dehumidifier

Abstract

Provided is a dehumidifier with which a deterioration in air cleaning performance and the generation of clearance noise can be prevented even if a pressure difference acts on a shutter that is closed when performing an operation focused on air cleaning.　The dehumidifier comprises: a housing having an inlet and an outlet; a blowing means which is disposed inside the housing to generate an airflow from the inlet to the outlet; an air cleaning means disposed inside the housing; a dehumidifying means which is disposed inside the housing to remove moisture from the airflow; a first air passage allowing the airflow to pass through the air cleaning means to reach the dehumidifying means; a second air passage allowing the airflow to reach the dehumidifying means without passing through the air cleaning means; and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the second air passage. The opening and closing means has a shutter which is disposed inside the second air passage and which is capable of pivoting about a pivoting shaft extending in a vertical direction, between a closed position shielding the second air passage and an open position opening the second air passage, the pivoting shaft being disposed inward of left-right direction end portions of the shutter in the closed position.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to dehumidifiers. [Background technology]

[0002] 16 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a conventional dehumidifier 100A disclosed in Patent Document 1. The dehumidifier 100A includes an air intake 101 and a heat exchanger 102 serving as a dehumidifying means. A filter 104 serving as an air cleaning means and an air intake grille 105 serving as an air purifying means are disposed in an air passage 103 connecting the air intake 101 to the heat exchanger 102, and the filter 104 separates the air passage 103 downstream of the filter 104 from the heat exchanger 102. Looking through the heat exchanger 102 from the air intake 101, the filter 104 is disposed so as not to cover a portion of the heat exchanger 102. Therefore, a portion of the airflow generated by the air blowing means 106 reaches the heat exchanger 102 without passing through the filter 104.

[0003] Air passage 103a, where filter 104 is not provided, is provided with shutter 107, which can open and close air passage 103a by sliding up and down. Shutter 107 is provided with handle 108, allowing the user to manually slide shutter 107. When shutter 107 is slid downward to open air passage 103a, a large amount of airflow is taken into heat exchanger 102, resulting in operation with an emphasis on dehumidification. On the other hand, when shutter 107 is slid upward to close air passage 103a, most of the airflow passes through filter 104 and is purified, and the purified airflow is taken into heat exchanger 102, resulting in operation with an emphasis on air purification.

[0004] In this way, the dehumidifier 100A is configured to be switchable between an operation that prioritizes dehumidification and an operation that prioritizes air purification by the user operating the shutter 107. Patent Document 1 describes the use of a blind-type shutter that can be opened and closed by a rotational movement as the shutter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-211913 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Although Patent Document 1 does not disclose the specific structure of a blind-type shutter, it is conceivable to configure a dehumidifier 100B as shown in FIG. 17. The dehumidifier 100B includes a blind-type shutter 109 that can open and close an air passage 103a in which a filter 104 is not disposed. The shutter 109 may be formed in the shape of a plate that is elongated in the vertical direction. A rotating shaft 110a of a motor 110 is connected to an end of the shutter 109 in the width direction, and is positioned so as not to interfere with the rotational trajectory of the shutter 109. By driving the motor 110, the shutter 109 can be rotated about the rotating shaft 110a between a closed position shown by the imaginary line and an open position that opens the air passage 103a.

