Water tank and air conditioner

Abstract

To provide a water supply tank capable of suppressing leakage of water from a liquid outlet formed on a bottom portion of a tank main body, and an air conditioner with the water supply tank.SOLUTION: A water supply tank 30 includes a main body 31, a first opening / closing valve 40, and an operation mechanism 50. The main body 31 stores water. The first opening / closing valve 40 opens and closes a liquid outlet portion 38. The liquid outlet portion 38 is formed on a bottom portion 30a of the main body 31. The operation mechanism 50 operates the first opening / closing valve 40 in a vertical direction. The operation mechanism 50 includes a first spring 52. The first spring 52 energizes the first opening / closing valve 40 upward. The first opening / closing valve 40 is raised by energization force of the first spring 52. The first opening / closing valve 40 closes the liquid outlet portion 38 by being raised. The first opening / closing valve 40 lowers against the energization force of the first spring 52. The first opening / closing valve 40 opens the liquid outlet portion 38 by lowering.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply tank and an air conditioner.

Background Art

[0002] A water supply tank for supplying water to equipment and an air conditioner equipped with such a water supply tank have been developed. For example, the water supply tank disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an opening / closing valve that opens and closes a liquid outlet formed at the bottom of a tank body. In the water supply tank of Patent Document 1, a cylindrical member formed at the bottom of a tray pushes up a valve rod of the opening / closing valve, thereby opening the opening / closing valve and supplying the water stored in the tank body to the tray.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the water supply tank of Patent Document 1, since the opening / closing valve opens by pushing up the valve rod of the opening / closing valve, when the tank body is installed on the tray or placed on the floor or the like, the valve rod of the opening / closing valve may come into contact with a protrusion other than the cylindrical member formed on the tray or a protrusion formed on the floor or the like and be pushed up, causing the opening / closing valve to open. Therefore, there is a problem that the opening / closing valve may open before the water supply tank is properly installed on the tray, and water may leak out from the liquid outlet.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a water supply tank capable of suppressing water leakage from a liquid outlet formed at the bottom of a tank body, and an air conditioner equipped with the water supply tank.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In this invention, the air conditioner comprises a water supply tank and a water receiving member. The water supply tank comprises a tank body, a first on-off valve, and an operating mechanism. The tank body stores water. The first on-off valve opens and closes a liquid outlet formed at the bottom of the tank body. The operating mechanism operates the first on-off valve in the vertical direction. The operating mechanism includes a first biasing member that biases the first on-off valve upward. The first on-off valve closes the liquid outlet by rising due to the biasing force of the first biasing member. The first on-off valve opens the liquid outlet by descending against the biasing force of the first biasing member. The water receiving member is formed so as not to come into contact with the valve stem that operates the valve body of the first on-off valve. The water receiving member has a holding member that holds the water supply tank. The holding member is formed to hold the area around the liquid outlet in the tank body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the water supply tank and air conditioner of the present invention, the first shut-off valve, which opens and closes the liquid outlet formed at the bottom of the tank body, is raised by the biasing force of the first biasing member, thereby closing the liquid outlet. As a result, the valve stem of the first shut-off valve will not open due to contact with a water receiving member or a projection formed on the floor, etc., and being pushed up. Therefore, the first shut-off valve will not open and water will not leak out from the liquid outlet before the water supply tank is properly installed on the water receiving member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]This is an exploded perspective view showing an air purifier according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the water supply tank according to this embodiment mounted on a tray. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the water supply tank according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a side view showing a water supply tank according to this embodiment. [Figure 5A] This is an enlarged side view showing area A in Figure 2 when the first on-off valve is open. [Figure 5B] This is an enlarged side view showing area A in Figure 2 when the first on-off valve is closed. [Figure 6A] This is a side view showing an enlarged view of area B in Figure 2 when the handlebars are in the first lateral position. [Figure 6B] This is a side view showing an enlarged view of area B in Figure 2 when the handlebars are in the second lateral position. [Figure 6C] This is a side view showing an enlarged view of area B in Figure 2 when the lid is opened. [Figure 6D] This is a side view showing an enlarged view of area B in Figure 2 when the handlebars are in a vertical position. [Figure 7] This is an exploded perspective view showing an air purifier according to a different embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The water tank and air conditioner in the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be repeated in the description. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the air purifier 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the water tank 30 according to this embodiment mounted on the tray 20. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the water tank 30 according to this embodiment. Figure 4 is a side view showing the water tank 30 according to this embodiment. Figure 5A is an enlarged side view showing area A in Figure 2 when the first on-off valve 40 is open. Figure 5B is an enlarged side view showing area A in Figure 2 when the first on-off valve 40 is closed. Figure 6A is an enlarged side view showing area B in Figure 2 when the handle 33 is in the first horizontal position. Figure 6B is an enlarged side view showing area B in Figure 2 when the handle 33 is in the second horizontal position. Figure 6C is an enlarged side view showing area B in Figure 2 when the lid 32 is open. Figure 6D is a side view showing an enlarged view of area B in Figure 2 when the handle 33 is in a vertical position.

[0011] First, let's describe the air purifier 10, which is an air conditioner in this embodiment. Note that the air conditioner is not limited to the air purifier 10; any device with a humidifying function that humidifies the air using water supplied from a water tank is acceptable.

