a person is present in the predetermined area before the absence time reaches the first predetermined time, discontinue the process of timing the absence time.

[0012] The control unit may, when it determines that the person is present during the measurement of the absence time, execute a process to measure the time the person is present, which is the duration of the person's presence. If the cumulative value of the time the person is present reaches a second predetermined time, which is shorter than the first predetermined time, within the first predetermined time, the process of measuring the absence time may be stopped.

[0013] If the control unit determines that the person is present during a predetermined time period immediately before the absence time reaches the first predetermined time, it may extend the first predetermined time by a third predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time but longer than the second predetermined time.

[0014] The control unit may stop the operation of the first sterilization unit if it determines that the person is absent after the third predetermined time has elapsed.

[0015] The air purifier may further include an input operation unit for setting the length of the first predetermined time.

[0016] The control unit may, when it determines that no person is present in the predetermined area based on the detection result of the human presence sensor while the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit are in operation, stop the operation of the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit, or stop the operation of the second disinfection unit after a predetermined time has elapsed since stopping the operation of the first disinfection unit.

[0017] When the control unit determines that a person is present in the predetermined area based on the detection result of the human presence sensor while the first sterilization unit and the second sterilization unit are stopped, the control unit may drive the first sterilization unit and the second sterilization unit.

[0018] The housing may further have an installation surface that is attached to the wall surface of the room where the air cleaner is installed. The human presence sensor may be disposed on the surface of the housing at a predetermined angle with respect to the normal line of the installation surface.

[0019] An air cleaning system according to an aspect of the present invention includes the air cleaner and a vehicle that has a power supply unit and forms an indoor space where the air cleaner is installed.

[0020] The vehicle may be an ambulance, and the indoor space may be an interior space of the vehicle that accommodates patients.

[0021] The interior space of the vehicle may have a first side surface provided with a bench disposed adjacent to the entrance of the ambulance, and a second side surface facing the first side surface. The air cleaner may be attached to the second side surface.

[0022] The control unit may detect the presence or absence of power supply from the power supply unit, and may start the air cleaner when detecting power supply from the power supply unit.

[0023] The power supply unit may include an in-vehicle power supply and an external power supply unit that can be connected to a commercial power supply. The air cleaner may be connected to the in-vehicle power supply while the engine of the vehicle is running, and may be connected to the external power supply unit while the engine is stopped.

Advantages of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, while reliably performing sterilization in the room, it is possible to suppress an unnecessarily long operation time and extend the life of the ultraviolet lamp.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the entire air purifier according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view from the left side, showing the internal structure of the air purifier described above. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view from the right side, showing the internal structure of the air purifier described above. [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the internal structure of the air purifier described above. [Figure 5] This is a schematic plan view of the interior of an ambulance equipped with the above-mentioned air purifier. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the human presence sensor and the support member that supports it in the above-mentioned air purifier. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit in the above-mentioned air purifier. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a method for determining whether or not a person is present. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows an example of the processing procedure executed by the control unit described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the entire air purifier 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 2 to 4 show the internal structure of the air purifier 100, with Figure 2 being a perspective view from the left side 106 of the housing 10, Figure 3 being a perspective view from the right side 105 of the housing 10, and Figure 4 being a front view. In each figure, the X, Y, and Z axes represent three mutually orthogonal axes, with the X axis corresponding to the depth direction of the air purifier 100, the Y axis to its width direction, and the Z axis to its height direction.

[0028] [Overall structure] The air purifier 100 of this embodiment comprises a housing 10, a human presence sensor 18, a control unit 20, a first sterilization unit 41, and a second sterilization unit 42. In this embodiment, the air purifier 100 is installed inside an ambulance, more specifically, in the space inside the ambulance that accommodates emergency patients (hereinafter also referred to as the transport room).

[0029] (Enclosure) The housing 10 is a rectangular parallelepiped having a front section 101, a rear section 102, a top section 103, a bottom section 104, a right side section 105, and a left side section 106, and is made of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The right side section 105 is the side section located on the right side of the housing 10, and the left side section 106 is the side section located on the left side of the housing 10.

[0030] The housing 10 has an air intake 11 and an air outlet 12. In this embodiment, the intake 11 and air outlet 12 are located on the front portion 101 of the housing 10. More specifically, the intake 11 is located at the corners on the top portion 103 and the right side portion 105 of the front portion 101, and the air outlet 12 is located along the edge on the left side portion 106. The intake 11 and air outlet 12 are formed by a rectangular opening provided in the front portion 101 and a mesh-like filter or the like that covers the opening from the inside of the front portion 101. The shape, size, and position of the intake 11 and air outlet 12 are not limited to the illustrated example, and their number is not limited to one but may be multiple.

