air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner capable of exhibiting an air conditioning function.SOLUTION: An air conditioner includes: an air conditioning unit for blowing out conditioned air; an air blowing unit which operates integrally or separately with respect to the air conditioning unit, which at least sucks the air conditioned by the air conditioning unit and blows it out, at the integration time when the air blowing unit is integrated with respect to the air conditioning unit, and which is arranged being separated from the air conditioning unit by a predetermined distance, sucks the surrounding air and blows it out, at the separation time when the air blowing unit is separated with respect to the air conditioning unit; and an air conditioning side control part which operates the air conditioning unit according to an air conditioning side integration time condition at the integration time, and which operates the air conditioning unit according to an air conditioning side separation time condition different from the air conditioning side integration time condition, at the separation time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

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

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The air conditioner of Patent Document 1 can perform a cooling operation or a dehumidifying operation by varying the attachment position of the blower unit with respect to the cooling unit. Further, the air conditioner of Patent Document 1 can remove the blower unit from the cooling unit and operate independently.

[0005] However, in Patent Document 1, only the expansion of the use by attaching or detaching the blower unit to and from the cooling unit is disclosed, and no consideration is given to performing operation control suitable for the state in each mode of attachment and detachment.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an air conditioner capable of exhibiting an air conditioning function.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The air conditioner according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, comprises: an air conditioning unit that blows out conditioned air; a blower unit that operates either integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit, and when the blower unit is integrally with the air conditioning unit, at least the air conditioning unit sucks in conditioned air and blows it out; when the blower unit is separated from the air conditioning unit, it is positioned at a predetermined distance from the air conditioning unit and sucks in ambient air and blows it out; and an air conditioning control unit that operates the air conditioning unit according to the integrated air conditioning conditions when integrated, and operates the air conditioning unit according to the separated air conditioning conditions which are different from the integrated air conditioning conditions when separated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The air conditioner according to the present invention can perform air conditioning functions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A front view perspective of the dehumidifier in its integrated state according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the dehumidifier as an integrated unit in this embodiment, as seen from the rear. [Figure 3] A vertical cross-sectional view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. [Figure 4] Decompressed perspective view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. [Figure 5] A schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of a dehumidifier with a circulating fan. [Figure 6] A schematic functional block diagram specifically illustrating each power supply unit among the functional blocks in Figure 5. [Figure 7] A perspective view of the circulator from the front when it is separated. [Figure 8] External perspective view of the circulator as seen from the rear when separated. [Figure 9] An external perspective view showing an example of the dehumidifier's usage during separation. [Figure 10]A flowchart illustrating the operation control process performed by the dehumidification unit's control unit in a dehumidification unit. [Figure 11] Sequence diagrams corresponding to the processes shown in Figures 10 and 12. [Figure 12] A flowchart illustrating the operation control process performed by the control unit on the circulator side in a circulator. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] An embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings. In this embodiment, the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described in relation to a dehumidifier with a circulator that dehumidifies the air by condensing moisture contained in the air using a vapor compression refrigeration cycle and blows out the air.

[0011] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the integrated dehumidifier with circulator 1 in this embodiment. Figure 2 is a rear view perspective of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in this embodiment when it is assembled. Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form. Figure 5 is a schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier with a circulator 1. Figure 6 is a schematic functional block diagram that specifically explains the power supply units 83 and 183 within the functional block shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a front view perspective of the circulator 3 when it is separated. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the circulator 3 from the rear when it is separated. Figure 9 is an external perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the dehumidifier 1 during separation.

[0012] In the following description, the explanations will be made in accordance with the definitions of front, back, top, bottom, left, and right shown in each drawing. In some cases, the surface facing the front where the operation unit 74 on the dehumidifying unit side is provided is referred to as the front surface, and the surface opposite to the front surface facing the rear is referred to as the back surface. Also, the directions along the front-back, left-right directions are regarded as the horizontal directions. The definitions of the front, back, top, bottom, left, and right of the circulator 3 may be different when the circulator 3 is attached to the dehumidifying unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "when integrated") and when it is separated from the dehumidifying unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "when separated"). When integrated, it follows the definitions in FIGS. 1 to 4, and when separated, it may follow FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0013] The dehumidifying machine 1 with a circulator (hereinafter simply referred to as "dehumidifying machine 1") has a dehumidifying unit 2 (air conditioning unit) that blows out dehumidified (conditioned) air, and a circulator 3 (air blowing unit) that is disposed above the dehumidifying unit 2 and sucks in and blows the surrounding air. As shown in FIG. 4, the circulator 3 is detachable from the dehumidifying unit 2 (housing 10) and can blow air in conjunction with or independently of the dehumidifying unit 2. Also, the circulator 3 can be operated integrally or separately with respect to the dehumidifying unit 2.

