air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner which enables increase of a ventilation amount of a draft air duct.SOLUTION: A dehumidification unit side control unit 70 causes an air blowing part 130 to oscillate to a predetermined position where a fan motor 135 is deviated from an air blowing direction and causes a sirocco fan 62 and / or a fan 136 to be driven when a specific mode, in which a ventilation amount of a draft air duct 64 is increased to be larger than a predetermined ventilation amount, is performed. When the specific mode is performed, the air blowing part 130 oscillates to the position where the fan motor 135 is deviated from the blowing direction of air blown from an air outlet 41 as shown in Fig. 13 to prevent pressure loss caused by the fan motor 135 being located in the air blowing direction. Thus, the ventilation amount in the draft air duct 64 is increased compared to a case where the fan motor 135 is located in the air blowing direction. The ventilation amount in the draft air duct 64 is increased by simple control and thus product quality is improved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner in which a blower unit is placed on an air conditioning unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in this conventional product, since the blower unit is fixed on the air conditioning unit and the position of the blower unit does not change, there is a pressure loss due to the air blown from the air conditioning unit colliding with the components of the blower unit, and it is impossible to easily increase the ventilation volume of the air passage in the air conditioning unit through which air passes, so there is room for improvement because it cannot be dealt with.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, in claim 1 of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner including an air conditioning unit and a blower unit placed on the upper surface of the air conditioning unit, wherein the air conditioning unit has a housing having a bottom surface facing the installation surface, an upper surface facing upward, and side surfaces connecting the upper surface and the bottom surface, a suction port disposed in the housing, an air conditioning unit housed in the housing for conditioning the air sucked from the suction port, an air conditioning side fan housed in the housing for blowing air to the air conditioning unit, It has an outlet located on the upper surface that blows out air that has been conditioned by the air conditioning unit and passed through the air duct upward, The aforementioned blower unit is The base portion located on the upper surface, A blower unit is supported on the base so as to be able to oscillate around a pivot axis that is aligned in a predetermined direction, A fan motor is provided to support the blower-side fan, which is housed in the blower section and blows air out from the outlet, so that it can be rotated. It includes an oscillating motor that causes the blower to oscillate within a predetermined range, The system includes a control unit that operates the drive unit in response to instructions and controls the airflow passage to achieve a predetermined airflow rate, The predetermined range includes the state in which the fan motor is positioned in the direction of airflow from the outlet, The control unit is characterized in that, when performing a specific mode in which the amount of airflow through the air passage is increased to a predetermined amount of airflow, the fan motor causes the air blower to oscillate to a predetermined position away from the airflow direction, and drives the air conditioning side fan and / or the air blower side fan.

[0006] Furthermore, claim 2 is characterized in that the predetermined position is such that the space between the fan motor and the rear end of the blower fan faces the air outlet.

[0007] Furthermore, in claim 3, the air conditioning unit is a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows, The aforementioned air conditioning unit is The casing houses a refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant circulates in the following order: compressor, condenser (which is the heat exchanger), depressurizer, and evaporator (which is the heat exchanger). The aforementioned specific mode is characterized by being a defrosting operation that removes frost from the evaporator.

[0008] Furthermore, in claim 4, the air conditioning unit is a heating heater that heats the air blown out from the outlet, The aforementioned specific mode is characterized by a heat exhaust operation that discharges heat from inside the housing after heating by the heating element has finished.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to this invention, when implementing a specific mode of increasing the ventilation volume of the air duct above a predetermined ventilation volume, the fan motor swings the air supply unit to a predetermined position deviated from the air supply direction and drives the air conditioning side fan and / or the air supply side fan. Therefore, the fan motor is not located in the air supply direction of the air sent from the air conditioning unit, the pressure loss is eliminated, and the ventilation volume in the air duct in the air conditioning unit can be easily increased, so the product quality is improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] [Figure 1] An external perspective view seen from the front when the dehumidifier in this embodiment is integrated. [Figure 2] An external perspective view seen from the back when the dehumidifier in this embodiment is integrated. [Figure 3] A longitudinal sectional view when the dehumidifier with a circulator is integrated. [Figure 4] An exploded perspective view when the dehumidifier with a circulator is integrated. [Figure 5] A schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier with a circulator. [Figure 6] Among the functional blocks in FIG. 5, a schematic functional block diagram for specifically explaining each power supply unit. [Figure 7] An external perspective view seen from the front of the circulator when separated. [Figure 8] An external perspective view seen from the back of the circulator when separated. [Figure 9] An external perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the dehumidifier when separated. [Figure 10] A sectional view along the vertical direction specifically showing the circulator. [Figure 11] A sectional view when the air supply unit faces the front during swinging. [Figure 12] A sectional view when the air supply unit faces the back during swinging. [Figure 13]Cross-sectional view when the blower unit swings to a predetermined position in a specific mode

Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] An embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the air conditioner of the present invention is applied to a dehumidifier with a circulator that uses a vapor compression refrigeration cycle to dehumidify by condensing moisture contained in the air and then blows the air, and will be described accordingly.

[0012] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view seen from the front when the dehumidifier 1 with a circulator in this embodiment is integrated. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view seen from the back when the dehumidifier 1 with a circulator in this embodiment is integrated. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view when the dehumidifier 1 with a circulator is integrated. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view when the dehumidifier 1 with a circulator is integrated. FIG. 5 is a schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier 1 with a circulator. FIG. 6 is a schematic functional block diagram for particularly explaining each power supply unit 83, 183 among the functional blocks of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view seen from the front of the circulator 3 when separated. FIG. 8 is an external perspective view seen from the back of the circulator 3 when separated. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the dehumidifier 1 when separated.

[0013] In the following explanation, the definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right shown in each drawing will be followed. The side facing forward on which the dehumidifier unit side operation unit 74 is located may be called the front, and the side facing backward on the opposite side of the front may be called the rear. The direction along the front, back, left, and right directions will be called the horizontal direction. The definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right of the circulator 3 may differ depending on whether the circulator 3 is attached to the dehumidifier unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "integrated") or separated from the dehumidifier unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "separated"). In the integrated state, the definitions in Figures 1 to 4 and 10 to 12 will be followed, and in the separated state, the definitions in Figures 7 and 8 may be followed.

[0014] The dehumidifier with a circulator 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "dehumidifier 1") comprises a dehumidification unit 2 (air conditioning unit) and a circulator 3 (air blower unit) positioned above the dehumidification unit 2. As shown in Figure 4, the circulator 3 is detachable from the dehumidification unit 2 (housing 10) and can blow air in conjunction with or independently of the dehumidification unit 2.

[0015] The dehumidifying unit 2 has a housing 10 that forms the external appearance of the dehumidifying unit 2. The housing 10 has a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, a top panel 14, and a base 15.

[0016] The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 are joined together via connecting wires 13 that extend vertically at approximately the center of the housing 10 in the front-to-back direction, forming side surfaces 23 that connect the top surface 21 and the bottom surface 22 of the housing 10. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 each have a top frame portion 24 that is formed by bending horizontally inward from their upper ends. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12, which form the left and right side surfaces 23, also have handle cutouts 25 for which handles 43 are positioned. The handle cutouts 25 are formed at the upper end of the side surfaces 23 and approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rear frame 12 (side 23 on the rear side) has an intake port 31, a tank insertion port 32, and a power cord port 34. The intake port 31 has multiple 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 or nonwoven fabric and removes dust and odor components mixed in with the intake air. The filter case 38 fixes the filter 37 to the intake port 31. The tank insertion port 32 is located below the intake port 31, and the drain tank 69 is inserted and removed from here. The power cord port 34 is located in the lower right of the rear frame 12, and the power cord 4 connected to the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is routed from the power cord port 34 to the outside of the housing 10.

[0018] The top plate 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 top plate 14 is positioned to cover the opening 24a (Figure 2) formed by the inner edge of the top frame portion 24. Together with the top frame portion 24 described above, the base portion 14a forms the top surface 21, which is the surface facing upward of the housing 10. On the top surface 21, the peripheral wall portion 14b forms a step with respect to the top frame portion 24, so that the base portion 14a functions as an upwardly convex upper surface portion 90 (Figure 4) relative to the top frame portion 24.

[0019] The top panel 14 also has an air outlet 41, an air guide wall 42, a handle 43, and left and right intake recesses 45.

[0020] 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.

[0021] The air guide wall 42 is a wall that rises a certain 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.

