air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner enabling suitable communications for cooperation between an air conditioning unit and an air blowing unit.SOLUTION: An air conditioner 1 includes an air blowing unit 3 operable while integrating with or separating from an air conditioning unit 2. The air conditioning unit 2 includes: a blowout port disposed on an upper surface 21 to blow out air upwardly; and an air-conditioning side communication part 82 disposed on a front surface 23a side to transmit a radio signal to the air blowing unit 3. The air blowing unit 3 includes an air blowing side communication part 182 disposed on a pedestal part front surface 112a side to receive the radio signal from the air conditioning unit 2. The air blowing unit 3 is disposed on an installation surface so as to be spaced from the air conditioning unit 2 by a predetermined distance and so that the pedestal part front surface 112a faces an upper side and a pedestal part upper surface 113 faces the air conditioning unit 2 when separated. The air-conditioning side communication part 82 and the air blowing side communication part 182 have a transmission / reception range enabling transmission / reception of the radio signal when integrated and when separated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner having a detachable blower unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioning apparatus provided with a blower unit that can be attached to and detached from a cooling unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The air conditioning apparatus of Patent Document 1 can perform a cooling operation or a dehumidifying operation by varying the attachment position of the blower unit with respect to the cooling unit, and can also remove the blower unit from the cooling unit and operate it independently. However, consideration has not been given to operating the cooling unit and the blower unit in联动 with each other.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an air conditioner that can realize suitable communication for联动 between an air conditioning unit and a blower unit.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] It should be noted that the word "联动" in the original text is not a common English term. I have left it in Chinese in the translation as it seems to be a specific term in the context that may not have a direct English equivalent. If there is a correct English term for this, it should be replaced for a more accurate translation.The air conditioner according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, comprises an air conditioning unit and a blower unit that can be operated integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit, wherein the air conditioning unit comprises a housing having a bottom surface facing the installation surface, an upper surface facing upward, and a front surface connecting the upper surface and the bottom surface and facing forward, an intake port disposed in the housing, an air conditioning unit housed in the housing that harmonizes the air drawn in from the intake port, an outlet disposed on the upper surface that blows out the air harmonized by the air conditioning unit upward, and an air conditioning side communication unit disposed on the front side that transmits wireless signals to at least the blower unit, wherein the blower unit has a surface installed on the upper surface when integrated The unit comprises a base having a bottom surface, a top surface that faces upward when integrated, and a front surface that faces forward when integrated; a blower unit that draws in air from at least the bottom surface side of the base and blows it out from the top surface side of the base, and is supported by the base; and a blower-side communication unit positioned on the front side of the base and receiving at least wireless signals from the air conditioning unit. When the blower unit is separated, it is positioned on the installation surface at a predetermined distance from the air conditioning unit, with the front surface of the base facing upward and the top surface of the base facing the air conditioning unit. The air conditioning-side communication unit and the blower-side communication unit have a transmission and reception range that enables the transmission and reception of wireless signals both when integrated and when separated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the air conditioner according to the present invention, suitable communication for coordinating the air conditioning unit and the blower unit can be realized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A front view perspective of the dehumidifier in its integrated state according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the dehumidifier in this embodiment, as seen from the rear when it is integrated into the unit. [Figure 3] A vertical cross-sectional view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. [Figure 4] Decompressed perspective view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. [Figure 5]A schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of a dehumidifier with a circulating fan. [Figure 6] A schematic functional block diagram specifically illustrating each power supply unit among the functional blocks in Figure 5. [Figure 7] A perspective view of the circulator from the front when it is separated. [Figure 8] External perspective view of the circulator as seen from the rear when separated. [Figure 9] An external perspective view showing an example of the dehumidifier's usage during separation. [Figure 10] This diagram specifically illustrates the arrangement of the communication unit on the dehumidification unit side and the communication unit on the circulator side when they are integrated. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating the communication between the dehumidification unit's communication section and the circulator's communication section during separation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings. In this embodiment, the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described in relation to a dehumidifier with a circulator that dehumidifies the air by condensing moisture contained in the air using a vapor compression refrigeration cycle and blows out the air.

[0010] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the integrated dehumidifier with circulator 1 in this embodiment. Figure 2 is a rear view perspective of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in this embodiment when it is assembled. Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form. Figure 5 is a schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier with a circulator 1. Figure 6 is a schematic functional block diagram that specifically explains the power supply units 83 and 183 within the functional block shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a front view perspective of the circulator 3 when it is separated. FIG. 8 is an external perspective view seen from the back of the circulator 3 at the time of separation. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the dehumidifier 1 at the time of separation.

