Range hood

Abstract

To provide an easy-to-use range hood that does not cause any inconvenience due to cleaning liquid.SOLUTION: A range hood includes a fan, a fan casing, a liquid supply tank, a nozzle, a pump, a control unit, and an idling detection unit. The fan is provided in the fan casing. The liquid supply tank is provided with a suction port for suctioning up cleaning liquid. The nozzle is provided in the fan casing, and introduces the cleaning liquid into the fan casing. The pump feeds the cleaning liquid of the liquid supply tank to the nozzle. The control unit executes a cleaning mode of controlling cleaning of the fan. The idling detection unit detects idling of the pump, and repeats liquid feeding by the pump until at least the idling detection unit detects idling during the cleaning mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a range hood. [Background technology]

[0002] As described in Patent Document 1, a range hood having an automatic cleaning function for the fan is known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2018-004101 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the cleaning function of the range hood according to the above-mentioned prior art, if the cleaning liquid in the tank containing the cleaning liquid is not used up completely, and the excess cleaning liquid is left in the tank, there will be a considerable period of time until the next cleaning, and the cleaning liquid may spoil or deteriorate the tank.Furthermore, when the user removes the tank to add cleaning liquid before the next cleaning, they may forget that there is cleaning liquid remaining in the tank and accidentally spill the cleaning liquid. The object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly range hood that does not cause inconvenience due to such cleaning liquid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the range hood of the present invention comprises a fan, a fan casing, a liquid supply tank, a nozzle, a pump, a control unit, and an idle detection unit, wherein the fan is provided within the fan casing, the liquid supply tank is provided with a suction port for sucking up cleaning liquid, the nozzle is provided in the fan casing and introduces cleaning liquid into the fan casing, the pump sends cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank to the nozzle, the control unit executes a cleaning mode that controls cleaning of the fan, and the idle detection unit Without directly detecting the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid in the liquid supply tank, The idle rotation of the pump is detected, and the pump repeats pumping liquid at least until the idle rotation detection unit detects idle rotation during the cleaning mode.

[0006] The cleaning mode has a liquid supply error determination process for determining that a liquid supply error has occurred, and in the liquid supply error determination process, the control unit makes a determination based on the idle rotation detection from the idle rotation detection unit, and preferably repeats liquid supply at least until the idle rotation detection is detected at a time when the liquid supply error determination process is not being executed.

[0007] Furthermore, it is preferable that the device is provided with an alarm unit, and the cleaning mode has a discharge completion determination process for determining whether the discharge of cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank has been completed, and that in the discharge completion determination process, the control unit makes a determination based on the idle rotation detection from the idle rotation detection unit, and if the idle rotation detection is detected during the liquid supply error determination process, the control unit instructs the alarm unit to issue an error notification, and if the idle rotation detection is detected during the discharge completion determination process, the control unit stops the pump without instructing the alarm unit to issue an error notification.

[0008] Further, it is preferable that the cleaning mode has a discharge completion determination process for determining whether the discharge of cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank has been completed, and that the control unit makes a determination in the discharge completion determination process based on the idle rotation detection from the idle rotation detection unit, and if the idle rotation detection is detected during the liquid supply error determination process, instructs the notification unit to issue an error notification, and if the idle rotation detection continues for a predetermined time during the discharge completion determination process, stops the pump without instructing the notification unit to issue an error notification.

[0009] Furthermore, it is preferable that the device is provided with an alarm unit, and the cleaning mode has a discharge completion determination process for determining that the discharge of cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank has been completed, and that in the discharge completion determination process, the control unit makes a determination based on the idle detection from the idle detection unit, and if the idle detection is detected during the liquid supply error determination process, the control unit instructs the alarm unit to issue an error notification, and if the idle detection is detected during the discharge completion determination process, the control unit does not instruct the alarm unit to issue an error notification, and continues to drive the pump even after the idle detection until the process in which the idle detection was detected is completed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] With the above-described configuration, the present invention can provide a user-friendly range hood that does not cause inconvenience due to cleaning liquid. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1(a) is a front view of a range hood 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a side view of the range hood 1. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the range hood 1 as seen from the front. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the range hood 1 as seen from behind. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views of the range hood 1 as seen from the side, showing the drainage tank portion. (a) is an overall view, and (b) is an enlarged view of the tank housing portion 8 portion. [Figure 5]FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 1(a) is a perspective view of the liquid supply tank 6, and FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view of the liquid drainage tank 7. FIG. [Figure 7] This is a view of the tank storage section 8 as seen from above, with the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 shown in phantom lines. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are perspective views of the range hood 1 as seen from below, with (a) showing a state in which the lid portion 62 is closed, and (b) showing a state in which the lid portion 62 is open. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating variants 1 and 2 of a range hood 1, where (a) shows a configuration in which a drainage receiving section 82a separate from a tank storage section 8a having an upper surface is provided above the tank storage section 8a in a range hood 1a which is variant 1, and (b) shows a configuration in which a drainage receiving section 82a separate from a tank storage section 8b having no upper surface is provided above a tank storage section 8b in a range hood 1b which is variant 2. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system 9 of the range hood 1. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram of the operating section 14 of the range hood 1. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram of the display unit 15 of the range hood 1. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an optional cleaning sequence. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sequence of regular cleaning. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sequence when cleaning has not been performed for a long period of time. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a re-cleaning sequence. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a cleaning process chart. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, a range hood 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different drawings indicate parts with the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate. The configuration of each part of the range hood 1 will be explained in detail below, but the parts that are particularly relevant to the features of the present invention are

[0090] to

[0101] ,

[0104] to

[0108] , and Figures 5 and 17. It goes without saying that specific matters of the present invention are also described in other parts.

[0013] [Basic configuration of range hood] As shown in FIG. 1, the range hood 1 comprises a main body case 10, a flue member 2 provided within the main body case 10, a fan casing 3 provided to communicate with the flue member 2, a fan 4 journaled within the fan casing 3, a nozzle 5 provided on the front surface 31 of the fan casing 3, and a liquid supply tank 6 and a liquid drainage tank 7 provided below the fan casing 3 as cleaning tanks. The range hood 1 also has an automatic cleaning function for the fan 4, and is capable of automatic cleaning operation in various modes as will be described later. The present invention also includes a range hood that automatically cleans a fan filter in which the fan and filter are integrated.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the main body case 10 is composed of a hood section 11 that is open downward, a straightening plate 12 provided at the lower end side within the hood section 11, and a fan storage section 13 provided on the rear half side of the hood section 11 so as to protrude upward.

[0015] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4(a), the hood portion 11 is formed in a flat concave shape with a downward opening. As shown in Figure 1, the front end of the hood section 11 is provided with an operation section 14 for performing operations related to automatic cleaning and operations related to normal operation of the range hood 1, and a display section 15 for displaying various information.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2, 4(a) and 8, the straightening plate 12 is formed in the shape of a roughly rectangular plate when viewed from above, and is suspended within the opening of the hood section 11 so that there is a gap between it and the upper inside part of the hood section 11 and also between it and the side inside part of the hood section 11.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4(a), the fan housing section 13 is formed in a box shape, and the fan casing 3 is housed within the fan housing section 13. Alternatively, a control unit 16 is disposed inside the fan housing unit 13, and the control unit 16 controls the automatic cleaning operation (cleaning mode).

[0018] [Configuration of flue components] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flue member 2 is provided on the front side of the inside of the fan storage section 13 so as to communicate with the intake port 30 of the fan casing 3, and is a member that guides oil smoke, exhaust gas, etc. collected from the hood section 11 toward the intake port 30. The flue member 2 is formed with a surface (rear surface) that communicates with the air intake 30 of the fan casing 3, an opposite surface (front surface), side surfaces (left and right side surfaces) that connect these two surfaces, and a surface (top surface) that closes the upper parts of the rear surface, front surface, and left and right side surfaces.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the left and right sides of the flue member 2 are inclined so that they become thinner toward the top (tapering upward), and the inclined portion on the left side is a nozzle avoidance portion 20 that avoids the nozzle 5 attached to the front surface 31 of the fan casing 3. The inclined portion on the right side is a guide surface 21 that guides oily smoke, exhaust gas, etc. toward the intake port 30 of the fan casing 3, and an opening 22 directly facing the intake port 30 is provided on the inner rear surface.

[0020] The inclined nozzle avoidance section 20 is shaped and positioned so that the nozzle 5 is positioned outside the flue member 2 so as not to interfere with the nozzle 5 provided to penetrate the front face 31 of the fan casing 3, and also guides oily smoke, exhaust gas, etc. towards the intake port 30 of the fan casing 3. The inclination angle is more preferably in the range of about 20 to 70 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle avoidance section 20 and the lower end of the guide surface 21 of the flue member 2 are connected to straight sections 201, 211 that continue downward via corners 200, 210, respectively. Furthermore, the upper surface 23 of the flue member 2 and the nozzle avoidance portion 20 are connected via a corner 231 , and the upper surface 23 and the guide surface 21 are connected via a corner 232 . The angles of the corners 200, 210, 231, 232 are preferably greater than 90 degrees in order to ensure a high level of guiding oily smoke, exhaust gas, etc. toward the intake port 30 of the fan casing 3 and to make the corners 200, 210 easier to clean. The straight portions 201 and 211 secure a collection space for the oily smoke, exhaust gas, etc. to be collected within the flue member 2, and also guide the oily smoke, exhaust gas, etc. upward.

[0022] The diameter of the opening 22 of the flue member 2 is larger than the outer diameter of the fan 4, so that the fan 4 can be attached and detached from the front. The diameter of the opening 22 is large enough to allow the bell mouth b (see FIG. 4(a)) to be attached. Furthermore, when bell mouth b is attached, the inner diameter of bell mouth b is smaller than the outer diameter of fan 4, so that fan 4 cannot be attached or detached through opening 22, and at the same time, fan 4 can be removed by removing bell mouth b.