[0022] The handles 43 are formed on the left and right sides of the top panel 14, corresponding to the handle notches 25 of the front frame 11 and rear frame 12, and are located above the side surface 23. The handles 43 have handle recesses 51 and finger rests 52 that are recessed inward from the side surface 23 in the left-right direction, and are used by the user when transporting the dehumidifier 1.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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 or through a gap to the installation surface such as the floor.

[0025] The dehumidification unit 2, as shown in Figure 3, has the following main internal components housed in the casing 10: a fan case 61, a sirocco fan 62 as the air conditioning fan, a blower motor 63 as the drive unit, a compressor 65, a heat exchanger 66, a heating element 67, a drain pan 68, and a drain tank 69. Furthermore, an air passage 64 is formed inside the housing 10, through which air can pass from the intake port 31 to the outlet port 41.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] The compressor 65 is fixed on the base 15 and connected to the heat exchanger 66 via piping 65a and a pressure reducing device.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] The heating element 67 (air conditioning unit) heats the low-humidity air that has passed through the condenser 66b before the outlet 41.

[0032] The air passage 64 is located between the intake port 31 and the outlet port 41 and consists of a space where the heat exchanger 66 is located and a fan case 61. When the sirocco fan 62 is driven, the air drawn in from the intake port 31 passes through the space where the heat exchanger 66 is located and the fan case 61, and is blown out from the outlet port 41.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 is a control board positioned, for example, 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 element 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 oscillation motor 138, by transmitting infrared signals, both when the units are integrated and when they are separated.

[0038] The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 has a storage unit 77 and a timer 78. The storage unit 77 stores the operation programs of each part, etc. The timer 78 measures time for timer operation of the dehumidifier 1, etc.

[0039] One or more temperature sensors 71 and humidity sensors 72 are installed at predetermined locations on the dehumidifier unit 1 to 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. In addition, one of the temperature sensors 71 measures the temperature of the evaporator 66a. The notification unit 73 outputs an alarm sound or the like to inform the user of the situation based on instructions from the dehumidification unit side control unit 70.

[0040] The dehumidifier unit-side control panel 74 and display panel 75 are located at the top of the front side 23 (front frame 11) and approximately in the center in the left-right direction. The dehumidifier unit-side control panel 74 (air conditioning-side control panel) has multiple input buttons that implement functions such as an operation switch, timer switch, operation mode selection switch, and a switch for setting the operation of the circulator 3. The display panel 75 displays the operating status of the dehumidifier 1 and other information using the illumination status of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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. 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 can send and receive required infrared signals with 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 sends and receives infrared signals from, for example, a dehumidification unit side transparent window 86 that transmits infrared rays and is provided in the panel 76 on which the dehumidification unit side operation unit 74 is formed.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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 oscillating axis 139 (Figure 10) that is aligned with the base portion 110 in the left-right direction.

[0047] 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 air 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.

[0048] The base bottom surface 111 is a frame-shaped surface having substantially the same shape as the upper surface 21 formed by the upper frame 24. When assembled, the base bottom surface 111 is the surface that rests on and contacts the upper frame 24. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the base bottom surface 111 has a circulator-side recess 190 (air blower-side recess) 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 14b of the upper plate 14 and corresponding to the shape of the upper surface convex portion 90. Since the circulator-side recess 190 corresponds to the shape of the upper surface convex portion 90, it engages with the upper surface convex portion 90 when assembled. As a result, the base 110's horizontal movement parallel to the installation surface, i.e., movement on the upper surface 21, is restricted by the upper surface convex portion 90. Furthermore, since the circulator 3 is supported by the housing 10 through a simple interlocking of protrusions and indentations, it can be easily removed by lifting it upwards.

[0049] 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.

[0050] The left and right intake ports 121 are positioned approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction on the left and right base side surfaces 112, and are formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the base side surface 112 and the base bottom surface 111. 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 surface 23 of the housing 10 with respect to the finger rest 52, or with respect to the boundary line 5 between the top frame 24 and the base bottom surface 111. 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 interact to connect the perimeter of the dehumidifier 1 with the inside of the base 110 via the left and right intake ports 121.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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, and a surface 113b that curves downward from approximately the center to the front. The upper surface 113 of the base has a curved recess 113c at the rear. The recess 113c is formed so that the airflow from the circulator 3 is not obstructed by the base 110 when the two are assembled, allowing airflow to be carried out.

[0053] The blower unit 130 includes a cover 131, a fan motor 135 as a drive unit, and a fan 136 as a blower-side fan. Here, Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the vertical direction, specifically showing the circulator 3.