[0011] In the following description, the explanation will be made in accordance with the definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right shown in each drawing. In some cases, the surface facing the front where the dehumidifying unit side operation unit 74 is provided is referred to as the front, and the surface opposite to the front facing the back is referred to as the back. Also, the directions along the front-back, left-right directions are taken as the horizontal directions. The definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right of the circulator 3 may be different when the circulator 3 is attached to the dehumidifying unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "when integrated") and when it is separated from the dehumidifying unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "when separated"). When integrated, it may follow the definitions in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 10, and when separated, it may follow FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0012] The dehumidifier 1 with a circulator (hereinafter simply referred to as "dehumidifier 1") has a dehumidifying unit 2 (air conditioning unit) and a circulator 3 (air blowing unit) disposed above the dehumidifying unit 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the circulator 3 is detachable from the dehumidifying unit 2 (housing 10) and can blow air in conjunction with or independently of the dehumidifying unit 2. Also, the circulator 3 can be operated integrally or separately from the dehumidifying unit 2.

[0013] The dehumidifying unit 2 has a housing 10 that forms the appearance of the dehumidifying unit 2. The housing 10 has a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, an upper panel 14, and a base 15.

[0014] The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 are combined via a connection line 13 extending vertically at a substantially central position in the front-rear direction of the housing 10, forming a substantially prismatic side surface 23 with four sides that connects the upper surface 21 and the bottom surface 22 of the housing 10. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 each have an upper surface frame portion 24 that is bent inward in the horizontal direction from the upper end. Also, the front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 as the left and right side surfaces 23 have a handle notch 25 for arranging the handle 43. The handle notch 25 is formed at the upper end of the side surface 23 and at a substantially central position in the front-rear direction. The surface facing the front of the front frame 11 becomes the front surface 23a (FIG. 3) of the side surface 23.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear frame 12 (the side surface 23 on the back side) has a suction port 31, a tank insertion port 32, and a power cord port 34. The suction port 31 has a plurality of slits 36 and has a filter 37 and a filter case 38 on its outer surface. The filter 37 is made of a resin mesh, non-woven fabric, etc., and removes dust, odor components, etc. mixed in the inhaled air. The filter case 38 fixes the filter 37 to the suction port 31. The tank insertion port 32 is arranged below the suction port 31, from which the drain tank 69 is inserted and removed. The power cord port 34 is arranged at the lower right of the rear frame 12, and the power cord 4 connected to the control unit 70 on the dehumidification unit side is routed outside the housing 10 from the power cord port 34.

[0016] The upper panel 14 has a base portion 14a facing upward and a peripheral wall portion 14b extending downward from the periphery of the base portion 14a. The upper panel 14 is arranged to cover an opening 24a (FIG. 2) formed by the inner edge of the upper surface frame portion 24. The base portion 14a, together with the above-mentioned upper surface frame portion 24, forms the upper surface 21 which is the surface facing upward of the housing 10. On the upper surface 21, the peripheral wall portion 14b forms a step with respect to the upper surface frame portion 24, so that the base portion 14a functions as an upper surface side convex portion 90 (FIG. 4) that is convex upward with respect to the upper surface frame portion 24.

[0017] Also, the upper panel 14 has a blowout port 41, a wind guide wall 42, a handle 43, and left and right suction port recesses 45.

[0018] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the air outlet 41 is formed in a rectangular shape at approximately the center of the base 14a. The air outlet 41 is equipped with a louver 48 that can control the direction of the dry air discharge and a louver motor 49 (Figure 5) that drives the louver 48.

[0019] The air guide wall 42 is a wall that rises a predetermined amount upward from the base 14a, surrounding the outlet 41 on the outside when viewed from above. The air guide wall 42 guides the air blown out from the outlet 41 towards the upward-facing circulator 3. The air guide wall 42 is connected to the inside of the housing 10 and forms a space that serves as a passage for the air blown out from the outlet 41 on the inside.

[0020] The handles 43 are formed above the side surface 23 at positions corresponding to the handle notches 25 of the front frame 11 and rear frame 12 on the left and right sides of the top panel 14. The handles 43 have handle recesses 51 and finger rests 52 that are recessed inward in the left-right direction from the side surface 23 and are used by the user when transporting the dehumidifier 1.