[0007] When the dehumidifier 100B is operated with an emphasis on air purification, the motor 110 is driven to rotate the shutter 109 to the closed position. When the air blowing unit 106 generates airflow in this closed position, the air passage 103a downstream of the shutter 109 becomes negative pressure relative to the pressure of the airflow upstream of the shutter 109 (hereinafter referred to as "outside air pressure"). Therefore, a unidirectional rotational force Pr acts on the shutter 109, rotating the shutter 109 from the closed position to the open position, depending on the pressure difference between the outside air pressure and the negative pressure. The rotational force Pr acting on the shutter 109 increases in proportion to the pressure difference, and becomes particularly noticeable when the airflow rate is large. When the rotational force Pr acting on the shutter 109 exceeds the holding torque of the motor 110, the shutter 109 moves in the open direction, creating a gap Gp between the shutter 109 and the filter 104. Air leakage through the gap Gp reduces air purification performance and generates gap noise.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier that can prevent a decrease in air purification performance and the generation of gap noise even if a pressure difference acts on the shutter that is closed during operation that focuses on air purification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The dehumidifier according to the present disclosure comprises a housing having an air intake and an air outlet, a blower disposed inside the housing for generating an airflow from the air intake to the air outlet, an air purification means disposed inside the housing, a dehumidifier disposed inside the housing for removing moisture from the airflow, a first air passage through which the airflow passes through the air purification means and reaches the dehumidifier, a second air passage through which the airflow reaches the dehumidifier without passing through the air purification means, and an opening / closing means for opening and closing the second air passage. The opening / closing means has a shutter that is arranged inside the second air passage and can rotate around a rotation axis that extends in the vertical direction between a closed position that blocks the second air passage and an open position that opens the second air passage, and the shutter has a plate-shaped shielding wall that is long in the vertical direction, and upper and lower plates that are fan-shaped in a planar view and are provided at the upper and lower ends of the shielding wall, respectively, and an upper rotation axis is provided on the upper plate and a lower rotation axis is provided on the lower plate, respectively, the shielding wall is held on the arc side of the fan shape of the upper plate and the lower plate, and the upper rotation axis and the lower rotation axis are arranged on the center side of the circle of the arc of the upper plate and the lower plate, respectively. In the cross section of the shutter, the shielding wall is formed in a bent or curved shape so that the center is recessed more than both ends, and the shielding wall is configured so that the rotational force applied to the shielding wall is equalized in the left and right directions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, the pivot shaft is positioned inward of the left and right ends of the shutter when in the closed position, closing the second air passage. Therefore, even if a pressure difference occurs between the upstream and downstream sides of the shutter when in the closed position, two different rotational forces act around the pivot shaft. These two rotational forces cancel each other out, and the resulting rotational force is kept smaller than the torque of the motor that rotates the shutter, preventing the shutter from moving in the opening direction. This prevents a decrease in air purification performance and the generation of gap noise. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment, as viewed from the front side. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment, as seen from the rear side. [Figure 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vicinity of the air inlet of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment taken along line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment taken along line BB in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view showing a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment with the case removed. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a partial detailed view of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a part of a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the shutter of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] (a) is a cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier according to embodiment 1 showing a state in which the shutter closes the second air passage, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the shutter opens the second air passage. [Figure 12] 1 is a control block diagram of a dehumidifier according to a first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the dehumidifier according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a dehumidifier according to embodiment 2 in a state where the shutter closes the second air passage, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the shutter opens the second air passage. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the mounting structure of the shutter in the dehumidifier according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional dehumidifier. [Figure 17] This is a structural diagram of a dehumidifier shutter operated by a stepping motor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals in each drawing indicate the same or corresponding parts. Furthermore, in this disclosure, duplicated descriptions will be appropriately simplified or omitted. Note that this disclosure may include any combination of possible configurations among the configurations described in the following embodiments.

[0013] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dehumidifier 1 according to a first embodiment, as seen from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dehumidifier 1 as seen from the rear. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the dehumidifier 1. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the vicinity of the air intake of the dehumidifier 1. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier 1 taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier 1 taken along line BB in FIG. 1. Lines AA and BB pass through the center of rotation of a sirocco fan 42, which will be described later. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the dehumidifier 1 with the case removed. FIG. 8 is a detailed view of a portion Q enclosed by a dashed line in FIG. 5, and FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the heat exchanger 38 and heat exchanger retainer shown in FIG. 5. 51 FIG.

[0014] In the present embodiment 1, the front-to-rear direction of the dehumidifier 1 is the X-axis direction, the width direction is the Y-axis direction, and the up-down direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis directions is the Z-axis direction. In addition, the left side in Fig. 5 is the front side and front face side, the right side is the rear side and back face side, the front side perpendicular to the paper surface is the left side, and the back side is the right side.

[0015] The dehumidifier 1 includes a case 2 serving as a housing. The case 2 has a front case 21 that forms the front portion and a rear case 22 that forms the rear portion. The front case 21 and the rear case 22 are aligned front to back and fixed with screws, for example, to form a box-shaped case 2 that can stand on its own.

