Air supply unit and air-conditioned clothing

Abstract

To provide a blower fan unit for an air-conditioning garment which can prevent the body from getting accustomed to a strong air volume mode and allows a wearer to continuously feel a refreshing cool feeling.SOLUTION: In an air blower unit 1 for use in an air-conditioning garment for generating an airflow in a garment, the air blower unit 1 has: a case 2 having an intake port 31 for taking in air and an air blowing port 21 for feeding the taken-in air into a garment; a fan installed in the case; a temperature / humidity sensor installed in the garment and / or the case; and a control part for controlling a rotation speed of a fan according to a signal from the temperature / humidity sensor. The control part can set an air volume mode to at least one of a strong air volume mode and a weak air volume mode according to a signal from the temperature / humidity sensor, and performs a fluctuation operation which temporarily lowers an air volume when the air volume mode is strong.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a blowing unit that can keep the environment inside clothes comfortable by suppressing the feeling of heat, and can provide an air-conditioned garment that is excellent in wearing comfort and design even in wearing scenes such as offices and homes.

Background Art

[0002] As a measure against global warming, raising the set temperature of the air conditioner in summer or lowering the set temperature of the air conditioner in winter is one of the effective means to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, when the temperature of the air conditioner is changed, the comfort in indoor spaces such as offices and residences decreases, and in particular, in summer, it becomes a problem that discomfort is felt due to stickiness caused by sweating. Therefore, clothes have been proposed that send airflows into the clothes by using a fan to maintain comfort.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, clothes have been proposed that blow outside air into the clothes by a blade and a motor that rotates the blade, and can efficiently vaporize sweat generated according to the amount of work performed by the wearer. According to this technology, by vaporizing all the generated sweat, the body temperature can be lowered and cooling can be performed with less power compared to the case of using an air conditioner.

[0004] Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, clothes have been proposed that can automatically switch the air volume of a fan programmed in advance based on the temperature outside the clothes, the discomfort index, and further the amount of movement of the wearer by arranging sensors capable of detecting temperature, humidity, and acceleration inside a blower case. According to this technology, the power consumption of unnecessary motors can be suppressed, and the driving time of the fan can be extended.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to efficiently cool the wearer's body by efficiently vaporizing the sweat that the wearer has sweated. However, in the disclosed technology of Patent Document 1, since the wearer selects the air volume of the fan, when an excessive strong air volume is set, the driving time of the battery becomes shorter compared to when an appropriate air volume is set. Furthermore, there are problems such as a decrease in the deep body temperature of the wearer and a risk that the wearer feels tired or loses physical condition.

[0007] Also, according to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, a sensor capable of detecting temperature, humidity, and acceleration is arranged in the blower case, and the air volume of the fan is automatically set from the temperature, discomfort index, and the amount of movement of the wearer in the air passage from the air inlet to the air outlet. Therefore, it is possible to blow air with a relatively optimal fan air volume, suppress power consumption, and extend the driving time of the fan. However, in the disclosed technology of Patent Document 2, even when, for example, a strong air volume mode that can obtain the most cooling at the start of air blowing is selected by the program according to the situation of the wearer or the vicinity of the wearer detected by the sensor, the body gets used to the airflow, and there is a problem that the wearer cannot continuously feel a sense of coolness.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, and to provide a blower unit for air-conditioned clothing and air-conditioned clothing that can suppress the body's habituation in the strong air volume mode and enable the wearer to continuously feel a sense of coolness. [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0009] As the inventors conducted further studies, when attempting to generate an air current inside the clothing to obtain a cooling effect, the coolest feeling was experienced immediately after the fan was driven. However, afterwards, as the body became accustomed to the air current, the cooling effect was lost. Nevertheless, when the air volume was temporarily decreased in the situation where the maximum air volume was set, the inventors obtained the knowledge that the wearer could continuously feel a refreshing sensation, leading to the completion of the present invention.

[0010] That is, it is achieved by any of the following means (1) A blower unit for an air-conditioned clothing that generates an air current inside the clothing, comprising a case having an air inlet for taking in air and an air outlet for sending the taken-in air into the clothing, a fan loaded inside the case, a temperature and humidity sensor installed inside the clothing and / or inside the case, and a control unit that controls the rotational speed of the fan according to a signal from the temperature and humidity sensor. The control unit is capable of setting at least either a strong or weak air volume mode according to a signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, and is characterized in that it automatically performs a fluctuation operation in which the air volume temporarily decreases when the air volume mode is strong. (2) The blower unit according to (1) above, characterized in that the waveform of the air volume in the fluctuation operation is any one of a sine wave, a sawtooth wave, and a rectangular wave. (3) An air-conditioned clothing characterized by comprising the blower unit according to (1) or (2) above.