[0012] The air purifier 10 has a humidifying function that humidifies the air in the room in which it is installed. As shown in Figure 1, the air purifier 10 includes a main body 11. The main body 11 is the main component of the air purifier 10.

[0013] A rear panel 12 having multiple air intake ports (not shown) is detachably provided on the rear surface of the main body 11. The air intake ports are the parts that draw in indoor air into the main body 11.

[0014] A ventilation passage (not shown) is formed inside the main body 11. The ventilation passage is the part that allows the air taken in from the intake port to flow inside the main body 11 in accordance with the operation of the blower fan (not shown).

[0015] An air supply port 13 is provided at the upper rear part of the main body 11. The air supply port 13 is a part that sends out the air flowing through the ventilation path into the room.

[0016] In the air purifier 10, the air taken in from the intake port of the rear panel 12 and flowing through the ventilation path is humidified by the humidifying unit 14. The air humidified by the humidifying unit 14 is sent out into the room from the air supply port 13.

[0017] The humidifying unit 14 includes a humidifying filter 15, a tray 20 (an example of a "water receiving member"), and a water supply tank 30. In the humidifying unit 14, the water supplied from the water supply tank 30 is stored in the tray 20 at a constant water level. The humidifying filter 15 rotates with a part of it immersed in the water in the tray 20, and sequentially sucks up water in the circumferential direction from the part immersed in the water in the tray 20. The air is humidified when it passes through the humidifying filter 15 in a state of containing moisture as a whole.

[0018] The humidifying filter 15 is, for example, a non-woven fabric or the like, and is a member having high water absorption and allowing ventilation. The humidifying filter 15 is housed inside a holding frame 15a.

[0019] The tray 20 is a dish-shaped container with an open upper part. The tray 20 is arranged inside the main body 11 by being fitted into a guide part (not shown) provided on the main body 11. The tray can be pulled out from one side surface of the main body 11 to the outside by moving along the guide part.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tray 20 includes a filter holding section 21 and a tank holding section 22. The filter holding section 21 is the part that holds the humidifying filter 15. The filter holding section 21 is a dish-shaped member capable of accommodating a portion of the humidifying filter 15. The filter holding section 21 can store water supplied from the water supply tank 30. A roller member (not shown) is provided inside the filter holding section 21. The filter holding section 21 rotatably holds the holding frame 15a with the roller member.

[0021] The tank holding section 22 holds the water supply tank 30 and is the part that receives water drained from the liquid outlet section 38 (an example of a "liquid outlet") of the water supply tank 30. The tank holding section 22 is a dish-shaped member capable of storing water discharged from the water supply tank 30. The tank holding section 22 is connected to the filter holding section 21. A supply port 23 is formed at the boundary between the filter holding section 21 and the tank holding section 22 for supplying water supplied from the water supply tank 30 from the tank holding section 22 to the filter holding section 21.

[0022] The tank holding portion 22 is formed to a predetermined depth so that the lower end 41b of the first valve stem 41, which operates the first valve body 42 (see Figure 5A, etc.) of the first on-off valve 40 for opening and closing the first on-off valve 40, does not come into contact with the tray bottom portion 22b, which is the bottom surface of the tank holding portion 22.

[0023] The tank holding portion 22 detachably supports the water supply tank 30 at its upper edge portion 22a. The tank holding portion 22 has a holding portion 24 (an example of a "holding member") at the bottom of the tray 22b for holding the water supply tank 30. The holding portion 24 is a member formed in a C-shape in cross-section. The holding portion 24 is formed to protrude upward from the bottom of the tray 22b. The holding portion 24 is formed in a position where the cap 34 of the water supply tank 30, which is supported at the upper edge portion 22a of the tank holding portion 22, can be held by the inner circumferential wall surface of the holding portion 24. That is, the holding portion 24 is formed to hold the area around the liquid outlet portion 38 of the water supply tank 30 (body portion 31). Because the holding portion 24 is formed to hold the area around the liquid outlet portion 38 of the water supply tank 30 (body portion 31), the water supply tank 30 can be held in the tray 20 (tank holding portion 22) without tipping over.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the water supply tank 30 is a tank for supplying water to the humidifying filter 15. The water supply tank 30 is formed in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. The water supply tank 30 has a water inlet 36 (see Figure 2) at its upper end for supplying water into the tank. The water supply tank 30 has a liquid outlet 38 at its lower end for draining water from inside the tank. In the following description, the water supply tank 30 will be described with the side where the water inlet 36 is formed (upper end) being the upper side and the side where the liquid outlet 38 is formed (lower end) being the lower side.

[0025] The water supply tank 30 is mounted in an upright position on the tank holding portion 22 of the tray 20, with the end on which the liquid outlet portion 38 is formed as the bottom portion 30a. The water supply tank 30 comprises a main body 31 (an example of the "tank body"), a lid 32, a handle 33, and a cap 34.

