Filter cleaning unit and air conditioner

Abstract

To prevent a nut from being locked at an end of a shaft after the nut is moved to the end of the shaft.SOLUTION: A filter cleaning unit includes: a brush installed in one direction of a filter; a motor; a shaft 25 installed so that its axial direction is vertical to one direction of the filter, connected to the motor and rotated about the axis by the motor; a nut 26 coupled to the shaft 25 and moved in the axial direction of the shaft 25 by the rotation about the axis of the shaft 25; and a brush fixation part that is installed in one direction of the filter and connected to the nut 26 and to which the brush is fixed. The nut 26 includes: projections 32 protruded toward the axial center direction of the shaft 25 on the inner peripheral surface, movable in the radial direction of the shaft 25 and enabling engagement with the shaft 25; and an energizing part 33 for energizing the projections 32 toward the shaft 25 side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filter cleaning unit and an air conditioner.

Background Art

[0002] Some indoor units of ceiling-embedded air conditioners are provided with a filter cleaning unit that cleans dust adhering to a filter installed at a suction port with a brush. The brush has a length equal to the width of the filter and is moved along one direction of the filter by a drive mechanism having a motor.

[0003] Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique in which a cleaning unit includes a brush unit that moves along a filter to clean the filter and a drive unit that drives the brush unit, and the cleaning unit removes dust adhering to the filter. Patent Document 2 describes that a nut is engaged with a shaft and the nut moves along the axial direction of the shaft.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Some drive mechanisms for moving the brush include a nut connected to the end of the brush and fixed to the brush side, a shaft meshing with the nut, and a motor for rotating the shaft around its axis. The shaft has a male thread formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, and the nut has a female thread formed to mesh with the male thread of the shaft. When the shaft rotates by the motor, the nut connected to the brush side moves along the axial direction of the shaft.

[0006] After the brush moves along the axial direction of the shaft and reaches the end of the shaft, a limit switch is installed near the end of the shaft to detect that the brush has reached the end of the shaft. When the limit switch detects the brush or the like, the motor stops driving and stops the rotation around the axis of the shaft. Thereby, the movement of the brush along the axial direction of the shaft stops.

[0007] If the limit switch fails and cannot detect the brush, the rotation around the axis of the shaft cannot be stopped, so the nut continues to move along the axial direction of the shaft. As a result, the male thread and the female thread are firmly tightened and the nut is locked at the end of the shaft. In order to make the nut movable again, the operator needs to manually release the locked state.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a filter cleaning unit and an air conditioner capable of preventing the nut from being locked at the end of the shaft after the nut moves to the end of the shaft.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the filter cleaning unit and the air conditioner of the present invention adopt the following means. That is, the filter cleaning unit according to the present invention includes a brush installed along one direction of the filter, a motor, and a shaft installed so that the axial direction is perpendicular to the one direction of the filter and connected to the motor to rotate around the axis by the motor. while surrounding the periphery of the shaftA nut coupled to the shaft and moving along the axial direction of the shaft by rotation around the axis of the shaft, and a brush fixing portion installed along the one direction of the filter, connected to the nut, and having the brush fixed thereto, wherein the nut is provided to protrude toward the axial center direction of the shaft on the inner peripheral surface, is movable in the radial direction of the shaft, and has a protrusion portion engageable with the shaft, and a biasing portion that elastically presses the protrusion portion movable in the radial direction of the shaft toward the shaft side.

[0010] According to this configuration, the brush and the brush fixing portion to which the brush is fixed are installed along one direction of the filter. Further, the shaft is installed such that the axial direction of the shaft is perpendicular to one direction of the filter.

[0011] When the motor rotates, the shaft rotates around its axis, and the nut coupled to the shaft moves along the axial direction of the shaft by rotation around the axis of the shaft. As a result, the brush fixing portion to which the nut is connected moves in a direction perpendicular to one direction of the filter along the axial direction of the shaft.

