Cartridge holder
The cartridge holder design with restraining sections and a load member ensures secure and easy attachment and removal of cartridges, addressing the issue of improper attachment due to elastic deformation in existing designs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHARP KK
- Filing Date
- 2021-11-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing cartridge holders require partial elastic deformation for attachment, leading to improper attachment if deformation is insufficient.
A cartridge holder design featuring a housing section, first and second restraining sections that allow for easy and secure attachment without elastic deformation, using a load member and guide sections to maintain the cartridge in place.
Facilitates easy and proper installation and removal of cartridges without risking improper attachment due to insufficient deformation, reducing the risk of detachment.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge holder.
Background Art
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a humidifying air cleaner including a cartridge in which a discharge part is incorporated. The cartridge is attached to a holder provided inside the humidifying air cleaner. The attachment of the cartridge to the holder can be performed simply by fitting the cartridge into a predetermined part of the holder.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] However, in order to attach the cartridge to the holder disclosed in Patent Document 1, the holder must be partially elastically deformed. Therefore, when attaching the cartridge to the holder, if the elastic deformation of the holder is insufficient, the cartridge cannot be properly attached to the holder.
[0005]
[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cartridge holder that can easily and properly attach a cartridge.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, the cartridge holder comprises a housing section, a first restraining section, and a second restraining section. The housing section houses the cartridge. The first restraining section restrains one end of the cartridge. The second restraining section restrains the other end of the cartridge. The second restraining section can be moved to a position where it is not restrained to the cartridge when the cartridge is housed in the housing section. Furthermore, the second restraining section can be moved to a position where it restrains the other end of the cartridge after the cartridge has been housed in the housing section. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to the cartridge holder of the present invention, it becomes possible to easily and properly install cartridges. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a humidifying air purifier equipped with a cartridge holder according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a cartridge holder according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the second restraining portion and the vicinity of the second restraining portion of a cartridge holder according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4A] This figure shows the state of the cartridge holder according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention before a cartridge is attached. [Figure 4B] This figure shows the state in which a cartridge is being attached to a cartridge holder according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4C] This figure shows the state after a cartridge has been attached to the cartridge holder according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of a cartridge holder according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the second restraining portion and the vicinity of the second restraining portion of a cartridge holder according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 7A]This figure shows the state before a cartridge is attached to the cartridge holder according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 7B] This figure shows the state in which a cartridge is being attached to a cartridge holder according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 7C] This figure shows the state after a cartridge has been installed in the housing portion of the cartridge holder according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] [Embodiment 1] The relationship between the cartridge holder 1, the cartridge 2, and the humidifying air purifier 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a humidifying air purifier 3 equipped with the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the following description, identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, detailed descriptions of components denoted by the same reference numerals will not be repeated.
[0010] Before describing the cartridge holder 1, we will describe the cartridge 2 that is attached to the cartridge holder 1. The cartridge 2 shown in Figure 1 has a housing-shaped housing portion 21 that is housed in the cartridge holder 1, and a discharge electrode 22 that protrudes from the housing portion 21. The cartridge 2 has a housing portion 21 and a discharge electrode 22. The housing portion 21 is housed in the cartridge holder 1. The housing portion 21 is housing-shaped. The discharge electrode 22 protrudes from the housing portion 21. The cartridge 2 also has a connector (not shown) that receives power supplied to the discharge electrode 22. The connector protrudes from the housing portion 21 in a direction different from that of the discharge electrode 22. The discharge electrode 22, supplied with power via the connector, discharges at its tip and generates a discharge generating factor. Examples of discharge generating factors include ions or active species. Ions include positive ions (e.g., H + (H2O)m (where m is any integer) or negative ions (e.g., O2 -Examples include (H2O)n (where n is any integer) or combinations thereof. Examples of active species include hydroxyl radicals (·OH), hydrogen radicals (·H), oxygen radicals (·O), hydroperoxyl radicals (·HO2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), or ozone (O3). Discharge generating factors have the effect of suppressing the action of bacteria and preventing them from having adverse effects on the human body.