[0021] The left and right suction port recesses 45 are recesses for forming the left and right suction ports 121, which will be described later. The left and right suction port recesses 45 are formed in a position that overlaps with the handle recess 51 (handle 43) in the left-right direction with respect to the finger rest 52.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the base 15 is positioned to cover the opening 22a formed below by the combined front frame 11 and rear frame 12. The base 15 serves as the base of the dehumidifier 1 and is the bottom surface 22 that is installed directly on the floor or other installation surface, or with a gap between legs or other parts if the dehumidifier has legs.

[0023] The dehumidification unit 2, as shown in Figure 3, has a fan case 61, a sirocco fan 62, a blower motor 63, a compressor 65, a heat exchanger 66, a heating element 67, a drain pan 68, and a drain tank 69 as its main internal components housed in the casing 10.

[0024] The fan case 61 is positioned on the base 15 and primarily supports and positions the sirocco fan 62, the blower motor 63, and the drain tank 69.

[0025] The sirocco fan 62 rotates due to the rotation of the blower motor 63, drawing in air from the intake port 31 and forming an airflow that is blown out from the outlet port 41. The sirocco fan 62 and the blower motor 63 are mounted on the fan case 61 such that their rotation axes are aligned in the front-rear direction.

[0026] The compressor 65 is fixed on the base 15 and connected to the heat exchanger 66 via piping 65a and a pressure reducing device.

[0027] The heat exchanger 66 (air conditioning unit) exchanges heat with the air drawn in from the intake port 31. The heat exchanger 66 has an evaporator 66a positioned close to the intake port 31 and a condenser 66b positioned in front of the evaporator 66a. The evaporator 66a and condenser 66b are fin-tube type heat exchangers 66, in which fins 66d are attached to a U-shaped refrigerant pipe 66c. The refrigerant pipe 66c has multiple straight sections extending horizontally (left and right) and a bent section that curves vertically in a U-shape, connecting two straight sections. These straight sections and bent sections appear continuously along the length of the refrigerant pipe 66c.

[0028] The compressor 65, piping 65a, pressure reducing device, and heat exchanger 66 form a refrigeration cycle through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigeration cycle consists of the compressor 65, condenser 66b, pressure reducing device, and evaporator 66a, in the order in which the refrigerant flows. As the refrigerant flows through the evaporator 66a, it absorbs heat from the air passing through the evaporator 66a and evaporates. As the refrigerant flows through the condenser 66b, it reheats the air passing through the condenser 66b and condenses. As a result, the air drawn in from the intake port 31 has dust and odor components removed by the filter 37, is cooled and dehumidified in the evaporator 66a, and then heated in the condenser 66b to become low-humidity air.

[0029] The heating element 67 (air conditioning unit) heats the low-humidity air that has passed through the condenser 66b before the outlet 41.

[0030] The drain pan 68 has a drain port and receives the drain water generated and falling from the evaporator 66a, and discharges it through this drain port. The drain pan 68 supports and fixes the heat exchanger 66 from below.

[0031] The drain tank 69 stores the drain water discharged from the drain port of the drain pan 68. The drain tank 69 is attached to and detached from the housing 10 by sliding it in the front-rear direction from the tank insertion port 32. When the drain tank 69 is inserted into the housing 10, it is placed in a tank chamber formed by the fan case 61.

[0032] The drain tank 69 has a tank lid 69a and a float housing 69b. The tank lid 69a allows drain water from the drain port of the drain pan 68 to fall into the drain tank 69. The float housing 69b houses a float, for example, one with a magnet, for detecting the water level in the drain tank 69. The magnetic field of the magnet, corresponding to the water level, is detected by a water level sensor 69c, such as an AMR sensor (Anisotropic-Magneto-Resistance sensor), which is mounted on the dehumidification unit side control unit 70, and the user is notified that the drain tank 69 is full.

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, the dehumidification unit 2 further includes a dehumidification unit-side control unit 70, a temperature sensor 71, a humidity sensor 72, a notification unit 73, a dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74, and a display unit 75.

[0034] The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 is a control board positioned in front of the fan case 61, supported by a required case. The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 comprehensively controls the operation of the dehumidifier 1 by electrically controlling various parts such as the louver motor 49, blower motor 63, compressor 65, heating heater 67, and display unit 75 based on instructions from the dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74 and pre-stored programs. The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 also controls various parts of the circulator 3, such as the oscillating motor 138, by transmitting infrared signals, both when the unit is integrated and when it is separated.

[0035] The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 has a storage unit 77 and a timer 78. The storage unit 77 stores the operation programs for each part, etc. The timer 78 measures time for timer operation of the dehumidifier 1, etc.