[0016] An operation display unit 23 is provided on the top of the case 2. The operation display unit 23 includes switches that allow the user to operate the dehumidifier 1, a display unit that displays the operating status and operating mode of the dehumidifier 1, and an audio notification unit. The switches include, for example, an operation switch that starts and stops the operation of the dehumidifier 1 and an operation mode selector switch that switches between operating modes. As will be described in detail later, the operation mode selector switch allows the dehumidifier 1 to be switched between a dehumidification-focused operation mode that emphasizes dehumidification and an air purification-focused operation mode that emphasizes air purification. A base 24 is provided on the bottom of the case 2, and swivel casters 24a are provided at the four corners of the base 24 for moving the dehumidifier 1. Ribs 24b are formed on the top surface of the base 24 to position the water storage tank 26. A front panel 25, which constitutes part of the front case 21, is fixed to the front of the water storage tank 26. A window 25a is provided in the front panel 25, and the amount of drain water in the water storage tank 26 can be checked through the window 25a. When the water storage tank 26 is full, the water storage tank 26 can be pulled out to the front of the dehumidifier 1 together with the front panel 25, and the drain water in the water storage tank 26 can be discarded.

[0017] The case 2 is formed with an air intake 31 and an air outlet 32. The air intake 31 is an opening for taking in air from the outside of the case 2 to the inside. The air outlet 32 ​​is an opening for sending air from the inside of the case 2 to the outside. The air intake 31 is formed in the rear case 22, and the air outlet 32 ​​is formed in the front case 21. A louver 33 is provided near the air outlet 32 ​​to adjust the direction in which air is sent out from the air outlet 32. As the louver 33, a known type having a plate-like member that can move up and down can be used. A stepping motor (not shown) for driving the louver 33 is attached to the side of the louver 33.

[0018] 2 and 4, when viewed from the rear of the dehumidifier 1, a pre-filter 34 is provided as an air intake cover that completely covers the air intake 31. The pre-filter 34 is detachably attached to the rear case 22 by multiple tabs 34a provided on its outer periphery. A mesh net 34b is welded and fixed to the pre-filter 34 to prevent dust and other foreign matter from being sucked in through the air intake 31. The pre-filter 34 also has air intakes 34c and 34d for an odor sensor and a dust sensor. This allows these air intakes 34c and 34d to be cleaned when the pre-filter 34 is removed from the rear case 22 to clean the various filters 65 and 66 described below. A hose connection hole 34e is provided at the bottom of the pre-filter 34 to pass a drain hose (not shown) through which drain water is discharged to the outside of the dehumidifier 1. Hose connection hole 34e communicates with power cord storage section 36 inside case 2, and when storing dehumidifier 1, power cord 35 can be passed through hose connection hole 34e and stored in power cord storage section 36. This eliminates the need to provide a dedicated power cord passage hole on the back of rear case 22, resulting in a neat appearance and not compromising the external design of dehumidifier 1.

[0019] Next, the internal structure of the dehumidifier 1 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 9. A drain water receiver 37 is fitted onto the upper part of the rib 24b of the base 24. A drain water stopper 37a that temporarily stops the discharge of drain water into the water storage tank 26 is rotatably attached to the drain water receiver 37, and is normally biased by a spring in a direction that stops the drain water. When the water storage tank 26 is stored in the storage position, the drain water can be drained into the water storage tank 26 by pressing the drain water stopper 37a in the direction opposite to the negative bias of the spring.

[0020] A heat exchanger 38, which serves as a dehumidifying means, is disposed above the drain water receiver 37. The heat exchanger 38 includes an evaporator 38a, a main condenser 38b, a sub-condenser 38c, and a heat exchange piping 38d. The evaporator 38a is cooled by refrigerant circulating from a compressor 54 (described later), thereby condensing and dehumidifying humid air. Water droplets condensed on the evaporator 38a drip into the drain water receiver 37 and are drained into the water storage tank 26 through a drain pipe 37b of the drain water receiver 37. The dehumidified air is returned to room temperature in the main condenser 38b and the sub-condenser 38c and then discharged from the outlet 32 ​​via a scroll space 45 (described later). A drain hose (not shown) can be directly connected to the drain pipe 37b. In this case, the drain hose can be inserted into the hose connection hole 34e and pulled out of the case 2 for continuous drainage.

