Dehumidifier

Abstract

To provide a dehumidifier capable of reducing the possibility of overflow of drain from a drain tank when filling water from a water filler lid.SOLUTION: When a micro switch 120 is switched to an OFF state after a water filler lid 90 is pulled out from a water filler 23, and if a proximity sensor 62 detects and determines a drain tank 51 has a full water level, then a full water level lamp on an LED display part 33 blinks, and a notification part 61 outputs alarm sound, and notifies the water level of the drain tank 51. Therefore, when a user fills water from the water filler lid 90, the user can be urged to remove stored drain if the drain tank 51 has a full water level, and thus, the possibility of overflow of drain from the drain tank 51 and an area surrounding the dehumidifier 1 getting wet when cleaning a heat exchanger 46 can be reduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 22

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a dehumidifier.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in this type of device, a low-temperature refrigerant is passed through a heat exchanger as an evaporator for cooling, and a blower fan is driven to blow air to the heat exchanger, so that dew water adheres to the heat exchanger and a dehumidification operation for dehumidifying the interior is performed. In some cases, after the dehumidification operation ends and the low-temperature refrigerant does not flow through the heat exchanger, the blower fan is driven for a predetermined time to dry the heat exchanger, and a drying operation is performed to prevent the occurrence of mold and various bacteria due to moisture remaining in the heat exchanger. (For example, Patent Document 1)

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in this conventional device, dust adhering to the heat exchanger cannot be removed. On the other hand, a method in which a user injects cleaning water into the heat exchanger to remove dust can be considered. However, when the water level of the drain tank where the drain water drips after cleaning the heat exchanger during the injection of the cleaning water is close to full, there is a risk that the drain water will overflow from the drain tank and the periphery of the housing will get wet when the cleaning water is injected, so there is room for improvement.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, in claim 1 of the present invention, a housing, a blower fan housed in the housing and sucking air into the housing, A heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the air sucked in by the blower fan, An air outlet through which the air that has exchanged heat in the heat exchanger blows out, A water injection port formed in the housing for injecting cleaning water for cleaning the heat exchanger, A cleaning water receiver disposed above the heat exchanger and having a drain hole for discharging the cleaning water to the heat exchanger, Water injection determination means for determining whether or not the cleaning water is injected into the cleaning water receiver through the water injection port, A drain tank disposed below the heat exchanger for collecting the drain water that has dripped from the heat exchanger, A water level sensor for detecting the water level of the drain tank, Notification means for notifying by outputting an alarm sound and turning on a lamp based on the water level detected by the water level sensor, A control unit for controlling the notification by the notification means, and is provided with, The control unit is the water level of the drain tank detected by the water level sensor when the water injection determination means determines that the cleaning water is injected into the cleaning water receiver when it is at or above a predetermined water level, By the notification means the water level in the drain tank being at or above the predetermined water level It is characterized in that it is notified.

[0006] Also, in claim 2, an opening / closing switching means capable of switching between opening and closing the water injection port is arranged at the water injection port, the water injection determination means detects the opening or closing of the water injection port by the opening / closing switching means and determines whether water is being injected into the washing water receiver. It is characterized by that.

[0007] Also, in claim 3, the opening / closing switching means is supported so as to be pullable out with respect to the housing, and has a water injection port lid having a water injection part that closes the water injection port and receives washing water when pulled out from the housing, and a drainage part that is located at least vertically above the washing water receiver when pulled out from the housing and drains the washing water received by the water injection part into the washing water receiver. the water injection determination means is constituted by a detector that detects that the water injection port lid has been pulled out from the water injection port. It is characterized by that.

Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to this invention, it is possible to reduce the risk of drainage overflowing from the drain tank and the periphery of the housing getting wet.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

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Figure 22

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] An embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the air conditioner of the present invention will be described by applying it to a dehumidifier 1 that uses a vapor compression refrigeration cycle to condense moisture contained in the air for dehumidification.

[0012] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the dehumidifier 1 in this embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the dehumidifier 1 with the front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 removed.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an external perspective view for explaining the appearance of the drain tank 51 of the dehumidifier 1.

[0015] FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part for explaining the structure near the floating housing part 52 of the drain tank 51.

[0016] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the dehumidifier 1.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier 1.

[0018] In the following description, the description will be made in accordance with the definitions of front, rear, up, down, left, and right shown in each drawing. The vertical direction is the up-down direction, and the horizontal direction is the direction included in the plane direction including the front-rear, left-right directions.

[0019] The dehumidifier 1 has a housing 10 that forms the appearance of the dehumidifier 1. The housing 10 has a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, a rear frame decorative panel 13, an upper surface plate 14, and a base 15.

[0020] The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 are combined with each other to form the housing 10 facing the front-rear direction of the dehumidifier 1.

[0021] The rear frame 12 has a suction port 21, a tank insertion port 22, a water injection port 23, and a lever support port 24. The suction port 21 has a plurality of slits 26 and has a filter 27 and a filter case 28 on its outer surface. The filter 27 is made of a resin mesh, non-woven fabric, etc., and removes dust, odor components, etc. mixed in the inhaled air. The filter case 28 fixes the filter 27 to the suction port 21. The tank insertion port 22 is arranged below the suction port 21, and the drain tank 51 is inserted and removed therefrom. The water injection port 23 and the lever support port 24 are arranged above the suction port 21 (details will be described later). The rear frame decorative panel 13 serves as a cover to cover the parts of the rear frame 12 that are not desired to be visible by being attached above the rear frame 12.

[0022] The upper panel 14 is arranged above the combined front frame 11 and rear frame 12 and forms the housing 10 facing upward. The upper panel 14 has an air outlet 31, an operation unit 32, and an LED display unit 33. The air outlet 31 is arranged on the surface of the upper panel 14 facing upward. The air outlet 31 has a louver unit 35 capable of controlling the blowing direction of the dry air from an obliquely upward direction to a horizontal direction. The louver unit 35 has a louver 36 and a louver motor 37 for driving the louver 36.