[0026] The main body 31 is the part that stores the water supplied to the humidifying filter 15. The main body 31 has a water inlet 36 (see Figure 2) at its upper end. The water inlet 36 is formed by opening the upper end of the main body 31 in a rectangular shape.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2, 5A, and 5B, the main body 31 has a cap mounting portion 35 on the bottom 30a side for attaching a cap 34. The cap mounting portion 35 is a cylindrical part that protrudes downward from the bottom 30a side of the main body 31. The cap 34 is detachably attached to the lower end (tip) side of the cap mounting portion 35 by a screw structure or the like. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the cap mounting portion 35 has a lower opening 35a at its lower end (tip). The lower opening 35a is formed as a circular opening at the lower end (tip) of the cap mounting portion 35.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2, 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D, the lid 32 is the part that opens and closes the water inlet 36 formed in the main body 31. The lid 32 is rotatably supported on the upper end of the main body 31 by a hinge or the like (not shown). The lid 32 opens the water inlet 36 by rotating diagonally upward relative to the main body 31. The lid 32 closes the water inlet 36 by rotating diagonally downward relative to the main body 31. A recess 32a is provided in the center of the lid 32, which is formed in a concave shape from the outside to the inside of the lid 32. An opening 37 (an example of an "opening") is formed in the center of the inner circumference of the recess 32a. The opening 37 is formed in a cylindrical shape that protrudes upward from the bottom 32b of the recess 32a. By forming an opening 37 in the recess 32a in the center of the lid 32, air can enter and exit the interior of the main body 31 from the top of the recess 32a of the lid 32.

[0029] As shown in detail in Figure 3, the handle 33 is a handle for manually carrying the water tank 30 (main body 31). The handle 33 is rotatably formed relative to the lid 32.

[0030] Before the water tank 30, which is mounted on the tray 20, is placed inside the main body 11 of the air purifier 10, the handle 33 is in the first lateral position shown in Figure 6A.

[0031] Here, the first lateral position of the handle 33 refers to the position in which the handle 33 is held along the cover 32 to the extent that it does not push down the operating member 63. In other words, when the handle 33 is in the first lateral position, the handle 33 does not push down the second on-off valve 61 via the operating member 63. The handle 33 is pushed against the cover 32 and engages with an engaging portion (not shown) formed on the cover 32, thereby being held in the first lateral position (position along the cover 32).

[0032] Furthermore, when the water supply tank 30 attached to the tray 20 is located inside the main body 11 of the air purifier 10, the handle 33 assumes the second lateral position shown in Figure 6B.

[0033] Here, the second lateral position of the handle 33 refers to the position in which the handle 33 is held along the cover 32 with the operating member 63 pressed down. In other words, when the handle 33 is in the second lateral position, the handle 33 presses down the second on-off valve 61 via the operating member 63, thereby closing the second on-off valve 61.

[0034] Specifically, when the water tank 30 mounted on the tray 20 is positioned inside the main body 11 (see Figure 1) of the air purifier 10, the upper claw portion 33e of the handle 33 is pushed down by the main body 11. This causes the handle 33 to be pushed down against the upward biasing force of the second spring 62. As a result, the handle 33 is held by the main body 11 in the second lateral position as shown in Figure 6B.

[0035] On the other hand, when the water tank 30 attached to the tray 20 is removed from the main body 11 of the air purifier 10, the pressure of the main body 11 on the claw portion 33e of the handle 33 is released. As a result, the position of the handle 33 returns from the second lateral position shown in Figure 6B to the first lateral position shown in Figure 6A.

[0036] Furthermore, when removing the water tank 30 from the tray 20, and when transporting the water tank 30, the handle 33 is used in the vertical position shown in Figure 6D.

[0037] Here, the vertical position of the handle 33 refers to the state in which one end of the handle 33 (the end opposite to the end on which the pivot shaft 33a is provided) is separated from the cover 32.

[0038] As shown in detail in Figures 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D, a bearing portion 33b is formed at the other end of the cover 32 to rotatably support the pivot shaft 33a of the handle 33. The handle 33 is held at both ends of the pivot shaft 33a, which is supported by the bearing portion 33b (see Figure 3). The handle 33 rotates around the pivot shaft 33a when the user tilts the handle 33 from a vertical position (see Figure 6D) to a first horizontal position (see Figure 6A), or raises the handle 33 from a first horizontal position (see Figure 6A) to a vertical position (see Figure 6D).

[0039] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the cap 34 is a component that closes the lower opening 35a formed in the cap mounting portion 35 and forms a liquid outlet portion 38 (an example of a "liquid outlet"). The cap 34 is a circular, dish-shaped component. The cap 34 has screw threads 34a formed on its inner circumference for attachment to the cap mounting portion 35. The cap 34 is screwed onto the lower end (tip) of the cap mounting portion 35.

[0040] The cap 34 has a cylindrical portion 34b that penetrates the center of the cap 34. The cylindrical portion 34b protrudes downward from the surface of the cap 34 in the orientation shown in Figures 5A and 5B. A liquid outlet portion 38 is provided on the inner circumference side of the cylindrical portion 34b. The liquid outlet portion 38 is formed in a cylindrical shape concentric with the cylindrical portion 34b on the inner circumference side of the cylindrical portion 34b. By forming the liquid outlet portion 38 on the cylindrical portion 34b of the cap 34, the liquid outlet portion 38 is formed on the bottom portion 30a of the main body 31.

[0041] In the water supply tank 30, the cap 34 is screwed onto the cap mounting portion 35 of the main body 31, making it possible to discharge the water stored in the main body 31 from the liquid outlet portion 38 of the cylindrical portion 34b of the cap 34.