[0021] The blower 4 is disposed in front of the heat exchanger 38. The blower 4 has a fan motor 41 and a sirocco fan 42. The sirocco fan 42 is disposed in a scroll space 45 defined by a casing 43 and a partition plate 44. Air is sucked in through a bell-mouth-shaped hole 44a in the partition plate 44 by the rotation of the sirocco fan 42, and is discharged from the air outlet 32 ​​located above the casing 43, with the direction of the air being changed by the louver 33.

[0022] A heat exchanger holder 51 that holds the heat exchanger 38 is disposed above the heat exchanger 38. The heat exchanger holder 51 includes an air passage guide plate 51a and a power supply board case 51b. The air passage guide plate 51a is disposed so as to cover the upper surfaces of the evaporator 38a and the main condenser 38b. This forms an upper air passage 51c for the heat exchanger 38 between the air passage guide plate 51a and the power supply board case 51b. The air passage for the heat exchanger 38 is configured with two paths: a first path through which the airflow taken in from the air intake 31 passes through the evaporator 38a, the main condenser 38b, and the sub-condenser 38c, and a second path that bypasses the evaporator 38a and the main condenser 38b and leads to the sub-condenser 38c.

[0023] A power supply board unit 52 is mounted on the power supply board case 51b. In conjunction with an operation board 53 attached to the operation display unit 23, the power supply board unit 52 drives and controls the motor for the louver 33, the compressor 54 and fan motor 41 mounted on the base 24, and the motor 8 for the shutter 7 (described later). Wiring from the compressor 54 and fan motor 41 is connected to the power supply board unit 52 through the side of the partition plate 44 and a wiring guide 55. A power supply wiring guide plate 56 is attached behind the drain water pan 37 and the heat exchanger holder 51, spanning the drain water pan 37 and the heat exchanger holder 51 in the vertical direction. The power supply wiring guide plate 56 functions as a holding member for routing wiring such as the power line and the ground wire. The provision of the power supply wiring guide plate 56 allows the wiring to the power supply board unit 52 to be routed independently of the wiring guide 55 through which the wiring from the compressor 54 and the fan motor 41 passes, and over the shortest possible distance, thereby reducing the effects of power supply noise and the like. Furthermore, the power supply wiring guide plate 56 serves as a rigid body that connects the drain water receiver 37 and the heat exchanger holder 51, thereby preventing the heat exchanger 38 from falling off.

[0024] Next, the internal structure near the air intake port 31 will be described. An air-passage forming frame 61 is attached to the rear case 22 facing the air intake port 31. Two air-passage partition plates 62, each long in the vertical direction, are arranged inside the air-passage forming frame 61 with a gap in the horizontal direction. These two air-passage partition plates 62 divide the interior of the air-passage forming frame 61 into a first air passage 63 and a second air passage 64, which will be described later. That is, the two air-passage partition plates 62 and the upper and lower walls of the air-passage forming frame 61 define the first air passage 63 in the horizontal center of the air-passage forming frame 61. Two second air passages 64 are defined on both horizontal outer sides of the first air passage 63 by each air-passage partition plate 62 and the upper, lower, and side walls of the air-passage forming frame 61, respectively. In this way, the left and right spaces of the first air passage 63 separated by the air passage partition plate 62 each become a second air passage 64. Air purification filters, such as a HEPA filter 65 and a deodorizing filter 66, are arranged in the first air passage 63 as air purification means. Because the HEPA filter 65 is arranged at the inlet of the first air passage 63, the inlet 64a of the second air passage 64 is located outside the HEPA filter 65, which serves as the air purification means, in the left-right direction. An air intake grille 67 is arranged between the deodorizing filter 66 and the heat exchanger 38, so that airflow is evenly sent to the heat exchanger 38. The first air passage 63 and the second air passage 64 are configured to converge before the heat exchanger 38, specifically, upstream of the air intake grille 67.