[0023] The operation unit 32 and the LED display unit 33 are arranged on a surface that slopes obliquely downward from the upper surface to the front. The operation unit 32 is, for example, a touch panel that realizes an operation switch, a timer switch, an operation mode selection switch, etc. The LED display unit 33 as a notification means displays the operation state of the dehumidifier 1 and the like in the lighting state of an LED (Light Emitting Diode).

[0024] The base 15 is arranged below the combined front frame 11 and rear frame 12 and serves as the base of the dehumidifier 1.

[0025] The main internal components housed in the housing 10 of the dehumidifier 1 include a fan case 41, a sirocco fan 42, a blower motor 43, a heater 44, a compressor 45, a heat exchanger 46, a drain pan 49, a drain tank 51, and a control unit 55.

[0026] The fan case 41 is disposed on the base 15 and mainly supports and positions the sirocco fan 42 as a blower fan, the blower motor 43, and the drain tank 51.

[0027] The sirocco fan 42 rotates by the rotation of the blower motor 43, sucks air from the suction port 21, and forms an air flow that blows out from the blowout port 31. The sirocco fan 42 and the blower motor 43 are attached to the fan case 41 such that the rotation axis extends along the front-rear direction. The blower motor 43 can be set to have a plurality of rotational speeds, and is set to a predetermined rotational speed according to the operation mode and the indoor temperature and humidity, and rotates the sirocco fan 42.

[0028] The heater 44 is installed in the air flow path between the heat exchanger 46 and the blowout port 31. When energized, the heater is driven to raise the temperature of the air passing through the air flow path. In particular, when the heater 44 is driven during the clothes drying operation in which the washed clothes are dried above the blowout port 31 of the dehumidifier 1, hot air at a high temperature is blown out from the blowout port 31, and the clothes can be dried early, so that the efficiency of the clothes drying operation can be improved.

[0029] The compressor 45 is fixed on the base 15 and is connected to the heat exchanger 46 via the pipe 45a and the decompression device 45b.

[0030] The heat exchanger 46 performs heat exchange with the air sucked from the suction port 21. The heat exchanger 46 has an evaporator 46a disposed at a position close to the suction port 21 and a condenser 46b disposed in front of the evaporator 46a. The evaporator 46a and the condenser 46b are fin-tube type heat exchangers in which fins 48 are attached to a U-shaped refrigerant pipe 47. As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerant pipe 47 has a plurality of straight portions 47a extending in the horizontal direction (left-right direction) and bent portions 47b that bend in the vertical direction and connect two straight portions 47a, and the straight portions 47a and the bent portions 47b appear continuously over the length direction of the refrigerant pipe 47.

[0031] The compressor 45, the pipe 45a, the decompression device 45b, and the heat exchanger 46 form a refrigeration cycle through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigeration cycle includes, in the order in which the refrigerant flows, a compressor 45, a condenser 46b, a decompression device 45b, and an evaporator 46a. When the refrigerant flows through the evaporator 46a, it absorbs heat from the air passing through the evaporator 46a and evaporates. Also, when the refrigerant flows through the condenser 46b, it reheats the air passing through the condenser 46b and condenses. As a result, the air sucked in from the suction port 21 is filtered by the filter 27 to remove dust, odor components, etc., then cooled and dehumidified by the evaporator 46a, and then heated by the condenser 46b, and discharged as low-humidity air from the blowout port 31.

[0032] The drain pan 49 supports and fixes the heat exchanger 46 below it on the side opposite to the side where the sirocco fan 42 of the fan case 41 is arranged in the front-rear direction. The drain pan 49 engages with the refrigerant pipe 47 and the fins 48 located below the heat exchanger 46 to support the heat exchanger 46 in the front-rear and left-right directions. The drain pan 49 has a drain port, receives the drain water generated and dropping from the evaporator 46a and the washing water for washing the evaporator 46a, and discharges it from this drain port.

[0033] The drain tank 51 stores the drain water discharged from the drain port of the drain pan 49. The drain tank 51 is detachably attached to the housing 10 by being slid in the front-rear direction from the tank insertion port 22. The drain tank 51 inserted into the housing 10 is arranged in the tank chamber 41b formed by the fan case 41.

[0034] The drain tank 51 has a tank lid 54 and a float housing section 52. The tank lid 54 allows drain water from the drain outlet of the drain pan 49 to fall into the drain tank 51. The float housing section 52 houses a float 53 having a magnet 53a for detecting the water level in the drain tank 51. The float 53 rises along a rail formed in the float housing section 52 in response to an increase in the water level in the drain tank 51. The magnetic field of the magnet 53a corresponding to the water level is detected by a proximity sensor 62 serving as a water level sensor mounted on the control unit 55 or the like, and the water level of the drain tank 51 is notified to the user by emitting a notification sound, which is a predetermined notification, from the notification unit 61 serving as a notification means.

[0035] The control unit 55 is supported by a case 56 and disposed to the left of the fan case 41. The control unit 55 comprehensively controls the operation of the dehumidifier 1 by electrically controlling each part such as the louver motor 37, the blower motor 43, the heater 44, the compressor 45, and the LED display unit 33 based on an instruction from the operation unit 32 and a program stored in advance. As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 55 has a storage unit 57 and a timer 58. The storage unit 57 stores operation programs of each part and the like. The timer 58 measures time for timer operation of the dehumidifier 1 and the like. Although not shown, the control unit 55 has a water injection determination means for determining whether or not water for cleaning is being injected into the cleaning water receiver 70 based on the ON / OFF state of a microswitch 120 serving as a detector described later.

[0036] The control unit 55 has a temperature sensor 59 and a humidity sensor 60. The temperature sensor 59 and the humidity sensor 60 are provided at predetermined positions on the main body of the dehumidifier 1 and measure the ambient temperature and humidity of the dehumidifier 1. The control unit 55 uses the temperature and humidity as needed to control each part. The notification unit 61 outputs an alarm sound for notifying the user of the situation based on an instruction from the control unit 55.

