Air Conditioning Equipment

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner preventing a user from feeling discomfort due to steep change of air quantity at the time of change in a humidification amount.SOLUTION: An air conditioner includes a body case, a blower fan, a humidification part, a humidification air passage, a non-humidification passage, an air quantity changing part, and a control part controlling a rotation speed of the blower fan and change in the air quantity changing part on the basis of a humidification operation. When humidification setting is switched by an automatic operation, the time for reducing the rotation speed of the blower fan to a prescribed rotation speed or lower is made longer than that when the humidification setting is switched by a manual operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, air purifiers are known that adjust the amount of humidification of the air blown out by adjusting the amount of air passing through a humidified air passage by opening and closing a shutter. Some of these types of air purifiers reduce the air volume when opening and closing the shutter, reducing the load on the shutter. (Patent Document 1) The air purifier will be described below with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, air purifier 101 has a non-humidification opening 102 and a humidification opening 103, and air drawn into main body case 104 passes through each opening and is blown out from a common exhaust port 105 by a fan installed downstream.

[0003] A shutter 107 driven by a motor 106 is provided in front of the non-humidification opening 102. Whether or not the air drawn into the main body case 104 passes through the non-humidification opening 102 is determined by opening and closing this shutter 107. By changing whether or not the air passes through the non-humidification opening 102 by opening and closing the shutter 107, the amount of air flowing in from the humidification opening 103 changes. This makes it possible to adjust the amount of humidification of the air blown out from the exhaust port 105.

[0004] In air purifier 101, shutter 107 is disposed in the air flow path, so when the fan rotation speed is high and the air volume is large, a large pressure is applied to shutter 107. Therefore, when shutter 107 is operated when the air volume is large, the load on motor 106 is large, which may shorten the life of motor 106. Therefore, in air purifier 101, when shutter 107 is operated when the air volume is large, the fan rotation speed is reduced while shutter 107 is operating, and a low air volume state is established, thereby reducing the load on motor 106. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-058096 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In such conventional air purifiers, when the automatic operation is performed to automatically adjust the amount of humidification and airflow based on indoor temperature and humidity data, the shutters are opened and closed automatically, and the airflow changes without user operation. This change in airflow occurs at a time that is not intended by the user, so there is a possibility that some users will feel uncomfortable or uncomfortable due to the sudden change in airflow and the sound that is generated by the change in airflow, or mistake it for a malfunction or breakdown.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional art, and provides an air conditioner that reduces the sense of strangeness and discomfort felt by the user due to changes in the amount of humidification and airflow caused by automatic operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve this object, the air conditioning apparatus of the present invention comprises a main body case having an intake port and an exhaust port, a blower fan which draws air into the main body case through the intake port and blows it out of the main body case through the exhaust port, a humidifier section which humidifies the air drawn in by the blower fan through the intake port, a humidified air duct which connects the intake port, the humidifier section and the exhaust port, a non-humidified air duct which connects the intake port and the exhaust port without passing through the humidifier section, an air volume change section which changes the air volume ratio between the humidified air duct and the non-humidified air duct, and a control section which controls the rotation speed of the blower fan and the change in the air volume change section based on a humidification operation, The control unit changes the air volume change unit after reducing the rotation speed of the blower fan to a predetermined rotation speed or lower, and the humidification operation includes a manual operation in which a user manually operates the humidification setting for the air present in the predetermined space, and an automatic operation in which the control unit operates to adjust the humidity of the air present in the predetermined space to a set humidity target, and the control unit controls the rotation speed reduction time for reducing the rotation speed of the blower fan to a predetermined rotation speed or lower so that the rotation speed reduction time during automatic operation is longer than the rotation speed reduction time during manual operation. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner that can adjust the amount of humidification and the amount of airflow while suppressing any sense of strangeness or discomfort felt by the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of an electrolytic water spraying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is an external oblique view of an electrolytic water spraying device according to an embodiment of the present invention with the panel open; [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electrolytic water spraying device of FIG. 2 taken along plane A. [Figure 4] 6 is a graph showing a change in the rotation speed of a blower fan due to switching of a humidification setting according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 3 is a control flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional air purifier. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiment is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] The air conditioning device according to the present invention refers to an apparatus that adjusts the state of air to a state suitable for human life, and specifically includes an air purifier, a humidifier, an electrolytic water sprayer that generates and sprays electrolytic water, etc. In this embodiment, an electrolytic water sprayer will be used as an example of an air conditioning device.