[0054] The cover 131 is a bone-like member for protecting the user's fingers, etc., from the fan 136. The cover 131 has an intake-side cover 131a that covers the intake side (upstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the intake surface, and a flat outlet-side cover 131b that covers the outlet side (downstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the outlet surface. The intake-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 almost horizontally and the rotation axis 140 of the fan 136 is aligned vertically, as shown in Figure 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "stopped position"), the intake-side cover 131a has a motor support portion 131c that is formed as an upward recess at the center position facing downward. The cover 131 has a trapezoidal or nearly spherical shape with two parallel surfaces. The outlet-side cover 131b forms the larger surface area, and the motor support portion 131c forms the smaller surface area. The cover 131 may also have a spherical cutout shape consisting of a single plane passing through the center of the sphere.

[0055] In the stopped position, the fan motor 135 and fan 136 are housed inside the cover 131 such that the rotation axis 140 of the fan motor 135 (fan 136) is aligned vertically and passes through the center C of the sphere that makes up the cover 131. The fan motor 135 rotates the fan 136 around the rotation axis 140. 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.

[0056] 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 coincides approximately upward with the direction of airflow from the outlet 41. 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 oscillating axis 139 that runs in the left-right direction (predetermined direction) from its stationary position when assembled, by means of an oscillating motor 138. The oscillating motor 138 is located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The oscillating motor 138 positions its oscillating axis 139 approximately in the center of the front-to-back direction of the circulator 3. The oscillating axis 139 passes through the center C of the sphere forming the spherical cover 131 and is parallel to the two surfaces formed by the outlet-side cover 131b and the motor support unit 131c. The oscillating axis 139 is also perpendicular to the rotation axis 140 of the fan 136. Furthermore, as will be described later, the air blower 130 is supported such that the distance h between the upper end 42a of the air guide wall 42 and the intake side cover 131a facing the upper end 42a remains constant when the unit oscillates.

[0057] 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.

[0058] The circulator-side control unit 170 is a control board 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 oscillating motor 138 based on instructions from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 or the circulator-side operation unit 174.

[0059] The circulator-side control unit 174 (fan-side control unit) is positioned approximately in the center of the left-right direction on the front base side surface 112. The circulator-side control unit 174 has multiple input buttons, for example, to implement an operation switch and an oscillation switch.

[0060] The circulator-side communication unit 182 is an infrared antenna capable of sending and receiving required infrared signals with the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170. The circulator-side communication unit 182 sends and receives infrared signals, for example, through a circulator-side transparent window 186 that transmits infrared rays and is provided on the upper surface 113b of the base portion 110.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] In its integrated configuration, the circulator 3 primarily draws in dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2, circulating and agitating the surrounding air while blowing this air upwards. The circulator 3 also operates by oscillating around a left-right oscillating axis 139, alternatingly directing its air outlet in the front-back direction. When separated, the circulator 3 is used in an upright position, rotated 90 degrees from its integrated configuration, with the rear-facing side of the base 112 facing the floor or other surface, and the front-facing side of the base 112 facing upwards. The circulator 3 draws in surrounding air from its rear, circulating and agitating the surrounding air while blowing this air forwards. The circulator 3 also operates by oscillating up and down around a left-right oscillating axis 139.

[0064] In the integrated configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2, the dehumidifier 1, in conjunction with the operating state of the dehumidification unit 2, for example, controls the operation of the circulator 3 via the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70, thereby providing air conditioning suitable for the ambient humidity and temperature detected by the dehumidification unit 2. Similarly, in the separated configuration shown in Figure 9, the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 controls the operation of the circulator 3 in conjunction with the operating state of the dehumidification unit 2, thereby providing air conditioning suitable for the ambient humidity and temperature detected by the dehumidification unit 2.

[0065] 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.

[0066] In both integrated and separated configurations, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 can transmit an infrared signal consisting of required control information to the circulator control unit 170 by controlling the dehumidification unit communication unit 82. Upon receiving the infrared signal via the circulator communication unit 182, the circulator control unit 170 can control the operation of the circulator 3 based on the received control information.

[0067] 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.

[0068] Here, the relationship between the air blower section 130 and the outlet 41 of the dehumidifying unit 2 is suitably set in order to efficiently blow the dehumidified air from the dehumidifying unit 2. This will be explained in detail below.