[0037] The control unit 55 determines whether the drain tank 51 is in a full water state where the water level is above a predetermined level based on whether the magnetic field of the magnet 53a housed in the float 53 is detected by the proximity sensor 62, and decides whether to output a notification sound by the notification unit 61. When the water level of the drain tank 51 is low and the float 53 is positioned at the lower end of the float housing portion 52, and the proximity sensor 62 can detect a magnetic field equal to or greater than a predetermined value by the magnet 53a, the control unit 55 determines that the water level is below the predetermined level and there is room for the amount of drained water stored in the drain tank 51, so a full water notification is not necessary. As the amount of drained water accumulating in the drain tank 51 increases and the water level rises, the float 53 rises. If the proximity sensor 62 can no longer detect a magnetic field equal to or greater than a predetermined value by the magnet 53a, the control unit 55 determines that the water level is above the predetermined level and there is no room for the amount of drained water stored in the drain tank 51, and a full water notification is necessary. The control unit 55 outputs an alarm sound by the notification unit 61, blinks a full water lamp (not shown) on the LED display unit 33, and notifies the user that the drain tank 51 is in a full water state.

[0038] The dehumidifier 1 further includes, as internal components housed in the housing 10, a wash water receiver 70, a drain hole presser 80, a water injection port lid 90, and a wash lever 100.

[0039] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the wash water receiver 70 and the drain hole presser 80.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a perspective view mainly showing the wash water receiver 70 from above.

[0041] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, the wash water receiver 70 is disposed vertically above the heat exchanger 46 and behind the fan case 41. The wash water receiver 70 has a function of storing wash water for washing the heat exchanger 46, draining the stored wash water, and supporting the heat exchanger 46. The wash water receiver 70 includes a water storage portion 71, an overflow portion 74, a support piece 76, and a heat presser 79.

[0043] The water storage section 71 is a water storage space for washing water that opens upward. The water storage section 71 is disposed at least above the evaporator 46a. The water storage section 71 is preferably disposed over substantially the entire length in the left-right direction of the heat exchanger 46. The water storage section 71 has a capacity capable of storing at least a predetermined amount of water (for example, 200 ml) required for washing the heat exchanger 46. The water storage section 71 has a pair of spring stoppers 72 on its left and right outer surfaces. The water storage section 71 has a rear wall 71a, a front wall 71b, and left and right walls 71d. The front wall 71b is lower than the rear wall 71a and the left and right walls 71d. Thus, when washing water exceeding the capacity of the water storage section 71 is poured, it overflows from the front wall 71b.

[0044] The water storage section 71 has a water storage section drain hole 73 (drain hole) in the bottom surface 71c. The water storage section drain hole 73 is preferably a slit-shaped hole that is disposed over substantially the entire length in the left-right direction of the water storage section 71, that is, over substantially the entire length in the left-right direction of the heat exchanger 46. Further, the water storage section drain hole 73 is disposed along the direction in which the straight portion 47a of the refrigerant pipe 47 extends. In the example of FIG. 6, the water storage section drain hole 73 is divided into two in the left-right direction. The water storage section drain hole 73 drains the washing water to the lower heat exchanger 46 side. Specifically, the water storage section drain hole 73 is disposed above the evaporator 46a where dust is likely to accumulate near the suction port 21 and far from electrical components such as the control section 55 and the blower motor 43, and is formed at a position where the drained washing water reaches the refrigerant pipe 47 and the fins 48 of the evaporator 46a.

[0045] The overflow section 74 is in front of the water storage section 71 and is disposed above the condenser 46b. The overflow section 74 is spatially connected to the water storage section 71 above the front wall 71b of the water storage section 71. The overflow section 74 receives the washing water that has been poured beyond the water storage capacity of the water storage section 71 and has overflowed from the front wall 71b. The overflow section 74 has an overflow section drain hole 75 below. The overflow section 74 has a flow path for the washing water and the overflow section drain hole 75 so that the washing water is guided to the evaporator 46a side. That is, the overflow section 74 is located above the condenser 46b, but the washing water is discharged to the rear evaporator 46a side.

[0046] The support piece 76 is a sheet-like portion extending forward from the front right end of the overflow portion 74. The support piece 76 has a support hole 77 and engages with a claw 41a (Fig. 2) disposed at a corresponding position of the fan case 41 through the support hole 77. Thereby, the washing water receiver 70 is supported by the fan case 41.

[0047] The heat exchanger retainer 79 is a plate-like member having a surface direction along the vertical direction, formed downward from the left and right end portions of the washing water receiver 70. As shown in Fig. 2, the heat exchanger retainer 79 engages with the refrigerant pipe 47 and the fins 48 located above the heat exchanger 46 to support the heat exchanger 46 in the front-rear and left-right directions. Further, the heat exchanger retainer 79 pairs with a drain pan 49 that similarly supports the heat exchanger 46 to support the heat exchanger 46 also in the vertical direction.

[0048] The drain hole retainer 80 is a substantially frame-shaped member extending in the left-right direction and supported with respect to the washing water receiver 70 to open and close the water storage part drain hole 73 of the water storage part 71. The drain hole retainer 80 has a seal part 81, an arm part 83, and a lever connection part 87.

[0049] The seal part 81 is a lower end portion extending in the left-right direction of the drain hole retainer 80 and has a left-right length corresponding to the left-right length of the water storage part drain hole 73. The seal part 81 has a seal member 82 and reliably closes the water storage part drain hole 73 so that the washing water stored in the water storage part 71 does not leak when the water storage part drain hole 73 is closed.