[0011] The cartridge holder 1 accommodates the receiving portion 21 of the cartridge 2. The cartridge 2, with its receiving portion 21 contained within it, is restrained by the cartridge holder 1 and held in place by the cartridge holder 1. In other words, the cartridge 2 is attached to the cartridge holder 1.
[0012] The humidifying air purifier 3 has a housing-shaped main body 31. Inside the main body 31 are passages for air to pass through (not shown) and a power distribution circuit (not shown) for distributing power to the electronic components of the humidifying air purifier 3. On the outer side of the main body 31 are holder insertion holes 32, which are holes for inserting the cartridge 2 and cartridge holder 1 into the inside of the main body 31. The cartridge 2 attached to the cartridge holder 1 is inserted into the holder insertion hole 32. The cartridge 2 inserted into the holder insertion hole 32 is positioned so that the discharge electrode 22 is in contact with the air passage and the connector is connected to the power distribution circuit.
[0013] The power distribution electrode supplies power to the discharge electrode 22 via a connector. The discharge electrode 22 supplied with power discharges at the tip of the discharge electrode 22 to generate a discharge generation factor. Since the discharge electrode 22 is in contact with the air passage, the discharge generation factor is diffused into the air passage. The discharge electrode 22 is consumed by generating the discharge generation factor. When the discharge electrode 22 is consumed to a certain extent, it cannot generate a predetermined amount of the discharge generation factor. Therefore, when the discharge electrode 22 is consumed to a certain extent, it needs to be replaced. The replacement of the discharge electrode 22 can be performed by replacing the cartridge 2. The replacement of the cartridge 2 can be performed by removing and replacing the cartridge 2 attached to the cartridge holder 1. Therefore, even if there is little knowledge about the structure of the humidifying air purifier 3, the discharge electrode 22 can be replaced.
[0014] Details of the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the second restraint portion 12 of the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention and the vicinity of the second restraint portion 12.
[0015] Before describing the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, the accommodating portion 21 of the cartridge 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. As described above, the cartridge 2 has an accommodating portion 21 and a discharge electrode 22. The discharge electrode 22 protrudes from the accommodating portion 21. The discharge electrode 22 protrudes from the accommodating portion 21 in a direction away from the cartridge holder 1 when the accommodating portion 21 is accommodated in the cartridge holder 1. For convenience, in the description of the cartridge 2, the directions shown in FIG. 2 are defined as the up-down, left-right directions. That is, based on the accommodating portion 21, the direction in which the discharge electrode 22 protrudes is defined as the upward direction, and the direction opposite to the upward direction is defined as the downward direction. The direction orthogonal to the up-down direction and along the longitudinal direction of the accommodating portion 21 is defined as the left-right direction, and the direction orthogonal to the left-right direction is defined as the front-back direction.
[0016] The accommodating portion 21 has a base portion 211, a first accommodated end portion 213, a second accommodated end portion 214, and a lower protruding portion 212. The first accommodated end portion 213 is one end portion of the base portion 211. The second accommodated end portion 214 is the other end portion of the base portion 211. The lower protruding portion 212 protrudes downward from the lower portion of the base portion 211. The accommodating portion 21 preferably has an asymmetrical shape with respect to the front-back, left-right directions of the accommodating portion 21. If the accommodating portion 21 has an asymmetrical shape with respect to the front-back, left-right directions, the front-back, left-right directions of the cartridge 2 are easy to distinguish. If the front-back, left-right directions of the cartridge 2 are easy to distinguish, the mounting posture of the cartridge 2 with respect to the cartridge holder 1 can be easily distinguished.