[0012] The nut has a protrusion portion and a biasing portion, and the protrusion portion is installed to protrude toward the axial center direction of the shaft on the inner peripheral surface of the nut. Further, the protrusion portion is biased toward the shaft side by the biasing portion and is engageable with the shaft. Furthermore, the protrusion portion is movable to the outer side or the inner side in the radial direction of the shaft. Therefore, when the nut moves along the axial direction of the shaft and reaches the end portion of the shaft, the protrusion portion does not remain engaged with the shaft, but the protrusion portion moves to the outer side in the radial direction. As a result, the movement of the nut is stopped. Also, the male screw and the female screw are not firmly tightened, the nut and the shaft are not locked, and the shaft idles.

[0013] In the above invention, the shaft has a shaft member and a linear member spirally wound around the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, and the protrusion portion is disposed between the pitches of the linear member. in a cross-section along the protruding direction of the protrusion and the axial direction of the shaftOn the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member line contact is carried out.

[0014] According to this configuration, the shaft has a shaft member and a linear member, and the linear member is spirally wound around the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member. Further, the protrusion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut is disposed between the pitches of the linear member wound around the outer peripheral surface of the shaft. As a result, when the shaft rotates around its axis, the protrusion of the nut slides along the linear member of the shaft, so that the nut moves along the axial direction of the shaft.

[0015] When the nut moves along the axial direction of the shaft and reaches the end of the shaft, the protrusion is pushed radially outward by the linear member, and the protrusion moves radially outward. As a result, the movement of the nut is stopped, and the nut and the shaft are not locked, and the shaft idles.

[0016] In the above invention, a plurality of the protrusions may be provided along the axial direction of the shaft.

[0017] According to this configuration, it becomes difficult for the nut to tilt to either one of the axial ends, so that the nut easily moves stably along the shaft.

[0018] The air conditioner according to the present invention includes the above-described filter cleaning unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, after the nut moves to the end of the shaft, it is possible to prevent the nut from being locked at the end of the shaft.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Hereinafter, a ceiling-embedded type air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The ceiling-embedded type air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as "air conditioner") includes an indoor unit 1, an outdoor unit (not shown), a refrigerant pipe (not shown) connecting the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit, and the like. The indoor unit 1 is installed with the case body 2 embedded in the ceiling. Inside the case body 2, as shown in FIG. 1, a heat exchanger 7, a drain pan 10, a motor 5, a blower 6, a bellmouth 12, etc. are built in, and a panel part 8 exposed on the ceiling surface is attached to the lower part of this case body 2.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a suction port 3 is formed at the center of the lower surface of the indoor unit 1, and a blowout port 4 that is long in one direction along the outer periphery of the lower surface of the indoor unit 1 is formed at a position adjacent to this suction port 3. A suction grill 11 and a filter 13 above the suction grill 11 are installed at the suction port 3. The drain pan 10 is provided below the heat exchanger 7 and receives the drain water dripping from the heat exchanger 7. The bellmouth 12 is provided below the drain pan 10.

[0023] When the air conditioner operates, the refrigerant from an outdoor unit (not shown) circulates through the heat exchanger 7, and the blower 6 is driven by the motor 5. By driving the blower 6, indoor air is sucked from the suction port 3 through the suction grill 11 and the filter 13, guided by the bell mouth 12, and inhaled into the blower 6. Then, the air blown out from the blower 6 passes through the heat exchanger 7, is cooled or heated, and then blown into the room from the blowout port 4.

[0024] The louver 14 is long in one direction according to the shape of the blowout port 4, and the louver 14 rotates around an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction. Thus, by changing the direction of the louver 14, the air flow blown out from the blowout port 4 can be upward or downward.

[0025] The filter 13 removes dust and the like contained in the inhaled air. The filter 13 has a rectangular shape similar to the suction port 3 and is arranged near the center of the suction port 3. Also, wires 15 for raising and lowering the suction grill 11 are arranged at the four corners of the frame portion of the suction grill 11.