[0013] The electrolytic water spraying device generates and sprays electrolytic water containing hypochlorous acid by electrolysis in order to remove bacteria, fungi, viruses, odors, etc. from the air. To generate hypochlorous acid, it is necessary to add an electrolysis promoter such as salt to the water to be electrolyzed and generate water containing chloride ions.

[0014] (Embodiment) The electrolytic water spraying device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the electrolytic water spraying device 1, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electrolytic water spraying device 1 from the front side with the panel 5 in Figure 1 open, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electrolytic water spraying device 1 on plane A, showing the electrolytic water spraying device 1 as viewed from the right side.

[0015] First, as shown in FIG. 1, an electrolytic water spraying device 1 according to the present invention includes a main body case 2.

[0016] The main body case 2 is formed in a substantially box shape and includes an air intake 3, an air outlet 4, and a panel 5.

[0017] The air intakes 3 are provided on both side surfaces of the main body case 2 and are openings through which air outside the main body case 2 is taken into the main body case 2.

[0018] The air outlet 4 is provided on the rear side of the top surface of the main body case 2. The air outlet 4 is an opening that can be opened and closed to blow air taken into the main body case 2 through the air inlet 3 out to the main body case 2. Note that the air outlet 4 is in a closed state in FIG.

[0019] The panel 5 is an openable and closable cover, and is provided on the main body side surface 2A, which is the right side surface when viewed from the front of the main body case 2. One of the two air intake ports 3 is provided on the front side of the main body case 2 in the panel 5. The electrolytic water spraying device 1 also includes an operation unit 16.

[0020] Operation unit 16 is disposed on the top surface of main body case 2. Operation unit 16 includes switches that accept operations by the user, and notifies control unit 15, which will be described later, of the operation performed by the switches. In other words, when the user operates operation unit 16, the operation is notified to control unit 15, and the settings are changed. Specifically, operation unit 16 includes an operation switch 17, a humidification switch 19, and an automatic switch 20.

[0021] The operation switch 17 is a switch for switching the operation of the electrolytic water spraying device 1 between ON and OFF.

[0022] The humidification switch 19 is a switch that changes the humidification setting of the electrolytic water spraying device 1. As an example, in this embodiment, the switch is described as switching between humidification settings defined as "more humidification" and "less humidification" each time it is pressed.

[0023] The automatic switch 20 is a switch that switches between automatic operation, i.e., the amount of humidification of the electrolytic water sprayer 1 is adjusted by the electrolytic water sprayer 1, and manual operation, i.e., the amount of humidification of the electrolytic water sprayer 1 is adjusted by the user.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 2, an internal space 6 is provided inside the panel 5. The internal space 6 is a hole extending horizontally to the left from a vertically elongated rectangular opening on the right side surface (main body side surface 2A) inside the main body case 2. A user can remove the water storage unit 8a and water supply unit 10, which will be described later, from the internal space 6. The water storage unit 8a and water supply unit 10 will be described in detail later.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the main body case 2 includes therein a blower fan 7, an electrolytic water generator 8, an electrolysis promoter input section 9, a water supply section 10, and a humidifier section 11.

[0026] The blower fan 7 is provided in the center of the main body case 2, and includes a motor portion 7a, a fan portion 7b, and a casing portion 7c.

[0027] The motor unit 7a is, for example, a DC motor, and is fixed to the casing unit 7c. The rotation shaft of the motor unit 7a extends from the front side of the main body case 2 to the rear side.

[0028] The fan unit 7b is a sirocco fan that is rotated by the power of the motor unit 7a and is fixed to a rotation shaft of the motor unit 7a that extends horizontally from the motor unit 7a.

[0029] The casing portion 7c is in a scroll shape and surrounds the motor portion 7a and the fan portion 7b. The casing portion 7c has an inlet 7d and an outlet 7e.

[0030] The air inlet 7d is provided on the front side of the main body case 2 of the casing portion 7c, and is an opening through which the air taken into the main body case 2 from the air inlet 3 is taken into the casing portion 7c.