[0031] The front section 101 of the housing 10 is further equipped with various indicator lamps 15a to 15d of the display unit 15, various operation buttons 16a and 16b of the input operation unit 16, a human motion sensor 18, and the like, as will be described later.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, a main power switch 31 and a DC jack 32 are located on the right side 105 of the housing 10.

[0033] When the main power switch 31 is turned on, the air purifier 100 operates. When the main power switch 31 is turned off, the operation of the air purifier 100 stops. A rocker switch is used for the main power switch 31, but it is not limited to this, and other types of physical switches such as toggle switches or button switches may be used.

[0034] The DC plug of the AC / DC adapter 33 (see Figure 7) is connected to the DC jack 32. The AC / DC adapter 33 includes a power plug that can be easily plugged in and out of a vehicle outlet, for example, located in the transport compartment for accommodating patients in an ambulance (described later) and connected to a vehicle power supply. When the DC plug is connected to the DC jack 32, a DC voltage, which is a transformed voltage supplied from the vehicle power supply, is applied to the DC jack 32. Alternatively, an AC / DC converter built into the housing 10 and connected to a power plug may be used instead of the AC / DC adapter 33.

[0035] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the housing 10 has a ventilation passage 13 that connects the intake port 11 and the outlet port 12. The ventilation passage 13 is an internal passage of the housing 10 that connects the intake chamber 131, the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132, and the discharge chamber 133, which are provided inside the housing 10.

[0036] The housing 10 includes a first metal partition wall W1 and a second metal partition wall W2 that divide the internal space of the housing 10 into three spaces (intake chamber 131, ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132, and discharge chamber 133) in the width direction (Y-axis direction). The first partition wall W1 is located between the intake chamber 131 and the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132, and the second partition wall W2 is located between the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132 and the discharge chamber 133. The first partition wall W1 has a first opening H1 that connects the intake chamber 131 and the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132. The second partition wall W2 has a second opening H2 that connects the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132 and the discharge chamber 133. The first opening H1 and the second opening H2 each form part of the ventilation passage 13.

[0037] A fan 14 is positioned in the intake chamber 131 to draw air into the intake chamber 131 from the intake port 11. The fan 14 is, for example, a sirocco fan. The fan 14 is mounted on the rear part 102 so as to face the intake port 11, and when the fan 14 is driven, it forms an airflow from the intake port 11 toward the intake chamber 131, the first opening H1, the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132, the second opening H2, the discharge chamber 133, and the discharge outlet 12.

[0038] (First disinfection unit) A first sterilization unit 41 that irradiates ultraviolet light is placed in the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132. The first sterilization unit 41 includes an ultraviolet lamp 411. The ultraviolet lamp 411 is a straight-tube type ultraviolet lamp that irradiates ultraviolet light (UV-C) with a wavelength range of, for example, 100 nm to 280 nm. As an example, the wavelength of ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet lamp 411 in this embodiment is 254 nm. UV-C is ultraviolet light in a wavelength range that can kill or inactivate microorganisms and viruses.

[0039] In this embodiment, two ultraviolet lamps 411 are used. Each ultraviolet lamp 411 is positioned in the center of the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132 in the height direction (Z-axis direction), parallel to the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10. Each ultraviolet lamp 411 is positioned side by side in the depth direction (X-axis direction) of the housing 10, but is not limited to this, and may be positioned side by side in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10. The number of ultraviolet lamps 411 is not limited to two, but may be one or three or more.

[0040] Each of the two ultraviolet lamps 411 has one end connected to a terminal block 412, which maintains their horizontal orientation. The terminal block 412 is fixed to the first partition wall W1 and is connected to a control unit 20, which will be described later, located in the intake chamber 131. Each ultraviolet lamp 411 emits light by receiving power from the control unit 20 via the terminal block 412.

[0041] The first sterilization unit 41 irradiates the in-car air taken into the housing 10 from the intake port 11 with ultraviolet light, thereby killing or inactivating microorganisms and viruses in the in-car air within the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132, and blowing the killed or inactivated air into the car through the outlet 12. By circulating the in-car air through the inside of the air purifier 100 in this way, the in-car air is sterilized. Since the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132 is shielded from the transport chamber by the metal housing 10, ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet irradiation chamber 132 is prevented from leaking into the car interior space.