Effects of the Invention

[0011] According to the blower unit of the present invention, when set to the strong air volume mode that can obtain the most cooling at the start of blowing according to the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor installed in the clothes or the blower unit case, an operation is performed to temporarily reduce the air volume intentionally, so that the habituation of the body can be suppressed and the wearer can continuously feel a sense of coolness. That is, for example, the air volume of the fan is automatically set based on signals such as the discomfort index calculated from the data detected by the temperature sensor and humidity sensor installed in the clothes, and further, even when the discomfort index is determined to be "hot" and set to the strong air volume mode, instead of always having a constant strong air volume, the rotation speed of the fan is decreased at the set cycle to temporarily reduce the air volume. By performing such a fluctuating operation, it becomes possible for the wearer to continuously feel coolness. Furthermore, since the control unit automatically sets the air volume of the fan instead of the wearer setting it, there is no possibility of setting an unnecessary strong air volume, and an appropriate air volume can be set. Moreover, since it becomes possible to perform control to lower the rotation speed and select a small-sized fan, the power consumption of the fan can be suppressed, and when using a battery, the driving time can be made longer compared to the conventional blower unit. Therefore, when assuming a wearing scene such as an office or a home, it becomes possible to select and design a small-sized fan with high quietness that suppresses the blowing performance of the fan compared to the conventional one.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0014] [Air blower unit] The air blower unit of the present invention aims to generate an air flow inside the clothes and efficiently discharge the hot air and high-humidity air remaining inside the clothes to the outside of the clothes to obtain comfort. As will be described later, it is fixed and used, for example, around the scapula in the back part inside the clothes by fixtures provided on the air-conditioned clothes. Specifically, for example, when used for an upper garment and inhaling air, the air blower unit of the present invention has an air intake for taking in the hot air from the back to the waist and an air outlet for sending the taken-in air into the clothes. Therefore, the air stagnating near the waist is exhausted from the air outlet and finally discharged to the outside of the clothes from the collar edge and / or around the collar of the clothes. Therefore, it is possible to obtain comfort. The air blower unit acquires the temperature and humidity data inside the clothes, and the air flow discharged from the air blower unit is controlled by the discomfort index calculated based on it, etc., so that the comfort can be maintained without the wearer being aware of it. Details will be described below.

[0015] In order to generate an air current inside the clothing, the air blowing unit of the present invention needs to include a case and at least one fan housed in the case. Further, it has a temperature and humidity sensor for acquiring temperature and humidity data inside the clothing and / or inside the case, and also has a control unit for electrically controlling and changing the rotation speed of the fan based on the data of the temperature and humidity sensor. In the present invention, the temperature and humidity sensor includes those in which a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor are separately configured and those in which they are integrated, and any configuration may be adopted. Also, it is preferable that the cables connecting the fan, the control unit, and the sensor are all housed inside the case so as not to be exposed. Further, in order to enable operation without supplying power from the outside of the case, it is preferable that a battery for supplying power to the fan is housed in the case.

[0016] The case used for the air blowing unit of the present invention has an air intake for taking in air and an air outlet for sending the taken-in air into the clothing on its outer wall. In the air blowing unit of the present invention, the number of air intakes and air outlets is not limited, and at least one of each is sufficient. At least one air intake opens on the bottom surface of the case when the air blowing unit is installed between the clothing and the body. For example, when the air blowing unit is arranged at the back view of the upper garment, it is preferable to be able to intake the air at the waist on the back. In such a case, it is preferable that the case has a ventilation flow path with a substantially rectangular cross section extending from the air intake opening on the bottom surface toward the fan, that is, in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis direction of the fan. Thereby, it becomes possible to efficiently inhale the air stagnated from the back to the waist part.

[0017] Note that the "substantially rectangular cross-section" as referred to herein includes not only the case of a perfect rectangle but also shapes such as chamfered or R-chamfered corners of a rectangle. For example, when chamfering or R-chamfering is applied to the edge of the case outer wall, it is preferable that the case inner wall is deformed according to the shape of the case outer wall so that the thickness of the case is constant, and such a mode is also included. By doing so, no wasted thickness portion is generated in the case, and the cross-sectional area of the ventilation flow path can be more effectively utilized. Also, chamfering or R-chamfering may be applied to facilitate the edge processing of the ventilation flow path inner wall during manufacturing, and such a mode is also included.

[0018] In the case used in the air blowing unit of the present invention, it is preferable that at least one air blowing port opens on a surface different from the intake port, and further preferably opens on the upper surface when installed inside the clothing. Thereby, it becomes possible to blow air along the fabric of the skin surface, the collar edge, and the periphery of the collar.