[0069] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the case when the air blower unit 130 faces forward during oscillation. Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the case when the air blower unit 130 faces backward during oscillation. The air blower unit 130 blows air by moving back and forth between the state shown in Figure 11, where the outlet surface formed by the outlet cover 131b faces forward, and the state shown in Figure 12, where the outlet cover 131b faces backward, with these two states being within a predetermined range of oscillation angle. When the blower unit 130 performs oscillation within this predetermined range and the fan 136 is driven, a predetermined amount of air passes through the air passage 64 of the dehumidification unit 2, except when the blower unit 130 is in a predetermined position described later.

[0070] At this time, as shown in Figures 10 to 12, the air blower 130 is supported such that the distance h between the upper end 42a of the air guide wall 42 and the suction-side cover 131a facing the upper end 42a remains constant during oscillation (including when stationary). This is achieved because the oscillation axis 139 passes through the center C of the sphere that forms the cover 131, so that the distance between the oscillation axis 139 and the suction-side cover 131a that can face the upper end 42a in an axial view (left-right direction) of the oscillation axis 139 is equal to the radius of the sphere and remains constant at all times.

[0071] Note that the upper end 42a and the suction side cover 131a do not need to always be facing each other during oscillation; it is sufficient that the distance h is constant when they are facing each other. For example, when the motor support portion 131c is facing the upper end 42a, the distance formed between the upper end 42a and the motor support portion 131c is the distance formed between the suction side cover 131a and the upper end 42a other than where the motor support portion 131c is formed. Since the distance h is strictly different, if the motor support portion 131c is facing the upper end 42a, it does not need to be included in the configuration in which the upper end 42a and the suction side cover 131a are facing each other. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, even when the blower unit 130 oscillates forward by a predetermined angle or more and the suction-side cover 131a does not face the upper end 42a, this is not included in the configuration where the upper end 42a and the suction-side cover 131a face each other. In other words, the above condition only needs to be met when there is a suction-side cover 131a facing the upper end 42a, and it is not necessary for the above condition to be met at all times during oscillation.

[0072] Furthermore, in relation to the dehumidifying unit 2, the lowest point of the intake cover 131a when it is oscillating (including when it is stopped) is below the upper end 42a of the air guide wall 42 and is located inside the space formed by the air guide wall 42. In other words, the intake cover 131a of the air blower 130, which is located below the cover 131, overlaps the air guide wall 42 in the vertical direction. At this time, the position of the oscillation axis 139 relative to the base portion 110 is determined so that the trajectory of the intake cover 131a when it is oscillating does not come into contact with the air guide wall 42 or other structures.

[0073] Such a dehumidifier 1, by having an air guide wall 42, can guide the air dehumidified by the dehumidification unit 2 to the circulator 3 without leaking it to the outside. In particular, the dehumidifier 1 maintains a constant distance between the air guide wall 42 and the intake side cover 131a, which is the intake surface of the circulator 3, when it is oscillating, so that the amount of dehumidified air drawn in can be kept constant within the rotation range of the circulator 3. As a result, the dehumidified air that can be supplied by the dehumidification unit 2 can be reliably blown out, and the dehumidifier 1 can improve its dehumidification efficiency.

[0074] Furthermore, since the dehumidifier 1 is positioned so that a portion of the intake cover 131a overlaps with the air guide wall 42 in the vertical direction, the height of the dehumidifier 1 when assembled can be reduced compared to when they do not overlap. Also, the distance h between the intake cover 131a and the upper end 42a can be reduced, so that dehumidified air can be reliably blown to the circulator 3 without leaking to the outside.

[0075] Furthermore, since the air guide wall 42 is provided on the dehumidification unit 2 side and not on the circulator 3 side, it is possible to reduce the need for structures on the circulator 3 that are only necessary when the units are together and not necessary when they are separated, thereby improving usability when the units are separated.

[0076] Next, we will explain the oscillation operation of the air blower unit 130 during defrosting, which is one of the specific modes. When performing dehumidification operation, which involves driving the compressor 65 and the sirocco fan 62 to allow refrigerant to flow through the refrigerant pipe 66c and blowing low-humidity air from the outlet 41, frost may form on the evaporator 66a if the room temperature at the installation location of the dehumidification unit 2 is low. If operation continues with frost on the evaporator 66a, the frost will create airflow resistance, reducing heat exchange efficiency, and furthermore, if the frost grows, it may damage components near the evaporator 66a.