[0042] (Second disinfection unit) A second sterilization unit 42 that generates ions in the air is placed in the air outlet chamber 133. As the second sterilization unit 42, for example, a discharge unit (ion generator) that generates oxygen ions (negative ions) in the air flowing through the air outlet chamber 133 by plasma discharge is used.

[0043] The second sterilization unit 42 is located at the bottom of the air outlet chamber 133, but is not limited to this location; it may also be located at the top or in the center of the air outlet chamber 133. The number of second sterilization units 42 is not limited to one; there may be two or more.

[0044] The second sterilization unit 42 ionizes the in-car air taken into the housing 10 from the intake port 11 to generate negative oxygen ions. The generated negative oxygen ions float in the in-car space carried by the airflow blown out from the outlet port 12, and adhere to objects installed in the in-car space (walls, stretchers, seats, various medical equipment, etc.), sterilizing them by oxidizing bacteria and viruses on the surface of these objects.

[0045] (Display unit, input operation unit) The intake chamber 131 further houses a display unit 15, an input operation unit 16, a human presence sensor 18, and a control unit 20.

[0046] The display unit 15 includes various indicator lamps 15a to 15d that display the operating status of the air purifier 100, for example, an operation lamp 15a that indicates the air purifier 100 is in operation, an airflow mode lamp 15b that indicates the airflow level of the air purifier 100, a time confirmation lamp 15c that indicates a first predetermined time set by the user (described later), and a maintenance lamp 15d that indicates when it is time to replace the ultraviolet lamp 411. The input operation unit 16 includes operation buttons 16a and 16b for setting the operating mode of the air purifier 100, for example, an airflow button 16a for switching the airflow of the air purifier 100 as described above, and a switch button 16b for switching the first predetermined time as described above.

[0047] The display unit 15 and the input operation unit 16 are arranged on a common support board (wiring board) 17. The support board 17 is located inside the intake chamber 131, and only the indicator lamps 15a to 15d and operation buttons 16a and 16b mounted on the support board 17 are exposed to the outside through a number of openings provided in the front section 101. As shown in Figure 1, the indicator lamps 15a to 15d and operation buttons 16a and 16b are arranged in the same straight line along the edge of the right side surface 105 of the front section 101.

[0048] (Motion sensor) The motion sensor 18 is a pyroelectric sensor (infrared sensor) capable of detecting the presence of a person in a predetermined area (hereinafter also referred to as the detection range) around the housing 10. The motion sensor 18 is positioned on a structure ST (see Figure 6), described later, located below the intake chamber 131, via a support member 19, so as to be exposed to the outside through the front part 101 of the housing 10. The detection range of the motion sensor 18 can be arbitrarily set according to the type of indoor space in which the air purifier 100 is installed and its mounting position.

[0049] In this embodiment, the air purifier 100 is installed inside the ambulance, more specifically in the transport room where the patient is housed (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "interior space"). Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of the interior of the ambulance 150. The ambulance 150 and the air purifier 100 installed therein constitute the air purification system 1.

[0050] Ambulance 150 is equipped with a transport compartment 152 behind the driver's seat 151 that can accommodate an on-board stretcher 153. The transport compartment 152 corresponds to a disinfected space where disinfection is performed by an air purifier 100. The transport compartment 152 has a rear door 154 for loading and unloading the stretcher 153, and a sliding door 155 that opens and closes an entrance / exit for people, which is provided on a part of the first side surface S1 on one side. The air purifier 100 is installed on the second side surface S2, which is opposite the first side surface S1, with its front portion 101 facing the first side surface S1. In this case, the rear portion 102 of the housing 10 is used as an installation surface attached to the wall surface that forms a part of the first side surface S1.

[0051] In this embodiment, the motion sensor 18 detects the presence of a person within a certain detection range R (detection angle θ, see Figure 5). In the transport compartment 152, the air purifier 100 is positioned on the front surface 101 of the housing 10 so as to cover the installation area of ​​the entrance / exit door, which is opened and closed by the sliding door 155, and the adjacent seat 156, as the detection range R, as shown in Figure 5. The front surface 101 is formed parallel to the rear surface 102 (installation surface), and the motion sensor 18 is positioned in an orientation tilted at a predetermined angle α relative to the normal L in the direction in which the sliding door 155 is located, in the XY plane including the normal L of the rear surface 102 (installation surface). This makes it possible to detect not only the presence or absence of a person in the interior space 152, but also the presence of a person entering the interior space 152 by opening the sliding door 155.