[0017] Next, the cartridge holder 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge holder 1 includes a holder 10, a load member 11, and a second restraint portion 12. The load member 11 is accommodated in the holder 10. The second restraint portion 12 is attached to the holder 10 so as to abut against the load member 11. The cartridge 2 is accommodated in the holder 10 to which the second restraint portion 12 is attached. The accommodation of the cartridge 2 in the holder 10 is performed in a state where the second restraint portion 12 is retracted to a position where it does not contact the cartridge 2. The second restraint portion 12 sandwiches the first accommodated end portion 213 of the accommodated portion 21 in the cartridge 2 between the holder 10. Therefore, the cartridge 2 is restrained in the accommodation portion 101. Therefore, the restraint of the cartridge 2 in the accommodation portion 101 is performed without deformation of the second restraint portion 12. As a result, the cartridge 2 can be easily attached to the accommodation portion 101.
[0018] Hereinafter, the position of the second restraint portion 12 in a state where it is retracted to a position where it does not contact the cartridge 2 is referred to as the "release position". Further, hereinafter, the position of the second restraint portion 12 in a state where the first accommodated end portion 213 is sandwiched between the holder 10 is referred to as the "restraint position".
[0019] The second restraint portion 12 can move along the longitudinal direction of the holder 10 between a release position and a restraint position. Movement of the second restraint portion 12 can be performed by first grasping the second restraint portion 12 with the operator of the cartridge holder 1. The operator can then move the second restraint portion 12 within its range of motion. Alternatively, the second restraint portion 12 can be moved from the release position towards the restraint position by a load member 11 that is in contact with the second restraint portion 12. The load member 11 can move the second restraint portion 12 by applying a load to it in the direction from the release position towards the restraint position.
[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the holder 10 includes a holder base 105, a housing section 101, a first restraining section 102, a load member housing section 103, a guide section 104, and a holder holding section 106. The holder holding section 106 for the operator to hold the holder 10 is connected to the holder base 105. The load member housing section 103 is connected to the holder holding section 106 on the side opposite to the holder base 105. The load member housing section 103 houses the load member 11. One end of the housing section 101 is connected to the load member housing section 103. The load member housing section 103 houses the cartridge 2.
[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the housing section 101 is a housing-like part that houses the cartridge 2. The upper part of the housing section 101 is provided with a cartridge housing opening 10B that passes through the inside and outside of the housing section 101. The cartridge housing opening 10B is an opening for housing the cartridge 2 inside the housing section 101. The shape of the inside of the housing section 101 is in line with the shape of the housing section 21 of the cartridge 2. As described above, the housing section 21 has an asymmetric shape with respect to the front, back, left, and right directions. Therefore, the cartridge 2 can only be attached to the cartridge holder 1 in the correct orientation. A cartridge 2 attached to the cartridge holder 1 in the correct orientation is less likely to fall out of the cartridge holder 1 compared to a cartridge 2 attached to the cartridge holder 1 in an improper orientation. Therefore, the possibility of the cartridge 2 falling out of the cartridge holder 1 attached to the humidifying air purifier 3 is reduced.
[0022] The first restraining portion 102 extends to the left from the upper right end of the housing portion 101. That is, the first restraining portion 102 extends so as to cover a part of the cartridge housing opening 10B from above. The first restraining portion 102 sandwiches the second housing end 214 of the housing portion 21 of the cartridge 2 between itself and the housing portion 101. As a result, the cartridge 2 is restrained in the housing portion 101.
[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the load member housing section 103 is a housing-like portion that houses the load member 11. A load member housing opening 10C is provided at the top of the load member housing section 103, which passes through both the inside and outside of the load member housing section 103. The load member housing opening 10C is an opening for housing the load member 11 inside the load member housing section 103.
[0024] A guide section 104 is provided at the front of the load member receiving section 103. Another guide section 104 (not shown) is also provided at the rear of the load member receiving section 103. The guide sections 104 guide the movement of the second restraint section 12. The range of movement of the second restraint section 12, which is guided to move, is restricted. As a result, the second restraint section 12 will not move in an unintended direction.