[0050] The wrist part 83 is arranged at the left and right ends of the drain hole presser 80 and has a pair of horizontal planes facing in the vertical direction. The wrist part 83 has a pair of spring holes 84. The pair of spring holes 84 support one end of a pair of drain hole presser springs 85. The other ends of the pair of drain hole presser springs 85 are supported by a pair of spring stoppers 72 of the washing water receiver 70. Thereby, the pair of drain hole presser springs 85 support the drain hole presser 80 on the washing water receiver 70 by having a restoring force in the vertical direction. When there is no load, the drain hole presser 80 is pulled downward, the seal part 81 closes the water storage part drain hole 73, and when it is pulled upward against the restoring force, the seal part 81 opens the water storage part drain hole 73.

[0051] The lever connection part 87 engages with the washing lever 100 and is a part that converts the lateral movement of the washing lever 100 into a force for operating the drain hole presser 80. The lever connection part 87 has a lever opening 88 and engages with the washing lever 100 inserted into the lever opening 88. The lever connection part 87 has a shape capable of converting the lateral movement of the washing lever 100 into the vertical movement of the drain hole presser 80. Specifically, the upper side 88a of the lever opening 88 is inclined downward from right to left. When the washing lever 100 moves to the left, the drain hole presser 80 moves upward, and when the washing lever 100 moves to the right, the drain hole presser 80 moves downward.

[0052] FIG. 10 is a perspective view mainly showing the water inlet lid 90 from above.

[0053] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 10.

[0054] The water inlet lid 90 as the opening / closing switching means normally closes the water inlet 23 and has a function of pouring washing water from the outside of the housing 10 into the washing water receiver 70 during washing. The water inlet lid 90 has a drawer shape and slides in the front-rear direction with respect to the water inlet 23 of the rear frame 12. The water inlet lid 90 has a water injection part 91 and a drainage part 96.

[0055] The water injection part 91 is formed by a rear wall 91a, left and right walls 91b, a front wall 91c, and a bottom surface 91d that extend in the vertical direction respectively, and forms a space with an upper opening. The surface facing the rear of the rear wall 91a is flush with the rear frame 12 and is exposed to the outside of the dehumidifier 1. The rear wall 91a has a handle 92 that extends rearward. The handle 92 is used by the user when the water injection port cover 90 is pulled out from the housing 10. The front wall 91c is formed in a lattice shape and has an opening portion, and drains the cleaning water poured into the water injection part 91 from this opening portion. The front wall 91c is lower in height than the rear wall 91a and the left and right walls 91b. The left and right walls 91b extend forward beyond the front wall 91c. The left and right walls 91b each have a retaining rib 93 that extends in the vertical direction on the surface facing the outside.

[0056] The drainage part 96 is arranged in front of the front wall 91c and has a splash prevention wall 97 and a lower opening 98. The splash prevention wall 97 is a wall-like portion that slopes downward forward from the upper end of the front wall 91c to substantially the same plane as the bottom surface 91d of the water injection part 91. The lower opening 98 is formed by the lower end 97a of the splash prevention wall 97, the front end 99 of the bottom surface 91d, and the left and right walls 91b that connect the left and right ends of the lower end 97a and the front end 99. The lower opening 98 is located substantially above the water storage part 71 of the cleaning water receiver 70 when the water injection port cover 90 is pulled out with respect to the rear frame 12 and is in a state where water injection is possible.

[0057] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the cleaning lever 100 from the front.

[0058] FIG. 13 is an explanatory view particularly showing the cleaning lever 100 arranged on the rear frame 12.

[0059] The cleaning lever 100 (instruction input part) has a function of receiving an instruction from the user to open the drain hole presser 80. The cleaning lever 100 slides in the left - right direction with respect to the lever support port 24 of the rear frame 12. The cleaning lever 100 has a thin plate part 101, a finger - hanging recess 102, a transmission part 103, and a spring support part 105.

[0060] The thin plate portion 101 is a plate-like member disposed substantially parallel to the rear surface 12a (the surface facing forward) of the rear frame 12. The finger hook recess 102 is formed at substantially the center in the left-right direction of the thin plate portion 101 and is a portion recessed substantially in a quadrangular shape forward. The finger hook recess 102 is where the user's finger is placed when the user moves the cleaning lever 100 to the left. The transmission portion 103 is a cylindrical portion with a substantially trapezoidal cross-section that protrudes forward substantially perpendicular to the thin plate portion 101. The transmission portion 103 is disposed at a position overlapping the finger hook recess 102 in the front-rear direction view. The upper surface 103a of the transmission portion 103 facing substantially upward is inclined downward from right to left. The transmission portion 103 has a plurality (three in FIG. 10) of contact ribs 104 on this upper surface 103a. The contact ribs 104 are formed for the purpose of reducing the contact area with the upper side 88a of the lever opening 88 of the drain hole presser 80 through which the transmission portion 103 passes.

[0061] The spring support portion 105 is a small piece that rises forward from the right end side of the thin plate portion 101 and has a spring hole 106. The spring hole 106 supports one end of the lever spring 107. The other end of the lever spring 107 is supported by the spring stop portion 123 of the rear frame 12. Thereby, the lever spring 107 supports the cleaning lever 100 by having a restoring force in the left-right direction. The cleaning lever 100 is pulled to the right when unloaded and slides to the left against the restoring force by receiving a force from the left from the finger hook recess 102.

[0062] Next, the water injection port 23 and the lever support port 24 of the rear frame 12 will be described.

[0063] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the rear frame 12 from the front.

[0064] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the water injection port 23 of the rear frame 12 from the rear.

[0065] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the water injection port 23 and the water injection port lid 90 from the rear and the right.

[0066] FIG. 17 is an explanatory view showing the relationship between the water injection port 23 and the water injection port lid 90 from the front and the left.

[0067] The water injection port 23 has a water injection opening 111, a pair of guide rails 113, a pair of lid pressing pieces 115, elastic claw portions 116, and a protective wall 118.