[0036] The temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 are installed at predetermined locations on the dehumidifier 1 main unit and measure the ambient temperature and humidity of the dehumidifier 1. The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 uses the temperature and humidity as needed to control each part. The notification unit 73 outputs an alarm sound or the like to inform the user of the situation based on the instructions of the dehumidification unit side control unit 70.

[0037] The dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74 (air conditioning-side operation unit) and display unit 75 are located at the top of the front 23a (side 23, front frame 11) of the housing 10, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. The dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74 and display unit 75 are located on a control board 70a (air conditioning-side control board) which is arranged approximately parallel to the front 23a and is for the dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74, the display unit 75, and the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82. The dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74 has multiple input buttons that implement functions such as an operation switch, a timer switch, an operation mode selection switch, and a switch for setting the operation of the circulator 3. The display unit 75 displays the operating status of the dehumidifier 1, etc., by the illumination status of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

[0038] The dehumidification unit 2 further includes a circulator detection sensor 81, a dehumidification unit side communication unit 82, a dehumidification unit side power supply unit 83, and a power switching unit 84.

[0039] The circulator detection sensor 81 is a reed switch that detects the magnetic field of a magnet placed at a predetermined position on the circulator 3, for example. The circulator detection sensor 81 detects the attachment / detachment state (integrated or separated) of the circulator 3 to the dehumidification unit 2 based on the presence or absence of magnetic field detection. The dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 is an infrared antenna that transmits and receives required infrared signals (wireless signals) to and from the circulator side communication unit 182 of the circulator 3 based on the control of the dehumidification unit side control unit 70. As shown in Figure 1, the dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 transmits and receives infrared signals from a dehumidification unit side transparent window 86 (air conditioning side transparent part) that transmits infrared rays and is provided in the panel 76 in which the dehumidification unit side operation unit 74 is formed. Details of the dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 will be described later.

[0040] As shown in Figure 6, the dehumidification unit's power supply unit 83 converts the alternating current supplied from the power cord 4 connected to the commercial power supply into a direct current power supply and supplies it to each part of the dehumidification unit 2.

[0041] The power switching unit 84 switches whether or not to supply AC current from the commercial power supply to the power output terminal 87. As shown in Figure 4, the power output terminal 87 is exposed above the top surface 21 where the circulator 3 is mounted. When the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is integrated, it closes the power switching unit 84 and supplies power from the power output terminal 87 to the power input terminal 187 of the circulator 3. On the other hand, when the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is separated, it opens the power switching unit 84 and does not supply power to the power output terminal 87.

[0042] When the circulator 3 is integrated, it primarily draws in the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2. When it is separated, it draws in the surrounding air and circulates and mixes the surrounding air while blowing it out.

[0043] The circulator 3 has a base portion 110 and an air blower portion 130. The air blower portion 130 is supported so as to be able to oscillate around an axis that runs along the left-right direction relative to the base portion 110.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1, 7, and 8, the base portion 110 is a cylindrical casing that forms a space (a through-hole penetrating vertically) inside the base portion 110 capable of housing the blower portion 130. The base portion 110 has a base portion bottom surface 111, a base portion side surface 112, and a base portion top surface 113. The base portion side surface 112 consists of an outer surface and an inner surface, and the internal space 115 formed by closing the base portion bottom surface 111, the base portion side surface 112, and the base portion top surface 113 is partially or entirely hollow, as shown in Figure 3.

[0045] The bottom surface 111 of the base portion is a frame-shaped surface having substantially the same shape as the upper surface 21 formed by the upper frame portion 24. When the base portion is assembled, the bottom surface 111 is placed on the upper frame portion 24 and becomes a surface that contacts the upper frame portion 24.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the base bottom surface 111 has a circulator-side recess 190 located inward from the inner peripheral edge 111a of the base bottom surface 111. The circulator-side recess 190 is a recessed space that is recessed upward, corresponding to the vertical length of the peripheral wall portion 14b of the top plate 14 and the shape of the top surface convex portion 90. Because the circulator-side recess 190 corresponds to the shape of the top surface convex portion 90, it engages with the top surface convex portion 90 when they are in a single unit. As a result, the base 110 is restricted from moving horizontally parallel to the installation surface, i.e., from moving on the top surface 21, by the top surface convex portion 90. Also, since the circulator 3 is supported by the housing 10 by a simple interlocking of recesses and protrusions, it can be easily removed by lifting it upward.