[0025] The guide portion 104 is provided at the front and rear of the load member receiving portion 103. The guide portion 104 is an elongated hole that penetrates in the front-rear direction and has its longitudinal direction as the left-right direction. The longitudinal length of the guide portion 104 is equal to the length required for the second restraining portion 12 to move from the release position to the restraining position.
[0026] The load member 11 is a member that applies a load to the second restraint part 12 in the direction from the release position toward the restraint position. The second restraint part 12, to which a load is applied in the direction from the release position toward the restraint position, moves from the release position toward the restraint position. The second restraint part 12, having moved to the restraint position, is maintained in the restraint position. The load member 11 is an elastically deformable member. In Embodiment 1 of the present invention, a "compression coil spring" is used as the load member 11.
[0027] When the load member 11 is housed in the load member housing 103, one end of the load member 11 abuts against the inner wall of the load member housing 103. The inner wall of the load member housing 103 is formed in a direction intersecting the direction of movement of the second restraint portion 12. The load member 11 is compressed between the inner wall of the load member housing 103 that abuts against the load member 11 and the second restraint portion 12. A repulsive force against compression is generated in the compressed load member 11. This repulsive force is applied to the second restraint portion 12. The second restraint portion 12, upon application of this repulsive force, moves from the released position to the restrained position.
[0028] Preferably, the length of the load member 11 in the compression direction is greater than the length from the inner wall of the load member housing 103 that abuts the load member 11 to the second restraining part 12 that abuts the load member 11. When the length of the load member 11 in the compression direction is set in this way, the load member 11 is constantly compressed by the inner wall of the load member housing 103 and the second restraining part 12. Therefore, the second restraining part 12 is constantly subjected to a load from the load member 11 moving from the release position to the restrained position. The second restraining part 12, which is subjected to a load from the load member 11, is maintained in the restrained position. For this reason, the second restraining part 12 will not unintentionally move from the restrained position to the release position, and the restraint of the cartridge 2 to the holder 10 will not be released.
[0029] The second restraining portion 12 has a hook portion 121, a load receiving portion 122, a protruding portion 123, and a guided portion 124. The hook portion 121 is plate-shaped. The tip portion 127 of the hook portion 121 holds the cartridge 2 between itself and the housing portion 101.
[0030] The load-receiving portion 122 extends downward from the lower part of the base end of the hook portion 121. The load-receiving portion 122 is plate-shaped.
[0031] The protruding portion 123 protrudes upward from the upper part of the base end of the hook portion 121. The protruding portion 123 is plate-shaped. The protruding portion 123 can be grasped by an operator. The operator who grasps the protruding portion 123 can move the second restraining portion 12.
[0032] The guided portion 124 protrudes from the front of the hook portion 121. Another guided portion 124 (not shown) also protrudes from the rear of the hook portion 121. The guided portion 124 provided at the front of the hook portion 121 can be inserted into the guide portion 104 provided at the front of the load member housing portion 103. Similarly, the guided portion 124 provided at the rear of the hook portion 121 can be inserted into the guide portion 104 provided at the rear of the load member housing portion 103. The guided portion 124 is attached to the guide portion 104, causing the guide portion 104 to guide the movement of the hook portion 121.
[0033] Preferably, the hook portion 121 is provided with a low-rigidity portion 125, which has partially lower rigidity. The presence of the low-rigidity portion 125 makes the hook portion 121 more easily deformable. Therefore, the hook portion 121 provided with the low-rigidity portion 125 can be attached to the holder 10 while undergoing deformation. The low-rigidity portion 125 consists of two elongated holes that penetrate the hook portion 121 in the vertical direction and whose longitudinal direction is the left-right direction. The low-rigidity portion 125 is also provided so as to sandwich the protruding portion 123 in the front-rear direction. In other words, the hook portion 121 is easily deformed in the front-rear direction, which intersects with the longitudinal direction of the low-rigidity portion 125, i.e., the left-right direction. Therefore, the hook portion 121 provided with the low-rigidity portion 125 can be attached to the holder 10 while undergoing deformation in the front-rear direction.