[0019] The air blowing port may have a simple open shape, but in order to allow the air flow to flow over a wide range along the skin surface at the collar edge or the like, it is preferable to provide a vane. In that case, it is effective to open the opening so as to include the side between the upper surface of the case and the surface in contact with the upper surface, and provide a vane or the like. By doing so, the air flow from the air blowing unit can be directly applied to the skin surface, and it becomes possible to feel cooler.

[0020] The case used in the air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has a thickness of 5 to 40 mm. Such thickness refers to the maximum distance between the opposing surfaces that will extend in a direction parallel to the skin surface when the air blowing unit is installed inside the clothing. By setting the thickness of the case to 5 mm or more, the strength of the case can be further increased to prevent breakage more effectively, and a fan with a large air volume can be mounted. The thickness is more preferably 6 mm or more, and even more preferably 7 mm or more. On the other hand, by setting the thickness of the case to 40 mm or less, it is possible to prevent it from getting in the way when sitting, and it is possible to enhance the comfort during wearing. The thickness is more preferably 30 mm or less, and even more preferably 20 mm or less.

[0021] The case used in the blower unit of the present invention preferably has an outer shape that is substantially rectangular parallelepiped. Note that the "substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape" includes not only the case of a perfect rectangular parallelepiped but also shapes such as chamfered or R-chamfered corners of a rectangular parallelepiped and those having gently curved surfaces or unevenness partially. Since the outer shape of the case is substantially rectangular parallelepiped, compared with a hemispherical or spherical case, it becomes easier to fix when attaching to the clothing storage part, and it becomes difficult for the air intake and air outlet of the blower unit and the opening of the clothing to be displaced. Further, when arranging the blower unit at the back view of the upper body, since the outer wall of the case can be arranged substantially parallel to the skin surface, it is possible to efficiently inhale the air that tends to stagnate in the waist part and further improve the wearing comfort. Note that, in terms of preventing the blower unit from getting caught on the clothing or the body, it is preferable to perform R processing on the corners of the outer shape of the case.

[0022] The case used in the blower unit of the present invention preferably has the length of the longest side being 200 mm or less. By setting the length of the longest side to preferably 200 mm or less, more preferably 180 mm or less, and even more preferably 150 mm or less, the blower unit itself becomes compact, and thus it has excellent wearing comfort. Further, the lower limit of the length of the longest side is not particularly limited, but it is about 50 mm.

[0023] The case used in the blower unit of the present invention has a role of protecting the device stored inside the case from external impacts and the like. Examples of the material of the case include metal-based materials such as aluminum alloy and stainless steel, resin-based materials such as polyolefin, polycarbonate, nylon, and ABS resin, and FRP materials such as glass fiber reinforced resin and carbon fiber reinforced resin, but are not limited thereto. Among them, it is preferable to use ABS resin which is lightweight and has high impact resistance.

[0024] The fan used in the air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has a device for obtaining rotational energy such as a motor, and is a centrifugal fan or a cross-flow fan that blows air in a direction substantially perpendicular to the fan axis direction. By using a centrifugal fan or a cross-flow fan, it becomes easy to blow air having directivity in a direction substantially parallel to the body, enabling local cooling. Furthermore, by blowing air in a direction substantially parallel to the body, the clothes are less likely to bulge compared to the case of blowing air in a direction substantially perpendicular to the body, so it is possible to provide an air-conditioned garment with excellent design.

[0025] The fan used in the air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has a diameter in the direction perpendicular to the fan axis direction of 10 to 60 mm. By making the diameter preferably 10 mm or more, more preferably 15 mm or more, and even more preferably 20 mm or more, it is possible to obtain a sufficient air volume to send outside air into the clothes. Also, by making the diameter preferably 60 mm or less, more preferably 55 mm or less, and even more preferably 50 mm or less, the noise during fan drive is reduced, and the main body of the air blowing unit can be made smaller, resulting in an air blowing unit with less discomfort during wearing.

[0026] The fan used in the air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has a thickness in the fan axis direction of 3 to 18 mm. By making the thickness in the fan axis direction preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 4 mm or more, and even more preferably 5 mm or more, it is possible to obtain a sufficient air volume to send outside air into the clothes. Also, by making the thickness in the fan axis direction preferably 18 mm or less, more preferably 16 mm or less, and even more preferably 14 mm or less, the main body of the air blowing unit can be made thinner, resulting in an air blowing unit with less discomfort during wearing.

[0027] The fan used in the air blowing unit of the present invention may be single or plural. When using a plurality of fans, for example, it may be a double reverse fan in which fans with different rotation directions are laminated, or a combination of a centrifugal fan and an axial flow fan may be used.