[0042] The liquid outlet section 38 is provided with a first on-off valve 40 that opens and closes the liquid outlet section 38. The first on-off valve 40 controls the discharge of water from the liquid outlet section 38. The first on-off valve 40 mainly comprises a first valve stem 41 (an example of a "valve stem") and a first valve body 42.

[0043] The first valve stem 41 is a rod-shaped member for moving the first valve body 42 in the vertical direction. That is, the first valve stem 41 operates the first valve body 42 of the first on-off valve 40. The first valve stem 41 is provided in the vertical direction so as to penetrate the liquid outlet portion 38. The first valve stem 41 is inserted into the first valve stem guide portion 39 formed in the center of the inner circumference of the liquid outlet portion 38 of the cap 34. By inserting the first valve stem 41 into the first valve stem guide portion 39, the first valve stem 41 can move in the vertical direction without wobbling in the horizontal direction. The upper end portion 41a of the first valve stem 41 is formed in a disc shape with an expanded diameter in the planar direction. The lower end portion 41b of the first valve stem 41 is formed to protrude below the lower end portion 34d of the cylindrical portion 34b of the cap 34.

[0044] The first valve body 42 is a bowl-shaped member for opening and closing the liquid outlet portion 38. The first valve body 42 is fixed to the lower part of the first valve stem 41 so as to be positioned below (outside) the liquid outlet portion 38. The first valve body 42 moves vertically as the first valve stem 41 moves vertically.

[0045] In the first on-off valve 40, as the first valve stem 41 moves upward, the first valve body 42 moves upward and contacts the liquid outlet 38, closing the liquid outlet 38. That is, in the first on-off valve 40, the first valve body 42 contacts the liquid outlet 38 from below, closing the liquid outlet 38. On the other hand, as the first valve stem 41 moves downward, the first valve body 42 moves downward and away from the liquid outlet 38, opening the liquid outlet 38.

[0046] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the first valve stem 41 is moved vertically by the operating mechanism 50. That is, the first on-off valve 40 is operated vertically by the operating mechanism 50. The operating mechanism 50 includes an operating shaft 51, a first spring 52 (an example of the "first biasing member"), and an operating shaft guide 53 (an example of the "guide member").

[0047] The operating shaft 51 is a rod-shaped member that applies an operating force to the first valve stem 41 of the first on-off valve 40 to move the first valve stem 41 downward. In other words, the operating shaft 51 is a member that lowers the first on-off valve 40 against the biasing force of the first spring 52. The operating shaft 51 is provided inside the main body 31. The operating shaft 51 is positioned so that its axis is in the vertical direction. The operating shaft 51 is positioned so that its lower end 51a contacts the upper end 41a of the first valve stem 41 of the first on-off valve 40. The lower end 51a and upper end 51b (see Figure 6A) of the operating shaft 51 are formed in a disc shape with an expanded diameter in the planar direction.

[0048] The first spring 52 is a member that biases the first valve stem 41 and the first valve body 42 in an upward direction. In other words, the first spring 52 is a member that biases the first on-off valve 40 in an upward direction. The first valve stem 41 is inserted into the first spring 52. The first spring 52 is held between the upper end portion 41a of the first valve stem 41 and the first valve stem guide portion 39 formed in the liquid outlet portion 38 of the cap 34.

[0049] As shown in Figure 2, the operating shaft guide 53 is a cylindrical member that guides the vertical movement of the operating shaft 51. The operating shaft guide 53 is provided inside the main body 31, extending vertically. As shown in detail in Figures 5A and 5B, the operating shaft guide 53 is held at the upper end 34c of the cylindrical portion 34b of the cap 34 by inserting its lower end 53a into the upper end 34c of the cylindrical portion 34b of the cap 34. The operating shaft 51 is inserted through the inner circumference of the operating shaft guide 53. By inserting the operating shaft 51 through the inner circumference of the operating shaft guide 53, the operating shaft 51 can move vertically without wobbling horizontally.

[0050] As shown in Figures 2, 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D, an airtight mechanism 60 is formed in the upper center of the lid 32. The airtight mechanism 60 is a mechanism for maintaining a sealed state in which the inside of the water supply tank 30 body 31 is not exposed to the atmosphere when the water supply tank 30 is attached to the tray 20. The airtight mechanism 60 includes a second on-off valve 61, a second spring 62 (an example of a "second biasing member"), and an operating member 63.

[0051] The second on-off valve 61 is a valve that opens and closes an opening 37 formed in the central part of the inner circumference of the recess 32a of the cover 32. The opening 37 allows air to enter and exit the body 31 from the top of the recess 32a of the cover 32. Therefore, the second on-off valve 61 closes the opening 37, which allows air to enter and exit the body 31 from the outside to the inside of the body 31, thereby making the inside of the body 31 airtight. The second on-off valve 61 mainly comprises a second valve stem 64 and a second valve body 65.