[0026] The indoor unit 1 according to the present embodiment includes a filter cleaning unit 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the filter cleaning unit 16 is installed on the panel portion 8 on the lower surface of the filter 13 and has a brush 17 having a length equal to or longer than the length of one side in one direction of the filter 13. By moving the brush 17 of the filter cleaning unit 16 while contacting the surface of the filter 13 from one end side to the other end side of the filter 13, the dust attached to the filter 13 is removed. The filter cleaning unit 16 starts operation based on a control signal related to operation control.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the filter cleaning unit 16 includes a frame portion 9 detachably installed on the panel portion 8, a brush 17, a brush fixing portion 21, a motor 24, etc. installed on the frame portion 9.

[0028] The frame portion 9 has a rectangular shape similar to the suction port 3 and is disposed near the center of the suction port 3. A filter 13 is installed in the frame portion 9, and the frame portion 9 can be attached to or removed from the panel portion 8.

[0029] The brush 17 has a shaft member that is long in one direction, and a large number of bristles are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member from one end in the axial direction to the other end. At each of both ends of the brush 17, a gear for rotating the brush (not shown) that meshes with a pinion gear is installed. Further, the brush 17 is supported by brush fixing portions 21 at both ends.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the brush fixing portion 21 is a member that is long in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the brush 17, and houses the brush 17 inside. The brush fixing portion 21 has a shape that surrounds the brush 17 and exposes the brush 17 on the filter 13 side. A total of two pinion gears (not shown) are rotatably installed at both longitudinal ends of the brush fixing portion 21. The brush fixing portion 21 is supported by a rack gear (not shown) via the pinion gears. When the brush fixing portion 21 moves along the rack gear, the brush fixing portion 21 and the brush 17 move along the surface of the filter 13 from one side edge to the other side edge of the filter 13.

[0031] Since the brush fixing portion 21 is supported by the pinion gears and the rack gear on both sides in one direction of the filter 13, the brush fixing portion 21 and the brush 17 move reliably.

[0032] The pinion gears are installed at both ends of the brush fixing portion 21 respectively. The pinion gears mesh with the rack gear. When the brush fixing portion 21 moves, the pinion gears move on the rack gear and are driven to rotate by the force transmitted from the rack gear. The rack gear is installed outside the filter 13 such that the axial direction is perpendicular to the axial direction of the brush 17. The length of the rack gear is equal to or longer than the length of one side of the filter 13.

[0033] The gears for brush rotation are provided one by one corresponding to each pinion gear and are engaged with the pinion gears. When the pinion gears rotate, the gears for brush rotation are driven to rotate passively by the force transmitted from the pinion gears. As a result, the brush 17 installed on the gears for brush rotation rotates, and the brush 17 rotates along with the movement of the brush 17.

[0034] Also, the pinion gears are not connected to the motor 24 and are members that operate passively. In the present embodiment, since the pinion gears are installed on the brush fixing portion 21, unlike Patent Document 1, a propulsion shaft for connecting two pinion gears is unnecessary.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, a drive mechanism including the motor 24, the shaft 25, the nut 26, etc. may be installed only in one set along one side of the filter 13.

[0036] The motor 24 is fixedly installed on the frame portion 9 of the filter cleaning unit 16. The motor 24 is connected to the shaft 25, and when the motor 24 is driven, the shaft 25 rotates around the axis. The shaft 25 is a shaft member that is long in one direction, and a male thread is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member, and the nut 26 is engaged therewith. The shaft 25 is installed such that the axial direction is perpendicular to the axial direction of the brush 17, that is, in a direction parallel to the rack gear. The shaft 25 is equal to or longer than the length of one side of the filter 13 in one direction.

[0037] The nut 26 has a female thread formed on its inner peripheral surface that meshes with the male thread of the shaft 25. The nut 26 is connected to the brush fixing portion 21 so as not to rotate around the axis of the shaft 25. The nut 26 is not fixed to the brush fixing portion 21, but the nut 26 is connected to the brush fixing portion 21 so that it can push the brush fixing portion 21. Thus, when the shaft 25 rotates, the nut 26 moves, the nut 26 pushes the brush fixing portion 21, and moves along the axial direction of the shaft 25. By changing the rotation direction of the shaft 25, the traveling directions of the nut 26 and the brush fixing portion 21 can be changed.