[0031] The outlet port 7e is provided on the upper surface side of the casing portion 7c in the main body case 2, and is an opening for discharging the air taken into the casing portion 7c through the inlet port 7d to the outside of the casing portion 7c.

[0032] The electrolytic water generator 8 includes a water storage section 8a and a pair of electrodes 8b.

[0033] Water storage unit 8a is box-shaped with an open top and is structured to store water. Water storage unit 8a is disposed at the bottom of main body case 2 and is detachable by sliding horizontally relative to main body case 2. Water storage unit 8a stores water supplied from water supply unit 10, which will be described later. Water storage unit 8a includes tank holding portion 8c.

[0034] The tank holding portion 8c is provided on the bottom surface of the water storage portion 8a, and the water supply portion 10 is attached to the upper portion of the tank holding portion 8c.

[0035] The pair of electrodes 8b includes an electrode member, and is disposed so as to be immersed in the water in the water storage section 8a. By passing a current through the electrode member, the pair of electrodes 8b electrolyzes the water containing chloride ions in the water storage section 8a, i.e., electrolytic water, to generate electrolytic water containing active oxygen species. Here, the active oxygen species refers to oxygen molecules having higher oxidation activity than normal oxygen and related substances. For example, in addition to so-called active oxygen in the narrow sense, such as superoxide anion, singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical, or hydrogen peroxide, so-called active oxygen in the broad sense, such as ozone, hypochlorous acid (diahalogen acid), etc., are included.

[0036] The electrolysis accelerator injection section 9 includes a tablet injection case 9a and a tablet injection cover 9b.

[0037] The tablet injection case 9a is a case in which an electrolysis promoter to be injected into the water storage section 8a is stored.

[0038] The tablet insertion cover 9b is a detachable cover provided on the top of the tablet insertion case 9a. A user can store an electrolysis accelerator in the tablet insertion case 9a by removing the tablet insertion cover 9b.

[0039] When the electrolysis promoter is to be injected into the water storage section 8a, the electrolysis promoter injection section 9 rotates a tablet injection member provided in the tablet injection case 9a. When the tablet injection member rotates, the electrolysis promoter falls into the water storage section 8a from a drop opening in the bottom surface of the tablet injection case 9a. When the electrolysis promoter injection section 9 determines that the electrolysis promoter has fallen from the tablet injection case 9a into the water storage section 8a, it stops the rotation of the tablet injection member. Then, the electrolysis promoter dissolves in the water in the water storage section 8a, and water containing chloride ions is generated. An example of the electrolysis promoter is sodium chloride.

[0040] The electrolytic water spraying device 1 may not be provided with the electrolysis promoter input section 9. In this case, the electrolytic water spraying device 1 notifies the user by display or sound to instruct the user to input the electrolysis promoter, thereby urging the user to directly input the electrolysis promoter into the water storage section 8a.

[0041] Water supply unit 10 is disposed on top of water storage unit 8a. Water supply unit 10 is structured to be detachable from water storage unit 8a, and can be removed from internal space 6. Water supply unit 10 includes tank 10a and lid 10b.

[0042] The tank 10a is a hollow container that stores water.

[0043] The lid 10b is provided on an opening located at the bottom of the tank 10a. The lid 10b has an opening and closing part in the center, and when the opening and closing part is opened, the water in the tank 10a is supplied to the water storage part 8a. Specifically, when the opening of the tank 10a is facing downward and the water supply part 10 is attached to the tank holding part 8c of the water storage part 8a, the opening and closing part is opened by the tank holding part 8c. In other words, when the water supply part 10 is filled with water and attached to the tank holding part 8c, the opening and closing part opens and water is supplied to the water storage part 8a, and the water accumulates in the water storage part 8a. When the water level in the water storage part 8a rises and reaches the position of the lid 10b, the opening of the water supply part 10 is sealed with water, so that the water supply stops and water remains inside the water supply part 10. Whenever the water level in the water storage section 8a drops, water from inside the tank 10a is supplied to the water storage section 8a, that is, the water level in the water storage section 8a is kept constant.