[0047] The side surface 112 of the base portion has an outer surface shape that is almost identical to the outer surface shape of the side surface 23 of the housing 10. That is, when the circulator 3 is assembled, the side surface 112 of the base portion is flush with the side surface 23 of the dehumidifying unit 2 and has an appearance that is integrated with the housing 10. The side surface 112 of the base portion has left and right intake ports 121 and a rear intake port 122.

[0048] The left and right intake ports 121 are positioned approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction on the left and right sides 112 of the base portion, and are formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the side 112 of the base portion and the bottom surface 111 of the base portion. As shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the left and right intake ports 121 have a shape that is approximately vertically symmetrical with respect to the handle 43 on the side 23 of the housing 10 with respect to the finger rest 52, or with respect to the boundary line 5 between the top frame portion 24 and the bottom surface 111 of the base portion. As described above, the top plate 14 has left and right intake port recesses 45, and the space formed in these left and right intake port recesses 45 and the left and right intake ports 121 act to connect the perimeter of the dehumidifier 1 with the inside of the base portion 110 via the left and right intake ports 121.

[0049] As shown in Figure 3, the side surface 112 of the base portion faces forward in the same direction as the front surface 23a when the parts are integrated, and has a front surface 112a which is the front of the base portion 110. It also has a rear surface 112b which faces backward when the parts are integrated, and is the back of the base portion 110.

[0050] The rear intake port 122 is positioned approximately in the center in the left-right direction on the rear base side surface 112, and is formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the base side surface 112 and the base bottom surface 111. The rear intake port 122 interacts with the shape of the upper surface 21 of the housing 10 to connect the surrounding area with the inside of the base surface 110 via the rear intake port 122.

[0051] The upper surface 113 of the base consists of a surface 113a that is parallel to the horizontal direction from the rear to approximately the center in the front-rear direction, and a surface 113b that curves downward from approximately the center to the front. Due to this configuration, when the base is assembled, the upper surface 113 is located above the bottom surface 111 of the base and faces upward (approximately upward). The upper surface 113 of the base has a curved recess 113c at the rear. The recess 113c is formed to create an airflow path without the base 110 obstructing the airflow from the circulator 3 when the base is assembled.

[0052] The blower unit 130 includes a cover 131, a fan motor 135, and a fan 136.

[0053] The cover 131 is a bone-like member for protecting the user's fingers, etc., from the fan 136. The cover 131 has a suction-side cover 131a, for example, which is hemispherical and covers the suction side (upstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the suction surface, and a flat outlet-side cover 131b, which covers the outlet side (downstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the outlet surface. The suction-side cover 131a and the outlet-side cover 131b are combined to form a single unit. In the position of the air blower 130 where the outlet-side cover 131b is aligned in a substantially horizontal direction and the rotation axis of the fan 136 is aligned in a vertical direction, as shown in Figure 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "stopped position"), the suction-side cover 131a has a motor support portion 131c that is concave upward at a central position facing downward.

[0054] In the stopped position, the fan motor 135 and fan 136 are housed inside the cover 131 such that the rotation axis of the fan motor 135 (fan 136) is aligned vertically and passes through the center of the sphere that makes up the cover 131. The fan motor 135 rotates the fan 136 around its rotation axis. The fan 136 blows air from the outlet 41 that is drawn in from the intake cover 131a, and air drawn into the intake cover 131a from the outside of the dehumidifier 1, through the outlet cover 131b.

[0055] The air blower unit 130 is supported on the base unit 110 in a stationary position such that the direction of airflow from the fan 136 almost coincides with the direction of airflow from the outlet 41, which is almost upward. The air blower unit 130 is also supported on the base unit 110 so that it can oscillate within a predetermined range of angles around an oscillation axis that runs in the left-right direction (a predetermined direction) from its stationary position when assembled, by means of an oscillation motor 138. The oscillation motor 138 is located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The oscillation axis of the oscillation motor 138 is positioned almost in the center of the front-to-back direction of the circulator 3. The oscillation axis also passes through the center of the sphere that forms the hemispherical intake side cover 131a. Furthermore, the oscillation axis is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the fan 136.

[0056] The circulator 3 further includes a circulator-side control unit 170, a circulator-side operation unit 174, a circulator-side communication unit 182, and a circulator-side power supply unit 183.

[0057] The circulator-side control unit 170 is a control board (Figure 3) located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The circulator-side control unit 170 electrically controls the fan motor 135 and the oscillation motor 138 based on instructions from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 or the circulator-side operation unit 174.