[0052] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the motion sensor 18 and the support member 19 that supports it. The support member 19 has a support surface 19a that supports the motion sensor 18, a pair of bracket portions 19b that can be attached to any part in the intake chamber 131, and a pair of legs 19c that connect the support surface 19a and the bracket portions 19b. The pair of bracket portions 19b are fixed to a structure ST (for example, the wall surface of the intake chamber 131 or a support base installed in the intake chamber 131) parallel to the front portion 101 and the rear portion 102 via screw members. The pair of legs 19c are of different lengths; specifically, when the motion sensor 18 is viewed from the front in Figure 6, the length from the support surface 19a to the bracket portion 19b of the right leg portion 19c is longer than the length from the support surface 19a to the bracket portion 19b of the left leg portion 19c. As a result, the support surface 19a becomes a flat surface inclined horizontally by the predetermined angle α with respect to the reference plane ST. Therefore, by mounting the motion sensor 18 on this support surface 19a, the optical axis of the motion sensor 19 is oriented in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle α with respect to the normal L in the XY plane that includes the normal L of the mounting surface (rear part 102) of the housing 10.

[0053] The predetermined angle α is not particularly limited and can be arbitrarily set according to the position where the air purifier 100 is installed and the detection range. For example, it can be 10° to 20°, and in this embodiment, it is approximately 14°.

[0054] (Control unit) The control unit 20 controls the operation of the air purifier 100, including the fan 14, the first sterilization unit 41, and the second sterilization unit 42. The control unit 20 is located in the intake chamber 131. More specifically, the control unit 20 is located in a metal casing directly below the fan 14 and near the motion sensor 18. The air drawn into the intake chamber 131 cools the metal casing, thereby improving the heat dissipation of the control unit 20.

[0055] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 20. The control unit 20 has a main board 21 and a controller 22 mounted on the main board 21.

[0056] The main board 21 is a circuit board on which the controller 22 and other electronic components are mounted. The periphery of the main board 21 is equipped with a DC jack 22, as well as multiple connectors CN1 to CN8 which are electrically connected to devices and components such as the main power switch 31, input operation unit 16, fan 14, display unit 15, second sterilization unit 42, first sterilization unit 41, and human presence sensor 18.

[0057] The controller 22 is a semiconductor component that includes computing elements such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) / MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and memory. The controller 22 executes various operating modes based on input signals from the input operation unit 16. The operating modes include a normal mode and a silent mode. In silent mode, the rotation speed of the fan 14 is set lower than in normal mode. By setting the rotation speed lower, the fan 14's operating noise is reduced while sterilization and disinfection are performed by the first sterilization unit 41 and the second sterilization unit 42.

[0058] When the main power switch 31 is ON, the controller 22 operates the fan 14, display unit 16, first sterilization unit 41, and second sterilization unit 42, respectively, using the power input to the DC jack 32. The power source for the air purifier 100 includes an onboard power supply (battery) V1 and an external power supply unit (outlet plug) 34 that can be connected to an external power supply (commercial power supply) V2. When the ambulance 150 is dispatched (engine running), the control unit 20 is supplied with driving power from the onboard power supply V1, and when the ambulance 150 is not dispatched (engine stopped), it is supplied with driving power from the external power supply V2 via the external power supply unit 34.

[0059] In this scenario, ambulance vehicles are typically connected to an external power source (commercial power) when their engines are off at the fire station. After an ambulance has returned to the fire station after being dispatched to transport a patient, the air purifier 100 can be kept running for a predetermined time (e.g., 120 minutes) using the external power source even when the engine is off, thereby disinfecting the interior of the vehicle.

[0060] However, with conventional air purifiers, after the predetermined time has elapsed, the main power switch 31 must be operated manually to stop the operation of the air purifier 100. Therefore, after the predetermined time has elapsed, if the stop operation is not performed, the air purifier 100 will continue to operate. In this case, the first sterilization unit 41 also continues to operate and the ultraviolet lamp 411 remains lit, which shortens the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 411 and increases the power consumption of the air purifier 100.

[0061] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 20 determines whether there is a person in the detection range R of the vehicle interior space 152 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 18, and controls the operation of the air purifier 100 based on the determination result regarding the presence or absence of a person. As a result, even when the engine is stopped and the vehicle interior space 152 is empty, the air purifier 100 can be kept running or stopped based on the determination result regarding the presence or absence of a person. This prevents the first sterilization unit 41 from being run unnecessarily, thus preventing a shortened lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 411, and also prevents an increase in the power consumption of the air purifier 100.