[0028] The motor used in the above fan is preferably a DC motor. By using a DC motor as the motor, stable operation is possible even at a low voltage.

[0029] The blower unit of the present invention preferably has a battery for supplying power to the fan. By incorporating the battery into the blower unit, the power cable connecting the blower unit and the battery is not exposed, so that the blower unit has excellent comfort during wearing.

[0030] The battery used in the blower unit of the present invention is preferably a secondary battery capable of repeated charge and discharge. Examples of such batteries include, but are not limited to, lead-acid batteries, alkaline batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. Among them, it is preferable to use a lithium-ion battery in terms of being able to be miniaturized and have a large capacity.

[0031] The blower unit of the present invention preferably has a charging terminal for charging the battery, and the power cable connection part of the charging terminal is arranged on the case exterior. By providing the charging terminal in the blower unit, charging can be performed without removing the battery from the blower unit, so that the practicality of the blower unit is greatly improved.

[0032] The blower unit of the present invention preferably has a power switch for operating and stopping the blower unit, and the operation part of the power switch is arranged on the case exterior. By providing the power switch in the blower unit, the blower unit can be operated or stopped at an arbitrary timing. Note that the power on / off during regular use may be performed by a switch other than the above power switch, for example, a wireless signal from an external device.

[0033] In the blower unit of the present invention, a temperature sensor for acquiring temperature data, a humidity sensor for acquiring humidity data, and further, a control unit for calculating an uncomfortable index or the like based on the temperature data and humidity data and controlling the rotation speed of the fan are required. The air volume mode of the fan is set by these signal processes.

[0034] The temperature sensor and humidity sensor used in the blower unit of the present invention may be located at any position where the temperature and humidity inside the clothes can be accurately measured. The sensor may be arranged on the surface of the case, but it is preferable to arrange it inside the case so that the cable does not protrude outside the case. In that case, it is preferable to arrange the sensor in the ventilation flow path from the viewpoint of securing space.

[0035] As the method of the temperature sensor, any of an IC sensor, a thermocouple, a resistor, and a thermistor may be used. Also, as the method of the humidity sensor, either a resistance change type or a capacitance change type may be used, but the capacitance change type is more preferable because the response speed is faster. In addition, since a sensor in which the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor are integrated into one package is generally popular, it is also possible to use such a sensor.

[0036] The control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention is preferably arranged inside the case so that the cable is not exposed, and a processor such as a microcomputer capable of performing processes for calculating the uncomfortable index and changing the air volume is preferably used. By using such a control unit, it becomes possible to perform PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control for continuously changing the air volume of the fan, and it is preferable because the rotation speed can be easily changed.

[0037] The air volume modes used in the air supply unit of the present invention can basically be switched in at least two levels of strong and weak (strong air volume and weak air volume), preferably three levels or more of strong, medium, and weak (strong air volume, medium air volume, weak air volume). Based on the signal from the above-mentioned temperature and humidity sensor, it is set to an appropriate air volume mode. When set to the "strong air volume" mode, which is the maximum air volume mode, "fluctuation operation" is performed to deliberately control the air volume and temporarily reduce it. Specifically, for example, by gradually reducing the duty ratio of PWM that controls the air volume of the fan, the rotation speed of the fan is decelerated, and as a result, the air flow is continuously reduced. By deliberately performing such fluctuation operation to temporarily reduce the air volume in a situation where the temperature and humidity are set to the maximum air volume mode, it is possible to prevent the body from getting used to the maximum air volume mode, and the wearer can continuously feel a sense of coolness. In addition, since the air volume mode of the fan is automatically set based on the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor rather than being set by the wearer, it is possible to set an appropriate air volume based on the effect of the above-mentioned "fluctuation operation" without setting an unnecessary strong air volume. Furthermore, since it becomes possible to control the rotation speed to be reduced and select a small fan, the power consumption of the fan can be suppressed, and when using a battery, the driving time can be extended compared to the conventional air supply unit. Therefore, when assuming a wearing scene such as an office or a home, it becomes possible to select and design a small fan with high quietness that suppresses the air supply performance of the fan compared to the conventional one.

[0038] The minimum air flow in the fluctuation operation of the strong air volume mode is preferably about 50 to 90% of the maximum air flow, and more preferably 70 to 90%. In addition, if the air flow is suddenly decreased, the wearer is likely to feel hot due to the change in the air flow, so it is preferable to reach the minimum air flow in 1 to 20 minutes. Also, after reaching the minimum air flow, the wearer can obtain a feeling of coolness by suddenly increasing the air flow. By giving fluctuations in strength to the air flow in a set sawtooth-like cycle instead of a uniform air flow even at a strong air volume in this way, it becomes possible to feel cooler.