[0014] The dehumidifying unit 2 has a housing 10 that forms the exterior of the dehumidifying unit 2. The housing 10 has a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, an upper panel 14, and a base 15.

[0015] The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 are combined via a connecting line 13 that extends in the vertical direction at approximately the central position in the front-rear direction of the housing 10, forming a substantially prismatic side surface 23 with four sides that connect the upper surface 21 and the bottom surface 22 of the housing 10. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 each have an upper frame portion 24 that is bent inward in the horizontal direction from the upper end. Also, the front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 as the right side surface 23c and the left side surface 23d have a handle notch 25 for arranging the handle 43. The handle notch 25 is formed at the upper end and approximately the central position in the front-rear direction of the right side surface 23c and the left side surface 23d. The surface facing the front of the front frame 11 becomes the front surface 23a of the side surface 23.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rear frame 12 (rear surface 23b) 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 on 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.

[0017] 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 3) 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] The air guide wall 42 is a wall that rises a predetermined amount upward from the base 14a, surrounding the outlet 41 on the outside when viewed from above. The air guide wall 42 directs the air blown out from the outlet 41 towards the circulator 3 above. The air guide wall 42 forms a space that serves as a passage for the air blown out from the outlet 41, and is connected to the inside of the housing 10.

[0021] The handles 43 are formed above the right side 23c and left side 23d of the top plate 14, at positions corresponding to the handle notches 25 of the front frame 11 and rear frame 12, on the left and right sides of the top plate 14. The handles 43 have a handle recess 51 and a finger rest 52 that are recessed inward in the left-right direction from the right side 23c and left side 23d, and are used by the user when transporting the dehumidifier 1.

[0022] 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.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the base 15 is positioned to cover the opening 22a formed below by the combined front frame 11 and rear frame 12. The base 15 serves as the base of the dehumidifier 1 and is the bottom surface 22 that is installed directly on the floor or other installation surface, or with a gap between legs or other parts if the dehumidifier has legs.

[0024] The dehumidification unit 2, as shown in Figure 3, has a fan case 61, a sirocco fan 62, a blower motor 63, a compressor 65, a heat exchanger 66, a heating element 67, a drain pan 68, and a drain tank 69 as its main internal components housed in the casing 10.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] The compressor 65 is fixed on the base 15 and connected to the heat exchanger 66 via piping 65a and a pressure reducing device.

[0028] The heat exchanger 66 exchanges heat with the air drawn in from the intake port 31. The heat exchanger 66 has an evaporator 66a located near the intake port 31 and a condenser 66b located in front of the evaporator 66a. The evaporator 66a and condenser 66b are fin-tube type heat exchangers 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] The heating element 67 heats the low-humidity air that has passed through the condenser 66b before the outlet 41.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 (air conditioning-side control unit) is a control board positioned in front of the fan case 61, supported by a required case. The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 comprehensively controls the operation of the dehumidifier 1 by electrically controlling various parts such as the louver motor 49, blower motor 63, compressor 65, heating 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 unit is integrated and when it is separated.

[0036] The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 has a storage unit 77 and a timer 78. The storage unit 77 stores the operation programs for each part, etc. The timer 78 measures time for timer operation of the dehumidifier 1, etc.

[0037] The temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 are installed at predetermined locations on the dehumidifier 1 main unit and measure the ambient temperature and humidity of the dehumidifier 1. The dehumidification unit side control unit 70 uses the temperature and humidity as needed to control each part. The notification unit 73 outputs an alarm sound or the like to inform the user of the situation based on the instructions of the dehumidification unit side control unit 70.

[0038] The dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 and display unit 75 are located at the top of the front 23a (side 23, front frame 11) of the housing 10, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. The dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 and display unit 75 are located on a control board 70a, which is arranged approximately parallel to the front 23a, and is for the dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74, the display unit 75, and the dehumidifier unit-side communication unit 82. The dehumidifier unit-side operation unit 74 has multiple input buttons that implement, for example, an operation switch, a timer switch, an operation mode selection switch, a switch for setting the operation of the circulator 3, etc. The display unit 75 displays the operating status of the dehumidifier 1, etc., by the lighting status of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

[0039] 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.