[0068] The water injection opening 111 is an opening formed in the rear frame 12 and corresponds to the dimension of the rear wall 91a of the water injection port lid 90. The pair of guide rails 113 are members having a substantially U-shaped cross section extending forward from the left and right edges 111a of the water injection opening 111. The guide rails 113 are engaged with the left and right sides 94 of the bottom surface 91d of the water injection port lid 90 in a groove portion to position the water injection port lid 90 and guide the slide in the front-rear direction.

[0069] The pair of lid pressing pieces 115 are elastic pieces extending forward from the left and right edges 111a of the water injection opening 111 above the pair of guide rails 113. The front ends of the pair of lid pressing pieces 115 are disposed at positions corresponding to the retaining ribs 93 on the left and right walls 91b of the water injection port lid 90, and support the water injection port lid 90 so as not to slide backward unintentionally by engaging with the retaining ribs 93 in the front-rear direction. Further, when the water injection port lid 90 is pulled backward by the user, the pair of lid pressing pieces 115 bend in the left-right direction to escape and release the engagement with the retaining ribs 93.

[0070] The elastic claw portion 116 is an elastic thin plate member having a substantially U-shaped cross section extending forward from the upper edge 111b of the water injection opening 111 and extending backward through the bent portion 116a. The elastic claw portion 116 has a function of preventing the water poured from the water injection opening 111 from entering the inside of the housing 10 by the internal space of the U-shape. The elastic claw portion 116 has a retaining claw 117 at the tip. As shown in FIG. 14, the retaining claw 117 functions as a retaining means so that the water injection port lid 90 is not pulled out by more than a required amount by being caught by the upper end of the front wall 91c when the water injection port lid 90 is pulled backward by a required amount.

[0071] The protective wall 118 is a member with a substantially L-shaped cross-section that extends forward from the upper edge 111b of the water injection opening 111. The protective wall 118 partitions the space of the water injection opening 111 in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 15, a microswitch 120, which is a detector, is arranged to the left of this protective wall 118, and the protective wall 118 protects the microswitch 120 from the cleaning water injected from the water injection port 23. When the water injection port lid 90 is inserted, the microswitch 120 comes into contact with the left wall 91b and switches to the ON state, and when the water injection port lid 90 is pulled out, it becomes non-contact with the left wall 91b and switches to the OFF state, thereby detecting the opening and closing of the water injection port lid 90. The ON / OFF state of the microswitch 120 is transmitted to the control unit 55. Note that the microswitch 120 may be arranged so as to switch to the OFF state when the water injection port lid 90 is inserted and to the ON state when the water injection port lid 90 is pulled out.

[0072] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the lever support port 24 holds the cleaning lever 100 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction with respect to the rear frame 12. The lever support port 24 has a support opening 121, a pair of guide rails 122, and a spring stopper portion 123 (FIG. 12).

[0073] The support opening 121 exposes a part of the finger hook recess 102 and the thin plate portion 101 of the cleaning lever 100 from the rear frame 12, enabling a slide operation by the user via the finger hook recess 102.

[0074] The pair of guide rails 122 are arranged on the rear surface 12a of the rear frame 12, above and below the upper and lower edges 121a of the support opening 121, parallel to the upper and lower edges 121a. The pair of guide rails 122 position the cleaning lever 100 and guide the left-right slide by fitting with the upper and lower sides 101a (FIGS. 11 and 12) of the thin plate portion 101 of the cleaning lever 100 in a groove portion.

[0075] The spring stopper portion 123 is arranged on the rear surface 12a of the rear frame 12, to the right of the right edge 121b of the support opening 121. The spring stopper portion 123 supports the other end of the lever spring 107 as described above.

[0076] Next, the cleaning process of the heat exchanger 46 in the dehumidifier 1 will be specifically described.

[0077] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the water storage part drain hole 73 is closed, as viewed from the front.

[0078] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the water storage part drain hole 73 is closed, as viewed from the left.

[0079] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the water storage part drain hole 73 is open, as viewed from the front.

[0080] FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the water storage part drain hole 73 is open, as viewed from the left.

[0081] When the dehumidifier 1 is operated for a certain period of time and reaches the timing when the heat exchanger 46 requires cleaning, the cleaning process is started by the user.

[0082] In the cleaning process, first, the water injection port lid 90 is pulled out by the user, and a predetermined amount of water is injected into the water injection part 91 as cleaning water. At this time, if the water is poured vigorously, there is a possibility that the water will splash on the bottom surface 91d and the left and right walls 91b. However, the elastic claw part 116 of the U-shaped water injection port 23 isolates the water injection part 91 from the inside of the housing 10, preventing the intrusion of water into the inside of the housing 10. In addition, by the protective wall 118 isolating the micro switch 120 from the water injection part 91, it is possible to prevent water from adhering to the micro switch 120.

[0083] The cleaning water is drained from the opening formed by the lattice of the front wall 91c. At this time, the lattice-shaped front wall 91c prevents foreign substances from flowing down and the user's fingers from entering inside. The cleaning water falls downward from the lower opening 98 of the drainage part 96. The fallen cleaning water is stored in the water storage part 71 of the cleaning water receiver 70. At this time, there is also a possibility that more water than the capacity of the water storage part 71 is injected from the water injection port 23. In response to this, the overflow part 74 receives the water that has overflowed from the front wall 71b and can guide it to the evaporator 46a side to be cleaned through the overflow part drain hole 75, preventing the water from entering the inside of the housing 10 unintentionally.

[0084] When a predetermined amount of water is poured and the water injection lid 90 is closed, an instruction from the user to open the drain hole retainer 80 is received. Specifically, when the user slides the cleaning lever 100 to the left through the finger hook recess 102, the transmission part 103 moves to the left and transmits a force to the lever connection part 87 connected through the lever opening 88. The lever connection part 87 converts the horizontal movement of the cleaning lever 100 in the left - right direction into vertical movement as described above. As a result, the drain hole retainer 80 rises.