[0044] The humidifier 11 is a disk-shaped member that brings the electrolytic water stored in the water storage section 8a into contact with the air that has been introduced into the main body case 2 by the blower fan 7. A disk-shaped filter is attached to the humidifier 11, and the filter is provided with holes through which air can flow. The filter is arranged so that one end is immersed in the water in the water storage section 8a and retains water. The humidifier 11 is rotated by the drive section around the central axis of the filter as the center of rotation, and is structured to continuously bring the electrolytic water into contact with the air. With the above configuration, the air that passes through the filter of the humidifier 11 becomes air with a high moisture content.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3, the electrolytic water spraying device 1 includes a humidified air duct 12, a non-humidified air duct 13, an air volume changer 14, a controller 15, and a humidity detector 21.

[0046] The humidified air passage 12 communicates with the intake port 3 and the outlet port 4, and includes, in this order from the intake port 3 to the downstream side, the humidifier 11, the blower fan 7, and the outlet port 4. When the motor unit 7a rotates the fan unit 7b, the outside air that is sucked in from the intake port 3 and enters the humidified air passage 12 is blown out of the electrolytic water spraying device 1 via the humidifier 11, the blower fan 7, and the outlet port 4, in that order. This causes the humidified air to be sprayed to the outside.

[0047] The non-humidified air passage 13 communicates with the intake port 3 and the outlet port 4, and includes, in this order from the intake port 3 to the downstream side, an air volume changer 14, a blower fan 7, and an outlet port 4. When the motor unit 7a rotates the fan unit 7b, the outside air that is sucked in from the intake port 3 and enters the non-humidified air passage 13 is blown out of the electrolytic water spraying device 1 via the air volume changer 14, the blower fan 7, and the outlet port 4, in that order. This causes non-humidified air to be sprayed to the outside.

[0048] The air volume changer 14 includes a movable plate 14a, a support shaft 14b, and a stepping motor 14c.

[0049] Movable plate 14a is a movable plate installed on non-humidified air duct 13. Depending on the position of movable plate 14a, the ratio of outside air sucked in from air intake 3 passing through humidified air duct 12 and non-humidified air duct 13 can be changed. This makes it possible to adjust the amount of humidification of the air exhausted from air outlet 4.

[0050] The support shaft 14b extends in the left-right direction when viewed from the front of the main body case 2, and serves as an axis about which the movable plate 14a rotates.

[0051] Stepping motor 14c is a type of motor. Movable plate 14a rotates about support shaft 14b by the power of stepping motor 14c and can be fixed at any position. The amount of air passing through non-humidified air passage 13 changes depending on the position of movable plate 14a.

[0052] The control unit 15 is provided on the upper front surface inside the main body case 2, and controls the blower fan 7 and the air volume change unit 14, the details of which will be described later.

[0053] The humidity detector 21 is disposed inside a slit at the top of the side of the main body, and can measure the humidity outside the electrolytic water spraying device 1, that is, the humidity in the room in which the electrolytic water spraying device 1 is installed. An example of the humidity detector 21 is a humidity sensor.

[0054] Next, a description will be given of the humidification operation in manual operation and automatic operation in the control unit 15. Every time the automatic switch 20 is pressed by the user, the operation switches between manual operation and automatic operation, and the control unit 15 determines whether the current state is automatic operation or manual operation.

[0055] In manual operation, the control unit 15 controls the airflow and the amount of humidification based on the humidification setting set by the user through switch operation. Here, pressing the humidification switch 19 manually is defined as "manual switching of the humidification setting."

[0056] In the automatic operation, the control unit 15 sets the humidification based on the result of comparing the indoor humidity acquired by the humidity detection unit 21 with the humidity reference value stored in the control unit 15. The humidity reference value is for determining whether the humidity is sufficient for people to be comfortable, and is, for example, a value determined in advance by experiments or the like, and can be set arbitrarily. If the acquired indoor humidity is equal to or lower than the humidity reference value, the control unit 15 sets the humidification setting to more humidification, and if the acquired indoor humidity is greater than the humidity reference value, the control unit 15 sets the humidification setting to less humidification. At this time, the determination of the change in the humidification setting from less humidification to more humidification is made based on a first humidity reference value, and the determination of the change in the humidification setting from more humidification to less humidification is made based on a second humidity reference value greater than the first humidity reference value, so that hysteresis may be provided in the switching of the humidification setting. Switching the humidification setting based on the indoor humidity by the automatic operation is defined as "switching the humidification setting by the automatic operation".