[0023] The nozzle avoidance section 20 is located in a space above a plane that includes a surface that is created by moving a virtual straight line (hereinafter referred to as the "virtual line") that extends infinitely from the central axis (rotation axis) 40 of the fan 4 in a horizontal direction (in the illustration, the horizontal direction from side to side, i.e., the vertical direction of the vertical plane that includes the virtual line), with the upper end of the nozzle avoidance section 20 located above the plane that is created by moving the virtual line in a horizontal direction (in the illustration, the horizontal direction from side to side, i.e., the vertical direction of the vertical plane that includes the virtual line). In other words, the nozzle avoidance portion 20 is provided so that an upper portion thereof is located above the central axis 40 of the fan 4 . In addition, the nozzle avoidance portion 20 is provided so that the other portion, which continues at the same inclination angle as the upper portion, extends below the center of the flue member 2 (to the vicinity of the lower end of the flue member 2 in the illustration). In the drawing, the nozzle avoidance portion 20 is formed as a flat surface at the same angle, but it is not limited to this shape and may be a shape in which a plurality of flat surfaces at different angles are connected together, a curved surface, or the like. This allows the opening at the bottom of the flue member to be wider, increasing the suction area and improving the suction function of oily smoke, exhaust gas, etc. Furthermore, the wide opening makes it easier to reach inside the flue member 2, facilitating cleaning. The corner 210 of the flue member 2 is located above the central axis 40 of the fan 4, but the corner 210 may be located below the central axis 40 of the fan 4.

[0024] [Fan casing configuration] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4(a), the fan casing 3 has an intake port 30 on a front surface 31, an exhaust port 32 on the top, and a drain hole 33 on the bottom.

[0025] An attachment part 50 equipped with an upstream connection part 51 of the nozzle 5 is attached to the front surface 31 of the fan casing 3, and the upstream connection part 51 of the nozzle 5 is attached to the front surface of the attachment part 50 so that it is exposed from the fan casing 3, allowing the nozzle 5 to be attached, detached, cleaned, or replaced from the front.

[0026] The center of the air intake 30 is positioned above the center of the height of the flue member 2, which allows the air intake 30 to be positioned above the flue member 2, making it easier to suck in oil smoke, exhaust gas, etc. that have flowed above the opening 22 of the flue member 2. Furthermore, the diameter of the intake port 30 is smaller than the outer diameter of the bell mouth b, so that the bell mouth b can be attached. Furthermore, when bell mouth b is attached, the inner diameter of bell mouth b is smaller than the outer diameter of fan 4, so fan 4 cannot be attached or detached from intake port 30, and fan 4 can be removed by removing bell mouth b. Furthermore, the center position of the intake port 30 is located to the right (one side) of the center of the range hood 1 when viewed from the front, which allows the exhaust port 32 to be located near the left-right center of the range hood 1. Furthermore, the nozzle avoidance portion 20 is located to the left (the other side), opposite to the one side.

[0027] The drain hole 33 is located directly above the first storage recess opening 81a of the storage recess 80 of the tank storage section 8, so that the drained liquid discharged from the drain hole 33 can flow down to the first storage recess opening 81a.

[0028] [Fan configuration] The fan 4 has a horizontal central axis (rotation axis) 40 extending in the front-to-rear direction, and is supported by a motor m within the fan casing 3. When driven to rotate by the motor m, the fan 4 draws in oil smoke, exhaust gas, etc. through the intake port 30 and forcibly transports them toward the exhaust port 32. The central axis 40 of the fan 4 is horizontal in the front-to-rear direction, but may be inclined. The inclination angle is preferably within a range of 45 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal plane. Alternatively, the fan 4 is a sirocco fan, but other fans may also be used.

[0029] [Nozzle configuration] The nozzle 5 is for introducing the cleaning liquid into the fan casing 3, as shown in FIGS. The nozzle 5 is attached so that the inlet 52 (see Figure 5) faces the inside of the fan casing 3 from the front surface 31 of the fan casing 3 exposed by the nozzle avoidance portion 20, and sprays cleaning liquid from the inlet 52 toward the fan 4. The present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the inlet 52 of the nozzle 5 toward the fan 4, but may be a configuration in which the cleaning liquid is poured into the fan casing 3 from the inlet 52 of the nozzle. In this case, the cleaning liquid is stored in the fan casing 3 to the extent that the cleaning liquid comes into contact with a part of the fan 4, and as the fan 4 rotates, the entire fan 4 is cleaned with the cleaning liquid.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, the upstream connection part 51 is connected to the connection port 60 of the liquid supply tank 6 via a pump p, and the pump p is configured to spray the cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank 6 from the inlet 52 toward the fan 4. The pump p is controlled by the control unit 16 to be switched on and off during automatic cleaning.

[0031] 3, the nozzle 5 is provided radially outward from the outer periphery of the fan 4. This prevents the cleaning liquid from leaking out of the fan casing 3 through the intake port 30 of the fan casing 3, even when the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the rotating fan 4. Furthermore, the upstream connection portion 51 and the inlet 52 are located in a space above a plane that includes a surface formed by moving the central axis 40 of the fan 4 horizontally to the left and right (see FIG. 3). In other words, the nozzle 5 is provided so that the upstream connection portion 51 and the inlet 52 are located above the central axis 40 of the fan 4 . Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the inlet 52 of the nozzle 5 is located near the exhaust outlet 32 ​​of the fan casing 3, specifically, in the range to the left (right side in Figure 3) and above the central axis 40 of the fan 4 when viewed from the front.

[0032] This allows the inlet 52 of the nozzle 5 to be positioned above the fan casing 3 where less oil and other substances drip into the fan casing 3, thereby reducing clogging of the inlet 52 due to the adhesion of oil and other substances. Alternatively, the front surface of the fan casing 3 and the vicinity of the exhaust port 32 are locations where the pressure due to the rotation of the fan 4 tends to be low, and therefore have little effect on the spray from the inlet 52 of the nozzle 5, making them suitable locations for arranging the inlet 52.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle 5 is provided with an induction hole 53 that draws air that has not passed through the flue member 2 into the fan casing 3 when the fan 4 is blowing air. It is preferable that the inlet 52 is disposed downstream of the induction hole 53 in the flow of air inside the fan casing 3 during normal exhaust operation. During normal exhaust operation of range hood 1, air is caused to flow within fan casing 3 by fan 4. Therefore, air (outside air) that has not passed through flue member 2 and that has been drawn into fan casing 3 from induction hole 53 rides on the air flow generated by fan 4 and flows downstream of induction hole 53. With the arrangement of inlet 52 and induction hole 53 described above, clean air that has not passed through flue member 2 and that has been drawn into fan casing 3 from induction hole 53 flows near inlet 52. That is, the outside air passing near the inlet 52 prevents the oily smoke and dust sucked into the fan casing 3 from coming into contact with the inlet 52, thereby preventing clogging of the inlet 52.

[0034] In this embodiment, during normal exhaust operation of the range hood 1 (when the fan 4 rotates forward), air flows in the vicinity of the inlet 52 inside the fan casing 3 in the direction of forward rotation of the fan 4. Therefore, the induction hole 53 is arranged at a position that is in the reverse rotation direction of the fan 4 with respect to the inlet 52 (a portion below and to the right of the inlet 52 in FIG. 5). That is, the induction holes 53 are provided at positions as described below. First, on the inner surface of the fan casing 3 where the inlet 52 is provided, the horizontal axis is the x-axis and the vertical axis is the y-axis, with the inlet 52 being the origin. When viewed from the inner surface of the fan casing 3, consider an x-y coordinate system in which the direction away from the fan 4 is the positive direction on the x-axis and the upward direction is the positive direction on the y-axis. Next, consider a circle that passes through inlet 52 on the inner surface of fan casing 3, with inlet 52 provided, among the circles centered on central axis 40 of fan 4. A vector is set that is tangent to this circle at inlet 52, has inlet 52 as its starting point, and points in the same direction as the reverse rotation direction of fan 4. Then, among the first to fourth quadrants of the xy coordinates, an induction hole 53 is provided at a position in the quadrant in which the vector exists (in this embodiment, the fourth quadrant). In addition, in this embodiment, since the nozzle 5 is provided near the exhaust port 32, air flows in the positive rotation direction of the fan 4 and upward toward the exhaust port 32 near the inlet 52 in the fan casing 3. Therefore, it is more preferable that the induction hole 53 is located in the fourth quadrant closer to the center of the circle than on the arc extending from the inlet 52 in the reverse rotation direction of the fan 4 on the circle. Furthermore, it is preferable that the induction hole 53 is located near the inlet 52, for example, within 10 cm, preferably within 5 cm, from the inlet 52 so that sufficient outside air can be supplied to the vicinity of the inlet 52. As a result, during normal exhaust operation (when the fan 4 rotates forward), outside air can be drawn into the fan casing 3 through the drawing holes 53, and the drawn outside air can pass near the inlet 52.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle 5 has a first guide protrusion 54 above the inlet 52 and a second guide protrusion 55 above the induction hole 53.

[0036] The first guide protrusion 54 prevents oil, water droplets, etc. that drip down the walls inside the fan casing 3 after exhaust operation from entering the inlet 52, and is formed to surround the top and sides of the inlet 52 in order to guide them to flow down the fan casing 3, and is formed so as not to interfere with the spraying of the cleaning liquid.

[0037] The second guide protrusion 55 prevents oil, water droplets, etc. that drip down the walls inside the fan casing 3 after exhaust operation from entering the guide hole 53, and is formed to surround the top and sides of the guide hole 53 in order to guide them to flow down the fan casing 3.

[0038] Such first guide protrusion 54 prevents clogging of inlet 52, ensuring reliable spraying of cleaning liquid, and second guide protrusion 55 prevents clogging of induction hole 53, ensuring reliable induction of outside air. The nozzle 5 may be attached to the rear surface of the fan casing 3 (opposite the surface having the intake port) and near the exhaust port 32. This position is also a location where the pressure due to the rotation of the fan 4 is likely to be low, so the influence of the spray from the inlet 52 of the nozzle 5 is small and it is suitable as a location for arranging the inlet 52. Moreover, the induction hole 53 , the first induction protrusion 54 and the second induction protrusion 55 may be provided in the fan casing 3 .

[0039] [Configuration of liquid supply tank] As shown in Figures 3, 7 and 8, the liquid supply tank 6 is stored in the tank storage section 8 provided below the fan casing 3 so that it can be freely attached and detached from below the range hood 1 by opening the opening / closing lid 85 provided on the underside of the range hood 1.