[0052] The second valve stem 64 is a rod-shaped member for moving the second valve body 65 in the vertical direction. The second valve stem 64 is provided vertically inside the recess 32a so as to pass through the opening 37 formed in the recess 32a of the cover 32. The second valve stem 64 is inserted into a cylindrical second valve stem guide portion 37a that protrudes from the inner circumference center of the opening 37 of the cover 32. By inserting the second valve stem 64 into the second valve stem guide portion 37a, the second valve stem 64 can move vertically without wobbling horizontally. The upper end portion 64a of the second valve stem 64 is formed in a disc shape with an expanded diameter in the planar direction.

[0053] The second valve body 65 is a bowl-shaped member for opening and closing the opening 37. The second valve body 65 is fixed to the second valve stem 64 so as to be positioned above the opening 37 when the cover 32 is closed. The second valve body 65 moves vertically as the second valve stem 64 moves vertically when the cover 32 is closed.

[0054] In the second on-off valve 61, when the cover 32 is closed, the second valve stem 64 moves downward, causing the second valve body 65 to move downward and come into contact with the opening 37, closing the opening 37. On the other hand, when the cover 32 is closed, the second valve stem 64 moves upward, causing the second valve body 65 to move upward and move away from the opening 37, opening the opening 37.

[0055] The second spring 62 is a component that biases the second valve stem 64 and the second valve body 65 upward when the cover 32 is closed. In other words, the second spring 62 is a component that biases the second on-off valve 61 upward when the cover 32 is closed. The second spring 62 is provided on the outer circumference of the second valve stem guide portion 37a and contacts the lower part of the second valve body 65.

[0056] The operating member 63 is a cap-shaped member for operating the second on-off valve 61. The operating member 63 is positioned on the inner circumference of the recess 32a of the cover 32 so as to fit into the recessed portion that forms the inner circumference of the recess 32a. The operating member 63 is positioned on the upper end 64a side of the second valve stem 64 so as to cover the second valve stem 64 and the second valve body 65 from above.

[0057] In the airtight mechanism 60, the second on-off valve 61 is operated by changing the position of the handle 33. That is, the second on-off valve 61 opens and closes the opening 37 in conjunction with the rotational movement of the handle 33. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 6B, the second on-off valve 61 closes the opening 37 when the handle 33 is moved to the second lateral position.

[0058] More specifically, when the handle 33 moves from the first lateral position shown in Figure 6A (where the handle 33 does not push down the operating member 63) to the second lateral position shown in Figure 6B (where the handle 33 pushes down the operating member 63), the operating member 63 is pushed downward by the handle 33. When the operating member 63 is pushed downward, the second valve stem 64 is pushed downward by the operating member 63, and the second valve body 65 moves downward against the biasing force of the second spring 62. As the second valve body 65 moves downward, it comes into contact with the opening 37 and closes the opening 37. In other words, the second on-off valve 61 closes the opening 37 by descending against the biasing force of the second spring 62. As a result, the opening 37, which allows air to enter and exit from the outside of the main body 31, is closed, and the inside of the main body 31 of the water supply tank 30 is kept in a sealed state that is not open to the atmosphere.

[0059] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6D, by positioning the handle 33 vertically (away from the cover 32), the second on-off valve 61 opens the opening 37. More specifically, when the handle 33 is in an orientation away from the cover 32, the pressure applied by the handle 33 to the operating member 63 is released. When the pressure on the operating member 63 is released, the second valve body 65, which is fixed to the second valve stem 64 that was being pushed downward by the operating member 63, is pushed upward by the biasing force of the second spring 62. As the second valve body 65 is pushed upward, it separates from the opening 37, opening the opening 37. In other words, the second on-off valve 61 opens the opening 37 by rising due to the biasing force of the second spring 62. This allows air to enter and exit the opening 37. At this time, the air passes through the gap between the outer surface of the second valve stem 64 and the inner surface of the second valve stem guide portion 37a.

[0060] Next, the opening and closing of the liquid outlet section 38 by the first on-off valve 40 will be explained.

[0061] As shown in Figure 5B, in the first on-off valve 40, the first valve stem 41 and the first valve body 42 are biased upward by the first spring 52. The first valve body 42 rises due to the biasing force of the first spring 52 unless operated by the operating mechanism 50 (operating shaft 51). As the first valve body 42 rises, it comes into contact with the liquid outlet 38 and closes the liquid outlet 38. For this reason, even if the first valve stem 41 of the first on-off valve 40 comes into contact with a projection formed on the tray 20 or the floor, etc., and is pushed upward, the first on-off valve 40 will not open.

[0062] As shown in Figure 2, the water supply tank 30, which stores water in the main body 31, is attached to the tray 20. At that time, the first on-off valve 40 opens the liquid outlet 38 when the handle 33 is in the second lateral position. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6A, first, the user manually closes the lid 32 of the water supply tank 30 that stores water in the main body 31, thereby closing the water inlet 36 with the lid 32. At this time, the handle 33 does not rotate relative to the lid 32, but is held in the first lateral position (see Figure 6A). In other words, the lid 32 and the handle 33 rotate independently.

[0063] Next, when the user places the tray 20 with the water tank 30 attached inside the main body 11 of the air purifier 10, the first horizontally positioned handle 33 (see Figure 6A) is pushed by the main body 11 (see Figure 1), resulting in the second horizontally positioned handle 33 as shown in Figure 6B.