[0034] Furthermore, the surface properties of the second restraining portion 12 differ from those of the housing portion 101. Here, surface properties refer to physical properties of the surface, such as color or surface roughness. If the surface properties of the second restraining portion 12 and the housing portion 101 are different, the operator can easily distinguish between the second restraining portion 12 and the housing portion 101. By being able to easily identify the second restraining portion 12, the operator can easily identify the part that needs to be operated in order to attach the cartridge 2 to the holder 10.
[0035] The attachment of the load member 11 and the second restraint part 12 to the holder 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. With the load member 11 shown in Figure 2 housed in the load member housing part 103, the second restraint part 12 is attached to the holder 10.
[0036] To attach the second restraining part 12 to the holder 10, first the load receiving part 122 is passed through the load member receiving opening 10C. Next, the hook part 121 is passed through the load member receiving opening 10C while being deformed in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the drawing plane in Figure 2). The reason for deforming the hook part 121 in the front-rear direction is that the length from the front end of the guided part 124 protruding from the front of the hook part 121 (shown in Figure 3) to the rear end of the guided part 124 (not shown) protruding from the rear of the hook part 121 is greater than the length of the load member receiving opening 10C in the front-rear direction. Therefore, unless the hook part 121 is deformed in the front-rear direction so that it is smaller than the length of the load member receiving opening 10C in the front-rear direction, the guided part 124 of the hook part 121 cannot pass through the load member receiving opening 10C. As described above, when the guided portion 124 passes through the load member receiving opening 10C, the rigidity of the hook portion 121 in the front-rear direction is relatively low due to the low-rigidity portion 125, so deformation of the hook portion 121 in the front-rear direction can be easily performed.
[0037] The load-receiving portion 122, having passed through the load member housing opening 10C, comes into contact with the end of the load member 11. As a result, the load member 11 is compressed in the longitudinal direction of the holder 10. The guided portion 124, having passed through the load member housing opening 10C, is inserted into the guide portion 104. The guided portions 124, provided at the front and rear of the hook portion 121, are inserted into the guide portions 104, provided at the front and rear of the load member housing opening 10C, thereby attaching the second restraining portion 12 to the holder 10.
[0038] As described above, the second restraining part 12 attached to the holder 10 is constantly subjected to a load from the load member 11 in the direction from the release position to the restraining position. Therefore, the second restraining part 12 that is not being grasped by the operator is positioned in the restraining position. The restraining position of the second restraining part 12 attached to the holder 10 is the position where the tip of the hook portion 121 of the second restraining part 12 covers the upper part of a portion of the cartridge housing opening 10B. Furthermore, when the guided portion 124 is inserted into the guide portion 104, the second restraining part 12 is held by the holder 10, and the movement of the second restraining part 12 is guided and restricted along the longitudinal direction of the guide portion 104. Therefore, the second restraining part 12, together with the holder 10, restrains the cartridge 2 by sandwiching it, and the operator can easily switch the position of the second restraining part 12 between the restraining position and the release position.
[0039] The attachment of the cartridge 2 to the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4A shows the state before the cartridge 2 is attached to the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 4B shows the state in the process of attaching the cartridge 2 to the cartridge holder 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4C shows the state after the cartridge 2 has been attached to the housing portion 101 of the cartridge holder 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] As shown in Figure 4A, when attaching the cartridge 2 to the cartridge holder 1, the operator grasps the protruding portion 123. The operator, having grasped the protruding portion 123, moves the second restraining portion 12 to the release position. As described above, the release position of the second restraining portion 12 is a position in which the second restraining portion 12 does not cover the upper part of the cartridge housing opening 10B.