[0077] When the dehumidification unit control unit 70 is performing a dehumidification operation that drives the compressor 65 and the sirocco fan 62, if the temperature sensor 71 determines that a predetermined low temperature has been detected in the evaporator 66a for a predetermined period of time or longer, it determines that frost has formed on the evaporator 66a, stops the compressor 65, drives the sirocco fan 62, and starts a defrosting operation for the evaporator 66a. This defrosting operation prevents the low-temperature refrigerant from flowing through the evaporator 66a by stopping the compressor 65, and blows indoor air into the evaporator 66a by driving the sirocco fan 62 to melt the frost on the evaporator 66a. After the defrosting operation has started, if the temperature of the evaporator 66a detected by the temperature sensor 71 has exceeded a predetermined period of time, the defrosting operation is terminated, and the dehumidification operation that drives the compressor 65 and the sirocco fan 62 is performed again.

[0078] When the defrosting operation is performed in an integrated state, as shown in Figure 10, when the circulator 3 is in a stopped position, the fan motor 135 is positioned in the direction of airflow (indicated by the arrow) from the outlet 41, obstructing the airflow from the outlet 41. When the circulator 3 is in a stopped position, the fan motor 135 causes a pressure loss in the airflow passage 64, reducing the airflow volume in the airflow passage 64 and contributing to a decrease in defrosting efficiency. A decrease in defrosting efficiency prolongs the defrosting time, and it takes longer to return to dehumidification operation, thus reducing the dehumidification efficiency of the room.

[0079] In this embodiment, when the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is performing dehumidification operation in an integrated state, if it determines that the conditions for starting defrost operation have been met, it stops the compressor 65 and drives the oscillating motor 138 to oscillate the blower unit 130 to the predetermined position shown in Figure 13 and keep it stationary, and then drives the sirocco fan 62 and the fan 136. Subsequently, if the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 determines that the conditions for ending defrost operation have been met, it uses the oscillating motor 138 to oscillate the blower unit 130 back to the state before the start of defrost operation (the state during dehumidification operation), and then drives the compressor 65 to restart dehumidification operation.

[0080] As a result, the fan motor 135 is positioned outside the direction of airflow (indicated by the arrow) from the outlet 41, while the intake cover 131a is positioned in the direction of airflow. Moving the fan motor 135 outside the direction of airflow eliminates pressure loss caused by the fan motor 135, and the amount of air passing through the air passage 64 becomes greater than the predetermined airflow rate, preventing a decrease in the defrosting efficiency of the evaporator 66a. This allows the defrosting operation to be completed in a short time, enabling an early return to dehumidification operation. This prevents a decrease in indoor dehumidification efficiency due to prolonged defrosting operation, thus improving product performance.

[0081] Next, we will explain the oscillation operation of the air blower unit 130 in heater exhaust heat operation, which is one of the specific modes. During the clothes drying operation, a heating element 67 is activated and hot air is blown from the outlet 41 to dry the clothes quickly. When the clothes drying operation is finished, the heating element 67 is stopped, but components near the heating element 67 are at a high temperature due to being heated by the heating element 67, and there are concerns that the rate of decrease in temperature due to natural heat dissipation will be slow, potentially causing thermal damage to the components.

[0082] The dehumidification unit's control unit 70 performs a heat exhaust operation by driving the sirocco fan 62 for a predetermined time after the clothes drying operation is completed and the heating element 67 is stopped. This heat exhaust operation cools the area around the heating element 67 inside the housing 10, preventing the components around the heating element 67 from remaining at high temperatures for an extended period of time.

[0083] When the heat dissipation operation is performed in an integrated state, as shown in Figure 10, when the circulator 3 is in a stopped position, the fan motor 135 is positioned in the direction of airflow (indicated by the arrow) from the outlet 41, obstructing the airflow from the outlet 41. When the circulator 3 is in a stopped position, the fan motor 135 causes a pressure loss in the airflow passage 64, which reduces the airflow rate in the airflow passage 64 and is a factor in reducing the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0084] In this embodiment, when the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 determines that an instruction to start the heat exhaust operation has been issued in an integrated state, it stops the heating heater 67 and drives the oscillating motor 138 to move the air blower 130 to a predetermined position as shown in Figure 13 and then drives the sirocco fan 62 and the fan 136. Subsequently, when the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the heat exhaust operation, it stops the sirocco fan 62 and the fan 136 and ends the operation.