[0064] As shown in Figure 6B, when the handle 33 assumes the second lateral position, the operating member 63 is pushed downward by the handle 33, and the second valve stem 64 is also pushed downward by the operating member 63. At the same time, the second valve stem 64 pushes the second spring 62 downward against the biasing force of the second spring 62. As a result, the second valve body 65 comes into contact with the opening 37 and closes the opening 37. When the opening 37 is closed, the inside of the main body 31 of the water supply tank 30 becomes airtight.

[0065] At the same time, the downward pressure from the operating member 63 causes the lower end 64b of the second valve stem 64 to come into contact with the upper end 51b of the operating shaft 51, further pushing the upper end 51b of the operating shaft 51 downward. As a result, the operating shaft 51 moves downward.

[0066] As shown in Figure 5A, as the operating shaft 51 moves downward, the lower end 51a of the operating shaft 51 comes into contact with the upper end 41a of the first valve stem 41, and further pushes the upper end 41a of the first valve stem 41 downward. At the same time, the first valve stem 41 moves downward against the biasing force of the first spring 52, pushing the first spring 52 downward. As a result, the first valve body 42 separates from the liquid outlet 38, opening the liquid outlet 38.

[0067] In this way, when the lid 32 closes the water inlet 36 and the second on-off valve 61 closes the opening 37 by the rotation of the handle 33, the first on-off valve 40 descends against the biasing force of the first spring 52 by the operation of the operating mechanism 50 (operating shaft 51), opening the liquid outlet 38. That is, the operating mechanism 50 operates the first on-off valve 40 in the vertical direction in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the second on-off valve 61. Therefore, after mounting the water supply tank 30 on the tray 20, closing the lid 32 and rotating the handle 33 closes the opening 37 and opens the liquid outlet 38, allowing the water in the water supply tank 30 to be discharged onto the tray 20. Furthermore, since the first on-off valve 40, which is biased by the first spring 52, and the second on-off valve 61, which is biased by the second spring 62, operate in conjunction, the opening and closing of the opening 37 and the opening and closing of the liquid outlet 38 can be quickly and in conjunction.

[0068] Here, since the lower end 41b of the first valve stem 41 is formed to protrude below the lower end 34d of the cylindrical portion 34b of the cap 34, even if the water supply tank 30 is placed directly on the floor or the like without being attached to the tray 20 and the handle 33 is accidentally turned, the lower end 41b of the first valve stem 41 will be pushed against the floor or the like, further pushing up the first valve body 42, and the liquid outlet portion 38 will remain closed. Therefore, the water in the water supply tank 30 will not be discharged from the liquid outlet portion 38.

[0069] On the other hand, when the user removes the tray 20 with the water tank 30 attached from the main body 11 of the air purifier 10, the handle 33 separates from the main body 11 and is pushed upward by the biasing force of the second spring 62. As a result, the position of the handle 33 returns from the second lateral position shown in Figure 6B to the first lateral position shown in Figure 6A. When the handle 33 returns to the first lateral position, the pressure applied by the handle 33 to the operating member 63 is released. As a result, the second valve body 65 is pushed upward by the biasing force of the second spring 62. As the second valve body 65 is pushed upward, it separates from the opening 37 and opens the opening 37.

[0070] Furthermore, when the pressure applied by the handle 33 to the operating member 63 is released, the pressure applied by the lower end 64b of the second valve stem 64 to the upper end 51b of the operating shaft 51 is released. As a result, as shown in Figure 5B, the first valve stem 41, which was being pushed downward by the operating shaft 51, is pushed upward by the biasing force of the first spring 52. As the first valve stem 41 is pushed upward, the first valve body 42, which is fixed to the first valve stem 41, rises and comes into contact with the liquid outlet 38, closing the liquid outlet 38.

[0071] Thus, when the second shut-off valve 61 opens the opening 37 by the rotation of the handle 33, the first shut-off valve 40 rises due to the biasing force of the first spring 52 of the operating mechanism 50 and closes the liquid outlet 38. For this reason, water will not leak from the liquid outlet 38 when the inside of the water tank 30 body 31 is open to the atmosphere and not in a sealed state. Therefore, when water is supplied into the water tank 30 body 31 by opening the water inlet 36, water will not leak from the liquid outlet 38.

[0072] Next, the supply of water to the water tank 30 will be explained. In the water tank 30, as described above, the first on-off valve 40 opens the liquid outlet 38 when the handle 33 is in the second lateral position. Therefore, the liquid outlet 38 will not open unless the handle 33 is in the second lateral position, that is, unless the handle 33 presses the operating member 63 and lowers the second valve stem 64 and the operating shaft 51 of the operating mechanism 50. Also, in the water tank 30, as described above, the lid 32 and the handle 33 rotate independently. Therefore, the position of the handle 33 does not change simply by the user opening and closing the lid 32.