[0040] The circulator detection sensor 81 is located on the dehumidification unit 2 (either the dehumidification unit 2 or the circulator 3) and detects the attachment / detachment status, indicating whether the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 are integrated or separated. The circulator detection sensor 81 is, for example, a reed switch that detects the magnetic field of a magnet placed at a predetermined position on the circulator 3.

[0041] The circulator detection sensor 81 outputs whether or not a magnetic field has been detected to the dehumidification unit side control unit 70. Based on the acquired detection result, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 assumes that the circulator 3 is integrated if a magnetic field is detected, and separate if no magnetic field is detected, and acquires the attachment / detachment status.

[0042] The dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 is an infrared antenna that transmits and receives required infrared signals (wireless signals) to and from the circulator-side communication unit 182 of the circulator 3 based on the control of the dehumidifier-side control unit 70. As shown in Figure 1, the dehumidifier-side communication unit 82 transmits and receives infrared signals through a dehumidifier-side transparent window 86 that transmits infrared rays and is provided in the panel 76 in which the dehumidifier-side operation unit 74 is formed.

[0043] The dehumidification unit control unit 70 transmits the necessary information to the circulator 3 via the dehumidification unit communication unit 82. Specifically, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 transmits to the dehumidification unit communication unit 82 information regarding the attachment / detachment status obtained from the detection result of the circulator detection sensor 81, and information necessary to link the operation of the circulator 3 to the operation of the dehumidification unit 2.

[0044] 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 direct current and supplies it to each part of the dehumidification unit 2.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] The circulator 3 has a base portion 110 and an air blower portion 130. The air blower portion 130 is supported on the base portion 110 so as to be able to oscillate around an axis that is aligned with the left-right direction when the unit is integrated.

[0048] As shown in Figures 1, 7, and 8, the base portion 110 is a cylindrical casing that forms a space (a through-hole that penetrates vertically when the unit is assembled) inside the base portion 110 capable of housing the blower portion 130. The base portion 110 has a base portion bottom surface 111, a base portion side surface 112, and a base portion top surface 113. The base portion side surface 112 consists of an outer surface and an inner surface, and the internal space 115 formed by closing the base portion bottom surface 111, the base portion side surface 112, and the base portion top surface 113 is partially or entirely hollow, as shown in Figure 3.

[0049] The bottom surface 111 of the base portion is a frame-shaped surface having substantially the same shape as the upper surface 21 formed by the upper frame portion 24. When the base portion is assembled, the bottom surface 111 is placed on the upper frame portion 24 and becomes a surface that contacts the upper frame portion 24.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the base bottom surface 111 has a circulator-side recess 190 located inward from the inner peripheral edge 111a of the base bottom surface 111. The circulator-side recess 190 is a recessed space that is recessed upward, corresponding to the vertical length of the peripheral wall portion 14b of the top plate 14 and the shape of the top surface convex portion 90. Because the circulator-side recess 190 corresponds to the shape of the top surface convex portion 90, it engages with the top surface convex portion 90 when they are in a single unit. As a result, the base 110 is restricted from moving horizontally parallel to the installation surface, i.e., from moving on the top surface 21, by the top surface convex portion 90. Also, since the circulator 3 is supported by the housing 10 by a simple interlocking of recesses and protrusions, it can be easily removed by lifting it upward.

[0051] 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.

[0052] The left and right intake ports 121 are positioned approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction on the left and right side surfaces 112c of the base portion, and are formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the left and right side surfaces 112c of the base portion and the base portion 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 finger rest 52 with respect to the handle 43 on the side surface 23 of the housing 10, or with respect to the boundary line 5 between the top frame portion 24 and the base portion bottom surface 111. As described above, left and right intake port recesses 45 are formed in the top plate 14, and the space formed in these left and right intake port recesses 45 and the left and right intake ports 121 act to connect the periphery of the dehumidifier 1 to the inside of the base portion 110 (base portion side surfaces 112) via the left and right intake ports 121.

[0053] As shown in Figure 1, the side surface 112 of the base portion faces forward in the same direction as the front surface 23a when the parts are integrated, and has a front surface 112a which is the front of the base portion 110. It also has a rear surface 112b which faces backward when the parts are integrated, and is the back of the base portion 110.