[0025] 10 and 11, a shutter 7 is provided as an opening / closing means in the second air passage 64. Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the shutter 7 of the dehumidifier 1 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier 1 according to embodiment 1 showing a state in which the shutter 7 closes the second air passage 64, and Fig. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the shutter 7 opens the second air passage 64.

[0026] The shutter 7 includes a shielding wall 71 that is elongated in the vertical direction, an upper plate 72 and a lower plate 73 that are fan-shaped in plan view and are provided at the upper and lower ends of the shielding wall 71, respectively, an upper rotation shaft 72a provided on the upper surface of the upper plate 72, and a lower rotation shaft 73a provided on the lower surface of the lower plate 73. The upper plate 72 and the lower plate 73 function as holding plates that hold the shielding wall 71. The upper rotation shaft 72a and the lower rotation shaft 73a are inserted and fitted into upper bearings 61a and lower bearings 61b provided on the upper and lower walls of the air-passage forming frame 61, respectively, thereby rotatably supporting the shutter 7. A motor 8 serving as a driving means is directly attached to the upper rotation shaft 72a. A stepping motor can be used as the motor 8. The rotation position of the shutter 7 is controlled by driving and controlling the motor 8 using a control unit (described later). Specifically, the shutter 7 rotates about the rotation axes 72a and 73a between a closed position where the shielding wall 71 shields the second air passage 64 and blocks the airflow in the second air passage 64, and an open position where the shielding wall 71 opens the second air passage 64 and allows the airflow in the second air passage 64. The stepping motor 8 has a certain holding torque when no current is flowing. Therefore, once the shutter 7 has been rotated to the closed position or the open position by the stepping motor 8, the shutter 7 will not rotate unless a rotation force exceeding the holding torque is applied.

[0027] When an air current is generated by the blower means 4 with the shutter 7 rotated to the closed position, the second air passage 64 on the downstream side of the shielding wall 71 becomes negative pressure relative to the external air pressure on the upstream side of the shielding wall 71. Therefore, rotational forces Pr1 and Pr2 acting to rotate the shutter 7 act on the shutter 7 in accordance with the pressure difference between the external air pressure and the negative pressure.

[0028] In this embodiment, the shutter 7 is disposed such that the shielding wall 71 in the closed position is parallel to the HEPA filter 65. The pivot shafts 72a and 73a, which serve as pivot points, are disposed within the second air passage 64, and these pivot shafts 72a and 73a are disposed not at the left-right ends of the shielding wall 71 but on the inside of the ends, specifically, on the perpendicular bisector Lv of the shielding wall 71. This allows pivot forces Pr1 and Pr2 acting on the shutter 7 due to the pressure difference applied to the shielding wall 71 to be dispersed in two directions, left and right, about the pivot shafts 72a and 73a. In particular, the pressure difference applied to the inside portion of the shielding wall 71 in the left-right direction is the pivot force Pr1, and the pressure difference applied to the outside portion of the shielding wall 71 in the left-right direction is the pivot force Pr2. The two different rotational forces Pr1 and Pr2 acting around the rotation shafts 72a and 73a cancel each other out in the left-right direction, thereby keeping the torque smaller than the holding torque of the motor 8, thereby preventing the shutter 7 from moving in the opening direction. This prevents a decrease in air purification performance and the generation of gap noise.

[0029] The left and right ends of the shielding wall 71 are provided with seal portions 71a and 71b, which function as sealing surfaces when the shutter 7 is in the closed position. One seal portion 71a abuts against the outer wall surface 62a of the air-path partition plate 62 on the left-right outer side, while the other seal portion 71b abuts against the front surface 61c of a protrusion that protrudes forward from a portion of the air-path forming frame 61 located at the inner end of the rear case 22. To allow the shutter 7 to rotate, clearance is required between the seal portions 71a and 71b and the wall surfaces 62a and 61c that define the second air path 64. While this clearance causes some air leakage, it does not cause gap noise. By positioning the seal portions 71a and 71b close to the wall surfaces 62a and 61c that define the second air path 64, sealing performance can be ensured while maintaining the clearance. In other words, when the shutter 7 is in the closed position, the two sealing portions 71a, 71b are simultaneously close to the wall surfaces 62a, 61c that define the second air passage 64, thereby substantially preventing air leakage from both the left and right sides of the shutter 7.