[0038] In the above-described example, the example in which the male thread is formed on the shaft 25 and the female thread is formed on the nut 26 and they are combined has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the shaft 25 and the nut 26 may be configured such that a ball screw mechanism is formed by the combination of the shaft 25 and the nut 26.

[0039] In the present embodiment, only one motor 24 needs to be installed, and the brush 17 can be moved with a simple structure.

[0040] Next, the shaft 25 and the nut 26 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the shaft 25 includes a shaft member 27, a wire 28, a fastener 29, and the like.

[0041] The shaft member 27 has, for example, a circular cross-section, and the wire 28 is wound around the outer peripheral surface. The portion of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member 27 around which the wire 28 is wound has substantially the same thickness from one end to the other end.

[0042] The wire 28 is a linear member having a diameter smaller than that of the shaft member 27, and is spirally wound around the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member 27. The pitch of the wire 28 is wound so as to be longer than the diameter of the wire 28. Since the pitch becomes wider compared to the case where a triangular thread is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member 27, even when the number of rotations of the shaft 25 around its axis is the same as the conventional one, the axial movement speed of the nut 26 can be increased.

[0043] The fastener 29 is a member for fixing the wire 28 to the shaft member 27, and is installed at both ends of the wire 28 respectively. By the fastener 29, the end of the shaft member 27 and the wire 28 are firmly fixed to each other.

[0044] The wire 28 is fixed only at both ends with respect to the shaft member 27, and is installed without being fixed at other than both ends. Note that the wire 28 may be fixed along the axial direction at all portions from one end to the other end with respect to the shaft member 27. In this case, the wire 28 is fixed along the axial direction to the shaft member 27 by an adhesive or the like.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the nut 26 has a nut body 30, a protrusion 32, a biasing portion 33, and the like. The nut body 30 is a cylindrical member, and a through hole 30A penetrating from one end to the other end is formed. Inside the nut body 30, that is, inside the through hole 30A, the shaft 25 is disposed.

[0046] A flange 34 protruding in the radial direction of the nut body 30 may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body 30. The flange 34 is a plate-like member and is used for connection with the brush fixing portion 21.

[0047] Protrusions 32 are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut body 30 at intervals of the pitch of the wire 28. The protrusions 32 protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the nut body 30 toward the axial center direction of the shaft 25. The protrusions 32 are movable in the radial direction of the shaft 25 and can mesh with the wire 28 provided spirally on the shaft 25.

[0048] The protruding portion 32 is biased toward the shaft 25 by a biasing portion 33. The biasing portion 33 has a support portion 35 and a compression spring 36. The support portion 35 is connected to the nut body 30 and is arranged with its longitudinal direction parallel to the axial direction of the shaft 25. The compression spring 36 is arranged between the support portion 35 and the outer peripheral surface of the nut body 30. One end of the compression spring 36 contacts the support portion 35, and the other end contacts the surface of the protruding portion 32 on the side opposite to the shaft 25 side.

[0049] A plurality of, for example, two protruding portions 32 are arranged along the axial direction of the shaft 25. As a result, it becomes difficult for the nut 26 to tilt to either one of the axial ends, so that the nut 26 easily moves stably along the shaft 25.

[0050] Thus, in a state where the protruding portion 32 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member 27 of the shaft 25, when the shaft 25 rotates around its axis, the protruding portion 32 slides along the wire 28, so that the nut 26 moves along the axial direction of the shaft 25. As a result, the brush fixing portion 21 to which the nut 26 is connected moves in a direction perpendicular to one direction of the filter 13 along the axial direction of the shaft 25.