[0073] Therefore, when supplying water to the water tank 30, the lid 32 is opened with the handle 33 in the first horizontal position (where the handle 33 does not press down on the operating member 63), as shown in Figure 6A, or with the handle 33 in the vertical position (where it is separated from the lid 32), as shown in Figure 6D. This allows the water inlet 36 formed on the upper part of the main body 31 to be opened while the liquid outlet 38 for discharging water from the water tank 30 is closed by the first shut-off valve 40. In other words, when the lid 32 opens the water inlet 36 and the second shut-off valve 61 opens the opening 37 by the rotational movement of the handle 33, the first shut-off valve 40 rises due to the biasing force of the first spring 52 and closes the liquid outlet 38. In short, the opening and closing of the first shut-off valve 40 and the opening and closing of the second shut-off valve 61 are linked in opposite directions. Therefore, water can be supplied to the main body 31 from the water inlet 36 while the liquid outlet 38 is closed. Furthermore, by opening only the lid 32 while the water tank 30 is attached to the tray 20, water can be supplied to the water tank 30 while it is still attached to the tray 20.

[0074] Furthermore, when transporting the water tank 30 using the handle 33, as shown in Figure 6D, the handle 33 is in a vertical position (away from the lid 32), so the liquid outlet 38 will not open and water will not leak out of the water tank 30 during transport.

[0075] Next, the supply of water from the water tank 30 to the tray 20 will be described. In the water tank 30, as described above, the first on-off valve 40 opens the liquid outlet 38 when the handle 33 is in the second lateral position. Therefore, when supplying water from the water tank 30 to the tray 20, as shown in Figure 2, the water tank 30 is attached to the tank holding part 22 of the tray 20, and then the handle 33 is set to the second lateral position as shown in Figure 6B. This causes the handle 33 to press the operating member 63 and lower the second valve stem 64. As the second valve stem 64 lowers, the operating shaft 51 of the operating mechanism 50 lowers. As the operating shaft 51 of the operating mechanism 50 lowers, as shown in Figure 5A, the first valve stem 41 lowers and the first valve body 42 opens the liquid outlet 38, and the water in the water tank 30 is discharged from the liquid outlet 38 to the tank holding part 22 of the tray 20.

[0076] Furthermore, in the water supply tank 30, as shown in Figure 6B, when the handle 33 is in the second lateral position, the second shut-off valve closes the opening 37, maintaining a sealed state inside the body 31 of the water supply tank 30 that is not exposed to the atmosphere. Therefore, after the water in the water supply tank 30 is discharged from the liquid outlet 38 to the tank holding part 22 of the tray 20, when the water level in the tank holding part 22 rises to the position of the lower end (tip) of the liquid outlet 38, the inside of the body 31 of the water supply tank 30 becomes sealed, and the discharge of water from the liquid outlet 38 stops.

[0077] As described above, according to this embodiment, the first on-off valve 40, which opens and closes the liquid outlet portion 38 formed on the bottom 30a side of the main body 31, is raised by the biasing force of the first spring 52, thereby closing the liquid outlet portion 38. Therefore, the first on-off valve 40 will not open due to the first valve stem 41 of the first on-off valve 40 being pushed up by contact with a protrusion or the like formed on the tray 20 or the floor. For this reason, the first on-off valve 40 will not open and water will not leak out from the liquid outlet portion 38 before the water supply tank 30 is properly installed on the tray 20.

[0078] In this embodiment, the operating mechanism 50 (operating shaft 51) operates the first on-off valve 40 vertically in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the second on-off valve 61. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the operating mechanism 50 (operating shaft 51) may also operate the first on-off valve 40 vertically in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the cover 32. In this case, the operating member for pushing down the upper end 51b of the operating shaft 51 does not need to be the second valve stem 64 of the second on-off valve 61. For example, the upper end 51b of the operating shaft 51 may be pushed down by an operating member molded integrally with the cover 32. That is, when the cover 32 is closed over the water inlet 36, the operating member molded integrally with the cover 32 pushes down the upper end 51b of the operating shaft 51. As a result, the first on-off valve 40 descends against the biasing force of the first spring 52 and opens the liquid outlet 38 when the cover 32 closes the water inlet 36.

[0079] Furthermore, when the lid 32 is opened over the water inlet 36, the operating member molded integrally with the lid 32 is lifted upward, releasing the pressure the operating member exerts on the operating shaft 51. As a result, the first on-off valve 40 rises due to the biasing force of the first spring 52 and closes the liquid outlet 38. In other words, the first on-off valve 40 rises due to the biasing force of the first spring 52 when the lid 32 opens the water inlet 36, closing the liquid outlet 38. In this way, since the first on-off valve 40 closes the liquid outlet 38 when the lid 32 opens the water inlet 36, water can be supplied into the water tank 30 (main body 31) by opening the lid 32, even when the water tank 30 is mounted on the tray 20.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second on-off valve 61 opens and closes the opening 37 in conjunction with the rotational movement of the handle 33, but this is not limited to this, and the second on-off valve 61 may also open and close the opening 37 in conjunction with the opening and closing movement of the lid 32. In other words, the lid 32 is given the same function as the handle 33. By having the second on-off valve 61 open and close the opening 37 in conjunction with the opening and closing movement of the lid 32, the opening 37 can be opened and closed by the opening and closing movement of the lid 32 alone. In other words, by the opening and closing movement of the lid 32 alone, it is possible to maintain a sealed state in which the inside of the water supply tank 30 is not exposed to the atmosphere. In addition, the operating mechanism 50 operates the first on-off valve 40 in the vertical direction in conjunction with the opening and closing movement of the lid 32 and the opening and closing movement of the second on-off valve 61.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tray 20 equipped with the humidifying filter 15 and the water supply tank 30 is positioned from one side of the main body 11 of the air purifier 10. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 7, the tray 20 equipped with the humidifying filter 15 and the water supply tank 30 may be positioned from the top of the main body 11A of the air purifier 10A.