[0030] When the shutters 7 are rotated outward from the closed position to the open position, i.e., when the seal portions 71a and 71b of the shielding wall 71 are separated from the wall surfaces 62a and 61c, the second air passage 64 is opened, allowing airflow through the second air passage 64. The second air passage 64 has a storage space 68 that bulges outward in the left-right direction, and the shielding wall 71 in the open position is stored in this storage space 68. This advantageously reduces pressure loss in the second air passage 64 when the shutter 7 is in the open position. Furthermore, by providing the storage spaces 68 on the left-right outer sides of the second air passage 64, the first air passage 63 and the opening serving as the inlet 64a of the second air passage 64 can be concentrated on the inside in the left-right direction. As a result, the dehumidifier 1 can be made more compact than when the storage spaces are provided on the inside in the left-right direction of the second air passage 64, without compromising the exterior design of the dehumidifier 1.

[0031] FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of the dehumidifier 1 of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the control unit is made up of a power supply board unit 52 and an operation board 53. The power supply board unit 52 functions as a main control unit. The power supply board unit 52 has a power supply unit to which the power cord 35 is connected, a CPU, a drive circuit, and a memory unit. The CPU has a timer built in as a timekeeping unit. In the example shown in FIG. 12, multiple drive circuits are provided corresponding to the compressor 54, the motor for the louver 33, the fan motor 41, and the motor 8 for the shutter 7, but it is also possible to provide a single drive circuit to drive them all together.

[0032] Next, the operation of the dehumidifier 1 of embodiment 1 will be described. Fig. 13 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the dehumidifier 1 of embodiment 1. When the power cord 35 is connected to an outlet and the user turns on the operation switch of the operation display unit 23, the control unit determines whether the dehumidification-oriented operation mode or the air purification-oriented operation mode has been selected by the operation mode selector switch (step S11).

[0033] If the dehumidification-oriented operation mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S12, where motor 8 is driven to rotate shutter 7 to the open position, thereby opening second air passage 64. Next, fan motor 41 is driven to rotate sirocco fan 42 (step S13). After that, compressor 54 is driven (step S14). According to steps S12 to S14, sirocco fan 42 draws humid air through intake port 31. The air drawn through intake port 31 passes through HEPA filter 65 and deodorizing filter 66, which are disposed in first air passage 63, and flows to heat exchanger 38. At the same time, some of the air flows through open second air passage 64 directly to heat exchanger 38. Because the air passing through second air passage 64 does not pass through filters 65 and 66, the pressure loss is smaller than that of first air passage 63, and more air can be sent to heat exchanger 38.

[0034] The evaporator 38a of the heat exchanger 38 is cooled by the refrigerant circulating from the compressor 54, so that humid air is dehumidified by condensation in the evaporator 38a. The dehumidified air is returned to room temperature in the main condenser 38b and the sub-condenser 38c, and then discharged from the air outlet 32 ​​through the scroll space 45. At this time, the angle of the louvers 33 can be changed in the vertical direction by driving the step motor for the louvers 33. This allows air to be blown upward to generate a circulating airflow in the room, dehumidifying the room, or blowing air over laundry to dry it.

[0035] Water droplets that condense on the evaporator 38a drip into the drain water receiver 37 due to gravity. The water then passes through the drain pipe 37b and is drained into the water storage tank 26. When the water storage tank 26 is not present, for example, when the drain water accumulated in the water storage tank 26 is being discarded, the drain water stopper 37a blocks the drain outlet of the drain pipe 37b, preventing the drain water from being discharged. Furthermore, when a drain hose is attached to the drain pipe 37b, the drain water passes through the drain hose and is drained to the outside of the case 2.