[0085] When the drain hole retainer 80 rises, the water storage part drain hole 73 is opened, and the cleaning water stored in the water storage part 71 is drained. The cleaning water flows from above the evaporator 46a downward, thereby removing dust adhering to the evaporator 46a. The flowing - down cleaning water and dust reach the drain pan 49 and are discharged to the drain tank 51 in the same way as the drain water falling from the evaporator 46a.

[0086] At this time, since a predetermined amount of cleaning water is stored in the water storage part 71 and then drained, the cleaning water is drained more powerfully compared to the case where it is directly led to the heat exchanger 46 without being stored as it is being poured from the water injection port 23. As a result, the dust on the evaporator 46a is more easily removed.

[0087] When all the water in the water storage part 71 is drained, the cleaning lever 100 is released from the user's operation and automatically slides to the right by the restoring force of the lever spring 107 and returns to the normal position. At the same time, the drain hole retainer 80 also automatically moves downward by the restoring force of the drain hole retainer spring 85 and returns to the normal position, and the water storage part drain hole 73 is closed.

[0088] Such a dehumidifier 1 can remove the dust accumulated on the heat exchanger 46 by flushing it with cleaning water. Therefore, compared with the case of simply removing the moisture of the dust by blowing air and drying, the dehumidifier 1 can remove the dust itself and is excellent in terms of hygiene.

[0089] Next, the cleaning process and subsequent drying operation in the dehumidifier 1 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 22. In the flowchart, the microswitch is denoted as MS.

[0090] First, when the operation mode switch on the operation unit 32 is pressed by the user and the compressor 45 and the blower motor 43 are driven at a predetermined rotational speed, the control unit 55 determines whether the microswitch 120 is in the OFF state because the water injection port lid 90 has been pulled out from the water injection port 23 (step S101). If it is determined that the microswitch 120 is in the OFF state, the driving of the compressor 45 and the blower motor 43 is stopped to enter the operation stop state (step S102). If the operation is in the stop state at the time of the determination in step S101 and the compressor 45 and the blower motor 43 are not driven, the operation stop state is maintained. If the control unit 55 determines in step S101 that the water injection port lid 90 has not been pulled out from the water injection port 23 and the microswitch 120 has not switched to the OFF state, the determination in step S101 is repeated.

[0091] After completing the process of step S102, the control unit 55 determines whether the proximity sensor 62 cannot detect a magnetic field equal to or greater than a predetermined value by the magnet 53a and whether the drain tank 51 is in a full water state where the water level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level (step S103). If it is determined that the state is a full water state, the alarm sound is output by the notification unit 61, and a non - shown full water lamp on the LED display unit 33 is blinked to notify the user that the drain tank 51 is in a full water state (step S104).

[0092] After completing the process of step S104, the control unit 55 determines whether the proximity sensor 62 detects a magnetic field equal to or greater than a predetermined value by the magnet 53a and whether the full water state where the drain tank 51 is below the predetermined water level has been resolved (step S105). If it is determined that the full water state has been resolved, the alarm sound from the notification unit 61 is turned off, the non - shown full water lamp on the LED display unit 33 is turned off, and the full water notification for the drain tank 51 is cancelled (step S106). If the control unit 55 determines in step S105 that the full water state has not been resolved, the determination in step S105 is repeated.

[0093] When the control unit 55 has completed the process of step S106, or when it has determined in step S103 that the drain tank 51 is below the predetermined water level and is not in a full water state, it determines whether the water injection lid 90 has been inserted into the water injection port 23 and the micro switch 120 has switched to the ON state (step S107). If it determines that the micro switch 120 has switched to the ON state, it starts the timer count of the elapsed time with the timer 58 (step S108). If the control unit 55 determines in step S107 that the micro switch 120 has not switched to the ON state, it repeats the determination in step S107.

[0094] When the control unit 55 has completed the process of step S108, it determines whether 3 minutes, which is the predetermined time, has elapsed since the micro switch 120 switched to the ON state by the timer count of the timer 58 (step S109). If it determines that 3 minutes have elapsed, it starts driving the blower motor 43 at the lowest adjustable rotation speed and starts a drying operation of drying the heat exchanger 46 by blowing air with the sirocco fan 42 (step S110). The control unit 55 starts the timer count of the drying operation time with the timer 58 simultaneously with the start of the drying operation. If the control unit 55 determines in step S109 that 3 minutes have not elapsed, it repeats the determination in step S109.

[0095] When the control unit 55 has completed the process of step S110, it determines whether 30 minutes have elapsed since the start of the drying operation by the timer count of the timer 58 (step S111). If it determines that 30 minutes have elapsed, it stops driving the blower motor 43 and stops the drying operation (step S112). If the control unit 55 determines in step S111 that 30 minutes have not elapsed, it repeats the determination in step S111.

[0096] Next, the operation content of the user in each step in the flowchart of FIG. 21 and the action effects by the operation of the dehumidifier 1 will be described.

[0097] When the water injection lid 90 is pulled out from the water injection port 23 by the user in the step S101 and the microswitch 120 is turned off, the operation of the dehumidifier 1 is stopped by stopping the blower motor 43 and the compressor 45. Immediately after the water injection lid 90 is pulled out, cleaning water is injected into the water injection part 91 of the water injection lid 90 by the user, and the cleaning water accumulates in the cleaning water receiver 70 through the drain part 96. In the step S106, after the water injection lid 90 is inserted into the water injection port 23 by the user and the microswitch 120 is turned on, when the user operates the cleaning lever 100 and the drain hole presser 80 rises, the cleaning water drops from the water storage part drain hole 73, and the evaporator 46a is cleaned by the cleaning water. At this time, if the blower motor 43 is driven, the cleaning water dropped from the water storage part drain hole 73 may be guided to the air outlet 31 side by the sirocco fan 42, and water may blow out from the air outlet 31. Since the blower motor 43 is not driven until 3 minutes have passed after the water injection lid 90 is pulled out from the water injection port 23 and then inserted into the water injection port 23 until the drying operation starts, it is possible to prevent water from blowing out from the air outlet 31.