[0039] In the present invention, an operation of varying the air volume may also be performed in the medium air volume mode and the weak air volume mode. The maximum air flow and the minimum air flow in the medium air volume mode are preferably about 30 to 90% and about 10 to 60% of the maximum air flow in the strong air volume mode, respectively. The air flow variation in the medium air volume mode may have a sawtooth-shaped cycle similar to that in the strong air volume mode, or may have a sine wave or rectangular wave cycle. By thus imparting fluctuations in strength to the air flow in the medium air volume mode, it becomes possible to suppress a decrease in the deep body temperature of the wearer, prevent the wearer from feeling fatigue, and prevent the risk of physical collapse.

[0040] The maximum air flow and the minimum air flow in the weak air volume mode are preferably about 10 to 60% and about 0 to 40% of the maximum air flow in the strong air volume mode, respectively. The air flow variation in the weak air volume mode may also have a sawtooth-shaped cycle, a sine wave, or a rectangular wave cycle, similar to that in the medium air volume mode. By thus imparting fluctuations in strength to the air flow in the weak air volume mode, it becomes possible to suppress a decrease in the deep body temperature of the wearer, prevent the wearer from feeling fatigue, and prevent the risk of physical collapse, similar to the case of the medium air volume mode.

[0041] Regarding the operation program of the control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention, an example in the case where the switching of the air volume mode is divided into three stages of low air volume, medium air volume, and high air volume will be described with reference to FIG. 7. First, the rotation of the fan is started and started by the operation of the user of the blower unit (S1 in FIG. 7). The control unit reads the threshold values (THA) between the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode and the threshold values (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode stored in the memory (S2 in FIG. 7). Then, temperature sensor data is acquired (S3 in FIG. 7) and humidity sensor data is acquired (S4 in FIG. 7), and the discomfort index (THI) is calculated based on both data using, for example, the following formula 1, and compared with the threshold values (THA) between the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode and the threshold values (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode read in S2 in FIG. 7 in advance to set the air volume mode (S5 in FIG. 7). When THI is less than or equal to THA, the low air volume mode is selected (S6 in FIG. 7). When THI is greater than THA and less than or equal to THB, the medium air volume mode is selected (S7 in FIG. 7). When THI is greater than THB, the high air volume mode is selected (S8 in FIG. 7). THI = 0.81Td + 0.01H(0.99Td - 14.3) + 46.3 ··· (Formula 1)

[0042] Regarding the control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention, FIG. 8 shows the relationship between the temperature and humidity data and the air volume when the threshold value (THA) between the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode is set to 75 and the threshold value (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode is set to 79. In this figure, the temperature is plotted on the horizontal axis and the humidity is plotted on the vertical axis, and the discomfort index calculated by Formula 1 from each temperature and humidity is described in each cell. For example, when the temperature is 28°C and the humidity is 40%, it becomes the area of S6 filled thinly, so the fan is driven in the low air volume mode. Similarly, when the temperature is 30°C and the humidity is 40%, it becomes the area of S7, so the fan is driven in the medium air volume mode. Furthermore, when the temperature is 35°C and the humidity is 40%, it becomes the area of S8 filled thickly, so by setting it to the high air volume mode, the air volume can be switched without the wearer's awareness and comfort can be obtained.

[0043] Regarding the control unit used in the air supply unit of the present invention, it is preferable that thresholds (THA) between the weak air volume mode and the medium air volume mode, thresholds (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the strong air volume mode, etc. can be changed by the user. For example, when the wearer is likely to feel hot, by setting the threshold (THA) between the weak air volume mode and the medium air volume mode to 73 and the threshold (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the strong air volume mode to 77 as shown in FIG. 9, it is possible to increase the air volume even with a lower discomfort index compared to the case of FIG. 8. Also, when the wearer is not likely to feel hot, by setting the threshold (THA) between the weak air volume mode and the medium air volume mode to 77 and the threshold (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the strong air volume mode to 81 as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to prevent the air volume from increasing unless the discomfort index becomes higher compared to the case of FIG. 8.

[0044] It is preferable that the air supply unit of the present invention has devices such as a fan, a motor, a battery, a charging terminal, a power switch, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a control unit housed in one case. By housing the above devices in one case, not only is it easy to attach and remove the air supply unit to / from the clothes, but also the wiring cables are not exposed outside the case during use, so it is possible to provide an air-conditioned clothing with excellent comfort during wearing.