[0041] The load member 11 applies a load to the second restraint portion 12 in the direction from the release position toward the restraint position. As shown in Figure 4B, in order to counteract the load of the load member 11, the operator maintains the position of the second restraint portion 12 in the release position. While maintaining the second restraint portion 12 in the release position, the operator brings the second receiving end 214 of the receiving portion 21 of the cartridge 2 into contact with the lower part of the first restraint portion 102. With the receiving portion 21 in contact with the first restraint portion 102, the operator rotates the cartridge 2 counterclockwise in Figure 4B along the planes in the up, down, left, and right directions, with the first restraint portion 102 as the reference. The operator rotates the cartridge 2 until the lower part of the receiving portion 21 contacts the inner bottom of the housing portion 101. As a result, the cartridge 2 is housed in the housing portion 101 while in contact with the inner bottom of the housing portion 101.
[0042] As shown in Figure 4C, after the cartridge 2 is stored in the housing 101, the operator releases the hold on the second restraint 12 to the released position. That is, the operator releases the protruding part 123. The second restraint 12, having been released from the hold on the released position, moves to the restrained position due to the load received from the load member 11. Therefore, even if the operator forgets to move the second restraint 12 from the released position to the restrained position, the second restraint 12 will move to the restrained position due to the load member 11.
[0043] The second restraining part 12, having moved to the restraining position, clamps the first receiving end 213 of the receiving part 21 between itself and the receiving part 101. Therefore, the cartridge 2 is restrained from moving upward from the receiving part 101 by the second restraining part 12 and the first restraining part 102. In other words, the cartridge 2 is attached to the cartridge holder 1. Furthermore, the load applied by the load member 11 to the second restraining part 12 maintains the position of the second restraining part 12 in the restraining position. Thus, the state in which the cartridge 2 is restrained from moving upward from the receiving part 101 by the second restraining part 12 and the first restraining part 102 is maintained.
[0044] Therefore, the attachment of cartridge 2 to cartridge holder 1 does not involve elastic deformation of the first restraint portion 102 and the second restraint portion 12. Consequently, when attaching cartridge 2 to cartridge holder 1, there is no risk of cartridge 2 being improperly attached to cartridge holder 1 due to insufficient elastic deformation of the first restraint portion 102 and the second restraint portion 12. Thus, cartridge 2 can be easily and properly attached to cartridge holder 1.
[0045] Next, we will describe how to remove cartridge 2 from cartridge holder 1. First, the user holds the protruding portion 123. Holding the protruding portion 123, the user moves the second restraining portion 12 toward a position where it does not overlap vertically with the cartridge housing opening 10B and cartridge 2. That is, the user moves the second restraining portion 12 toward the left. The user rotates cartridge 2 clockwise with respect to the first restraining portion 102. The rotated cartridge 2 is removed from cartridge holder 1. Thus, even when removing cartridge 2 from cartridge holder 1, there is no elastic deformation of the first restraining portion 102 and the second restraining portion 12. Therefore, cartridge 2 can be easily and properly removed from cartridge holder 1.
[0046] The cartridge 2 is restrained by the first restraint portion 102 and the second restraint portion 12. Therefore, when the restraint of the cartridge 2 involves deformation of the cartridge holder 1, only the first restraint portion 102 and the second restraint portion 12 undergo elastic deformation. By limiting the areas that undergo elastic deformation to the first restraint portion 102 and the second restraint portion 12, the range of elastic deformation in the holder 10 is limited. As a result, the risk of the cartridge 2 being improperly attached to the holder 10 is reduced compared to the case where a wide area of the holder 10 must be elastically deformed in order to restrain the cartridge 2 to the holder 10.
[0047] [Embodiment 2] A cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the second restraining portion 12 and the vicinity of the second restraining portion 12 of the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
[0048] The cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention differs from the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention only in the shape of the second restraining portion 12. Therefore, for the cartridge holder 1 of Embodiment 2, only the second restraining portion 12, which differs from the cartridge holder 1 of Embodiment 1, will be described, and detailed descriptions of other parts will be omitted. Also, the definitions of the up, down, left, right, front, and back directions shown in Figures 5 and 6 are the same as the definitions of the up, down, left, right, front, and back directions defined in Figure 3.