[0062] More specifically, when the control unit 20 determines, based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 18, that there is no person in the detection range R while the first sterilization unit 41 and the second sterilization unit 42 are in operation, it stops the operation of at least the first sterilization unit 41. This prevents the emission time of the ultraviolet lamp 411 from being prolonged, thereby preventing a shortening of the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 411.

[0063] In this case, the second sterilization unit 42 may be stopped simultaneously with the first sterilization unit 41. This ensures that when it is determined that there is no person in the detection range R of the transport chamber 152, both the first sterilization unit 41 and the second sterilization unit 42 stop operating, further reducing the power consumption of the air purifier 100. In this case, the fan 14 may also be stopped at the same time.

[0064] Alternatively, the second sterilization unit 42 may be kept running continuously, or it may be stopped only after the first sterilization unit 41 has been stopped. Generally, the time required for the second sterilization unit 42 to complete the sterilization of the objects installed in the vehicle interior is longer than the time required for the first sterilization unit 41 to sterilize the air in the vehicle interior. For this reason, even after the first sterilization unit 41 has been stopped, the second sterilization unit 42 can continue to supply negative oxygen ions to the vehicle interior 152, thereby ensuring that the objects installed in the transport compartment 152 are properly sterilized. The operating time of the second sterilization unit 42 after the first sterilization unit 41 has been stopped is not particularly limited; the time required for sterilization should be set according to the size of the vehicle interior and the number of objects installed, for example, it can be set between 10 and 100 minutes.

[0065] The control unit 20 may stop the operation of the first disinfection unit 41 when it determines that there is no person in the detection range R and the absence time reaches a first predetermined time or longer (hereinafter also referred to as the first predetermined time N1). The first predetermined time N1 is set to at least the time required for the first disinfection unit 41 to disinfect the air in the transport chamber 152. The first predetermined time N1 may be any time required for the second disinfection unit 42 to disinfect the surfaces of the installed objects in the transport chamber 152.

[0066] In this embodiment, when the control unit 20 determines that there is no person in the detection range R, it executes a process to measure the absence time (hereinafter also referred to as absence time T1), which is the time during which the person's absence continues. When the absence time T1 reaches a first predetermined time N1, it stops the operation of the air purifier 100.

[0067] The first predetermined time N1 is not particularly limited as long as it is the time required for the first sterilization unit 41 to sterilize the air in the transport chamber 152 and the second sterilization unit 42 to sterilize the surfaces of the installed objects in the transport chamber 152, for example, 120 minutes. Alternatively, the first predetermined time N1 may be the time required for the first sterilization unit 41 to sterilize the air in the transport chamber 152, in which case it may be 50 minutes, for example. The first predetermined time N1 can be arbitrarily set according to the specifications of the air purifier 100, the size of the space to be sterilized, etc.

[0068] The first predetermined time N1 may be configured to be set to any time by the user using, for example, the input operation unit 16. Furthermore, the length of the first predetermined time N1 may be varied depending on the operating mode of the air purifier 100 (normal mode, silent mode). In this case, for example, the first predetermined time N1 can be made longer in silent mode than in normal mode.

[0069] Furthermore, the control unit 20 may stop the process of timing the absence time T1 if it determines, based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 18, that a person is present in the detection range R before the absence time T1 reaches the first predetermined time N1. For example, when an emergency medical technician re-enters the unoccupied transport room 152 immediately after returning, the previously timed absence time T1 is reset, and the absence time T1 is started again from zero after the technician leaves. This ensures that even if bacteria or viruses are attached to the technician's clothing, the air purifier 100 can properly disinfect the transport room 152.

[0070] As a method for determining the presence of a person within the detection range R, from the viewpoint of preventing false detections, the number of times or duration for which a person is determined to be present within a certain period of time may be referenced. In this embodiment, when the control unit 20 determines that a person is present during the timing of the absence time T1, it executes a process to time the presence time (hereinafter also referred to as presence time T2), which is the duration for which the person's presence continues. Then, when the cumulative value of presence time T2 reaches a second predetermined time (hereinafter also referred to as second predetermined time N2) that is shorter than the first predetermined time N1 within the first predetermined time N1, the control unit 20 stops the process of timing the absence time T1. The second predetermined time N2 can be set arbitrarily, for example, 4 seconds. The method for determining the presence or absence of a person in this embodiment described above will be explained in detail below with reference to Figure 8.

[0071] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a method for determining the presence or absence of a person. Here, we will explain using the case where the first predetermined time N1 is 120 minutes as an example.