[0040] 6(a) and 7, the liquid supply tank 6 is provided with the aforementioned connection port 60 on the rear side, and a suction path (not shown) extends from the connection port 60 into the liquid supply tank 6. The suction port (not shown), which is the tip of the suction path, opens to the bottom of the liquid supply tank 6, so that the cleaning liquid in the liquid supply tank 6 can be sucked out almost completely. In addition, a liquid supply port 61 and a lid portion 62 that opens and closes the liquid supply port 61 are provided on the top of the liquid supply tank 6, and the liquid supply port 61 can be blocked by the lid portion 62, thereby preventing cleaning liquid from leaking from the liquid supply port 61 when attaching or detaching the liquid supply tank 6 to the tank storage portion 8. As shown in FIG. 7, a detection target 63 is provided on the side of the liquid supply tank 6 to be detected by a liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa provided in the tank housing section 8 as a cleaning tank attachment / detachment sensor. The liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa is, for example, a proximity sensor, and is controlled by the control unit 16 to detect the detection target portion 63 when the liquid supply tank 6 is properly stored in the tank storage section 8, and when this detection is made, the pump p is controlled to operate. The detected part 63 can be a magnet.

[0041] [Configuration of drainage tank] As shown in Figures 3, 7 and 8, the drainage tank 7 is stored in the tank storage section 8 provided below the fan casing 3 so that it can be freely attached and detached from below the range hood 1 by opening the opening / closing lid 85 provided on the underside of the range hood 1.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 7, a detection target portion 73 that is detected by a waste liquid tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb provided in the tank housing portion 8 is provided on the side of the waste liquid tank 7. The waste liquid tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb is, for example, a proximity sensor, and is controlled by the control unit 16 to detect the detection target portion 73 when the waste liquid tank 7 is properly stored in the tank storage portion 8, and when this detection is made, the pump p is controlled to operate. The detected part 63 can be a magnet.

[0043] As shown in Figures 4, 6(b) and 7, a tank recess 71 is formed on the upper surface of the drainage tank 7, which is recessed further than the upper surface of the drainage tank 7, and a drainage port 70 is formed in the tank recess 71. A wall portion 72 is erected around the upper surface of the waste liquid tank 7, so that the waste liquid flowing from the fan casing 3 and received on the upper surface of the waste liquid tank 7 does not leak out from the surrounding area.

[0044] The drain port 70 is in communication with the inside of the drain tank 7, and allows the received drainage liquid to flow down into the drain tank 7. As shown in FIG. 6( b ), the drain port 70 is provided in the bottom 710 of the tank recess 71 , and has a first drain port 701 and a second drain port 702 .

[0045] As shown in Figures 4(b) and 7, the first drain outlet 701 is located directly below the first storage recess opening 81a of the storage recess 80 provided in the tank storage section 8, and the drained liquid drained from the drain hole 33 of the fan casing 3 passes through the first storage recess opening 81a to the first drain outlet 701, and is drained from the first drain outlet 701 to the drain tank 7. A gasket 810 attached to the first storage section recess opening 81a is in contact with the edge of the first drainage outlet 701, preventing the drainage liquid drained from the first storage section recess opening 81a to the first drainage outlet 701 from leaking out of the first drainage outlet 701. Here, when the gasket 810 is attached to the first storage section recess opening 81a, its upper end also comes into contact with the area around the drain hole 33 of the fan casing 3, and its lower end also comes into contact with the area around the edge of the first drain outlet 701 of the drain outlet section 70, thereby preventing leakage of drained liquid along the drain path from the drain hole 33 to the first drain outlet 701.

[0046] The second drainage port 702 is disposed adjacent to the first drainage port 701 on the front side, and is formed with a narrower front-to-rear width than the first drainage port 701.

[0047] The first drain outlet 701 and the second drain outlet 702 are connected in the front-to-rear direction by a connecting groove portion 703, and even if waste liquid is drained all at once from the first storage section recess opening 81a of the storage section recess 80 provided in the tank storage section 8 into the first drain outlet 701, which is waterproofed by contacting the lower end of the gasket 810, the waste liquid can be drained smoothly without backflow by flowing through the connecting groove portion 703 to the second drain outlet 702. The gasket 810 of the storage recess opening 81 has a certain degree of waterproofing effect even if it is spaced slightly apart from the edge of the first drainage outlet 701, and water can flow to the second drainage outlet 702 through the connecting groove 703, but to ensure a reliable waterproofing effect, it is preferable that the gasket 810 of the storage recess opening 81 is in contact.

[0048] 6, the tank recess 71 is formed with inclined surfaces 711, 712, 713, and 714 extending from the upper periphery toward the bottom 710, and is configured to guide the drained liquid from the outside of the tank recess 71 toward the bottom 710. Even if a large amount of drained liquid flows in and cannot be completely drained through the second drain port 702, the drained liquid can be collected in the tank recess 71, and therefore can be flowed into the drainage tank 7.

[0049] Of the inclined surfaces 711, 712, 713, and 714, the rear inclined surface 711 has the gentlest and longest inclination, and even if the drained liquid flows rearward, the momentum is gradually stopped and the drained liquid can be smoothly guided toward the bottom 710. In addition, the bottom 710 is provided with an inflow groove 704 that connects from the rear inclined surface 711 side to the first drainage outlet 701, so that even if the drainage flows toward the rear inclined surface 711 side, it can be smoothly guided to the first drainage outlet 701 through the inflow groove 704 without flowing around to the second drainage outlet 702 side.

[0050] [Tank storage section configuration] The tank housing section 8 is disposed below the fan casing 3, as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 8, the tank storage section 8 is designed so that the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 can be freely attached and detached from below the range hood 1 by opening the opening / closing lid 85 provided on the underside of the range hood 1 inside the tank storage section 8. As shown in Figure 4(b), the tank storage section 8 has a drainage receiving section 82 on a part of the upper surface of the tank storage section 8, and a storage section recess 80 is provided on the upper surface 820 of the drainage receiving section 82, and a storage section recess opening 81 is provided at the bottom of the storage section recess 80. Depending on the size and structure of the tank housing portion 8 and its position relative to the fan casing 3, the entire upper surface of the tank housing portion 8 may be used as the drainage receiving portion 82.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 and 4(b), the storage section recess 80 is arranged so that the first storage section recess opening 81a as the storage section recess opening 81 is located directly below the drain hole 33 of the fan casing 3, and is capable of receiving most of the drained liquid discharged from the drain hole 33.

[0052] As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7, a second storage section recess opening 81b is provided on the outside of the gasket 810 of the storage section recess 80 as a storage section recess opening 81 that drains wastewater leaking from sources other than the drain hole 33 of the fan casing 3 into the tank recess 71. As shown in Figures 3 and 7, when viewed vertically, the second storage section recess opening 81b is located inside the upper outer periphery of the tank recess 71 of the drainage tank 7, and the drainage liquid drained from the second storage section recess opening 81b flows outside the gasket 810 and reaches the drainage tank 7 via the second drainage port 702. As shown in Figure 7, when viewed from above vertically, the first storage section recess opening 81a is positioned inside the upper outer periphery of the tank recess 71 of the drainage tank 7, making it difficult for the drainage liquid drained from the drainage hole 33 to flow to the upper surface of the drainage tank 7 other than the tank recess 71. In this way, the waste liquid received by the waste liquid receiving portion 82 is collected in the storage portion recess 80 and is stored in the waste liquid tank 7 through the storage portion recess opening 81.

[0053] In addition, the drainage from the drain hole 33 of the fan casing 3 can be drained into the drainage tank 7 through the first storage section recess opening 81a of the storage section recess 80, or it can be drained directly into the drainage tank 7 from the drainage hole 33 via piping or the like, or it can be drained into the drainage tank 7 by any other drainage means.

[0054] The drainage receiving section 82 also serves as the upper surface of the tank housing section 8, and separates the fan casing 3 side from the housing section for the liquid supply tank 6 and the drainage tank 7. If waste liquid leaks from the fan casing 3, it will run along the outer surface of the fan casing 3 to the bottom of the fan casing 3, run along the gasket 810 to the storage section recess 80, and may also drip from the outer surface of the fan casing 3, including around the bottom. Therefore, the upper surface 820 of the drainage receiving portion 82 includes the area directly below the lowest part of the fan casing 3 and has an area capable of receiving drainage leaking from the fan casing 3. In addition, the upper surface 820 of the drainage receiving portion 82 may be inclined so as to be lower toward the storage portion recess 80, thereby making it easier to guide drainage that leaks onto the upper surface 820 of the drainage receiving portion 82 into the storage portion recess 80.

[0055] In such a tank storage section 8, the storage section recess 80 provided in the waste liquid receiving section 82 receives the waste liquid discharged from the fan casing 3, thereby preventing the waste liquid from splashing onto the upper surface 820 of the waste liquid receiving section 82. Even if the waste liquid leaks from the fan casing 3, the waste liquid is received by the waste liquid receiving portion 82, thereby preventing the waste liquid from leaking to the liquid supply tank 6 or the waste liquid tank 7 side. That is, it is possible to prevent the waste liquid from dripping from the range hood 1 onto the stove or onto cooking utensils on the stove without flowing into the waste liquid tank 7. The drained liquid that reaches the drained liquid receiving section 82 can be guided to the storage section recess 80 by the inclination of the upper surface 820 of the drained liquid receiving section 82, so that no drained liquid remains on the upper surface 820 of the drained liquid receiving section 82.

[0056] [Variation 1 of the range hood] Next, a range hood 1a according to the first modification will be described with reference to FIG. 9(a). Range hood 1a of this first modified example includes drained liquid receiving portion 82a disposed below fan casing 3 and tank housing portion 8a disposed separately below drained liquid receiving portion 82a. That is, while range hood 1 of the above embodiment has drained liquid receiving portion 82 provided on the upper surface of tank housing portion 8, range hood 1a of this modified example differs in that it includes drained liquid receiving portion 82a that is separate from tank housing portion 8a. The drainage receiving portion 82a is provided above the tank housing portion 8a, and is separated from the drainage tank 7 by the upper surface of the tank housing portion 8a.

[0057] The tank storage section 8a is similar to the tank storage section 8 in that it includes a storage section recess 80 (including a storage section recess opening 81 including a first storage section recess opening 81a and a second storage section recess opening 81b) of the drainage receiving section 82, but differs in that it does not include the drainage receiving section 82 itself. That is, the tank storage section 8a has the storage section recess 80 provided on its upper surface. Therefore, the names and drawing numbers of the components of the tank housing portion 8a are the same as those of the tank housing portion 8, except for the drainage receiving portion 82 and its upper surface 820. The liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 of the range hood 1 a are the same as the tank storage section 8, the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 of the range hood 1 .