[0057] Next, a change in the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 due to a change in the humidification setting will be described with reference to FIG. 4, taking as an example a case in which the humidification setting is changed from low humidification to high humidification.

[0058] First, the operation of manually switching the humidification setting will be described with reference to FIG. 4(1).

[0059] First, the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 operating with the low humidification setting is set to Rs1. Here, the higher the rotation speed of the blower fan 7, the greater the amount of air blown out from the air outlet 4.

[0060] When the control unit 15 detects the user's operation of the humidification switch and receives a request to switch from a low humidification setting to a high humidification setting, the control unit 15 changes the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Rd1, which is lower than Rs1. Then, the control unit 15 reduces the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 from Rs1 to Rd1 over a first time period. The first time period is a value determined in advance through experiments or the like, and can be set arbitrarily. Here, Rd1 is the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 required to achieve the air volume that allows the control unit 15 to operate the stepping motor 14c.

[0061] After reducing the rotation speed of blower fan 7 to Rd1, control unit 15 changes air volume change unit 14. Specifically, control unit 15 moves stepping motor 14c to change the position of movable plate 14a, thereby reducing the flow rate of air passing through non-humidified air passage 13 and increasing the flow rate of air passing through humidified air passage 12.

[0062] When the air volume change unit operation time, which is the time until the movable plate 14a stops, has elapsed, the control unit 15 changes the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Ru1, which is higher than Rd1. Ru1 is the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 in the high humidification setting, and is higher than the rotation speed Rs1 of the blower fan in the low humidification setting. The air volume change unit operation time is the time required for the air volume change unit 14 to complete its operation, and is, for example, 5 seconds.

[0063] This makes it possible to increase the amount of humidification of the air discharged from the air outlet 4.

[0064] In this way, the controller 15 reduces the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to reduce the air volume before operating the stepping motor 14c, thereby reducing the load on the stepping motor 14c and preventing a shortening of the motor's lifespan. Furthermore, since the stepping motor is operated after the air volume is reduced, it is possible to reduce wind noise caused by the movable plate 14a vibrating due to wind.

[0065] Next, the operation of automatically switching the humidification setting will be described with reference to FIG.

[0066] The rotation speed of the blower fan 7 when the low humidification setting is Rs1. When the humidity in the room drops to the humidity reference value or below, the control unit 15 switches to the high humidification setting.

[0067] Next, the control unit 15 changes the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Rd1. Then, the control unit 15 reduces the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 from Rs1 to Rd1 over a second time period. The second time period is longer than the first time period and is a value determined in advance by experiments or the like, and therefore can be set arbitrarily.

[0068] In other words, the time it takes to reduce the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 is made longer when the humidification setting is switched automatically than when the humidification setting is switched manually. This is because when the humidification setting is switched manually, the air volume is changed quickly to shorten the time during which the air volume is reduced, thereby reducing the effects of a reduction in the electrolytic water spraying ability of the electrolytic water spraying device 1 and a reduction in the air purification ability due to a reduction in the air volume.

[0069] On the other hand, when the humidification setting is switched automatically, it occurs at a timing that the user does not expect, so if a sudden change in air volume occurs, as occurs when the humidification setting is switched manually, the user may mistakenly believe that there is a malfunction or defect. Even if the user understands that a sudden change in air volume is normal operation, the change in sound, etc. may be unpleasant. To avoid such adverse effects on the user, when the humidification setting is switched automatically, the air volume is changed over a longer period of time than when the humidification setting is switched manually.

[0070] After the control unit 15 reduces the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Rd1, the control unit 15 changes the air volume change unit 14 to reduce the flow rate of air passing through the non-humidified air passage 13 and increase the flow rate of air passing through the humidified air passage 12.

[0071] When the air volume changer operation time has elapsed, the control unit 15 changes the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Ru1 which is higher than Rd1.

[0072] Furthermore, when switching the humidification setting from high humidification to low humidification, the control unit 15 changes the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 from the rotation speed Ru1 for the high humidification setting to Rd1. Then, the control unit 15 moves the stepping motor 14c to change the position of the movable plate 14a, thereby increasing the flow rate of air passing through the non-humidified air passage 13 and decreasing the flow rate of air passing through the humidified air passage 12. This reduces the amount of humidification of the air discharged from the air outlet 4. After the air volume change unit operation time has elapsed, the control unit 15 changes the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to the rotation speed Rs1 for the low humidification setting.