[0036] If air purification priority operation is selected, the process proceeds to step S15, where motor 8 is driven to rotate shutter 7 to the closed position, thereby closing second air passage 64. Next, fan motor 41 is driven to rotate sirocco fan 42 (step S16). As a result, because shielding wall 71 shields the airflow in second air passage 64, almost all of the air drawn in from intake port 31 passes through first air passage 63 and is purified by HEPA filter 65 and deodorizing filter 66. Therefore, the air blown out from air outlet 32 ​​is clean air, providing excellent air purification functionality.

[0037] Here, the second air passage 64 downstream of the shielding wall 71 has a negative pressure relative to the external air pressure upstream of the shielding wall 71, and therefore a rotational force acting on the shutter 7 to rotate the shutter 7 is exerted in accordance with the pressure difference between the external air pressure and the negative pressure. According to this embodiment, the rotational shafts 72a and 73a of the shutter 7 are disposed within the second air passage 64, and these rotational shafts 72a and 73a are disposed not at the left-right ends of the shielding wall 71 but inside the ends, specifically, on the perpendicular bisector Lv of the shielding wall 71. This allows the rotational forces Pr1 and Pr2 acting on the shutter 7 due to the pressure difference acting on the shielding wall 71 to be dispersed in two directions, left and right, about the rotational shafts 72a and 73a. Specifically, the pressure difference acting on the inner portion of the shielding wall 71 in the left-right direction is rotational force Pr1, and the pressure difference acting on the outer portion of the shielding wall 71 in the left-right direction is rotational force Pr2. The two different rotational forces Pr1 and Pr2 acting around the rotation shafts 72a and 73a cancel each other out in the left-right direction, thereby keeping the torque smaller than the holding torque of the motor 8. This prevents the shutter 7 from moving in the opening direction and creating a gap, preventing air leakage from the gap. This prevents a decrease in air purification performance and the generation of gap noise. As mentioned above, some air leakage occurs from the clearance that is inevitably formed between the shutter 7 and the wall surfaces 62a and 61c that define the second air passage 64, but gap noise is not a problem and sealing performance can be maintained.

[0038] Furthermore, since the stepping motor 8 that drives the shutter 7 is connected to the upper pivot shaft 72a of the shutter 7, water droplets will not get on the stepping motor 8 when the second air passage 64 is wiped with water for maintenance, for example, and breakdowns of the stepping motor 8 due to getting wet can be prevented.

[0039] Embodiment 2 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 14(a) is a cross-sectional view showing a dehumidifier 1 according to the second embodiment with the shutter closed, and Fig. 14(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the dehumidifier 1 with the shutter open. In Fig. 14(a) and Fig. 14(b), the HEPA filter 65 and the deodorizing filter 66 are not shown.

[0040] In the present embodiment, the pivots 72a and 73a serving as pivot points are located inside the left-right middle of the second air passage 64. The space required for the shutter 7 to rotate is the sum of the left-right distance h from the wall surface 62a of the air passage partition plate 62, which is the inner wall of the second air passage 64, to the pivots 72a and 73a and the rotation radius R of the shutter 7. However, by locating the pivots 72a and 73a more left-right inward than in the first embodiment, the space required for the shutter 7 to rotate can be made smaller. In this case, the shutter 7 is positioned such that the shielding wall 71 in the closed position is inclined with respect to the HEPA filter 65, which may disrupt the left-right balance of the rotational forces acting on the shutter 7.

[0041] In this embodiment, in order to equalize the rotational forces acting on the shutter 7 in the left-right direction, the shielding wall 71 is formed into a bent or curved shape in the cross section of the shutter 7. In the example shown in FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b), the shielding wall 71 is bent into a generally V-shape to adjust the rotational forces Pr1 and Pr2 acting on the shielding wall 71 to be equalized in the left-right direction. In addition, by bending or curving the shielding wall 71, the strength of the shielding wall 71 against bending in the longitudinal direction can be improved. Furthermore, when the shutter 7 is in the open state shown in FIG. 14(b), the inner surface of the shielding wall 71 has fewer irregularities with respect to the airflow in the second air passage 64, thereby further reducing pressure loss in the second air passage 64.

[0042] Embodiment 3 Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the mounting structure of the shutter 7 in a dehumidifier according to the third embodiment. Fig. 15 shows the positional relationship between the rotation shaft 72a of the shutter 7 and the rotation shaft 81a of the stepping motor 8.