[0054] The rear intake port 122 is positioned approximately in the center of the base portion rear surface 112b in the left-right direction, and is formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the base portion rear surface 112b and the base portion 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 portion 110 via the rear intake port 122.

[0055] The upper surface 113 of the base consists of a surface 113a that is parallel to the horizontal direction from the rear to approximately the center in the front-rear direction, and a surface 113b that curves downward from approximately the center to the front. Due to this configuration, when the base is assembled, the upper surface 113 is located above the bottom surface 111 of the base and faces upward (approximately upward). The upper surface 113 of the base has a curved recess 113c at the rear. The recess 113c is formed to create an airflow path without the base 110 obstructing the airflow from the circulator 3 when the base is assembled.

[0056] The blower unit 130 includes a cover 131, a fan motor 135, and a fan 136.

[0057] The cover 131 is a bone-like member for protecting the user's fingers, etc., from the fan 136. The cover 131 has a suction-side cover 131a, for example, which is hemispherical and covers the suction side (upstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the suction surface, and a flat outlet-side cover 131b, which covers the outlet side (downstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the outlet surface. The suction-side cover 131a and the outlet-side cover 131b are combined to form a single unit. In the position of the air blower 130 where the outlet-side cover 131b is aligned in a substantially horizontal direction and the rotation axis of the fan 136 is aligned in a vertical direction, as shown in Figure 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "stopped position"), the suction-side cover 131a has a motor support portion 131c that is concave upward at a central position facing downward.

[0058] In the stopped position, the fan motor 135 and fan 136 are housed inside the cover 131 such that the rotation axis of the fan motor 135 (fan 136) is aligned vertically and passes through the center of the sphere that makes up the cover 131. The fan motor 135 rotates the fan 136 around its rotation axis. The fan 136 blows air from the outlet 41 that is drawn in from the intake cover 131a, and air drawn into the intake cover 131a from the outside of the dehumidifier 1, through the outlet cover 131b.

[0059] The air blower unit 130 is supported on the base unit 110 in a stationary position such that the direction of airflow from the fan 136 almost coincides with the direction of airflow from the outlet 41, which is almost upward. The air blower unit 130 is also supported on the base unit 110 so that it can oscillate within a predetermined range of angles around an oscillation axis that runs in the left-right direction (a predetermined direction) from its stationary position when assembled, by means of an oscillation motor 138. The oscillation motor 138 is located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The oscillation axis of the oscillation motor 138 is positioned almost in the center of the front-to-back direction of the circulator 3. The oscillation axis also passes through the center of the sphere that forms the hemispherical intake side cover 131a. Furthermore, the oscillation axis is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the fan 136.

[0060] 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.

[0061] The circulator-side control unit 170 (air blower-side control unit) is a control board 170 (Figure 3) located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The circulator-side control unit 170 can electrically control the fan motor 135 and the oscillation motor 138 based on instructions from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 or the circulator-side operation unit 174.

[0062] The circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned approximately in the center of the front surface 112a of the base unit in the left-right direction. The circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned on a control board 170a that is positioned approximately parallel to the front surface 112a of the base unit, similar to the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74. The control board 170a is a control board for the circulator-side control unit 174 and the circulator-side communication unit 182. The control board 170a of the circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned to approximately overlap with, or as close as possible to, the control board 70a of the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74 when viewed from above. The circulator-side control unit 174 has multiple input buttons that implement, for example, an operation switch and an oscillation switch.

[0063] The circulator-side control unit 170 includes a storage unit 177 and a timer 178. The storage unit 177 stores programs and information necessary for controlling each unit. The timer 78 performs timing for timer operation of the circulator 3.

[0064] The circulator-side communication unit 182 is an infrared antenna that transmits and receives required infrared signals (wireless signals) to and from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170. The circulator-side communication unit 182 transmits and receives infrared signals from, for example, the circulator-side transparent window 186 that transmits infrared rays and is provided on the upper surface 113 of the base portion 110. The circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are realized, for example, by making the areas on the upper surface 113 of the base portion and the front frame 11 in which the circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are formed thinner or by forming them with a material that has high infrared transmittance.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] In its integrated state, the circulator 3 primarily draws in the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2, and circulates and mixes the surrounding air while blowing this air upwards. The circulator 3 operates by oscillating around an oscillating axis that runs along the left-right direction, alternately directing its air outlet in the front-back direction.