[0058] The circulator-side control unit 174 (fan-side control unit) is positioned approximately in the center of the left-right direction on the front side of the base 112. The circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned on a control board 170a (fan-side control board) which is positioned approximately parallel to the front surface 112a of the base, similar to the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74 (Figure 10). The control board 170a is a control board for the circulator-side control unit 174 and the circulator-side communication unit 182. The control board 170a of the circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned to approximately overlap with, or as close as possible to, the control board 70a of the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74 when viewed from above. The circulator-side control unit 174 has multiple input buttons, for example, to implement an operation switch and an oscillation switch.

[0059] The circulator-side communication unit 182 is an infrared antenna that transmits and receives required infrared signals (wireless signals) to and from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170. The circulator-side communication unit 182 transmits and receives infrared signals from, for example, the circulator-side transparent window 186 (air blower-side transparent section) which is provided on the upper surface 113 of the base 110 and transmits infrared signals. The circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are realized, for example, by making the areas on the upper surface 113 of the base 113 and the front frame 11 where the circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are formed thinner or by forming them with a material that has high infrared transmittance. Details of the circulator-side communication unit 182 will be described later.

[0060] As shown in Figure 6, the circulator-side power supply unit 183 converts the alternating current supplied from the power input terminal 187 into direct current and supplies it to each part of the circulator 3. As shown in Figure 8, the power input terminal 187 is positioned so that it can be directly connected to the power output terminal 87 which is exposed from the upper surface 21 of the dehumidification unit 2 when it is integrated.

[0061] When integrated, the circulator-side power supply unit 183 supplies power to each component from the power input terminal 187, which is directly connected to the power output terminal 87 of the dehumidification unit 2. When separated, it supplies power to each component from the power input terminal 187, which is connected to the power cord 8 (Figure 9) connected to the commercial power supply. The connection of the power output terminal 87 and the terminals of the power cord 8 to the power input terminal 187 can be facilitated for the user by, for example, using magnetic attraction.

[0062] In its integrated operation, the circulator 3 primarily draws in the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2, and circulates and mixes the surrounding air while blowing this air upwards. The circulator 3 also operates by oscillating around an oscillating axis that runs along the left-right direction, alternately directing its air outlet in the front-back direction.

[0063] Furthermore, when separated, the circulator 3 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the dehumidification unit 2. In this configuration, the circulator 3 is positioned and used upright at a 90-degree angle from its integrated state, with the rear surface 112b of the base facing the floor or other surface, the front surface 112a of the base facing upwards, and the top surface 113 of the base facing the dehumidification unit 2. The circulator 3, positioned in this manner, draws in ambient air from the bottom surface 111 of the base (rear), and circulates and agitates the ambient air by blowing this air towards the top surface 113 of the base (front). The circulator 3 also operates while oscillating up and down around an oscillating axis that runs along the left-right direction.

[0064] Furthermore, when separated, the circulator 3 can operate independently of the dehumidification unit 2, based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170.

[0065] In both integrated and separated configurations, the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 can transmit an infrared signal consisting of required control information to the circulator-side control unit 170 by controlling the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82. Upon receiving the infrared signal via the circulator-side communication unit 182, the circulator-side control unit 170 can control the operation of the circulator 3 based on the received control information.

[0066] Such a dehumidifier 1 is suitably used in the following applications, for example. When the dehumidifier 1 is used to dry laundry hung indoors, the laundry can be dried efficiently by using the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry. In this case, it is preferable to position the dehumidifier 1 so that it does not overlap with the laundry. However, depending on the height of the clothesline and the type of laundry, it may be difficult to position the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry, and the dehumidifier 1 must be positioned away from the laundry so as not to overlap it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the circulator 3 positioned above the dehumidifier 1 can be removed and placed separately on the installation surface. Therefore, if the dehumidifier 1 overlaps with the laundry, the circulator 3 can be separated and the height of the dehumidifier 1 can be lowered, making the dehumidifier 1 more user-friendly depending on the situation.

[0067] As described above, in order for the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 to operate in conjunction mainly based on the control of the dehumidification unit 2, reliable communication between the dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 and the circulator side communication unit 182 is required. Since the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 can be integrated or separated, it is required that they be able to communicate with each other in either configuration.

[0068] For example, an ideal communication state can be achieved by having communication units suitable for the positional relationship between the dehumidifying unit 2 and the circulator 3 when they are integrated, and communication units suitable for the positional relationship when they are separated. However, this may lead to challenges such as an increase in the number of parts, a corresponding increase in cost, and constraints on the arrangement with other components.

[0069] Therefore, the dehumidifier 1 in this embodiment addresses the above-mentioned problems by suitably arranging one dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 provided in the dehumidifier unit 2 and one circulator-side communication unit 182 provided in the circulator 3, as will be explained below.