[0058] In addition, the upper surface 820a of the drainage receiving portion 82a has the same configuration as the upper surface 820 of the drainage receiving portion 82 of the tank storage section 8, and includes the area directly below the lowest part of the fan casing 3, and has an area that can receive drainage leaking from the fan casing 3. A drainage receiving portion recess 83 (with the same configuration as the storage portion recess 80) is provided on the upper surface 820a of the drainage receiving portion 82a, and a first drainage receiving portion recess opening 84a and a second drainage receiving portion recess opening 84b are provided at the bottom of the drainage receiving portion recess 83 as drainage receiving portion recess openings 84.

[0059] As shown in Figure 9(a), the drainage receiving portion recess 83 is arranged so that the first drainage receiving portion recess opening 84a is located directly below the drainage hole 33 of the fan casing 3, and is capable of receiving most of the drainage liquid discharged from the drainage hole 33. A gasket 810a is attached to the first drainage receiving portion recess opening 84a, and the upper end of the gasket 810a contacts the area around the drainage hole 33 of the fan casing 3, the middle part is attached to the first storage portion recess opening 81a of the tank storage portion 8a, and the lower end contacts the area around the edge of the first drainage port 701 of the drainage port portion 70 of the drainage tank 7. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9(a), the second drainage receiving portion recess opening 84b is provided on the outside around the gasket 810a of the drainage receiving portion recess 83, and drainage leaking from sources other than the drainage hole 33 of the fan casing 3 can be drained into the tank recess 71 through the second storage portion recess opening 81b.

[0060] In addition, the drainage from the drain hole 33 of the fan casing 3 is drained into the drainage tank 7 through the first drainage receiving portion recess opening 84a of the drainage receiving portion recess 83, or it may be drained directly into the drainage tank 7 from the drainage hole 33 via piping or the like, or it may be drained into the drainage tank 7 by any other drainage means.

[0061] [Another example of variant 1] (1) A simple configuration may be employed in which the upper surface of the tank storage section 8a does not have to be provided with the storage section recess 80 (including the storage section recess opening 81 including the first storage section recess opening 81a and the second storage section recess opening 81b), but instead has only one opening large enough to allow the drainage from the drainage receiving section recess opening 84 to pass through. Needless to say, various other examples can be appropriately considered in consideration of the purpose of reliably storing the drainage from the fan casing 3 in the drainage tank 7.

[0062] (2) A simple configuration may be adopted in which the upper surface 820a of the drainage liquid receiving portion 82a does not have to be provided with the drainage liquid receiving portion recess 83 (including the drainage liquid receiving portion recess opening 84, which includes the first drainage liquid receiving portion recess opening 84a and the second drainage liquid receiving portion recess opening 84b), but only has an opening and an inclined surface extending from the periphery of the drainage liquid receiving portion 82a toward the opening so that the drainage liquid from the fan casing 3 can be collected and flowed into the storage portion recess 80 of the tank storage portion 8a. Needless to say, various other examples can be appropriately considered in consideration of the object of reliably storing the drainage liquid from the fan casing 3 in the drainage tank 7.

[0063] The range hood 1a as described above is expected to have the same effects as the range hood 1 described above.

[0064] [Variation 2 of the range hood] Next, a range hood 1b according to a second modification will be described with reference to FIG. 9(b). Range hood 1b of Modification 2 differs from Modification 1 only in that, while tank housing section 8a in Modification 1 has an upper surface, tank housing section 8b does not have an upper surface and is open at the top. The liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are detachably supported in a tank storage section 8b having an open top.

[0065] The range hood 1b as described above is expected to have the same effects as the range hood 1 described above.

[0066] [Control mechanism] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a control system 9 that controls the operation of the range hood 1. The control system 9 has a control unit 16, a supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa, a drain tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb, an operation unit 14, a display unit 15, a current sensor ps that measures the driving current of the pump p, and a rectifier plate attachment / detachment sensor (not shown).

[0067] [Control Unit] The control unit 16 is a typical control system having a CPU 160, a memory 161, a timer 162, and the like. The CPU 160 is a processor that processes all information of the control system, and the memory 161 stores the accumulated usage time of the range hood 1, the progress of the cleaning mode, and the like. The timer 162 is used to measure the usage time of the range hood 1 and the like.

[0068] [Operation section] FIG. 11 is a diagram of the operating section 14 of the range hood 1. As shown in FIG. An operating unit 14 is provided at a position such as the front surface of the range hood 1 where it can be easily operated by a user. The operation unit 14 is provided with a plurality of operation buttons. The operation buttons include an operation button, air volume button, residual operation button, cleaning button, and lighting button. In addition, an LED lamp is installed above each button to indicate the operating status.

[0069] Pressing the operation button switches the operation on and off. The LED lamp installed above the operation button lights up when the operation is on and goes out when the operation is off. Each time the airflow button is pressed, the airflow changes in the following order: automatic, weak, medium, strong, automatic, and so on, and the LED lamps for automatic, weak, medium, and strong light up. The airflow may also be configured to change continuously. For example, an airflow increase button and an airflow decrease button could be provided, so that pressing the increase button increases the airflow continuously, and pressing the decrease button decreases the airflow continuously. Alternatively, a rotating knob could be provided, so that the airflow increases or decreases continuously by rotating it. When the residual operation button is pressed during operation, the operation continues for a predetermined time (e.g., 3 minutes) and then ends. The LED lamp attached to the residual operation button lights up during residual operation. The predetermined time may be selectable from multiple time periods (e.g., 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc.). Pressing the cleaning button starts the cleaning mode (described later). The LED lamp attached to the cleaning button lights up when the accumulated usage time of the range hood 1 reaches a predetermined time, flashes when the cleaning button is pressed to start cleaning, and turns off when cleaning is completed. When the lighting button is pressed, the lighting (not shown) installed in the range hood 1 is turned on, and when pressed again, the lighting is turned off. The LED lamp installed on the lighting button is lit while the lighting is on.

[0070] [Display] FIG. 12 is a diagram of the display unit 15 of the range hood 1. As shown in FIG. A display unit 15 is provided at a position that is easily visible to the user, such as on the front of the range hood 1. As a display device for the display unit 15, a display device is used in which LEDs are arranged on the back side of a display board on which translucent letters and symbols are arranged, corresponding to each letter and symbol, and the LEDs are made to emit light to display the characters and symbols. Fig. 12 shows a state in which all characters and symbols on the display unit 15 are lit. In Figs. 12 to 16, white characters indicate a lit state, and black characters indicate an unlit state. In addition, other display devices such as a 7-segment LED display device, a liquid crystal display device, etc. Also, a combination of these types of display devices may be used.

[0071] The display unit 15 displays letters and symbols such as "Cleaning in progress," "Cleaning completed," "Re-cleaning," "Filling," "Draining," "Check tank," "Long-term uncleaned," "Error," "1," "2," and "3." The characters and indications on the display unit 15 can be used alone or in combination. For example, "Error" can be used in combination with "1," "2," and "3." In this case, "1," "2," and "3" indicate an error code, either alone or in combination, and the error content can be understood by referring to the error description indicated by the error code in the instruction manual. For example, as described below, "Error" and "1" indicate that draining was not completed, "Error" and "2" indicate that the cleaning mode was terminated prematurely due to a liquid supply error, and "Error" and "3" indicate that the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drain tank 7 were not reattached after being removed. In this way, the display unit 15 is used as a notification unit that notifies of an error. The notification unit may be any known notification unit other than the display unit 15, such as a unit that generates a warning sound like a buzzer, a unit that notifies an error by voice, or a unit that notifies an error by light emission like a rotating light. These multiple notification units may also be used in combination as appropriate.

[0072] [Supply tank attachment / detachment sensor, drainage tank attachment / detachment sensor] The tank storage section 8 is provided with a supply liquid tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa and a waste liquid tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb, which are cleaning tank attachment / detachment sensors that detect the attachment / detachment of the supply liquid tank 6 and the waste liquid tank 7. The liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid waste tank 7 are respectively equipped with magnets as the detection target parts 63 and 73, and the tank storage section 8 is equipped with magnetic sensors as the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa and the liquid waste tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb. When the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are attached to the tank storage section 8, the magnetic sensors in the tank storage section 8 detect the magnets in the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 and turn ON, detecting that the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are attached; when the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are detached from the tank storage section 8, the magnetic sensors in the tank storage section 8 cannot detect the magnets in the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 and turn OFF, detecting that the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 have been detached.

[0073] [Other examples of supply tank attachment / detachment sensors and drain tank attachment / detachment sensors] In addition, the following known sensors can also be used. A mechanical switch that detects the attachment or detachment of the liquid supply tank (6) or the liquid drainage tank (7) by a part of the liquid supply tank (6) or the liquid drainage tank (7) pressing (or releasing) the switch, and when the liquid supply tank (6) or the liquid drainage tank (7) is removed, a part of the liquid supply tank (6) or the liquid drainage tank (7) opens (or presses) the switch.

[0074] When the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are attached, parts of these tanks 6 and 7 conduct (or cut) the circuit, and when the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are removed, parts of these tanks 6 and 7 conduct (or cut) the circuit, thereby detecting the attachment and detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7.

[0075] An optical sensor is provided in the tank storage section 8 to detect the attachment or detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 by having light-emitting and light-receiving elements installed in the tank storage section 8, and by having parts of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 block light when the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are attached.

[0076] A light-reflecting member is provided on the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid waste tank 7, and a light-emitting / light-receiving element is installed in the tank storage section 8.When the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid waste tank 7 are attached, the light-reflecting members of these liquid supply tanks 6 and 7 reflect light from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element, thereby detecting the attachment / detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid waste tank 7.

[0077] A weight sensor that detects the weight of each of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7, and when the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 are removed, the weight becomes undetectable (the weight becomes almost zero), thereby detecting the attachment and detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7.

[0078] [Current sensor] The pump p is provided with a current sensor ps for measuring the drive current of the pump p. The current sensor ps may be provided on the side of the control unit 16 that controls the pump p. The current sensor ps detects a large drive current when the load on the pump p increases, and detects a small drive current when the load on the pump p decreases. The current sensor ps is used as a pump load sensor to detect the operating load of the pump. When the pump load is light, the pump is running idle, and therefore idle running is detected. In other words, when the pump load is light and the measurement value of the current sensor ps is lower than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 16 determines that the pump is running idle, and the current sensor ps is used as an idle running detection unit. The pump p may be any known pump, such as a diaphragm pump.