[0073] By switching the humidification setting, when the amount of humidification is increased, the rotation speed of the blower fan is increased, thereby promoting an increase in the amount of humidification, and when the amount of humidification is decreased, the rotation speed of the blower fan is decreased, thereby promoting a decrease in the amount of humidification.

[0074] Here, the control unit 15 is configured with a microcomputer. That is, the control unit 15 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. inside. The control unit 15 is connected to the blower fan 7, the air volume change unit 14, the pair of electrodes 8b, and the operation unit 16 via a driver and an internal bus. The CPU, for example, uses the RAM as a working area, executes a program stored in the ROM, and controls the operation of each driving unit by sending and receiving data and commands to and from the driver based on the execution result.

[0075] Next, the control of the blower fan 7 and the air volume changer 14 by changing the humidification setting will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 5, in which the humidification setting is changed from low to high humidification. Note that in the flowchart, numbers are assigned starting with the initial letter S. For example, S1 indicates a processing step. However, the magnitude of the numerical value indicating the processing step has no relation to the processing order.

[0076] First, the control unit 15 judges whether the current operation is manual operation or automatic operation (S1).

[0077] If it is determined in step 1 (S1) that the current operation is manual, the control unit 15 determines whether or not the user has operated the humidification switch 19 (S2). If the humidification setting has been changed from low to high humidification by operating the humidification switch 19, the process proceeds to step 3 (S3), and if the humidification switch 19 has not been operated, the control ends.

[0078] When the control unit 15 transitions to step 3 (S3), it determines that the humidification setting has been changed manually. Then, the control unit 15 sets the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Rd1, and changes the rotation speed over a first hour (S4). After the control unit 15 detects that the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 has become equal to or lower than Rd1 (S5 Yes), it starts changing the air volume change unit 14 (S6).

[0079] Next, if the air volume changer operation time has elapsed (S7 Yes), the control unit 15 sets the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Ru1 (S8).

[0080] Then, when the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 becomes Ru1 (S9), the control unit 15 ends the control of the air volume changing unit 14 and the blower fan 7.

[0081] Next, a case where it is determined in step 1 (S1) that the operation mode is not manual operation, i.e., automatic operation, will be described. The control unit 15 compares the indoor humidity with a humidity reference value, and determines whether the humidification setting to be set based on the result has changed from the current humidification setting. If the newly set humidification setting has been changed from the current low humidification to high humidification, the control unit 15 determines that the humidification setting has been changed and proceeds to the next step (S11); otherwise, the control ends (S10).

[0082] When the control unit 15 transitions to step 11 (S11), it determines that the humidification setting has been switched by automatic operation. Then, the control unit 15 sets the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 to Rd1, and changes the rotation speed over a second time period (S12). After the control unit 15 detects that the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 has become equal to or lower than Rd1 (S13), it starts changing the air volume change unit 14 (S14).

[0083] Next, when the air volume change unit operation time has elapsed (S15), the control unit 15 sets Ru1 as the target rotation speed of the blower fan 7 (S16). Then, when the rotation speed of the blower fan 7 becomes equal to or greater than Ru1 (S17), the control unit 15 ends the control of the air volume change unit 14 and the blower fan 7.

[0084] In this embodiment, the electrolytic water spraying device 1 is described as having the electrolytic water generating unit 8 and the electrolytic promoter input unit 9, but the device may be configured not to have the electrolytic water generating unit 8 or the electrolytic promoter input unit 9. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied to air purifiers, humidifiers, and air conditioners with a humidifying function.

[0085] The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments.

[0086] In the electrolytic water spraying device 1 described here, the humidified air passage 12 and the non-humidified air passage 13 share the air intake 3, but they may be independent of each other. Similarly, the air outlet 4 does not need to be common to the humidified air passage 12 and the non-humidified air passage 13, and may be independent of each other.

[0087] Further, in the present embodiment, humidified air passage 12 has been illustrated as one in which all the air passes through humidifying section 11, but it may be one in which only a portion of the air is humidified.