[0070] Figure 10 is a diagram that specifically illustrates the arrangement of the dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 and the circulator side communication unit 182 when they are integrated. Figure 11 is a diagram that illustrates the communication between the dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 and the circulator side communication unit 182 when they are separated.

[0071] The dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 is mounted on the control board 70a on which the dehumidifier-side operation unit 74 is located, on a surface facing forward. The dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 is positioned to have a directivity such that the strength of signal transmission and reception is mainly greater in the forward direction. The dehumidifier-side transparent window 86 described above is positioned in the direction of this directivity. The dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 is positioned as close as possible to the circulator-side communication unit 182, while taking into consideration its relationship with other structures, and facing the dehumidifier-side transparent window 86 located on the front surface 23a. As a result, the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 is positioned near the upper surface 21 (upper frame portion 24) that separates the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3.

[0072] When the dehumidifier unit-side communication unit 82 is integrated with the circulator-side communication unit 182, it communicates with the circulator-side communication unit 182 by transmitting and receiving infrared signals upwards towards the location of the circulator-side communication unit 182. Since the dehumidifier unit-side communication unit 82 has a directivity that is almost entirely forward, the strength of the communication is high when it is directed forward, but it is possible to transmit and receive in all directions, although the strength decreases as it moves away from the front, so that communication with the circulator-side communication unit 182 located above can be established. At this time, it is preferable that there are no other structures between the dehumidifier unit-side communication unit 82 and the upper surface 21 that would obstruct the transmission and reception of infrared signals upwards.

[0073] Furthermore, when separated, the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 is located in front of the circulator-side communication unit 182 of the circulator 3, which is separated by a predetermined distance, as shown in Figure 11, and communicates with the circulator-side communication unit 182 using infrared signals transmitted and received in the direction of the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86.

[0074] The circulator-side communication unit 182 is mounted on the control board 170a on which the circulator-side operation unit 174 is located, on a surface facing forward. The circulator-side communication unit 182 is positioned to have a directivity such that the strength of signal transmission and reception is mainly greater upward. The circulator-side transparent window 186 described above is positioned in the direction of this directivity. The circulator-side communication unit 182 is positioned as close as possible to the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82, while taking into consideration its relationship with other structures, and facing the circulator-side transparent window 186 located on the upper surface 113 of the base. As a result, the circulator-side communication unit 182 is positioned near the upper surface 113 of the base (inclined surface 113b) in a position where, when integrated, at least a portion of it overlaps with the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 when viewed from above (directly above the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82).

[0075] When the circulator-side communication unit 182 is integrated with the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82, it communicates with the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 by transmitting and receiving infrared signals downwards towards the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82, which is located below it. Since the circulator-side communication unit 182 has a directivity that is almost entirely upwards, the strength of the communication upwards is high, but it can transmit and receive in all directions, although the strength decreases as it moves away from the top, so communication with the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 located below it can be established. At this time, it is preferable that there are no other structures between the circulator-side communication unit 182 and the base bottom surface 111 that would obstruct the transmission and reception of infrared signals downwards.

[0076] Furthermore, when separated, the circulator-side communication unit 182 is located diagonally above and in front of the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 of the dehumidifier unit 2, which is facing it at a predetermined distance, as shown in Figure 11, and communicates with the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 using infrared signals transmitted and received in the direction of the circulator-side transparent window 186. At this time, for example, if the infrared signals transmitted from the dehumidifier unit 2 in range R1 overlap with the range R2 that can be received by the circulator 3, then the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 and the circulator-side communication unit 182 can transmit and receive signals.

[0077] The dehumidifier 1, having the above configuration, has only a pair of communication units 82 on the dehumidification unit side and a communication unit 182 on the circulator side, and can have a transmission / reception range that enables the transmission and reception of infrared signals both when they are integrated and when they are separated. Therefore, the dehumidifier 1 can achieve suitable communication for the linkage between the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

[0078] Furthermore, the dehumidifier 1 has a circulator-side communication unit 182 on a control board 170a on which the circulator-side operation unit 174 is mounted. Also, the dehumidifier 1 has a dehumidifier unit-side communication unit 82 on a control board 70a on which the dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 and display unit 75 are located. As a result, from the perspective of operability, there is no need to provide a separate control board dedicated to the communication units 82 and 182, in addition to the operation units 74 and 174 which are located on the front, and the number of parts can be reduced. In other words, the dehumidifier 1 can handle communication both when the units are together and when they are separated by arranging the pair of communication units 82 and 182 as described above, and it is also possible to standardize parts with the operation units 74 and 174, thereby suppressing an increase in the number of parts and achieving suitable transmission and reception of infrared signals in both the combined and separated states.