[0068] Furthermore, when separated, the circulator 3 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the dehumidification unit 2 (Figure 9). In this configuration, the circulator 3 is positioned and used upright at a 90-degree angle from its integrated state, with the rear surface 112b of the base facing the floor or other surface, the front surface 112a of the base facing upwards, and the top surface 113 of the base facing the dehumidification unit 2. The circulator 3, positioned in this manner, draws in ambient air from the bottom surface 111 of the base (rear), and circulates and agitates the ambient air by blowing this air towards the top surface 113 of the base (front). The circulator 3 also operates while oscillating up and down around an oscillating axis that runs along the left-right direction.

[0069] By operating the dehumidifier 1 with the circulator 3 integrated, the circulator 3 can draw in most of the air dehumidified by the dehumidification unit 2, and the dehumidified air can be blown out effectively, thereby improving dehumidification efficiency. Furthermore, by operating the dehumidifier 1 with the circulator 3 separated, it can be suitably used in applications such as the following.

[0070] When a dehumidifier 1 is used to dry laundry hung indoors, the laundry can be dried efficiently by placing 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 place the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry, and the dehumidifier 1 must be placed at a distance from the laundry so as not to overlap it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the circulator 3, which is 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.

[0071] In this embodiment, the dehumidifier 1 operates in different ways when it is integrated and when it is separated, as described above. Specifically, when it is integrated, the circulator 3 draws in air near the outlet 41 of the dehumidification unit 2, thus assisting the amount of air drawn in by the dehumidification unit 2. On the other hand, when it is separated, the dehumidification performance depends on the suction performance of the dehumidification unit 2 alone, i.e., the suction performance of the blower motor 63, so the dehumidification performance is lower than when it is integrated. Also, when it is integrated, the circulator 3 draws in most of the dehumidified air and circulates and mixes the air while blowing it, so the dehumidification efficiency can be improved compared to when the dehumidification unit 2 is used alone. However, when it is separated, the blowing of the dehumidified air depends on the blowing performance of the dehumidification unit 2 alone, so the blowing performance is lower than when it is integrated, and as a result the dehumidification efficiency is lower.

[0072] Therefore, in this embodiment, the dehumidifier 1 is designed to have different operating conditions when the unit is attached and when it is separated, with the aim of further improving dehumidification efficiency. The operation control processing performed by the dehumidification unit 2 according to the attachment / detachment state will be described in detail below.

[0073] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation control process performed by the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 in the dehumidification unit 2.

[0074] Figure 11 is a sequence diagram of the processes performed in the dehumidifier 1, corresponding to the processes shown in Figures 10 and 12.

[0075] This operation control process is initiated, for example, after receiving an instruction to start operation via the dehumidification unit side operation unit 74 of the dehumidification unit 2. In step S1, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 acquires a detection result from the circulator detection sensor 81 (step S21 in Figure 11). In step S2, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 acquires the attachment / detachment status of the circulator 3 based on the obtained detection result (step S22). In step S3, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 transmits the acquired attachment / detachment status to the circulator 3 via the dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 (steps S23, S24).

[0076] In step S4, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 determines whether the circulator 3 is integrated or not. If the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 determines that it is integrated (YES in step S4), in step S5, it operates the dehumidification unit 2 according to the predefined integrated dehumidification conditions (integrated air conditioning conditions) (step S25). On the other hand, if the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 determines that it is separate (NO in step S4), in step S6, it operates the dehumidification unit 2 according to the separated dehumidification conditions (integrated air conditioning conditions) which are different from the integrated dehumidification conditions and are suitable for separation (step S25).

[0077] Here, the conditions for when the dehumidification side is integrated and the conditions for when the dehumidification side is separated may include conditions consisting of various control information necessary for operating the dehumidification unit 2. For example, the conditions for when the dehumidification side is integrated and the conditions for when the dehumidification side is separated relate to the amount of dehumidified air supplied from the dehumidification unit 2, the temperature at which the operation of the dehumidification unit 2 is stopped from a safety standpoint, or the time until the dehumidification unit 2 is automatically stopped.

[0078] Specifically, the amount of dehumidified air blown from the dehumidification unit 2 is specified to be greater under the conditions when the dehumidification side is separated than under the conditions when the dehumidification side is integrated. This is because, as mentioned above, the amount of air drawn into the dehumidification unit 2 decreases when it is separated compared to when it is integrated, and to compensate for this, the rotational speed of the blower motor 63 is increased to increase the amount of air blown.