[0079] [Another example of an idling detection unit] In addition to the current sensor ps, idle rotation can also be detected by detecting the load on the pump p by detecting the rotation speed of the pump p or the torque of the rotating shaft of the pump p, by detecting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid, or by detecting the remaining amount of cleaning liquid in the liquid supply tank 6 using a float.

[0080] [Rectifier plate attachment / detachment sensor] This is a sensor that detects whether the straightening plate 12 is attached to the range hood 1, and a sensor similar to the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa and the liquid discharge tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb is used, but a different type of sensor may also be used.

[0081] [Range hood cleaning control] The control unit 16 can execute a cleaning mode in which the range hood 1 is cleaned. When the cleaning button provided on the operation unit 14 of the range hood 1 is pressed, the cleaning mode is started. There are three cleaning modes: optional cleaning, regular cleaning, and long-term non-cleaning. Optional cleaning is when the user voluntarily cleans the range hood 1 when the accumulated usage time is less than the specified notification value, and starts when the cleaning button is pressed and held (for about 2 to 4 seconds, for example, 3 seconds). Regular cleaning is performed by the user periodically when the accumulated usage time is equal to or greater than a predetermined notification value but less than twice the predetermined notification value, and is initiated by a short press of the cleaning button on the operation unit 14. When the accumulated usage time is equal to or greater than the predetermined notification value, the LED lamp on the cleaning button on the operation unit 14 lights up to notify the user. A long-term non-cleaning state occurs when the accumulated usage time is more than twice the specified notification value, the LED lamp on the cleaning button is lit, and a message indicating a long-term non-cleaning state is displayed.The cleaning state begins when the cleaning button is briefly pressed.

[0082] The accumulated usage time is the time that the range hood 1 is in use, i.e., the accumulated time that the fan 4 is operating. The total time that the fan 4 is operated includes the time that it is operated for ventilation purposes such as cooking or other reasons, as well as the time that the fan 4 is operated when used for 24-hour ventilation. The accumulated usage time does not simply include the time that the fan is operated, but may include the time that is multiplied by a coefficient that corresponds to the air volume and fan rotation speed during operation.

[0083] [Optional cleaning] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the optional cleaning sequence. Optional cleaning is cleaning that starts when the accumulated usage time of the range hood 1 does not exceed a predetermined notification value and the LED lamp of the cleaning button on the operation unit 14 is off. Optional cleaning is performed when the user notices that the range hood 1 is dirty or when the user wants to clean it more frequently. First, in preparation for cleaning, it is necessary to fill the liquid supply tank 6 with cleaning liquid. When the user removes the liquid supply tank 6 for this purpose, the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa turns OFF, and the "Liquid Supply" and "Tank Check" lights up on the display unit 15. When the user fills the liquid supply tank 6 with cleaning liquid and attaches the liquid supply tank 6 to its original location, the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa turns ON, and the "Liquid Supply" and "Tank Check" lights up on the display unit 15.

[0084] After the user confirms that the light has been turned off, he or she presses the cleaning button on the operation unit 14 for a long time (for 2 to 4 seconds or more, for example, 3 seconds or more). This starts the cleaning mode, and the LED lamp of the cleaning button on the operation unit 14 starts flashing, and the cleaning process begins. The cleaning process will be described later. When the cleaning process is completed, the LED lamp of the cleaning button on the operation unit 14 turns on, the "Cleaning" indicator on the display unit 15 goes out, and "Cleaning completed", "Drain", and "Check tank" lights up. Once the user confirms that the cleaning process is complete, he or she removes the drainage tank 7 (the drainage tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb turns OFF). After that, the user performs processes (drainage work) such as discarding the used cleaning liquid that has accumulated in the drainage tank 7 and cleaning the drainage tank 7, and then attaches the drainage tank 7 to its original location (the drainage tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb turns ON). At this time, if the time from OFF to ON of the drain tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb is less than a predetermined time (approximately 10 to 30 seconds, for example, 10 seconds), the control unit 16 determines that appropriate treatment has not been performed on the drain tank 7, and waits while keeping the "Cleaning completed," "Drainage," and "Tank check" lights on the display unit 15. On the other hand, if the time from OFF to ON of the drain tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb is longer than a predetermined time (approximately 10 to 30 seconds, for example, 10 seconds), the control unit 16 determines that the processing of the drain tank 7 has been completed, and turns off the LED lamp of the cleaning button on the operation unit 14 and the "Cleaning completed", "Drainage", and "Tank check" on the display unit 15. Finally, the display unit 15 clears the cumulative usage time and the liquid supply error counter (described later), and the cleaning mode ends.

[0085] [Regular cleaning] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the sequence of regular cleaning. Regular cleaning is a cleaning that starts when the accumulated usage time of the range hood 1 exceeds a predetermined notification value (but does not exceed twice the predetermined notification value) and the LED lamp on the cleaning button of the operating unit 14 is lit. Regular cleaning is performed when the user visually recognizes that the accumulated usage time has exceeded a predetermined notification value and the cleaning lamp on the operation unit 14 has turned on, and the user decides to perform cleaning. Regular cleaning is almost the same as the optional cleaning process described above, with the major difference being that the cleaning button is pressed for a short time rather than a long time (approximately 2 to 4 seconds or more, for example, 3 seconds or more).

[0086] [Long-term unwashed] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing the sequence for the first half of a long period of non-cleaning, and Fig. 16 is a diagram showing the sequence for re-cleaning for the second half of a long period of non-cleaning. The state at the end of Fig. 15 where "Re-cleaning" is lit on display unit 15 (the LED lamp of the cleaning button on operation unit 14 is also lit) is the same as the state at the beginning of Fig. 16 where the LED lamp of the cleaning button on operation unit 14 is lit and "Re-cleaning" is lit on display unit 15. A long-term non-cleaning occurs when the accumulated usage time exceeds a predetermined notification value, the LED lamp of the cleaning button on the operation unit 14 remains lit, and the accumulated usage time continues to accumulate until the accumulated usage time exceeds the predetermined notification value (approximately 1.5 to 3 times the predetermined notification value, for example, twice the predetermined notification value), and the ``Long-term non-cleaning'' message is lit. The long-term non-cleaning notification is made when the user visually sees that the accumulated usage time has exceeded twice the predetermined notification value and the "re-clean" message is lit on the display unit 15, and decides to clean the device. The long-term non-cleaning process is almost the same as the periodic cleaning process described above, but differs significantly in that the cleaning process is carried out twice. As with optional cleaning and regular cleaning, the control unit 16 determines whether appropriate processing has been performed on the drainage tank 7 from the time it takes for the drainage tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb to go from OFF to ON. If the control unit 16 determines that appropriate processing has been performed, it turns off the LED lamps on the cleaning button of the operation unit 14 and the "Cleaning completed", "Drainage", "Tank check", and "Long-term uncleaned" on the display unit 15, and turns on "Re-cleaning".

[0087] When the user sees that "re-cleaning" has been lit on the display unit 15, he or she puts cleaning fluid into the fluid supply tank 6 again and starts cleaning again. The second cleaning process is completed, and the user processes the drainage tank 7. As a result, if the control unit 16 determines that the drainage tank 7 has been properly processed based on the time from when the drainage tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb turns off to when it turns on, it turns off the LED lamp of the cleaning button on the operation unit 14, and the "Cleaning Completed," "Drainage," and "Tank Check" on the display unit 15, clears the accumulated usage time and the liquid supply error counter (described later), and ends the cleaning mode.

[0088] Although the above three modes have been described as cleaning modes, it goes without saying that modes other than these may be set, and various contents of each mode may be considered.

[0089] [Cleaning process] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating each step of the cleaning process. The cleaning process includes the following four steps, each of which includes various processes. 1st process - Process for executing liquid supply error determination process 1 2nd process - Cleaning process 1 is carried out Third process: A process of executing cleaning process 2 after liquid supply error determination process 2 4th process: A process for determining discharge completion, a drying process, and a drainage standby process

[0090] [Discharge error determination process 1] The liquid supply error determination process 1 is a process for confirming whether or not the cleaning liquid is being sent from the liquid supply tank 6 to the pump p. The control unit 16 rotates the fan 4 forward (clockwise when viewed from the front side of the range hood 1) at a low speed. After confirming that the rotation speed of the fan has stabilized at a predetermined rotation speed, the control unit 16 drives the pump p for a predetermined time (about 2 to 4 seconds, for example, 3 seconds) and determines whether the cleaning liquid has reached the pump p, i.e., whether the pump p is delivering the liquid normally. The liquid supply error determination process 1 in the first step also serves to first lightly wet the entire fan 4 with the cleaning liquid.

[0091] If the control unit 16 determines that the liquid supply is being performed normally, it ends the liquid supply error determination process 1. When the control unit 16 determines that a liquid supply error has occurred, it stops the fan 4 and pump p, stops the cleaning mode, and also lights up "Liquid Supply," "Tank Check," and "Error" on the display unit 15, and adds 1 to the liquid supply error counter that counts the number of liquid supply error determinations. The user removes the liquid supply tank 6 (the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa turns OFF), takes measures such as checking whether the liquid supply tank 6 contains the required amount of cleaning liquid and replenishing any shortage of cleaning liquid (liquid supply work), and then attaches the liquid supply tank 6 to the specified position again (the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa turns ON). At this time, if the time from OFF to ON of the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa is less than a predetermined time (about 10 to 30 seconds, for example, 10 seconds), the control unit 16 determines that appropriate measures have not been taken for the liquid supply tank 6, and keeps the "liquid supply", "tank check", and "error" lights on the display unit 15, and does not drive the fan 4 or the pump p. Note that a notification means (notification unit) other than the display unit 15 may be used.

[0092] If the time from OFF to ON of the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa is equal to or longer than a predetermined time (approximately 10 to 30 seconds, for example, 10 seconds), the control unit 16 determines that appropriate measures have been taken for the liquid supply tank 6, turns off the "Liquid Supply", "Tank Check", and "Error" lights on the display unit 15, and restarts the liquid supply error determination process from the beginning. Note that the liquid supply error determination process may be restarted from the point where it was stopped.