[0072] First, as shown in Figure 8(a), the first predetermined time N1 is divided into multiple predetermined time periods (for example, 10 minutes). In each time period (hereinafter referred to as PT1 to PT12), the duration (presence time T2) during which the detection signal from the human presence sensor 18 indicates the presence of a person is measured. If the duration is less than 2 seconds, 0 points are assigned; if it is 2 seconds or longer, 1 point is assigned. Here, as shown in Figure 8(b), each time period PT1 to PT12 is further subdivided into 1-minute intervals, and the presence time T2 is measured for each of these subdivided intervals (1 minute), and the number of points is determined based on the duration.

[0073] Then, as shown in Figure 8(c), the total number of points for the time spent T2 for each time period PT1 to PT12 is calculated (cumulative value). If the total number of points is 1 or less (2 seconds or less), it is determined to be "absent" and the timing of the absence time T1 continues. If the total number of points is 2 or more (4 seconds or more), it is determined to be "present" and the timing of the absence time is stopped (reset) at the last time of that time period.

[0074] As described above, in this embodiment, the presence of a person is determined to be "present" if it is detected across multiple subdivided sections (2 minutes or more) within the same time period (10 minutes). This prevents the timing of the absence period T1 from being stopped due to the presence of a person for a short time (less than 1 minute), such as a person temporarily entering or leaving the transport room 152, and thus prevents the shortening of the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 411 due to the prolonged emission time of the ultraviolet lamp 411.

[0075] The control unit 20 continues to operate the air purifier 100 and performs timing for the first predetermined time N1 of the absence time T1 during the time periods PT1 to PT12. The reason for determining the presence or absence of a person by the sum of the points, as described above, is to prevent adverse effects caused by the motion sensor 18 falsely detecting the presence of a person when there is no presence due to disturbances (for example, temporary temperature changes around the air purifier 100). When the presence of a person is detected due to a disturbance, the duration of the detection signal is short, so determining the presence or absence of a person by the sum of the points, as described above, can suppress the occurrence of false detections.

[0076] Furthermore, the presence of a person is not detected until immediately before the expiration of the first predetermined time N1. Even if the presence of a person is detected immediately before the expiration, the operation of the air purifier 100 continues and the absence time T1 is measured again over the first predetermined time N1. For example, this applies when a fire department employee temporarily enters or leaves the vehicle space immediately before the expiration of the first predetermined time N1. In such a case, the emission time of the ultraviolet lamp 411 becomes unnecessarily long, which may shorten the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 411. In such cases, if it is determined that a person is present immediately before the first predetermined time T1 is reached, the control unit 20 may extend the first predetermined time N1 by a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes), as shown on the right side of Figure 8(a). In this case, if the control unit 20 detects the presence of a person during this extended time, it stops (resets) the measurement of the absence time and starts measuring the absence time T1 over the first predetermined time N1 again. If the determination result during the extended time is that no person is present, the operation of the air purifier 100 is stopped. This suppresses the prolonged operating time of the first sterilization unit 41 and reduces the consumption of the ultraviolet lamp 411.

[0077] In this case, if the control unit 20 determines that a person is present during a predetermined time period (hereinafter also referred to as the final detection period Δt) immediately before the absence time T1 reaches the first predetermined time period N1, it extends the first predetermined time period N1 by a third predetermined time period (hereinafter also referred to as the third predetermined time period N3) that is shorter than the first predetermined time period N1 and longer than the second predetermined time period T2. The final detection period Δt is, for example, 1 minute, and the third predetermined time period N3 is, for example, 10 minutes. The method for determining the presence or absence of a person in the final detection period Δt can be the same as described above, but since the final detection period Δt is shorter than each of the time periods PT1 to PT12 (10 minutes), it is also acceptable to determine "presence" if the presence time T2 is 2 seconds or more (1 point or more) (see Figure 8(a)).

[0078] Furthermore, if the aforementioned control is adopted, which stops the operation of the second sterilization unit 42 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation of the first sterilization unit 41 was stopped, the predetermined time which is an extension of the first predetermined time N1 may be set as the third predetermined time N3.

[0079] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure performed by the control unit 20 (controller 22) described above. Here, we will explain the procedure for stopping the operation of the air purifier 100 in accordance with the detection result of the presence or absence of a person by the human presence sensor 18 when the ambulance 150 is not dispatched (engine is off).

[0080] When the air purifier 100 is started, the control unit 20 determines whether a person is present in a predetermined area (detection area R) within the transport chamber 152 based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 18 (ST101). If it is determined that a person is present in the detection area R (Yes in ST101), the control unit 20 returns to ST101. If it is determined that a person is not present in the detection area R (No in ST101), the control unit 20 starts timing the absence time T1 after the readout cycle of the output of the human presence sensor 18 has elapsed (10 msec in this embodiment, the same in ST106 and 111 below) since the absence determination (ST102, 103). Note that ST102 may be executed immediately after ST103. Alternatively, ST102 may be omitted.