[0088] In the present embodiment, air volume changer 14 can be fixed at any angle, and the flow rate of non-humidified air passage 13 can be adjusted as desired. However, the effects of the present invention can be obtained as long as non-humidified air passage 13 can be opened and closed. The flow rate of air into the non-humidified air passage 13 does not have to be adjustable to an arbitrary flow rate. For example, Air volume change unit 14 may be a damper that simply opens and closes, and the opening and closing of the damper determines whether or not air flows into non-humidified air passage 13.

[0089] In this embodiment, the control flow of the blower fan 7 and the air volume changer 14 when the humidification setting is changed is illustrated in FIG. 5. The effect of the present invention can be obtained if the time required to change the air volume is longer when the humidification setting is changed automatically compared to when the humidification setting is changed manually. Therefore, this embodiment is merely an example, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each of the components or each of the processing processes, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0090] (Outline of the embodiment) The air conditioning apparatus of the present invention is an air conditioning apparatus that humidifies air present in a specified space, and comprises a main body case having an intake port and an exhaust port, a blower fan that draws air into the main body case through the intake port and blows it out of the main body case through the exhaust port, a humidifier section that humidifies the air drawn in by the blower fan through the intake port, a humidification air duct that connects the intake port, the humidifier section, and the exhaust port, a non-humidification air duct that connects the intake port and the exhaust port without passing through the humidification section, an air volume change section that changes the air volume ratio between the humidification air duct and the non-humidification air duct, and a control section that controls the rotation speed of the blower fan and the change in the air volume change section based on a humidification operation.

[0091] This makes it possible to appropriately control the rotation speed of the blower fan and the change in the air volume change unit based on the humidification operation.

[0092] The control unit may change the air volume changer after reducing the rotation speed of the blower fan to a predetermined rotation speed or less.

[0093] This makes it possible to reduce wind noise caused by changing the air volume change unit.

[0094] In addition, the humidification operation includes a manual operation in which a user manually operates a humidification setting for the air present in the specified space, and an automatic operation in which the control unit operates to adjust the humidity of the air present in the specified space to a set humidity target, and the control unit may control a rotation speed reduction time for reducing the rotation speed of the blower fan to a specified rotation speed or lower so that the rotation speed reduction time during the automatic operation is longer than the rotation speed reduction time during the manual operation.

[0095] This prevents sudden changes in air volume during automatic operation, preventing the user from mistaking this for a breakdown or malfunction of the device.

[0096] In addition, when the humidification setting is changed by the manual operation, the control unit may reduce the rotation speed of the blower fan to a predetermined rotation speed or less in a first time, change the air volume change unit, and change the rotation speed of the blower fan from the predetermined rotation speed based on the changed humidification setting, in order to change the ratio of air passing through the humidified air duct and the non-humidified air duct from the intake port; and when the humidification amount is changed by the automatic operation, the control unit may reduce the rotation speed of the blower fan to a predetermined rotation speed or less in a second time longer than the first time, change the air volume change unit, and change the rotation speed of the blower fan from the predetermined rotation speed based on the humidification setting changed by the automatic operation, in order to change the ratio of air passing through the humidified air duct and the non-humidified air duct from the intake port.

[0097] This allows the air volume to be changed quickly in the case of manual operation, while in the case of automatic operation, the air volume is changed over a longer period of time compared to manual operation, which prevents abrupt changes in the air volume and makes it possible to change the air volume without causing discomfort to the user.

[0098] In addition, when the control unit increases the amount of humidification of the air present in the specified space with the humidification setting, it may increase the rotation speed of the blower fan after the air volume change unit is changed compared to the rotation speed before it is reduced to below the specified rotation speed, and when the control unit decreases the amount of humidification of the air present in the specified space with the humidification setting, it may decrease the rotation speed of the blower fan after the air volume change unit is changed compared to the rotation speed before it is reduced to below the specified rotation speed.

[0099] With this configuration, when the amount of humidification is to be increased, the rotation speed of the blower fan is increased to promote an increase in the amount of humidification, and when the amount of humidification is to be decreased, the rotation speed of the blower fan is decreased to promote a decrease in the amount of humidification.

[0100] The air intake that constitutes the humidified air passage and the air intake that constitutes the non-humidified air passage are It may be common.