[0043] The rotation shaft 81a of the stepping motor 8, which is disposed above the shutter 7, is laterally offset from the rotation shaft 72a of the shutter 7. A gear 72b is fitted onto the upper end of the rotation shaft 72a of the shutter 7. A gear 81b, which meshes with the gear 72b, is fitted onto the lower end of the rotation shaft 81a of the stepping motor 8. This allows the shutter 7 to rotate via the gears 72b and 81b when the stepping motor 8 is driven. As a result, because the rotation shaft 72a and the rotation shaft 81a are not disposed on the same line, the stepping motor 8 is not subjected to load or impact even if the shutter 7 moves in the axial direction of the rotation shaft 72a, thereby preventing breakdown of the stepping motor 8. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 dehumidifier, 2 case (housing), 31 intake port, 32 outlet port, 38 heat exchanger (dehumidifying means), 4 blowing means, 63 first air passage, 64 second air passage, 64a inlet of second air passage 64, 61c, 62a wall surface defining second air passage 64, 65 HEPA filter (air purification means, air purification filter), 66 deodorizing filter (air purification means, air purification filter), 68 storage space, 7 shutter (opening / closing means), 71 shielding wall, 71a, 71b sealing portion, 72a upper rotating shaft, 73a lower rotating shaft, 8 stepping motor (motor), 81a rotating shaft

Claims

1. a housing having an intake port and an outlet port; a blower disposed inside the housing and configured to generate an airflow from the intake port to the outlet port; an air cleaning means disposed inside the housing; a dehumidifying means disposed inside the housing for removing moisture from the airflow; a first air passage through which the airflow passes through the air cleaning means and reaches the dehumidifying means; a second air passage through which the airflow reaches the dehumidifying means without passing through the air cleaning means; an opening / closing means for opening and closing the second air passage, the opening / closing means has a shutter that is disposed inside the second air passage and is rotatable about a rotation axis that extends in a vertical direction between a closed position that blocks the second air passage and an open position that opens the second air passage, the shutter has a plate-like shielding wall that is elongated in the vertical direction, and upper and lower plates that are fan-shaped in a plan view and are provided at the upper and lower ends of the shielding wall, respectively; The upper plate is provided with an upper rotation shaft, and the lower plate is provided with a lower rotation shaft, the shielding wall is held on the arc sides of the fan-shaped upper plate and the lower plate, the upper rotation shaft and the lower rotation shaft are disposed on the center sides of the arcs of the upper plate and the lower plate, respectively; In a cross section of the shutter, the shielding wall is formed in a bent or curved shape so that a central portion is recessed more than both end portions, The shielding wall is configured so that a rotational force acting on the shielding wall is equalized in the left-right direction.

2. the air cleaning means has an air cleaning filter, and an inlet of the second air passage is provided on the outer side of the air cleaning filter in the left-right direction; The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the shielding wall blocks an inlet of the second air passage when the shutter is in the closed position.

3. 3. The dehumidifier according to claim 2, wherein the shutter is disposed in an orientation in which the shielding wall is parallel to the air purification filter in the closed position, and the pivot shaft is provided on a perpendicular bisector of the shielding wall in a cross section of the shutter.

4. The dehumidifier according to claim 2 , wherein the shutter is disposed in such a position that the shielding wall is inclined with respect to the air cleaning filter when the shutter is in the closed position.

5. wall surfaces defining second air passages on both left and right sides of the first air passage, The dehumidifier according to claim 2, wherein the shutter rotates between a closed position in which sealing portions located at both left and right ends of the shielding wall are close to the wall surface, and an open position in which the sealing portions are away from the wall surface.

6. The dehumidifier according to claim 5, wherein the second air passage has a storage space that bulges outward in the left-right direction from an inlet of the second air passage, and the shielding wall in the open position is stored in the storage space.

7. 7. The dehumidifier according to claim 1, further comprising a motor that rotates the shutter, wherein a rotation axis of the motor and a rotation axis of the shutter are arranged so as to be offset from each other.

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