[0085] As a result, the fan motor 135 is positioned outside the direction of airflow (indicated by the arrow) from the outlet 41, while the intake side cover 131a is positioned in the direction of airflow. Because the fan motor 135 is positioned outside the direction of airflow, there is no pressure loss caused by the fan motor 135, and the amount of air passing through the air passage 64 becomes larger than the predetermined airflow rate, improving the heat dissipation efficiency near the heating heater 67. This ensures that the high temperature state in the components near the heating heater 67 is reliably eliminated within a predetermined time, effectively preventing thermal damage and thus improving product quality.

[0086] This embodiment is merely an example and is not limited thereto. For example, in this embodiment, the predetermined position of the air blower 130 during defrosting and heat exhaust operations in an integrated state was described as being as shown in Figure 13, but this is not the only example. When performing specific modes that increase the airflow rate of the air passage 64 beyond a predetermined rate, such as defrosting and heat exhaust operations, the air blower 130 only needs to move to a position where it is not affected by pressure loss from the fan motor 135. If the air blower 130 is positioned so that the area between the fan motor 135 and the rear end of the fan 136 faces the outlet 41, there is no effect from pressure loss from the fan motor 135. Therefore, when performing specific modes, the air blower 130 may be positioned so that the area between the fan motor 135 and the rear end of the fan 136 faces the outlet 41. In other words, if the area between the fan motor 135 and the rear end of the fan 136 of the blower unit 130 faces the outlet 41, then the blower unit 130 can be said to be in the predetermined position.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sirocco fan 62 and the fan 136 are driven when performing specific modes such as defrosting and heat dissipation in the integrated state, but this is not limited to this. When performing defrosting and heat dissipation, only one of the sirocco fan 62 or the fan 136 may be driven. When performing defrosting and heat dissipation, the blower unit 130 oscillates and moves to a predetermined position, which reduces the pressure loss due to the fan motor 135, thus reducing the airflow resistance of the blower passage 64. Therefore, if the defrosting time is shortened or the heat dissipation efficiency in the heat dissipation operation is improved by the blower unit 130 being in a predetermined position compared to when the blower unit 130 is in a stopped position in the integrated state, then only one of the sirocco fan 62 or the fan 136 may be driven when performing defrosting and heat dissipation in the integrated state.

[0088] Next, the effects of the present invention will be explained.

[0089] When the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 performs a specific mode in which the airflow rate in the air passage 64 is increased to a predetermined airflow rate, it causes the fan motor 135 to oscillate the air blower unit 130 to a predetermined position away from the airflow direction, and drives the sirocco fan 62 and / or fan 136. When the specific mode is performed, as shown in Figure 13, by oscillating the air blower unit 130 to a position away from the airflow direction of the air blown from the outlet 41, the pressure loss caused by the fan motor 135 being positioned in the airflow direction is eliminated, and the airflow rate in the air passage 64 increases compared to when the fan motor 135 is positioned in the airflow direction. Since the airflow rate in the air passage 64 is increased with simple control, product performance is improved.

[0090] Furthermore, the predetermined position where the fan motor 135 is deviated from the direction of airflow is such that the space between the fan motor 135 and the rear end of the fan 136 faces the outlet 41. If the fan motor 135 is not positioned in the direction of airflow, and the air blowing unit 130 can draw in air blown from the outlet 41, the amount of airflow in the air passage 64 can be increased compared to when the fan motor 135 is positioned in the direction of airflow. Therefore, by oscillating the air blowing unit 130 so that the space between the fan motor 135 and the rear end of the fan 136 faces the outlet 41, in other words, so that the intake side cover 131a faces the outlet 41, the amount of airflow in the air passage 64 in a specific mode is increased.

[0091] Furthermore, the specific mode is a defrosting operation to remove frost from the evaporator 66a. During the defrosting operation, the compressor 65 is stopped and air is passed through the air passage 64 to defrost the evaporator 66a. The greater the airflow through the air passage 64, the better the defrosting efficiency of the evaporator 66a. Therefore, during the defrosting operation, the fan motor 135 causes the air blower 130 to oscillate to a predetermined position away from the airflow direction, driving the sirocco fan 62 and / or fan 136 to improve defrosting efficiency, allowing the defrosting operation to be completed in a short time and the system to return to dehumidification operation. This increases dehumidification efficiency at low room temperatures and improves product performance.