[0081] Next, the control unit 20 determines again whether a person is present in the detection range R based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 18 (ST104). For example, if it determines that a person is present in the detection range R using the method for determining the presence or absence of a person as explained with reference to Figure 8 (Yes in ST104), the control unit 20 stops (resets) the timing of the absence time T1 and returns to ST101 (ST105).

[0082] If ST104 determines that no one is present (No in ST104), the control unit 20 determines, 10 msec after the determination of absence, whether the absence time T1 has reached the first predetermined time N1 (for example, 120 minutes) (ST106, 107). If it determines that the absence time T1 has reached the first predetermined time N1 (Yes in ST106), the control unit 20 stops the operation of the air purifier 100. This completes the sterilization of the transport room 152, prevents the first sterilization unit 41 from being driven unnecessarily and thus prevents the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 411 from being shortened, and also prevents the power consumption of the air purifier 100 from increasing.

[0083] On the other hand, if ST107 determines that the absence time T1 has not reached the first predetermined time N1 (No in ST107), the control unit 20 determines whether the absence time T1 is in the predetermined time period immediately preceding the first predetermined time N1 (final detection interval Δt (e.g., 1 minute)) (ST108). If it determines that the absence time T1 is in the final detection interval Δt (Yes in ST108), the control unit 10 determines whether there is a person in the detection range R in the final detection interval Δt based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 18 (ST109).

[0084] If ST108 determines that the absence time T1 is not within the final detection interval Δt (No in ST108) and ST109 determines that a person is absent (Yes in ST109), the control unit 20 proceeds to ST104 and executes the processes from ST104 onwards again.

[0085] On the other hand, if the control unit 20 determines in ST109 that a person is present (Yes in ST109), it updates the first predetermined time N1 to the first predetermined time N1 plus a third predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) N3 (N1+N3) (ST110). Subsequently, 10 msec after updating the first predetermined time N1, the control unit 20 determines whether the update process for the first predetermined time N1 in ST110 is the second time (ST111). If it is the first time (Yes in ST111), it proceeds to ST104 and the processes from ST104 onward are repeated.

[0086] In this case, if the control unit 20 determines that a person is present in the final detection interval Δt (Yes in ST104), it stops timing the absence time T1 (ST105). If it determines that no person is present (No in ST104), it determines whether the absence time T1 has reached the first predetermined time N1 (ST107). The extended first predetermined time N1 (=N1+N3) updated in ST112 is used as the first predetermined time N1 at this time. If the determination is made and it is determined that the absence time T1 has not reached the extended first predetermined time N1 (No in ST107), and it is determined again in ST109 that a person is present (Yes in ST109), the first predetermined time N1 is increased again by the third predetermined time N3 (ST110). The control unit 20 determines in ST112 whether the update process for the first predetermined time N1 is the second time. If it is the second update process (Yes in ST112), the control unit 20 stops the operation of the air purifier 100 without proceeding to ST104. Although the process is not illustrated in Figure 9, the number of times the extension process for the first predetermined time N1 has been performed can be determined, for example, by setting a flag to 1 for the first extension process and a flag to 2 for the second extension process.

[0087] If the presence of a person is detected during the first predetermined time N1 or an extended period of the first predetermined time N1, it is presumed that an ambulance is being dispatched or prepared for dispatch. In this case, the power source of the air purifier 100 is switched from the external power supply V2 to the vehicle's power supply V1 upon subsequent engine startup.

[0088] Furthermore, if the first predetermined time N1 is extended, it can be assumed that the transport chamber 152 has been sufficiently disinfected during the first predetermined time N1. Therefore, even without extending the first predetermined time N1 a second time, the transport chamber 152 can be reliably disinfected while preventing the operating time of the air purifier 100 from becoming unnecessarily long, thereby extending the lifespan of the ultraviolet lamp 411.

[0089] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified in various ways.

[0090] For example, the control unit 20 may include a power supply detection unit capable of detecting whether or not power is being supplied from the power supply unit, and may restart the first sterilization unit 42 when power is detected from the power supply unit. This allows the air purifier 100 to be started when it is detected that the power source is connected to the onboard power supply V1 or an external power supply V2.