[0093] The control unit 16 determines whether there is a liquid supply error using the measurement value of the current sensor ps (idling detection unit). If the measurement value of the current sensor ps falls below a predetermined threshold value (first threshold value) even once during a predetermined time (about 2 to 4 seconds, for example, 2 seconds), this means that a light load on the pump p has been detected, and the control unit 16 determines that liquid supply is not being performed normally.

[0094] At this time, depending on the pump and current sensor ps used, if the control unit 16 determines that a liquid supply error has occurred simply because the measurement value of the current sensor temporarily falls below a predetermined threshold value (first threshold value) due to variations in measurement values, the determination of a liquid supply error may not be performed accurately. Therefore, if the control unit 16 determines that a liquid supply error has occurred when the average value of the current measurement value over a predetermined time falls below the predetermined threshold value, or when the current measurement value remains below the predetermined threshold value for the entire predetermined time, the liquid supply error determination may be performed more accurately.

[0095] Furthermore, when the pump p is first activated, the drive is unstable and it is easy for a liquid supply error to be determined. Therefore, after the pump is activated, the control unit 16 can make a more stable liquid supply error determination by waiting for a time (about 1 to 2 seconds, for example, 1 second) for the drive of the pump p to stabilize before starting the determination. The liquid supply error determination was performed by detecting the load on the pump p using the current sensor ps as a pump load sensor, but it can also be performed by detecting the load on the pump p by detecting the driving speed or driving torque of the pump p, or by directly detecting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid.

[0096] In the above description, the attachment / detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 is detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa to determine whether appropriate measures have been taken for the liquid supply tank 6, but a similar configuration can also be used in cases where the attachment / detachment of the cleaning tank is detected by a cleaning tank attachment / detachment sensor to determine whether appropriate measures have been taken for the cleaning tank.

[0097] [Discharge error determination process 2] The liquid supply error determination process 2 is also a process for checking whether the cleaning liquid is being sent from the liquid supply tank 6 to the pump p. The liquid supply determination process 2 is almost the same as the liquid supply determination process 1, but differs in that the fan 4 is rotated in the reverse direction at high speed instead of rotating in the forward direction at low speed.

[0098] As described above, similar to the liquid supply error judgment process 1, the attachment / detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 is detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa to determine whether appropriate measures have been taken for the liquid supply tank 6. However, a similar configuration can also be used in the case where the attachment / detachment of the cleaning tank is detected by the cleaning tank attachment / detachment sensor to determine whether appropriate measures have been taken for the cleaning tank.

[0099] [Modifications of the liquid supply error determination processes 1 and 2] Even if the control unit 16 determines that a liquid supply error has occurred, stops the cleaning mode, and lights up the ``Liquid Supply,'' ``Tank Check,'' and ``Error'' on the display unit 15, there may be cases where the user does not notice for some reason. If the user does not notice the liquid supply error and the cleaning mode remains stopped for a certain period of time, the cleaning will be left in an incomplete state, which may cause problems such as damage to the used or unused cleaning liquid itself, or, if the cleaning liquid is warm water, the cleaning liquid may cool down. Therefore, in this case, it is preferable to end the cleaning mode midway.

[0100] Therefore, if it is determined that a liquid supply error has occurred, the liquid supply error is notified for a predetermined time (about 1 to 3 minutes, for example 2 minutes), and if no action is taken to deal with the liquid supply error during this error notification period, that is, if the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa does not detect that the liquid supply tank 6 has been detached, the cleaning mode is terminated and the error notification is also terminated. Conversely, if the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa detects that the liquid supply tank 6 has been detached during the error notification period, the liquid supply error determination process continues. Although the condition is that the detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 is not detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa during the error notification period, it is also possible to set a condition that the detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 is not detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa within a predetermined time from the error determination, independent of the error notification period. In this case, the error notification period and the predetermined time from the error determination may be the same or different.

[0101] Furthermore, it is possible that after the detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 is detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa during the error notification period or within a predetermined time after the error determination, for some reason, the user may not attach the liquid supply tank 6 and a certain period of time may pass. In this case, the same inconvenience as described above may occur. Therefore, in this case, too, it is preferable to end the cleaning mode midway. Therefore, if the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa detects that the liquid supply tank 6 has been detached during the error notification period, and then the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa does not detect that the liquid supply tank 6 has been attached during the error notification period, the cleaning mode is terminated and the error notification is also terminated. Conversely, if the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa detects that the liquid supply tank 6 has been attached during the error notification period, the liquid supply error determination process is continued (cleaning mode is resumed). Although the condition has been that the attachment of the liquid supply tank 6 has not been detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa during the error notification period, it is also possible to set a condition that the attachment of the liquid supply tank 6 has not been detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa within a predetermined time from the error determination, independent of the error notification period. In this case, the error notification period and the predetermined time from the error determination may be the same or different. Furthermore, it is also possible to set a condition that the attachment of the liquid supply tank 6 has not been detected by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa within a predetermined time from the detection of the detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 by the liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa.

[0102] [Cleaning Process 1] Cleaning process 1 is a process in which a sufficient amount of cleaning liquid is supplied to the fan to remove dirt. The control unit 16 rotates the fan 4 forward at a low speed (clockwise when viewed from the front side of the range hood 1), and after confirming that the rotation speed has stabilized at a predetermined rotation speed, causes the pump p to be repeatedly started and stopped every predetermined time t1. The control unit 16 causes the pump p to be repeatedly started and stopped for a predetermined time t2, and then ends the cleaning process 1.

[0103] [Cleaning process 2] Cleaning process 2 is a process in which dirt on the fan is blown away into the surrounding area along with cleaning fluid to remove the dirt. The control unit 16 rotates the fan 4 in the reverse direction (counterclockwise when viewed from the front side of the range hood 1) at high speed, and after confirming that the rotation speed has stabilized at a predetermined rotation speed, controls the pump p to repeatedly operate for a predetermined time t3. After repeatedly driving and stopping the pump p for a predetermined time t4, the control unit 16 ends the cleaning process 2.

[0104] [Discharge completion determination process] The discharge completion determination process is a process for determining whether the unused cleaning liquid remaining in the liquid supply tank 6 has been discharged from the liquid supply tank 6 after cleaning by the cleaning process 1 or the cleaning process 2. The control unit 16 rotates the fan 4 in the reverse direction (counterclockwise as viewed from the front side of the range hood 1) at high speed, and after confirming that the rotation speed has stabilized at a predetermined rotation speed, drives the pump p. The control unit 16 determines that the discharge is complete when the measurement value of the current sensor ps falls below a predetermined threshold (this predetermined threshold may be the same as or different from the first threshold) (detects idling) within a predetermined time (approximately 30 to 90 seconds, for example, 60 seconds) from the start of the discharge completion determination process. Then, immediately after determining that the discharge is complete, the control unit 16 stops driving the pump p and ends the discharge completion determination process. At this time, even if the measurement value of the current sensor ps falls below the predetermined threshold, an error notification using the display unit 15, such as the liquid supply error determination process 1 or the liquid supply error determination process 2, is not performed. In other words, the discharge completion determination process is executed at a timing when the liquid supply error determination process 1 or the liquid supply error determination process 2 is not being executed. In other words, when idle running is detected, it means that the cleaning liquid in the liquid supply tank 6 has been used up, so liquid is delivered by the pump p at least until idle running is detected, but after idle running is detected, liquid is not delivered by the pump p.

[0105] However, if it is not determined that the discharge is complete even after a predetermined time (about 30 to 90 seconds, for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed since the start of the discharge completion determination process, the control unit 16 stops driving the pump p when the predetermined time (about 30 to 90 seconds, for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed, and ends the discharge completion determination process. The capacity of the liquid supply tank 6 is preferably designed to be an amount that allows discharge to be completed with plenty of time during the discharge completion determination process (all of the cleaning liquid in the liquid supply tank 6 is used) so that all discharge is completed within a predetermined time (about 5 to 30 seconds, for example, 10 seconds) from the start of the discharge completion determination process. If the discharge is still not determined to be complete even after a predetermined time (about 30 to 90 seconds, for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed despite the use of such a liquid supply tank, it is possible that some kind of error has occurred, and therefore the control unit 16 stops the pump p when the predetermined time (about 30 to 90 seconds, for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed. At this time, there is a possibility that cleaning liquid may remain in the liquid supply tank 6. If cleaning liquid is left remaining in the liquid supply tank 6, it may spoil, deteriorate the liquid supply tank 6, or spill the cleaning liquid when removing the cleaning tank to add cleaning liquid to the liquid supply tank 6 before the next cleaning. Therefore, to alert the user, the "Liquid Supply", "Check Tank", "Error", and "1" lights up on the display unit 15.

[0106] The discharge completion determination is performed using a current sensor ps (idling detection unit). The control unit 16 determines that the discharge is complete when the measurement value of the current sensor ps falls below a predetermined threshold even once during a predetermined time (e.g., 2 seconds). In this way, the pump p repeatedly sends the liquid until the idle rotation detection unit detects idle rotation. At this time, depending on the variation in the measurement value of the current sensor ps, if the control unit 16 determines that discharge is complete just because the measurement value of the current sensor ps temporarily falls below a predetermined threshold, the determination of discharge completion may not be made accurately. Therefore, if the control unit 16 determines that discharge is complete when the average value of the measurement value of the drive current over a predetermined time period falls below the predetermined threshold, when the measurement value of the drive current falls below the predetermined threshold for a certain consecutive time within the predetermined time period, or when the measurement value of the drive current remains below the predetermined threshold for the entire predetermined time period, the discharge completion determination may be made more accurately.

[0107] Furthermore, when the pump p is first activated, the drive is unstable and the discharge completion determination is likely to be incorrect. Therefore, after the pump is activated, the control unit 16 can make a more stable discharge completion determination by waiting for a time (about 1 to 2 seconds, for example, 1 second) for the drive of the pump p to stabilize before making a determination. As with the liquid supply error determination, the discharge completion determination was made by detecting the load on the pump p using the current sensor ps, but it can also be made by detecting the load on the pump p by detecting the rotation speed of the pump p or the torque of the rotating shaft of the pump p, by detecting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid, or by detecting the remaining amount of cleaning liquid in the liquid supply tank 6 using a float.