[0079] Furthermore, the temperature at which the dehumidifier 2 stops in order to protect it is determined by the temperature measured by, for example, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 71 for measuring the temperature around the dehumidifier 2, or the temperature measured by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed inside the housing 10 of the dehumidifier 2. If these temperatures exceed a standard value set from a safety perspective, there is a possibility that some kind of malfunction has occurred. In such cases, the dehumidifier 2 (dehumidifier 1) needs to stop operating, but the conditions for dehumidification side separation are specified to be higher than the conditions for dehumidification side integration, so that the temperature at which the dehumidifier 2 stops is higher. This is because, when separated, there is no contact between the dehumidifier 2 and the circulator 3, and heat dissipation is high, so even if the temperature at which the dehumidifier 2 stops is set higher than when integrated, there is a high possibility of compromising safety, and both usability and safety for the user can be achieved by reducing the frequency of stopping. When the dehumidifier 2 stops, the dehumidifier side control unit 70 may send a control signal to the circulator 3 via the dehumidifier side communication unit 82 to stop the circulator 3, and the circulator 3 may also stop at the same time.

[0080] Furthermore, regarding the time until the dehumidification unit 2 automatically stops, for example, the dehumidifier 1 may have a function to automatically stop the operation of the dehumidification unit 2 (dehumidifier 1) when the required humidity is obtained, based on the detection results of the temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 provided in the dehumidification unit 2. In this case, the conditions when the dehumidification side is separated are specified to make the time until automatic stopping longer than the conditions when the dehumidification side is integrated. This is because, when separated, the airflow performance of the dehumidified air is considerably reduced compared to when integrated, so it is thought that the time until the required humidity is obtained is longer.

[0081] In addition to these conditions, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 may also use conditions used to operate the dehumidification unit 2 as the dehumidification side integrated conditions and the dehumidification side separated conditions.

[0082] In step S7, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 obtains a detection result from the circulator detection sensor 81 in the same way as in step S1 (step S26). In step S8, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 obtains the attachment / detachment status of the circulator 3 based on the obtained detection result in the same way as in step S2 (step S27). In step S9, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines whether the attachment / detachment status has changed from that obtained in step S2. If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines that the attachment / detachment status has not changed (NO in step S9), it returns to step S7 and repeats the subsequent processing. On the other hand, if the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines that the attachment / detachment status has changed (YES in step S9, step S28), it stops the operation of the dehumidification unit 2 in step S10 (step S29). Furthermore, in step S11, the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 transmits a control signal to the circulator 3 via the dehumidification unit side communication unit 82 to instruct it to stop operation (steps S30, S31).

[0083] Next, we will specifically explain the operation control process performed by the circulator 3 in parallel with the operation control process shown in Figure 10, according to the attachment / detachment status.

[0084] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation control process performed by the circulator-side control unit 170 in the circulator 3.

[0085] This operation control process is initiated, for example, after receiving an instruction to start operation via the dehumidification unit side operation unit 74 of the dehumidification unit 2. Furthermore, after the start of this process, the circulator side control unit 170 maintains the initial value of the attached / detached state as either separated or integrated. This allows the circulator 3 to operate in either separated or integrated mode even if the attached / detached state cannot be transmitted or received due to a communication malfunction or the like.

[0086] In step S41, the circulator-side control unit 170 receives and acquires the attachment / detachment status from the dehumidification unit 2 via the circulator-side communication unit 182 (step S51 in Figure 11). In step S42, the circulator-side control unit 170 determines whether the circulator 3 is integrated with the dehumidification unit 2 based on the acquired attachment / detachment status. If the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it is integrated (YES in step S42), in step S43, it operates the circulator 3 according to the predetermined circulator-side integrated conditions (air-blowing side integrated conditions) (step S52). On the other hand, if the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it is separated (NO in step S42), in step S44, it operates the circulator 3 according to the circulator-side separated conditions (air-blowing side separated conditions), which are different from the circulator-side integrated conditions suitable for separation (step S52).

[0087] Here, the conditions for when the circulator is integrated and the conditions for when the circulator is separated may include various conditions necessary for operating the circulator 3. For example, the conditions for when the circulator is integrated and the conditions for when the circulator is separated relate to the oscillation range of the air blower 130.