[0082] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an air purifier 10A according to another embodiment. In the air purifier 10A, when the water supply tank 30 is placed inside the main body 11A, a top cover 11B is provided to cover the water supply tank 30 from above. In the air purifier 10A, when the top cover 11B is closed, the top cover 11B pushes down the handle 33. As a result, the handle 33 changes from a first lateral position to a second lateral position. Then, the operating shaft 51 of the operating mechanism 50 moves downward and opens the first on-off valve 40.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a second on-off valve 61 is provided to seal the opening 37 that allows air to enter and exit from the outside of the main body 31, thereby making the inside of the main body 31 airtight. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the opening 37 may be sealed with a sealing member such as an O-ring without providing the second on-off valve 61.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second shut-off valve 61 is located at the top of the water supply tank 30, but the invention is not limited to this, and the second shut-off valve 61 may be located on the side of the water supply tank 30. Also, in this embodiment, a water inlet 36 is provided at the top of the water supply tank 30, and water is supplied from the top of the water supply tank 30, but the invention is not limited to this, and the water inlet 36 may be provided on the side of the water supply tank 30, and water is supplied from the side of the water supply tank 30. In this case, it is preferable that the lid 32 for opening and closing the water inlet 36 is located at the top of the side of the water supply tank 30.

[0085] Embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. The drawings schematically show each component in order to facilitate understanding, and the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc. of each component shown may differ from the actual dimensions due to the convenience of drawing creation. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, etc. of each component shown in the above embodiments are examples and are not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible without substantially departing from the configuration of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0086] This invention can prevent water from leaking from the liquid outlet before the water supply tank is properly installed in the tray. Therefore, the industrial applicability of this invention is great. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0087] 10. Air purifier (air conditioner) 20 Tray (water receiving component) 24 Retaining part (retaining member) 30 Water tanks 31 Main unit (tank body) 32 Lid 33 Handle 36 Water inlet 37 Opening 38 Liquid outlet section (liquid outlet) 40. First shut-off valve 41. First valve stem (valve stem) 50 Operating mechanism 51 Operation axis 52 First spring (first biasing member) 61 Second shut-off valve 62. Second spring (second biasing member)

Claims

1. The tank body for storing water, A first on / off valve that opens and closes a liquid outlet formed at the bottom of the tank body, An operating mechanism for operating the first on / off valve in the vertical direction and Equipped with, The operating mechanism includes a first biasing member that biases the first on-off valve upward, The first on-off valve is, The first biasing member rises due to its biasing force, thereby closing the liquid outlet. By descending against the biasing force of the first biasing member, the liquid outlet is opened. The tank body is further provided with a second on-off valve that closes an opening that allows air to enter and exit from the outside of the tank body to the inside of the tank body, thereby making the inside of the tank body airtight. The operating mechanism operates the first on-off valve vertically in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the second on-off valve. The first on-off valve is, When the second valve opens the opening, it rises due to the biasing force of the first biasing member and closes the liquid outlet. When the second on-off valve closes the opening, it descends against the biasing force of the first biasing member and opens the liquid outlet. The tank body is further provided with a lid that opens and closes the water inlet formed therein, The second on-off valve opens and closes the opening in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the cover, The lid is rotatably formed and further comprises a handle for transporting the tank body, The second on-off valve opens and closes the opening in conjunction with the rotational movement of the handle. The operating mechanism operates the first on-off valve vertically in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the second on-off valve. The first on-off valve is, The lid opens the water inlet, and the second on-off valve opens the opening due to the rotation of the handle, causing the first biasing member to rise and close the liquid outlet. The lid closes the water inlet, and the second on-off valve closes the opening by the rotation of the handle, causing it to descend against the biasing force of the first biasing member and open the liquid outlet. Water tank.

2. A tank body for storing water, A first on / off valve that opens and closes a liquid outlet formed at the bottom of the tank body, An operating mechanism for operating the first on / off valve in the vertical direction and Equipped with, The operating mechanism includes a first biasing member that biases the first on-off valve upward, The first on-off valve is, The first biasing member rises due to its biasing force, thereby closing the liquid outlet. By descending against the biasing force of the first biasing member, the liquid outlet is opened. The tank body is further provided with a second on-off valve that closes an opening that allows air to enter and exit from the outside of the tank body to the inside of the tank body, thereby making the inside of the tank body airtight. The operating mechanism operates the first on-off valve vertically in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the second on-off valve. The first on-off valve is, When the second valve opens the opening, it rises due to the biasing force of the first biasing member and closes the liquid outlet. When the second on-off valve closes the opening, it descends against the biasing force of the first biasing member and opens the liquid outlet. The second valve is further provided with a second biasing member that biases the second valve upward, The second shut-off valve is, The opening is opened by rising due to the biasing force of the second biasing member. By descending against the biasing force of the second biasing member, the opening is closed. Water tank.

3. A water supply tank according to claim 1 or 2, The water tank comprises a water receiving member that receives water drained from the liquid outlet of the water supply tank, Air conditioner.

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