[0049] As shown in Figure 5, the second restraint portion 12 of Embodiment 2 is the second restraint portion 12 of Embodiment 1 with the addition of an inclined portion 126 and a connecting member 128.
[0050] As shown in Figure 6, the inclined portion 126 is provided at the upper right end of the hook portion 121, that is, the portion that sandwiches the cartridge 2 between the hook portion 121 and the housing portion 101. In this embodiment, two inclined portions 126 are provided. The two inclined portions 126 are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and are positioned at the upper right end of the hook portion 121. The inclined portion 126 is shaped to incline downward toward the housing portion 101 with respect to the rightward direction, that is, the direction in which the load member 11 applies load to the second restraint portion 12. The cartridge 2 that comes into contact with the inclined portion 126 can move along the shape of the inclined portion 126. Therefore, the cartridge 2 can move toward the housing portion 101.
[0051] The connecting member 128 connects one inclined portion 126 to the other inclined portion 126. As a result, when a load is applied to one inclined portion 126, the other inclined portion 126 receives a portion of the load applied to the first inclined portion 126 via the connecting member 128. This suppresses deformation of the inclined portion 126 under load. In other words, the inclined portion 126 maintains a shape that is inclined downward toward the housing portion 101 with respect to the direction in which the load member 11 applies load to the second restraint portion 12. As a result, the cartridge 2 in contact with the inclined portion 126 can move toward the housing portion 101. In this embodiment, the inclined portions 126 have been described as two. However, the number of inclined portions 126 may be one or three or more.
[0052] The attachment of the cartridge 2 to the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7A shows the state before the cartridge 2 is attached to the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 7B shows the state in the process of attaching the cartridge 2 to the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 7C shows the state after the cartridge 2 has been attached to the cartridge holder 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
[0053] As shown in Figure 7A, when the cartridge 2 is attached to the cartridge holder 1, the second restraining part 12 is subjected to a load from the load member 11 in the direction from the release direction to the restrained position direction. Therefore, the second restraining part 12 is positioned in the restrained position.
[0054] As shown in Figure 7B, the operator first brings the second receiving end 214 of the receiving portion 21 into contact with the lower part of the first restraining portion 102. The operator then rotates the cartridge 2 counterclockwise in Figure 7B along the planes in the up, down, left, and right directions, using the first restraining portion 102 as a reference.
[0055] As the operator rotates the cartridge 2, the first receiving end 213 of the receiving section 21 comes into contact with the inclined section 126. Since the inclined section 126 is shaped to be inclined toward the receiving section 101, the hook section 121 is pushed by the cartridge 2 as the cartridge 2 rotates. The hook section 121, pressed by the cartridge 2, moves in a direction away from the cartridge 2, i.e., to the left, against the force of the load member 11. Therefore, the operator who is receiving the cartridge 2 in the receiving section 101 can move the second restraining section 12 without touching it.
[0056] The rotating cartridge 2 is housed in the housing 101 by contacting the inner bottom of the housing 101. The second restraining part 12 can also be moved by an operator holding and manipulating the protruding part 123.
[0057] As shown in Figure 7C, after the cartridge 2 is placed in the housing 101, the second restraining part 12 is no longer subjected to pressure from the cartridge 2. Therefore, the second restraining part 12 moves to the restrained position due to the load applied from the load member 11. The second restraining part 12, having moved to the restrained position, sandwiches the first housing end 213 of the housing 21 between itself and the housing 101. Therefore, the upward movement of the cartridge 2 from the housing 101 is restrained by the second restraining part 12 and the first restraining part 102. In other words, the cartridge 2 is attached to the cartridge holder 1. Furthermore, the removal of the cartridge 2 from the cartridge holder 1 is performed using the same procedure as in Embodiment 1.
[0058] 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 shapes, dimensions, etc. of each component shown in the above embodiments are examples and are not particularly limiting, and various modifications are possible without substantially departing from the configuration of the present invention.