[0101] The air intake that constitutes the humidified air passage and the air intake that constitutes the non-humidified air passage are They may be independent of each other.

[0102] This makes it possible to improve the degree of freedom in configuration.

[0103] The air conditioner may be any one of an electrolytic water sprayer, an air purifier, and a humidifier.

[0104] This allows the present invention to be applied to a variety of devices. [Industrial Applicability]

[0105] The present invention changes the time required to change the airflow volume accompanying a change in humidification settings between manual and automatic operation, and has the effect of reducing the sense of discomfort or irritation felt by the user due to sudden changes in airflow volume that occur during automatic operation, making it useful as an air conditioning device for use in homes, offices, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1 Electrolyzed water spraying device 2 Main unit case 2A Body side 3. Air Intake 4 Air outlet 5 Panel 6. Interior Space 7 Blower fan 7a Motor section 7b Fan Section 7c Casing part 7d Intake port 7e Outlet 8 Electrolyzed water generation section 8a Water storage section 8b Pair of electrodes 8c Tank holder 9. Electrolysis promoter injection section 9a Pill case 9b Pill dispenser cover 10 Water supply section 10a Tank 10b Lid 11 Humidification unit 12 Humidification air path 13 Non-humidifying air path 14 Air volume change section 14a Movable plate 14b Support shaft 14c stepper motor 15 Control section 16 Control section 17 Operation switch 19 Humidification switch 20 Automatic Switch 21 Humidity detector

Claims

1. An air conditioning device that humidifies air present in a specified space, a main body case having an intake port and an exhaust port; a blower fan that draws air into the main body case through the intake port and blows air out of the main body case through the exhaust port; a humidifying unit that humidifies the air sucked in through the air intake by the blower fan; a humidified air passage that communicates the intake port, the humidifying unit, and the air outlet; a non-humidified air passage that communicates the intake port and the air outlet without passing through the humidifier; an air volume changer that changes an air volume ratio between the humidified air passage and the non-humidified air passage; a control unit that controls the rotation speed of the blower fan and the change of the air volume change unit based on a humidification operation, The control unit is The rotation speed of the blower fan is set to a predetermined rotation speed or less, and then the air volume change unit is changed. The humidification operation is A manual operation in which a user manually operates a humidification setting for the air present in the predetermined space; and an automatic operation in which the control unit controls the humidity of the air present in the specified space to a set humidity target, The control unit is The air conditioning apparatus controls a rotation speed reduction time during which the rotation speed of the blower fan is reduced to a predetermined rotation speed or lower so that the rotation speed reduction time during automatic operation is longer than the rotation speed reduction time during manual operation.

2. The control unit is When the humidification setting is changed by the manual operation, a ratio of air passing through the humidified air passage and the non-humidified air passage from the air intake is changed. Reducing the rotation speed of the blower fan to a predetermined rotation speed or less within a first time, The air volume change unit is changed, changing the rotation speed of the blower fan from the predetermined rotation speed based on the changed humidification setting; When the humidification amount is changed by the automatic operation, the humidified air duct and the non-humidified air duct are connected to each other through the intake port. To change the proportion of air passing through the passage, reducing the rotation speed of the blower fan to a predetermined rotation speed or less for a second time period that is longer than the first time period; The air volume change unit is changed, 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed of the blower fan is changed from the predetermined rotational speed based on a humidification setting changed by the automatic operation.

3. The control unit is When the amount of humidification of the air present in the specified space is increased by the humidification setting, increasing the rotation speed of the blower fan after the change in the air volume change unit to a value higher than the rotation speed before the change in the air volume change unit is made to the predetermined rotation speed or lower; When the amount of humidification of the air present in the specified space is reduced by the humidification setting, The air conditioner according to claim 2 , wherein the rotation speed of the blower fan after the change in the air volume change unit is reduced to a value lower than the rotation speed before the rotation speed is reduced to the predetermined rotation speed or lower.

4. The air intake that constitutes the humidified air passage and the air intake that constitutes the non-humidified air passage are 4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are connected to each other.

5. The air intake that constitutes the humidified air passage and the air intake that constitutes the non-humidified air passage are The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air conditioners are independent of each other.

6. 6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is any one of an electrolytic water spraying device, an air purifying device, and a humidifying device.

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