[0045] [Air-conditioned clothing] It is preferable that the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention has one or more fixtures for fixing the above air supply unit. The fixture may be a safety pin, sewing, a hook, a button, or a hook-and-loop fastener, etc., and it may be used as air-conditioned clothing by attaching it to the clothes when the wearer uses the air supply unit.

[0046] It is preferable that the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention has a storage part for the air supply unit, and at least a part of the material constituting the storage part is preferably made of an elastic material. Examples of the elastic material include, but are not limited to, knitted or woven fabrics made of spandex or crimped fibers, and rubber materials. Among these, fabrics made of spandex or crimped fibers are preferable because they are excellent in durability and retention.

[0047] Examples of the fiber materials used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention include, but are not limited to, polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, polyacrylic fibers, rayon fibers, acetate fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyurethane fibers, cotton, hemp, silk, wool, etc. Among them, polyester fibers and polyamide fibers are preferable because they are excellent in mechanical properties and durability.

[0048] The fibers used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention are not particularly limited in terms of form, and may be any of monofilaments, multifilaments, staples, spun yarns, etc., and may be subjected to processing such as false twisting or twisting.

[0049] The total fineness of the fibers used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention is not particularly limited as a multifilament, and can be appropriately selected according to the use and required characteristics, but it is preferably 10 to 500 dtex. By making the total fineness preferably 10 dtex or more, more preferably 30 dtex or more, and even more preferably 50 dtex or more, in addition to less yarn breakage and good process passing properties, there is less generation of hairiness during use, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent durability. Also, by making the total fineness preferably 500 dtex or less, more preferably 400 dtex or less, and even more preferably 300 dtex or less, the flexibility of the clothing is increased, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent comfort during wearing.

[0050] The fibers used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention are not particularly limited in terms of the fineness of single fibers, and can be appropriately selected according to the use and required characteristics, but are preferably 0.5 to 4.0 dtex. The fineness of single fibers in the present invention refers to the value obtained by dividing the total fineness by the number of single fibers. By making the fineness of single fibers preferably 0.5 dtex or more, more preferably 0.6 dtex or more, and still more preferably 0.8 dtex or more, there are fewer thread breaks, good process passing properties, less generation of fluff during use, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent durability. Also, by making the fineness of single fibers preferably 4.0 dtex or less, more preferably 2.0 dtex or less, and still more preferably 1.5 dtex or less, the flexibility of the clothing is increased, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent comfort during wearing.

[0051] The fibers used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention are not particularly limited in terms of breaking strength, and can be appropriately selected according to the use and required characteristics, but are preferably 2.0 to 5.0 cN / dtex from the viewpoint of mechanical properties. By making the breaking strength preferably 2.0 cN / dtex or more, more preferably 3.0 cN / dtex or more, there is less generation of fluff during use, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent durability. Also, by making the breaking strength preferably 5.0 cN / dtex or less, the flexibility of the clothing is increased, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent comfort during wearing.

[0052] The fibers used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention are not particularly limited in terms of elongation at break, and can be appropriately selected according to the use and required characteristics, but are preferably 10 to 60% from the viewpoint of durability. By making the elongation at break preferably 10% or more, more preferably 15% or more, and still more preferably 20% or more, the wear resistance of the clothing is good, there is less generation of fluff during use, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent durability. Also, by making the elongation at break preferably 60% or less, more preferably 55% or less, and still more preferably 50% or less, the dimensional stability of the clothing is good, and the air-conditioned clothing has excellent durability.

[0053] The fibers used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention are not particularly limited with respect to the cross-sectional shape and can be appropriately selected according to the use and required characteristics. They may have a circular cross-section that is a perfect circle or a non-circular cross-section. Specific examples of the non-circular cross-section include, but are not limited to, a multi-lobed shape, a polygonal shape, a flat shape, an elliptical shape, etc.

[0054] The fabric used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention preferably has an air permeability of 50 to 500 cm 3 / cm 2 ·s. By preferably setting the air permeability of the fabric to 50 cm 3 / cm 2 ·s or more, more preferably 70 cm 3 / cm 2 ·s or more, and even more preferably 90 cm 3 / cm 2 ·s or more, the evaporation property of sweat is excellent, so that as an air-conditioned clothing, the feeling of stuffiness, stickiness, and heat during sweating can be reduced. Also, by preferably setting the air permeability of the fabric to 500 cm 3 / cm 2 ·s or less, more preferably 400 cm 3 / cm 2 ·s or less, and even more preferably 350 cm 3 / cm 2 ·s or less, the mechanical properties of the fabric are improved, so that not only the process passability and handleability during the production of the fabric and clothing are improved, but also the air-conditioned clothing has excellent durability during use. Also, the fabric does not become too thin and can be worn without discomfort.