[0098] Also, when it is determined in the step S103 that the drain tank 51 is in a full water state, in the step S104, the drain tank 51 is notified of being in a full water state by the output of an alarm sound from the notification part 61 which is a predetermined notification and the blinking of the full water lamp on the LED display part 33. If the drain tank 51 is in a full water state at the timing when the user injects cleaning water into the water injection part 91 of the water injection lid 90, if a large amount of cleaning water is injected from the water injection lid 90, there is a risk that the drainage from the drain tank 51 will overflow and wet the periphery of the dehumidifier 1. By notifying the user that the drain tank 51 is full at the timing when the user injects water into the water injection part 91 of the water injection lid 90, the user can recognize that the drain tank 51 is full and extract the drain tank 51 from the tank insertion port 22, and it is possible to prompt the user to perform an operation of discarding the drainage in the drain tank 51 in a washroom or the like. Therefore, the risk of the drainage of the drain tank 51 overflowing when injecting water into the water injection lid 90 is reduced.

[0099] After the notification that the drain tank 51 is in a full water state is output in step S104, it is determined in step S105 whether the full water state has been resolved. If it is determined that the full water state has been resolved, the full water notification by the notification unit 61 and the LED display unit 33 is cancelled in step S106, and the process proceeds to each subsequent step. When the drain tank 51 is in a full water state at the timing of injecting cleaning water into the water injection lid 90, if the user does not discard the drain water in the drain tank 51 to lower the water level, the full water notification will not be cancelled, and the process will not transition beyond step S106, and the cleaning operation will not be completed. Since it is possible to prompt the user to discard the drain water in the drain tank 51 to complete the cleaning operation, after the user discards the drain water in the drain tank 51 and stores it in the housing 10, even if the user further injects cleaning water from the water injection lid 90 to clean the heat exchanger 46, the drain tank 51 will not overflow and the cleaning operation will continue, thus improving the user experience.

[0100] In this embodiment, when the drain tank 51 is in a full water state in step S103, it is the content to be notified by the LED display unit 33 and the notification unit 61 in step S104, but it is not limited to this. When the drain tank 51 is not in a full water state at the timing of step S103, it may be notified by the LED display unit or the notification unit 61 that there is room for the amount of water that can be stored in the drain tank 51 to inform the user.

[0101] Also, the water injection determination means detects the opening or closing of the water injection port 23 based on the ON / OFF state of the microswitch 120 and determines whether water is being injected into the wash water receiver 70. Specifically, when the microswitch 120 switches from the ON state to the OFF state and the water injection determination means detects that the user has pulled out the water injection port lid 90 from the water injection port 23, it is determined that water is being injected into the wash water receiver 70. After the user injects wash water into the water injection part 91 of the water injection port lid 90, the user inserts the water injection port lid 90 into the water injection port 23 and returns it to its original position. Then, the user operates the wash lever 100 to drop the wash water from the wash water receiver 70 to wash the evaporator 46a. After a predetermined time (here, 3 minutes) has elapsed at the timing when the water injection port lid 90 is inserted into the water injection port 23 and the wash water has finished dripping from the evaporator 46a, the drying operation is started, and the blower motor 43 is driven to blow air by the sirocco fan 42. Thus, the air blowing is started with wash water remaining in the evaporator 46a, and the wash water is guided toward the air outlet 31 side, preventing water from blowing out from the air outlet 31.

[0102] In this embodiment, the drying operation is started 3 minutes after a predetermined time has elapsed after the microswitch 120 switches from the OFF state to the ON state. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The control unit 55 may perform control such that when the microswitch 120 is in the ON state before the user pulls out the water injection port lid 90 from the water injection port 23, and the user pulls out and opens the water injection port lid 90 from the water injection port 23 and the microswitch 120 is determined to be in the OFF state, the timer 58 starts a timer count, and the drying operation is started after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0103] Also, during the drying operation, the blower motor 43 is driven at the lowest settable rotational speed. After cleaning with cleaning water, there may be a small amount of water droplets on the evaporator 46a that do not fall into the drain pan 49. During the drying operation, if the blower motor 43 is driven at a high rotational speed to increase the air volume blown by the sirocco fan 42, the water adhering to the evaporator 46a may be guided to the outlet 31 side, and water may blow out from the outlet 31. By driving the blower motor 43 at the lowest settable rotational speed during the drying operation, it is possible to dry the evaporator 46a while preventing water from blowing out from the outlet 31.

[0104] Next, the effects of the present invention will be described.

[0105] When the microswitch 120 switches to the OFF state because the water injection port lid 90 is pulled out from the water injection port 23, and the control unit 55 determines that the drain tank 51 is above a predetermined water level when a magnetic field of a predetermined value or more cannot be detected by the proximity sensor 62, the full water lamp of the LED display unit 33 blinks, and an alarm sound is output from the notification unit 61 to notify the water level of the drain tank 51. Therefore, when the user fills water from the water injection port lid 90, the user can be prompted to discard the drained water accumulated in the drain tank 51, so that when cleaning the heat exchanger 46, the risk of the drained water overflowing from the drain tank 51 and wetting the periphery of the dehumidifier 1 can be reduced.

[0106] In addition, in this embodiment, it has been described that one proximity sensor 62 detects whether the drain tank 51 is in a full water state, and if it is in the full water state, a predetermined notification is performed by the LED display unit 33 and the notification unit 61. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, two proximity sensors may be installed vertically along the floating storage unit 52, and the LED display unit 33 may display the water level according to the position of the proximity sensor that detects the water level. When the water injection port lid 90 is pulled out from the water injection port 23, when the proximity sensor located below and detecting the water level of the drain tank 51 detects the water level, the water level 1, which is the lower limit water level, is displayed on the LED display unit 33. When the water level of the drain tank 51 rises and the float 53 is positioned between the upper and lower proximity sensors so that a magnetic field of a predetermined value or more cannot be detected, the water level 2, which is the intermediate water level, is displayed on the LED display unit 33. When the water level of the drain tank 51 approaches the full water state and the upper proximity sensor detects the water level, the water level 3, which is the upper limit water level, is displayed on the LED display unit 33 and an alarm sound is output from the notification unit 61. When the heat exchanger 46 is washed with cleaning water, the user can check the water level on the LED display unit 33 and is prompted to discard the drainage of the drain tank 51, thus improving the usability.