[0079] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents.

[0080] For example, although the air conditioner according to the present invention was described using an example in which the air conditioning unit is a heat exchanger 66, it can also be applied to other air conditioning equipment such as humidifiers, dryers, heating and cooling systems, and air purifiers that can adjust the humidity, temperature, and purity of the air, in addition to the dehumidifier 1.

[0081] Although the explanation used an example where the air conditioning side communication unit and the fan side communication unit send and receive infrared signals, it is also possible for the air conditioning side communication unit to only send signals to the fan side communication unit, and for the fan side communication unit to only receive signals from the air conditioning side communication unit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1. Dehumidifier with circulator (dehumidifier) 2 Dehumidification Unit 3. Circulator 21 Top side 22 Bottom 23 Side view 23a front 31 Inlet 41 Air outlet 61 Fan Case 62 Sirocco fan 63 Blower motor 65 Compressor 66 Heat exchanger 67 Heating heater 68 Drain pan 69 Drain Tank 70 Dehumidification unit side control unit 70a Control board (Air conditioning side control board) 74 Dehumidification unit side control panel 81 Circulator detection sensor 82 Dehumidification unit side communication section 83 Power supply unit on the dehumidification unit side 84 Power Switching Unit 86. Transmissive window on the dehumidification unit side (transmissive section on the air conditioning side) 87 Power output terminal 90 Top side protrusion 110 Base 111 Base bottom 112 Side view of the base 112a Front view of the base 113 Top surface of the base 130 Air blower 131 Cover 135 Fan motor 136 Fans 170 Circulator-side control unit 170a Control board (air blower side control board) 174 Circulator side control panel 182 Circulator-side communication unit 183 Power supply unit for the circulator 186 Circulator-side permeable window (air-blowing side permeable section) 187 Power input terminal 190 Circulator side recess

Claims

1. An air conditioner comprising an air conditioning unit and a blower unit that can be operated integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit, The aforementioned air conditioning unit is A housing having a bottom surface facing the mounting surface, a top surface facing upward, and a front surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and facing forward, The suction port located in the housing, The aforementioned housing comprises an air conditioning unit that harmonizes the air drawn in from the intake port, An outlet is provided on the upper surface for blowing air conditioned by the air conditioning unit upwards, It includes an air conditioning side communication unit located on the front side and transmitting wireless signals to at least the blower unit, The aforementioned blower unit is A base portion having a bottom surface that becomes the surface placed on the upper surface when it is integrated, an upper surface that becomes the surface facing upward when it is integrated, and a front surface that faces forward when it is integrated, The system draws in air from at least the bottom surface of the base and blows it out from the top surface of the base, and the air blower is supported by the base, The base portion is positioned on the front side and includes a blower-side communication unit that receives the wireless signal from the air conditioning unit, When separated, the blower unit is positioned on the installation surface such that it is separated from the air conditioning unit at a predetermined distance, with the front of the base facing upwards and the upper surface of the base facing the air conditioning unit. An air conditioner in which the air conditioning side communication unit and the blower side communication unit have a transmission / reception range that enables the transmission and reception of the wireless signal whether they are integrated or separated.

2. The aforementioned air conditioning side communication unit has a directionality that is almost directly forward. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air blower side communication unit has a directionality that is substantially upward when integrated.

3. The front surface has at least an air conditioning side permeable portion that allows signals to be transmitted to the air blower side communication unit to pass through, The upper surface of the base portion has a ventilation-side permeable portion that allows signals from the air conditioning-side communication unit to pass through, The air conditioning unit and the blower unit, when integrated, transmit and receive signals that pass through at least the upper surface and the bottom surface of the base, and when separated, transmit and receive signals that pass through the air conditioning unit and the blower unit, according to claim 2.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air blower side communication unit is positioned such that, when integrated, at least a portion of it overlaps with the air conditioning side communication unit when viewed from above.

5. The aforementioned blower unit is A blower-side operating unit that receives instructions for the blower unit, The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a blower-side control board on which the blower-side operating unit and the blower-side communication unit are arranged.

6. The aforementioned air conditioning unit is An air conditioning side operating unit that receives instructions for the aforementioned air conditioning unit, The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an air conditioning side control board on which the air conditioning side operating unit and the air conditioning side communication unit are arranged.

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