[0055] The fabric used in the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention is not particularly limited with respect to the raw fabric form and can be made into a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a pile fabric, a non-woven fabric, etc. according to known methods. Also, such a fabric may have any woven or knitted structure, and plain weave, twill weave, damask weave, double weave or their modified weaves, warp knitting, weft knitting, circular knitting, lace knitting or their modified knits, etc. can be preferably adopted.

[0056] The fabric used for the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention may be dyed as necessary. The dyeing method is not particularly limited, and known methods can be preferably employed, such as cheese dyeing machines, flow-through dyeing machines, drum dyeing machines, beam dyeing machines, jiggers, high-pressure jiggers, etc. Also, in the present invention, there are no particular restrictions on the dye concentration and dyeing temperature, and known methods can be preferably adopted.

[0057] The form of the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be either upper clothing or lower clothing. However, in order to generate an air current particularly from the back to the waist where heat is likely to accumulate and efficiently cool the body with a relatively small air volume, it is preferably upper clothing. In the present invention, the upper clothing may have long sleeves, short sleeves, or no sleeves, and the lower clothing may have a long hem or a short hem. In the present invention, the upper clothing means clothing worn on the upper body, and the lower clothing means clothing worn on the lower body. Specific examples of the upper clothing include undergarments such as inner shirts, tank tops, and camisoles, general clothing such as T-shirts, polo shirts, blouses, pajamas, blouses, blousons, work clothes, etc., and sports clothing such as sports inner shirts and sports shirts, but are not limited thereto. Also, specific examples of the lower clothing include undergarments such as inner pants, general clothing such as slacks, pants, skirts, pajamas, work clothes, etc., and sports clothing such as sports pants, but are not limited thereto. Also, in either the case of the upper clothing or the lower clothing, it may be something worn for the purpose of attaching a blower unit like a holster.

Examples

[0058] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples.

[0059] <Example 1> A blower unit with the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 was fabricated. That is, first, the case (2) was produced using a 3D printer. As the design of the case, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped with dimensions of 15 mm × 75 mm × 130 mm was used. An opening communicating with the inside of the case was provided on one 75-mm side in contact with the 15-mm × 75-mm surface, and two vane plates (22) inclined at approximately 45° were attached thereto to form the air outlet (21). An air inlet (31) with dimensions of 3 mm × 60 mm was provided on the 15-mm × 75-mm surface opposite to the surface where the air outlet (21) was provided, and a ventilation flow path (33) with a rectangular cross-section and a thickness of 3 mm was provided so as to communicate from the air inlet (31) to the fan mounting position. Further, in the ventilation flow path (33), a partition wall (32) with a thickness of 1 mm that divides the ventilation flow path (33) into five in the same direction as the flowing air was provided so that the cross-sectional aspect ratio of each divided flow path was 3.73. At this time, the end face of the partition wall (32) on the side opposite to the air inlet was designed to converge to the fan mounting position as shown in FIG. 5. Subsequently, a small blower fan (51) was installed such that the outlet of the fan was connected to the air outlet and the inlet of the fan was connected to the ventilation flow path. As a control unit (52) for controlling the fan, a substrate equipped with a microprocessor (manufactured by Espressif Systems) with built-in Wi-Fi, a temperature and humidity sensor (54), and further a battery (53) for supplying power to the fan and the control unit were installed inside the case. Also, a power switch (41) was installed such that the operation part was exposed from the case, and wiring was performed.

[0060] Next, a program was created that can control the start and stop of the fan rotation through operations from a smartphone and change the air volume of the fan according to the flowchart of FIG. 7, and this program was written into the microprocessor. The threshold value (THA) between the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode was set to 75, and the threshold value (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode was set to 79 (the relationship between the temperature and humidity data and the air volume is as shown in FIG. 8). Also, the airflow fluctuations in the low air volume mode were set to repeat a duty ratio of 30 - 50% (wind speed 1.7 - 2.9 m / s) in a 10-minute cycle as shown in FIG. 11. The airflow fluctuations in the medium air volume mode were set to repeat a duty ratio of 50 - 70% (wind speed 2.9 - 3.8 m / s) in a 10-minute cycle as shown in FIG. 12. The airflow fluctuations in the high air volume mode were set to repeat a variation where the duty ratio is maintained at 100% (wind speed 4.9 m / s) for 1 minute, then the duty ratio smoothly decreases by 2% per minute until the final duty ratio becomes 83% (wind speed 4.2 m / s) over 9 minutes, and then the duty ratio returns to 100% again in a 10-minute cycle as shown in FIG. 13.

[0061] A rubber string (fitting) was sewn on the skin side of a commercially available polyester shirt, and a blowing unit was attached at the position shown in FIG. 6 to prepare for making an air-conditioned clothing.