[0107] Also, in this embodiment, it has been described that the proximity sensor 62 is used as the water level sensor. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The type of sensor is not limited as long as the water level of the drain tank 51 can be detected, such as ultrasonic, capacitance, and pressure sensors. As long as a means capable of detecting the water level of the drain tank 51 is used, it falls within the scope of the present invention.

[0108] Also, in this embodiment, while the water injection port lid 90 installed to close the water injection port 23 provided in the rear frame 12 of the housing 10 was described as the opening / closing switching means for the user to inject water into the water injection part 91 of the water injection port lid 90, it is not limited to this. For example, as another opening / closing switching means, a shutter that can be opened and closed instead of the water injection port lid 90 may be provided at the water injection part 91. When cleaning the heat exchanger 46, the user may open the shutter and inject water into the water receiving part 70 using a nozzle-equipped bottle or the like. In this case, if the opening and closing of the shutter are detected by a microswitch or the like, and when the control unit 55 determines that the shutter is opened based on the detection by the microswitch, by stopping the drive of the blower motor 43, when the cleaning water in the water receiving part 70 is dropped to clean the heat exchanger 46, the cleaning water can be guided to the air outlet 31 by the sirocco fan 42, and it is possible to prevent the cleaning water from scattering around the dehumidifier 1.

[0109] Also, in this embodiment, it was described that a microswitch for detecting the presence or absence of pulling out of the water injection port lid 90 is provided as a detector, and the presence or absence of water injection of the cleaning water is determined by the water injection determination means using the microswitch, but it is not limited to this. For example, as another detector, an optical sensor for detecting the presence or absence of pulling out of the water injection port lid 90 may be used. When the control unit 55 detects that the water injection port lid 90 has been pulled out from the water injection port 23 by the optical sensor, it determines whether the drain tank 51 is full by the proximity sensor 62. If it is in a full state, a predetermined notification is performed by the LED display unit 33 and the notification unit 61. As a result, since the user can be prompted to discard the drainage of the drain tank 51, it is possible to reduce the risk that the drainage overflows from the drain tank 51 and the periphery of the dehumidifier 1 gets wet due to a large amount of cleaning water being injected from the water injection port lid 90.

[0110] That is, any means that can determine the presence or absence of water injection of the cleaning water into the water receiving part 70 before the start of cleaning the heat exchanger 46 due to the cleaning water flowing down falls within the scope of the water injection determination means of the present invention, and the type of detector is not limited.

[0111] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

[0112] For example, the air conditioner according to the present invention can be applied not only to the dehumidifier 1 but also to other devices having a heat exchanger that requires cleaning of dust contained in the sucked air, such as an air conditioner, a humidifier, and a dryer.

[0113] Although an example in which the water storage part drain hole 73 is in a slit shape extending in the left - right direction has been described, as long as the cleaning water can be drained from above the heat exchanger 46, it may be a slit divided into two or more, or a plurality of circular, elliptical, or polygonal small holes.

[0114] Although an example in which the drain hole presser 80 is raised by a manual operation of the user via the cleaning lever 100 and the water storage part drain hole 73 is opened has been described, the drain hole presser 80 may be opened and closed by a user operation or automatically by an electrical mechanism.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0115] 1 Dehumidifier 10 Housing 23 Water filling port 31 Air outlet 33 LED display unit (notification means) 42 Sirocco fan (blower fan) 43 Blower motor 46 Heat exchanger 46a Evaporator 46b Condenser 51 Drain tank 55 Control unit 61 Notification unit (notification means) 62 Proximity sensor (water level sensor) 70 Cleaning water receiver 73 Water storage part drain hole 90 Water injection port cover (opening / closing switching means) 91 Water injection part 96 Drainage part 120 Microswitch (detector)

Claims

1. A housing, a blower fan housed in the housing and sucking air into the housing, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the air sucked by the blower fan, an air outlet through which the air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger blows out, a water injection port formed in the housing for injecting cleaning water for cleaning the heat exchanger, a cleaning water receiver disposed above the heat exchanger and having a drain hole for discharging the cleaning water to the heat exchanger, water injection determination means for determining whether or not the cleaning water is injected into the cleaning water receiver via the water injection port, a drain tank disposed below the heat exchanger for collecting the drained water dripping from the heat exchanger, a water level sensor for detecting the water level of the drain tank, notification means for notifying by outputting an alarm sound and turning on a lamp based on the water level detected by the water level sensor, a control unit for controlling the notification by the notification means, and comprising: When the water level of the drain tank detected by the water level sensor when the control unit determines that there is injection of the cleaning water into the cleaning water receiver by the water injection determination means is equal to or higher than a predetermined water level, the notification means notifies that the water level in the drain tank is equal to or higher than the predetermined water level. A dehumidifier characterized by this.

2. An opening / closing switching means capable of switching between opening and closing of the water injection port is disposed at the water injection port. The water injection determination means determines whether or not the cleaning water is injected into the cleaning water receiver by detecting the opening or closing of the water injection port by the opening / closing switching means. The dehumidifier according to Claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The opening / closing switching means is a water injection port lid that is supported so as to be pullable out with respect to the housing, closes the water injection port, and has a water injection part that receives the cleaning water when pulled out from the housing, and a drain part that drains the cleaning water received by the water injection part to the cleaning water receiver when located at least vertically above the cleaning water receiver when pulled out from the housing. The water injection determination means is configured by a detector that detects that the water injection port lid has been pulled out from the water injection port. The dehumidifier according to Claim 2, characterized by this.

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