[0059] In the embodiments of the present invention, the cartridge 2 was described as having a discharge electrode 22. However, the cartridge 2 does not need to have a discharge electrode 22 as long as it has parts that need to be replaced with use.
[0060] The cartridge holder 1 of the present invention has been described as being attached to a humidifying air purifier 3. However, the cartridge holder 1 may be attached to any device that has a cartridge 2 that needs to be replaced due to use, such as an air purifier that does not have a humidifying function, an ion generator, an air conditioner, a ventilation device, a dryer, a dehumidifier, a fan heater, or any other device. [Industrial applicability]
[0061] The present invention provides a cartridge holder and has industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]
[0062] 1. Cartridge holder 10 holders 101 Storage Unit 102 1st restraint section 104 Information Department 11 Load Member 12 Second restraint section 121 Hook part 123 Protrusion 126 Slope 2 cartridges 3. Humidifying air purifier
Claims
1. A storage compartment for housing the cartridge, A first restraining part that restrains one end of the cartridge, A second restraining part that restrains the other end of the cartridge, A load member that applies a load to the second restraint portion in the direction that the second restraint portion moves to the restraining position, A guide unit that guides the movement of the second restraint unit, Equipped with, The second restraining part is, An operating section is provided so as to be exposed from the aforementioned housing section, It has a regulating unit provided integrally with the operating unit, A cartridge holder in which the restricting portion is slidable between a restraining position in which the restricting portion covers the other end of the cartridge housed in the housing portion, and a release position in which the restricting portion does not cover the other end of the cartridge.
2. The second restraining part is, The cartridge holder according to claim 1, having a protruding portion that protrudes in a direction away from the housing portion.
3. A housing section for housing a cartridge, A first restraining part that restrains one end of the cartridge, A second restraining part that restrains the other end of the cartridge, A load member that applies a load to the second restraint portion in the direction that the second restraint portion moves to the restraining position, Equipped with, The second restraining part is, An operating section is provided so as to be exposed from the aforementioned housing section, It has a regulating unit provided integrally with the operating unit, The restricting portion is slidable between a restraining position that covers the other end of the cartridge housed in the housing and a release position that does not cover the other end of the cartridge. The second restraining part is, The load member further has an inclined portion that is inclined toward the housing portion with respect to the direction in which the load is applied, The inclined portion is a cartridge holder that, when the cartridge is housed in the housing portion, is pushed by the cartridge and moves the second restraining portion in a direction that does not come into contact with the cartridge.
4. A housing section for housing a cartridge, A first restraining part that restrains one end of the cartridge, A second restraining part that restrains the other end of the cartridge, Equipped with, The second restraining part is, An operating section is provided so as to be exposed from the aforementioned housing section, It has a regulating unit provided integrally with the operating unit, The restricting portion is slidable between a restraining position that covers the other end of the cartridge housed in the housing and a release position that does not cover the other end of the cartridge. The cartridge has a portion to be housed in the housing portion, The aforementioned housing portion has an asymmetrical shape, The aforementioned storage section is a cartridge holder shaped to conform to the portion to be stored.
5. A housing section for housing a cartridge, A first restraining part that restrains one end of the cartridge, A second restraining part that restrains the other end of the cartridge, Equipped with, The second restraining part is, An operating section is provided so as to be exposed from the aforementioned housing section, It has a regulating unit provided integrally with the operating unit, The restricting portion is slidable between a restraining position that covers the other end of the cartridge housed in the housing and a release position that does not cover the other end of the cartridge. The cartridge is a cartridge holder having a discharge electrode that generates a discharge generating factor.
6. A storage compartment for housing the cartridge, A first restraining part that restrains one end of the cartridge, A second restraining part that restrains the other end of the cartridge and Equipped with, The second restraining portion can move to a position where it is not restrained by the cartridge when the cartridge is placed in the housing, and can move to a position where it restrains the other end after the cartridge has been placed in the housing. A cartridge holder in which the color or surface roughness of the surface of the second restraining portion differs from the color or surface roughness of the surface of the housing portion.