[0062] In a room controlled to a room temperature of 28°C and a humidity of 60%, after turning on the power switch (41) of the blowing unit, the blowing unit was attached to the shirt to make an air-conditioned clothing, and such air-conditioned clothing was worn by 10 subjects. The fan rotation was not started for 29 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothing. When the fan rotation was started by an operation from a smartphone 30 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothing, the high air volume mode was selected by all the subjects. Even for the subjects who had evaluated as "just right", "slightly cold", or "cold" in the sensory evaluation just before the fan rotation, the high air volume mode was set based on the temperature and humidity data inside the clothing. The sensory evaluation results obtained just before the fan rotation, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and 50 minutes after the start of the fan rotation are shown in Table 1. During this period, the air volume of the fan was maintained in the high air volume mode.

[0063] <Comparative Example 1> A blower unit and air-conditioned clothing were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. However, for each air volume, the weak air volume was set to uniformly blow an air current with a duty ratio of 40% (wind speed 2.2 m / s). The medium air volume was set to uniformly blow an air current with a duty ratio of 60% (wind speed 3.4 m / s). The strong air volume was set to uniformly blow an air current with a duty ratio of 100% (wind speed 4.9 m / s).

[0064] In a room controlled to a room temperature of 28°C and a humidity of 60%, after turning on the power switch (41) of the blower unit, the blower unit was attached to the shirt to make air-conditioned clothing, and such air-conditioned clothing was worn by 10 subjects. The fan was not started for 29 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothing. When the fan was started by an operation from a smartphone 30 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothing, the strong air volume mode was selected by all the subjects. In addition, for the subjects who had evaluated as "just right", "slightly cold", or "cold" in the sensory evaluation immediately before the rotation of the fan, the strong air volume mode was set based on the temperature and humidity data inside the clothing. Table 1 shows the sensory evaluation results obtained immediately before the rotation of the fan, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and 50 minutes after the start of the rotation of the fan.

[0065]

Table 1

[0066] Table 1 shows the sensory evaluation results of 10 subjects in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. 50% of the subjects felt hot, such as "hot" or "slightly hot", 29 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothes before the fan started rotating. However, 10 minutes after the fan started rotating, the percentage of subjects feeling the above-mentioned heat decreased to 10% in both Comparative Example 1 and Example 1. Subsequently, 30 minutes and 50 minutes after the fan started rotating, 40% of the subjects in Comparative Example 1 felt the above-mentioned heat, while only 10% of the subjects in Example 1 did. It was confirmed that the sense of coolness could be sustained in Example 1 compared with Comparative Example 1. Thus, even in a situation where the fan is set to the "strong air volume mode" with the strongest air volume, by performing an operation to temporarily reduce the air volume rather than a uniform air flow, it is possible to make the wearer of the air-conditioned clothes feel continuously cool, although the power consumption is less than that when providing a uniform air flow.

[0067] For subjects whose sensory evaluation immediately before the fan rotates is "just right", "slightly cold", or "cold", by appropriately changing and adjusting the threshold values (THA) between the weak air volume mode and the medium air volume mode and the threshold values (THB) between the medium air volume mode and the strong air volume mode, it is possible to provide a blower unit and air-conditioned clothes more suitable for the subjects.

Industrial Applicability

[0068] According to the blower unit of the present invention, when the strong air volume mode is set, an operation is performed to temporarily reduce the air volume deliberately, so that the body can be prevented from getting used to the strong air volume, and the wearer can continuously feel the sense of coolness. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a large-sized fan compared with the prior art, and it is possible to select a small-sized fan with high quietness, which is suitable for wearing in offices, homes, etc.

Explanation of Signs

[0069] 1: Blower unit 2: Case 21: Air outlet 22: Blade 31: Air inlet 32: Partition 33: Ventilation flow path 41: Power switch 51: Fan 52: Control unit 53: Battery 54: Temperature and humidity sensor

Claims

1. A blower unit for an air-conditioned garment that generates an air current inside the garment, comprising: a case having an air intake for taking in air and an air outlet for sending the taken-in air into the garment; a fan loaded inside the case; a temperature and humidity sensor installed inside the garment and / or inside the case; and a control unit that controls the rotation speed of the fan according to a signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, wherein the control unit can be set to at least one of a strong or weak air volume mode according to the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, and when the air volume mode is strong, a fluttering operation is performed in which the air volume temporarily decreases and then suddenly increases to a sawtooth wave after the waveform of the air volume reaches a minimum. The blower unit is characterized by this.

2. An air-conditioned garment comprising the blower unit according to Claim 1.

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