[0108] In addition to the above, the discharge completion determination process may be such that the pump p continues to operate until it is determined that the discharge is complete without setting a predetermined time, or in order to prevent backflow from the inlet, even if it is determined that the discharge is complete before the predetermined time is reached, the pump p may continue to operate until the predetermined time is reached or until a specific process or step is completed.

[0109] [Drying process] The drying process is a process for drying the cleaned fan. After the discharge completion determination process is completed, the control unit 16 keeps the fan 4 rotating in reverse at high speed until a predetermined time has elapsed to dry the fan 4, and then stops the fan 4 when the predetermined time has elapsed. The predetermined time may be, for example, 120 seconds from the start of the discharge completion determination process, or may be, for example, 60 seconds from the start of the drying process, or may be set to any other value.

[0110] [Drainage waiting process] The drainage standby process is a process in which the cleaning liquid remaining in the fan casing is allowed to flow down into the drainage tank. In the final process of the cleaning process, the control unit 16 confirms that the fan 4 and pump p have stopped, and then waits for a predetermined time (approximately 30 to 60 seconds, for example, 30 seconds) to allow the cleaning liquid remaining in the fan casing to flow down into the drain tank 7, and then ends the cleaning process.

[0111] [Variations of each process] Each of the above processes is given as an example of each process, and the direction and speed of rotation of the fan, the pump driving method (timing of driving and stopping, driving time, etc.), each threshold value, and other numerical values ​​in each of the above processes can be designed as appropriate. Furthermore, during the cleaning process, the liquid supply may be checked by detecting the pump p running idly, that is, a liquid supply error determination process may be temporarily or constantly executed.

[0112] [Fan and pump drive] The seven processes explained above are incorporated into the cleaning process consisting of the first to fourth steps described above to form a series of steps, which will be described below. When the liquid supply error determination process 1 of the first step is started, the control unit 16 starts the fan 4 to rotate in the forward direction at a low speed. When the rotation speed of the fan 4 stabilizes, the control unit 16 drives the pump p for a predetermined time and then stops it. If it is determined in the liquid supply error determination process 1 that the liquid supply is being performed normally, the control unit 16 ends the liquid supply error determination process 1 and starts the cleaning process 1 of the next second step. In the cleaning process 1 of the next second step, as in the liquid supply error determination process 1, the fan 4 also rotates in the forward direction at a low speed. Therefore, even when the liquid supply error determination process 1 is finished, the control unit 16 starts the cleaning process 1 of the second step and starts driving the pump p while keeping the fan rotating in the forward direction at a low speed.

[0113] After driving pump p for a predetermined time in cleaning process 1 of the second step, control unit 16 stops pump p, ends cleaning process 1 of the second step, and starts the next liquid supply error determination process 2 of the third step. Unlike cleaning process 1, liquid supply error determination process 2 of the third step involves high-speed reverse rotation, so when cleaning process 1 ends, fan 4 is temporarily stopped, and when liquid supply error determination process 2 starts, fan 4 starts rotating in the reverse direction at high speed.

[0114] When the rotation speed of the fan 4 stabilizes, the control unit 16 drives the pump p for a predetermined time and then stops it. If it is determined in the liquid supply error determination process 2 of the third step that liquid supply is being performed normally, the liquid supply error determination process 2 is terminated and the next cleaning process 2 of the third step is started. In the next cleaning process 2 of the third step, similar to the liquid supply error determination process 2, the fan 4 is rotated in reverse at high speed. Therefore, even when the liquid supply error determination process 2 is terminated, the fan is kept rotating in reverse at high speed, the cleaning process 2 of the third step is started, and the driving of the pump p is started.

[0115] After driving the pump p for a predetermined time in the cleaning process 2 of the third step, the control unit 16 stops the pump p, ends the cleaning process 2 of the third step, and starts the discharge completion determination process of the next step, the fourth step. As in the cleaning process 2, the discharge completion determination process of the fourth step also involves rotating the fan 4 in reverse at high speed, so even when the cleaning process 2 ends, the discharge completion process of the fourth step is started with the fan 4 still rotating in reverse at high speed, and the driving of the pump p is started.

[0116] When the discharge completion determination process for the fourth step determines that the discharge is complete or a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 16 stops the pump p, ends the discharge completion determination process for the fourth step, and starts the next drying process for the fourth step. As in the discharge completion determination process, the fan 4 also rotates in reverse at high speed in the drying process for the fourth step, so even when the discharge completion determination process ends, the fan 4 continues to rotate in reverse at high speed when the drying process for the fourth step is started.

[0117] When the drying process of the fourth step is completed, the control unit 16 starts the next drainage standby process of the fourth step. Since the fan 4 does not rotate during the drainage standby process of the fourth step, when the drainage standby process of the fourth step is completed, the fan 4 is stopped and the drainage standby process of the fourth step is started. In the fourth step, the drainage standby process, neither the fan 4 nor the pump p is driven.

[0118] It is of course possible to set other processes in addition to the above-mentioned processes as the various processes. Furthermore, the cleaning process is not limited to the above-mentioned combinations, and it goes without saying that various cleaning processes can be set by freely combining the above-mentioned various processes. Furthermore, the above-described processes may be executed one at a time, or multiple at a time, in any combination and in any manner.

[0119] [Modification of fan drive] Between each step or process of the first to fourth steps described above, where the rotation direction of fan 4 is the same, fan 4 can continue to rotate without being stopped and the process can move on to the next step or process, or the rotation of fan 4 can be stopped temporarily at the end of each step or process. Alternatively, when fan 4 is continuously driven between steps or processes in which the rotation direction of fan 4 is the same, at the start of the first rotation, it is confirmed that the rotation speed of fan 4 has stabilized at a predetermined rotation speed, but this confirmation at the beginning of subsequent steps or processes can be omitted.

[0120] [Other error detection processes] In addition to the liquid supply error determination process 1 and liquid supply error determination process 2 that are performed during the cleaning process, there are also set liquid supply error determination process 3, a liquid supply tank / drain tank detachment determination process, a rectifier plate detachment determination process, a clogging error determination process, and a motor error determination process that are executed as appropriate during the cleaning mode. Needless to say, various other error determination processes can be set as needed. Furthermore, the various error determination processes described above may be executed one at a time, or multiple at a time, or one or multiple error determination processes may be executed simultaneously with one or multiple processes that are not error determination processes, or may be executed in any combination or manner.

[0121] [Discharge error determination process 3] Liquid supply error determination process 3 is a process for terminating the cleaning mode midway if liquid supply error determinations by liquid supply error determination process 1 or liquid supply error determination process 2 occur multiple times during the cleaning mode, as this may indicate a major error such as an abnormality in pump p or cleaning liquid leaking from the piping between the liquid supply tank and the pump. When a liquid supply error is determined in the liquid supply error determination process 1 and the liquid supply error determination process 2, 1 is added to the liquid supply error counter. When the value of this liquid supply error counter reaches a predetermined value (approximately 3 to 5, for example, 3), the control unit 16 ends the cleaning mode. However, if the control unit 16 terminates the cleaning mode prematurely, it will determine that a liquid supply error has occurred, and in order to inform the user that the cleaning mode has terminated prematurely, it may light up "Error" and "2" on the display unit 15 and prompt the user to process the liquid supply tank 6 and the drainage tank 7. The user then sees the error message, deals with the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7, and takes action such as inspecting and repairing them themselves or asking a repair company to inspect and repair them.

[0122] [Cutting out and stopping] Note that "terminating" the cleaning mode means that the stopped cleaning mode will not be restarted ("resuming" means that the control unit 16 starts the cleaning mode again; the user pressing the "cleaning mode" button on the operation unit 14 to start the cleaning mode from the beginning is not included in "resuming" here). On the other hand, "stopping" the cleaning mode in liquid supply error determination process 1 and liquid supply error determination process 2 is different from the fact that the cleaning mode may be resumed by the control unit 16 (but is not necessarily resumed). The same applies to "terminating" and "stopping" used below.

[0123] [Supply tank / drain tank detachment determination process] The liquid supply tank / drainage tank detachment determination process is a process that stops the cleaning process by detecting that the liquid supply tank 6 and the drainage tank 7 have been detached, that is, when the liquid supply tank detachment sensor 8sa and the drainage tank detachment sensor 8sb can no longer detect the liquid supply tank 6 and the drainage tank 7. The attachment and detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid waste tank 7 are detected by the liquid supply tank attachment and detachment sensor 8sa and the liquid waste tank attachment and detachment sensor 8sb, respectively. When the detachment of at least one of them is detected, the control unit 16 stops the cleaning process and stores the time of halt (step, process, etc.) in memory 161. When it is detected that the supply tank 6 or the drainage tank 7 has been removed and then that it has been reattached, the control unit 16 restarts from the beginning of one of the first to fourth steps, which was the step at the time of the stoppage. In the case of a step that is made up of multiple processes, such as the third and fourth steps, it may be possible to restart from the beginning of the process at the time of the stoppage. It is also possible to restart from the point at which the process was stopped. The liquid supply tank / drain tank detachment determination process may be executed continuously during the cleaning mode, or may be executed only at specific times, for example, when cleaning liquid is being sent from the liquid supply tank 6 to the nozzle 5 during the cleaning process (during the introduction process). In addition, the periods for executing the liquid supply tank removal determination process and the liquid drainage tank removal determination process may be set separately, such as executing the liquid supply tank removal determination process during the introduction process and executing the liquid drainage tank removal determination process constantly during the cleaning mode.

[0124] Furthermore, the user may forget to reattach the liquid supply tank 6 or the drainage tank 7 after removing them, or the liquid supply tank 6 or the drainage tank 7 may not be properly attached and may become dislodged due to vibration during the cleaning process, causing the user to not notice that the cleaning process has stopped, resulting in the cleaning process remaining stopped for more than a predetermined time. In such cases, problems may occur, such as dirt becoming difficult to remove or, if warm water or the like is used as the cleaning solution, the cleaning solution cooling down. Therefore, it is better for the control unit 16 to restart the cleaning mode from the beginning rather than restarting the cleaning process from the point where it was stopped. For this reason, the cleaning mode may be terminated midway, and only if the tanks are reattached within a predetermined time, the cleaning process may be restarted from the beginning of the process or process at the time of stopping. However, if the control unit 16 terminates the cleaning mode midway, it determines that the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7 have been detached, and to inform the user that the cleaning mode has been terminated midway, it is preferable to light up ``Liquid Supply,'' ``Liquid Drainage,'' ``Tank Check,'' ``Error,'' and ``3'' on the display unit 15 to prompt the user to process the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7. Then, the user sees the error message, processes the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7, and takes measures such as starting the cleaning mode again.