[0051] Also, a limit switch (not shown) is installed near the end of the shaft 25. The limit switch detects the presence or absence of the brush 17 or the brush fixing portion 21 that connects the brush 17 and the shaft 25. When the limit switch is operating normally, when the nut 26 moves along the axial direction of the shaft 25 and reaches the end of the shaft 25, and the limit switch detects the brush 17 or the brush fixing portion 21, the motor 24 stops driving. As a result, the rotation of the shaft 25 around its axis stops, and the movement of the brush 17 along the axial direction of the shaft 25 stops.

[0052] On the one hand, when the limit switch malfunctions and does not operate normally, and the brush 17 or the brush fixing part 21 cannot be detected, the nut 26 continues to move along the axial direction of the shaft 25. When the nut 26 moves along the axial direction of the shaft 25 and reaches the end of the shaft 25, the protrusion 32 is pushed radially outward by the wire 28. As a result, the compression spring 36 contracts, and the protrusion 32 does not remain engaged with the shaft 25, but the protrusion 32 moves radially outward. As a result, even when the shaft 25 continues to rotate around the axis by the motor 24, the movement of the nut 26 along the axial direction stops. Then, the male thread and the female thread are not firmly tightened, the nut 26 and the shaft 25 are not locked, and the shaft 25 idles.

[0053] From the above, even when the limit switch malfunctions and cannot detect the brush 17 or the brush fixing part 21 and cannot stop the rotation of the shaft 25 around the axis, the protrusion 32 moves radially outward, so that the movement of the nut 26 along the axial direction of the shaft 25 stops. As a result, the nut 26 is not locked at the end of the shaft 25. Therefore, in order to make the nut movable again, it is not necessary for the operator to manually release the locked state. In this embodiment, by rotating the idling shaft 25 in the reverse direction, the nut 26 and the shaft 25 mesh again, and the nut 26 moves in the opposite direction. When the limit switch fails, in order to prevent the shaft 25 from continuing to idle after the nut 26 reaches the end, control may be performed to stop the rotation of the motor 24 with a timer or the like.

[0054] In addition, in the above embodiment, the case where a plurality of protrusions 32 are provided along the axial direction of the shaft 25 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, only one protrusion 32 may be formed in the middle portion in the axial direction of the nut 26. In this case, the nut 26 is supported by the shaft 25 at the middle portion in the axial direction by the protrusion 32. If the axial length of the nut 26 is increased, it is less likely to tilt to either end in the axial direction.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0055] 1: Indoor unit 2: Case body 3: Suction port 4: Outlet 5: Motor 6: Blower 7: Heat exchanger 8: Panel part 9: Frame part 10: Drain pan 11: Suction grille 12: Bell mouth 13: Filter 14: Louver 15: Wire 16: Filter cleaning unit 17: Brush 21: Brush fixing part 24: Motor 25: Shaft 26: Nut 27: Shaft member 28: Wire 29: Fastener 30: Nut body 30A: Through hole 32: Protrusion 33: Biasing part 34: Flange 35: Support part 36: Compression spring

Claims

1. A brush is provided along one direction of the filter; A motor; a shaft that is connected to the motor and rotates around its axis by the motor, the shaft being disposed so that its axial direction is perpendicular to the one direction of the filter; a nut that is connected to the shaft in a state of surrounding the shaft and moves along the axial direction of the shaft as the nut rotates about the axis of the shaft; a brush fixing portion that is installed along the one direction of the filter, is connected to the nut, and has the brush fixed thereto; Equipped with The nut is a protrusion provided on an inner circumferential surface of the shaft so as to protrude toward an axial direction of the shaft, the protrusion being movable in a radial direction of the shaft and capable of engaging with the shaft; a biasing portion that biases the protrusion, which is movable in a radial direction of the shaft, so as to elastically press the protrusion toward the shaft; having The shaft is A shaft member; a linear member wound in a spiral shape around an outer circumferential surface of the shaft member; having The protrusions are disposed between the pitches of the linear members and are in line contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member in a cross section along the protruding direction of the protrusions and the axial direction of the shaft.

2. The filter cleaning unit according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is provided in a plurality of portions along the axial direction of the shaft.

3. An air conditioner comprising the filter cleaning unit according to claim 1 or 2.

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