[0092] Furthermore, the specific mode is a heat exhaust operation that discharges heat from inside the housing 10 after heating by the heating element 67 is complete. After the heating element 67, which is installed in the middle of the airflow passage 64, stops running, air is allowed to pass through the airflow passage 64 for a predetermined time to perform a heat exhaust operation that cools the area around the heating element 67. The greater the airflow through the airflow passage 64, the better the heat exhaust efficiency. Therefore, when performing the heat exhaust operation, the fan motor 135 causes the air blower 130 to oscillate to a predetermined position away from the direction of airflow, and by driving the sirocco fan 62 and / or fan 136, the heat exhaust efficiency is improved, and thermal damage caused by components near the heating element 67 remaining at high temperatures for a long time can be effectively prevented, thereby improving product quality.

[0093] 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.

[0094] 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.

[0095] Although the explanation used an example where the cover 131 of the circulator 3 is spherical (spherical notched) and the air guide wall 42 is of constant height, the shape of the cover and air guide wall is not limited to this, as long as the suction surface of the cover maintains a constant distance from the upper end of the air guide wall. For example, the height of the air guide wall may be formed curved in the front-to-back direction to match the shape of the suction-side cover, or the air guide wall may be rectangular. The suction-side cover may also be semi-circular in shape with a convex arc downwards when in the stationary position.

[0096] Furthermore, while specific modes for increasing the airflow rate of the air passage 64 above a predetermined level have been described in the sections on defrosting operation and heat dissipation operation, the invention is not limited to these. If, for any reason, it is necessary to increase the airflow rate of the air passage 64 inside the housing 10 above a predetermined level, the invention falls within the scope of the present invention as long as the fan motor 135 causes the air blower unit 130 to oscillate to a predetermined position away from the airflow direction, thereby driving the sirocco fan 62 and / or fan 136.

[0097] Furthermore, although the embodiment described above shows the circulator 3 being detachable from the dehumidification unit 2, the circulator 3 may also be fixed to the dehumidification unit 2 without being detachable. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0098] 1. Dehumidifier with circulator (dehumidifier) 2 Dehumidification Unit 3. Circulator 10 cabinets 21 Top side 22 Bottom 23 Side view 31 Inlet 41 Air outlet 61 Fan Case 62 Sirocco fan 63 Blower motor 64 Airflow channel 65 Compressor 66 Heat exchanger 66a Evaporator 66b Condenser 66c refrigerant pipe 67 Heating heater 70 Dehumidification unit side control unit 110 Base 130 Air blower 135 Fan motor 136 Fans 138 Swivel Motor 139 Swivel shaft

Claims

1. An air conditioner comprising an air conditioning unit and a blower unit mounted on the upper surface of 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 side surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface, 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, The aforementioned housing contains an air conditioning fan that blows air to the air conditioning unit, It has an outlet located on the upper surface that blows out air that has been conditioned by the air conditioning unit and passed through the air duct upward, The aforementioned blower unit is The base portion located on the upper surface, A blower unit is supported on the base so as to be able to oscillate around a pivot axis that is aligned in a predetermined direction, A fan motor is provided to support the blower-side fan, which is housed in the blower section and blows air out from the outlet, so that it can be rotated. It includes an oscillating motor that causes the blower to oscillate within a predetermined range, The system includes a control unit that operates the drive unit in response to instructions and controls the airflow passage to achieve a predetermined airflow rate, The predetermined range includes the state in which the fan motor is positioned in the direction of airflow from the outlet, The control unit is characterized in that, when performing a specific mode in which the amount of airflow through the air passage is increased to a predetermined amount of airflow, the fan motor causes the air blower to oscillate to a predetermined position away from the airflow direction, and drives the air conditioning side fan and / or the air blower side fan.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined position is such that the space between the fan motor and the rear end of the blower fan faces the air outlet.

3. The aforementioned air conditioning unit is a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows. The aforementioned air conditioning unit is The casing houses a refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant circulates in the following order: compressor, condenser (which is the heat exchanger), depressurizer, and evaporator (which is the heat exchanger). The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the specific mode is a defrosting operation to remove frost from the evaporator.

4. The aforementioned air conditioning unit is a heating element that heats the air blown out from the outlet, The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the specific mode is a heat exhaust operation that discharges heat from inside the housing after heating by the heating element is completed.

Images