[0091] Furthermore, the air purifier 100 may have a power-saving mode that automatically starts the air purifier 100 when it is stopped and the motion sensor 18 detects that a person is present in the detection range R. In this case, the power source may be an onboard power supply V1, an external power supply V2, or a battery separately provided in the air purifier 100.

[0092] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the air purification system 1 was described using a disinfection system targeting the interior space of an ambulance 150 as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to disinfection systems targeting the interior spaces of other mobile vehicles such as buses, taxis, ships, and aircraft. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] 1…Air purification system 10…Cabinet 11... Inlet 12…Air outlet 13…Ventilation channel 14…fan 15…Display section 16...Input operation section 18…Motion sensor 20…Control Unit 22… Controller 41…First disinfection unit 42…Second disinfection unit 100... Air purifier 131...Suction chamber 132...Ultraviolet irradiation room 133... Ionization Chamber 150... Ambulance 152...Transport Room 411... UV lamp

Claims

1. A housing having an air intake and an air outlet, and a ventilation passage connecting the air intake and the air outlet, A first sterilization unit is placed in the aforementioned ventilation passage and irradiates ultraviolet light, A second sterilization unit is placed in the aforementioned ventilation passage and generates ions in the air, A human presence sensor that detects the presence of a person in a predetermined area around the housing, A control unit that determines whether a person is present in the predetermined area based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, and controls the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit based on the determination result regarding the presence or absence of a person, An air purifier equipped with [a specific feature].

2. An air purifier according to claim 1, The control unit, while operating the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit, stops the operation of the first disinfection unit if it determines, based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, that there is no person in the predetermined area. Air purifier.

3. An air purifier according to claim 2, When the control unit determines that no person is present in the predetermined area, it executes a process to measure the absence time, which is the duration of the absence. When the absence time reaches the first predetermined time, it stops the operation of the first sterilization unit. Air purifier.

4. An air purifier according to claim 3, If the control unit determines, based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, that a person is present in the predetermined area before the absence time reaches the first predetermined time, it stops the process of timing the absence time. Air purifier.

5. An air purifier according to claim 4, If the control unit determines that the person is present during the measurement of the absence time, it executes a process to measure the presence time, which is the duration of the person's presence. If the cumulative value of the presence time reaches a second predetermined time, which is shorter than the first predetermined time, within the first predetermined time, the control unit stops the process of measuring the absence time. Air purifier.

6. An air purifier according to claim 4, If the control unit determines that the person is present during a predetermined time period immediately before the absence time reaches the first predetermined time, it extends the first predetermined time by a third predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time and longer than the second predetermined time. Air purifier.

7. An air purifier according to claim 6, If the control unit determines that the person is absent after the third predetermined time has elapsed, it stops the operation of the first sterilization unit. Air purifier.

8. An air purifier according to claim 3, The system further comprises an input operation unit for setting the length of the first predetermined time. Air purifier.

9. An air purifier according to claim 1, If the control unit determines, based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, that there is no person in the predetermined area while the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit are in operation, it stops the operation of the first disinfection unit and the second disinfection unit, or stops the operation of the second disinfection unit after a predetermined time has elapsed since stopping the operation of the first disinfection unit. Air purifier.

10. An air purifier according to claim 1, The control unit, when it determines that a person is present in the predetermined area based on the detection result of the human presence sensor while the first and second disinfection units are stopped, will activate the first and second disinfection units. Air purifier.

11. An air purifier according to claim 1, The housing further has an mounting surface that is attached to the wall surface of the room in which the air purifier is installed, The motion sensor is positioned on the surface of the housing in an orientation that is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the normal to the mounting surface. Air purifier.

12. An air purifier according to any one of claims 1 to 11, A vehicle having a power supply unit and forming an interior space in which the air purifier is installed, An air purification system equipped with [features / equipment].

13. An air purification system according to claim 12, The aforementioned vehicle is an ambulance. The aforementioned interior space is the interior space of a vehicle that accommodates patients. Air purification system.

14. The air purification system according to claim 13, The interior space of the vehicle has a first side where a bench is provided adjacent to the entrance / exit of the ambulance, and a second side facing the first side. The air purifier is attached to the second side. Air purification system.

15. An air purification system according to claim 12, The control unit detects whether or not power is being supplied from the power supply unit, and activates the air purifier when power is detected from the power supply unit. Air purification system.

16. The air purification system according to claim 15, The power supply unit has an on-board power supply and an external power supply unit that can be connected to a commercial power supply. The air purifier is connected to the onboard power supply while the vehicle's engine is running, and to the external power supply unit when the engine is stopped. Air purification system.

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