[0125] In the above description, the attachment and detachment of the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid waste tank 7 are detected by the liquid supply tank attachment and detachment sensor 8sa and the liquid waste tank attachment and detachment sensor 8sb, and it is determined whether appropriate measures have been taken for the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid waste tank 7. However, a similar configuration can also be used in cases where the attachment and detachment of the cleaning tank is detected by a cleaning tank attachment and detachment sensor, and it is determined whether appropriate measures have been taken for the cleaning tank.

[0126] [Rectifier plate detachment determination process] The straightening plate 12 widely covers the underside of the range hood 1, and if for some reason the cleaning liquid leaks downward through the intake port 30 of the fan casing 3, it can receive the cleaning liquid and prevent it from leaking further downward. If the straightening plate 12 is detached, it will not be able to catch the cleaning liquid that has leaked downward through the air intake 30 of the fan casing 3, and the cleaning liquid will fall onto the stove or cooking utensils on the stove. Therefore, a rectifier plate detachment determination process can be provided in which the rectifier plate attachment / detachment sensor detects the attachment / detachment of the rectifier plate 12 and stops the cleaning mode if it is determined that the rectifier plate 12 is detached. As the rectifying plate attachment / detachment sensor, a sensor similar to the supply liquid tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sa and the waste liquid tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb can be used. The process for determining whether the straightening plate is detached may be executed constantly while the fan is being driven, may be executed constantly during the cleaning mode, or may be executed only at specific times.

[0127] In the process of determining whether a straightening plate has been detached, similar to the process of determining whether a supply tank or drain tank has been detached, when the detachment of a straightening plate is detected, the control unit 16 stops the cleaning process and stores the time (step, process, etc.) when the process was stopped in the memory 161. If it is detected that the current plate has been attached again after detecting its detachment, the control unit 16 will restart from the beginning of one of the first to fourth steps, which was the step at the time of the stoppage. In the case of a step that is made up of multiple processes, such as the third and fourth steps, it may be possible to restart from the beginning of the process at the time of the stoppage. It is also possible to restart from the point at which the process was stopped. Furthermore, if the rectifying plate 12 is not properly attached and comes off due to vibration or other reasons during the cleaning process, and the user does not notice that the cleaning process has stopped, and the cleaning process remains stopped for more than a predetermined time, the control unit 16 may terminate the cleaning mode midway, and only if the rectifying plate 12 is attached by the predetermined time, may the cleaning mode be restarted from the beginning of the process or step at which it was stopped, or from the point at which it was stopped. However, if the control unit 16 terminates the cleaning mode prematurely, the control unit 16 lights up "Error", "1", and "2" on the display unit 15 to notify the user that the rectifying plate 12 has detached and the cleaning mode has terminated prematurely. The user sees the error message, and takes appropriate measures such as cleaning the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7, properly attaching the rectifying plate, and starting the cleaning mode again.

[0128] [Clogging error determination process] The liquid supply error determination process 1 and the liquid supply error determination process 2 determine whether or not the cleaning liquid has reached the pump p, whereas the clogging error determination process determines whether or not the cleaning liquid has reached the pump p but is able to be delivered to the nozzle 5. That is, in the clogging error determination process, it is determined that the cleaning liquid sent from the pump p is not being sent normally due to clogging of the piping or the nozzle 5 or the like. The clogging error determination process is performed during the cleaning process.

[0129] The clogging error determination process is almost the same as the liquid supply error determination process 1 and the liquid supply error determination process 2, but differs in that the liquid supply error determination process 1 and the liquid supply error determination process 2 determine whether an error has occurred when the measurement value of the current sensor ps falls below a predetermined threshold value (first threshold value), whereas the clogging error determination process determines whether an error has occurred when the measurement value of the current sensor ps exceeds a predetermined threshold value (second threshold value). Since clogging of the pipes or nozzle 5 cannot be easily repaired, when a clogging error is determined, the control unit 16 ends the cleaning mode midway. However, if the control unit 16 terminates the cleaning mode midway, it will make a clogging error determination and light up "Error", "1", and "3" on the display unit 15 to notify the user that the cleaning mode has terminated midway, prompting them to process the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7. The user then sees the error message, deals with the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drainage tank 7, and either inspects and repairs the equipment themselves (for example, by removing dirt adhering to the nozzle inlet), or asks a repair company to inspect and repair the equipment.

[0130] [Motor error determination process] The motor error determination process determines an error in the motor m that drives the fan 4, and determines whether the fan 4 has become locked for some reason, causing the motor m to not rotate, or whether the motor has locked. Motor lock is determined by the drive current of motor m. The drive current of motor m is measured, and if the drive current exceeds a predetermined threshold, motor lock occurs and a motor error is determined. The motor error determination process may be executed constantly while the fan 4 is being driven, or may be executed only at specific times. If a motor error is determined, the control unit 16 ends the cleaning mode. However, if the control unit 16 terminates the cleaning mode prematurely, it will determine that there is a motor error, and to inform the user that the cleaning mode has terminated prematurely, it may light up "Error," "2," or "3" on the display unit 15 and prompt the user to process the liquid supply tank 6 and the liquid drain tank 7. The user sees the error message and takes action such as dealing with the liquid supply tank 6 or the liquid drainage tank 7, inspecting and repairing it themselves, or asking a repair company to inspect and repair it.

[0131] [Modification of the cleaning process] The cleaning process is not limited to the above-mentioned steps 1 to 4. The types of various processes and the order in which the processes are performed are not limited to those described above, and for example, cleaning processes other than cleaning processes 1 and 2 may be included, and there may be one or more cleaning processes, and the order in which the multiple types of cleaning processes are performed may vary. Furthermore, the liquid supply error determination process may be executed at a specific timing, at predetermined intervals during the cleaning process, or may be executed continuously while a cleaning process such as cleaning process 1 or cleaning process 2 is being executed. In this way, it is possible for various processes to be executed simultaneously.

[0132] The range hood 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be combined by utilizing the techniques of each other, as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in the purpose, configuration, etc., of the embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 1, 1a, 1b Range hood 10 Main unit case 11 Hood section 12 Rectifier plate 13 Fan storage section 14 Control section 15 Display 16 Control Unit 160 CPU 161 memory 162 Timer 2 Flue components 20 Nozzle avoidance section 200 Corner 201 Straight section 21 Guide surface 210 Corner 211 Straight section 22 Opening 23 Top side 231 Corner 232 Corner 3 Fan casing 30 Air intake 31 Front 32 Exhaust port 33 Drainage hole 4 Fans 40 center axis 5 nozzles 50 Mounting part 51 Upstream Connection 52 entrance 53 Attraction hole 54 First guide convex part 55 Second guide convex part 6. Liquid supply tank 60 connection port 61 Liquid supply port 62 Lid 63 Detected part 7 Drainage tank 70 Drainage port 701 First drain port 702 Second drain port 703 Connection groove 704 Inflow groove 71 Tank recess 710 Bottom 711 Slope 712 Slope 713 Slope 714 Slope 72 Wall 73 Detected part 8, 8a Tank storage area 80 Storage recess 81 Storage compartment recess opening 81a First storage section recess opening 81b Second storage section recess opening 810, 810a packing 82, 82a Drainage receiving section 820, 820a Upper surfaces of the drainage receiving portions 82, 82a 83 Recessed portion of drainage receiving section 84 Drainage receiving recess opening 84a First drainage receiving recess opening 84b Second drainage receiving recess opening 85 Opening and Closing Lid 8sa Liquid supply tank attachment / detachment sensor 8sb Drainage tank attachment / detachment sensor b Bell mouth m motor p pump ps current sensor

Claims

1. The device comprises a fan, a fan casing, a liquid supply tank, a nozzle, a pump, a control unit, and an idle rotation detection unit, the fan is provided in the fan casing, The liquid supply tank is provided with a suction port for sucking up the cleaning liquid, the nozzle is provided in the fan casing and introduces a cleaning liquid into the fan casing; the pump delivers the cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank to the nozzle; the control unit executes a cleaning mode to control cleaning of the fan, the idle rotation detection unit detects idle rotation of the pump without directly detecting the remaining amount of the cleaning liquid in the liquid supply tank, The range hood is characterized in that the pump repeatedly sends liquid during the cleaning mode at least until the idle rotation detection unit detects idle rotation.

2. the cleaning mode includes a liquid supply error determination process for determining whether a liquid supply error has occurred; In the liquid supply error determination process, the control unit makes a determination based on the idle rotation detection from the idle rotation detection unit, The range hood according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply is repeated at least until the idle rotation is detected at a timing when the liquid supply error determination process is not being executed.

3. Furthermore, a notification unit is provided, the cleaning mode includes a discharge completion determination process for determining whether the discharge of the cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank is completed; In the discharge completion determination process, the control unit makes a determination based on the idle rotation detection from the idle rotation detection unit, The range hood according to claim 2, characterized in that if the idle rotation is detected during the liquid supply error determination process, the alarm unit is instructed to issue an error notification, and if the idle rotation is detected during the discharge completion determination process, the pump is stopped without instructing the alarm unit to issue an error notification.

4. Furthermore, a notification unit is provided, the cleaning mode includes a discharge completion determination process for determining whether the discharge of the cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank is completed; In the discharge completion determination process, the control unit makes a determination based on the idle rotation detection from the idle rotation detection unit, The range hood of claim 2, characterized in that if the idle rotation detection is detected during the liquid supply error determination process, the alarm unit is instructed to issue an error notification, and if the idle rotation detection continues for a predetermined time during the discharge completion determination process, the pump is stopped without instructing the alarm unit to issue an error notification.

5. Furthermore, a notification unit is provided, the cleaning mode includes a discharge completion determination process for determining whether the discharge of the cleaning liquid from the liquid supply tank is completed; In the discharge completion determination process, the control unit makes a determination based on the idle rotation detection from the idle rotation detection unit, The range hood of claim 2, wherein if the idle rotation is detected during the liquid supply error determination process, the alarm unit is instructed to issue an error notification, and if the idle rotation is detected during the discharge completion determination process, the alarm unit is not instructed to issue an error notification, and the pump continues to operate even after the idle rotation detection until the process in which the idle rotation detection occurred is completed.

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