[0088] Specifically, the oscillation range of the air blower 130 of the circulator 3 is specified to be larger under the conditions when the circulator is separated than under the conditions when the circulator is integrated. When integrated, the oscillation range of the air blower 130 is limited because it mainly draws in dehumidified air blown out from the outlet 41. On the other hand, when separated, these conditions do not need to be considered, so the oscillation range can be made larger than when integrated. By expanding the oscillation range, the circulator 3 can ensure its airflow capacity by increasing the airflow range of the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2. In addition, when integrated, the circulator 3 is positioned above the dehumidification unit 2, while when separated, the base 110 is positioned at a 90-degree angle to the integrated position. As a result, the range in which the air blower 130 can draw in air is increased, so the oscillation range can be set larger under the conditions when the circulator is separated compared to when the circulator is integrated.

[0089] In addition to these conditions, the circulator-side control unit 170 may also use conditions used to operate the circulator 3 as circulator-side integrated conditions and circulator-side separated conditions.

[0090] In step S45, the circulator-side control unit 170 determines whether it has received an instruction from the dehumidification unit 2 to stop operation due to a change in the attachment / detachment state. If the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it has not received an instruction to stop operation (NO in step S45), it waits until it receives an instruction. On the other hand, if the circulator-side control unit 170 determines that it has received an instruction to stop operation (YES in step S45, step S53), it stops the operation of the circulator 3 in step S46 (step S54).

[0091] By performing such operation control processing, the dehumidifier 1 can not only be used in different configurations, such as with the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 being used together or separately, but can also be operated under conditions suitable for both the combined and separated configurations in order to maximize the dehumidification performance of the dehumidifier 1. As a result, the dehumidifier 1 in this embodiment can effectively perform the air conditioning function it possesses.

[0092] For example, when the dehumidifier 1 is separated from the dehumidifying unit 2, which may have less dehumidifying capacity than when the unit is assembled, the required dehumidifying capacity can be obtained even when the unit is separated by increasing the airflow of the dehumidifying unit 2. In addition, by increasing the oscillation range of the circulator 3 compared to when the unit is assembled, the dehumidifier 1 can distribute the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidifying unit 2 over a wider area, and thus can exert its dehumidifying capacity even when the unit is separated. Furthermore, from a safety perspective, the dehumidifier 1 can operate under conditions suitable for both the assembled and separated states, such as stopping operation according to temperature or automatic stopping according to time, allowing the performance of the dehumidifier 1 to be optimally exhibited depending on the attachment / detachment state.

[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 where the air conditioning unit is a dehumidifier 1, 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] In the example described, the dehumidification unit 2 has a circulator detection sensor 81 as the state detection unit, and the dehumidification unit 2 determines the attachment / detachment state and transmits it to the circulator 3 for sharing. However, the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 may each have a state detection unit to detect the attachment / detachment state, or only the circulator 3 may have a state detection unit and share the attachment / detachment state detected by the circulator 3 with the dehumidification unit 2. For example, the circulator 3 may have a posture sensor as the state detection unit to detect whether the circulator 3 is in an integrated position (with the base bottom surface 111 facing downwards) or in a separated position (with the base rear surface 112b facing downwards (installed on the installation surface)), thereby detecting the attachment / detachment state. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1. Dehumidifier with circulator (dehumidifier) 2 Dehumidification Unit 3. Circulator 10 cabinets 14 Top plate 15 Base 31 Inlet 41 Air outlet 70 Dehumidification unit side control unit 71 Temperature sensor 72 Humidity Sensor 74 Dehumidification unit side control panel 81 Circulator detection sensor 82 Dehumidification unit side communication section 110 Base 111 Base bottom 112 Side view of the base 113 Top surface of the base 130 Air blower 170 Circulator-side control unit 174 Circulator side control panel 177 Memory section 178 timer 182 Circulator-side communication unit

Claims

1. An air conditioning unit that blows out harmonious air, A blowing unit which operates either integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit, and when integrated with the air conditioning unit, at least draws in and blows out the air that has been harmonized with the air conditioning unit, and when separated from the air conditioning unit, is positioned at a predetermined distance from the air conditioning unit and draws in and blows out ambient air, The system includes an air conditioning control unit that operates the air conditioning unit according to the integrated air conditioning conditions when the system is integrated, and operates the air conditioning unit according to different air conditioning separation conditions when the system is separated. An air conditioner in which the integrated air conditioning side conditions and the separated air conditioning side conditions include control information relating to a temperature at which operation is stopped in order to protect the air conditioning unit, wherein the separated air conditioning side conditions are defined to be at a higher temperature than the integrated air conditioning side conditions at which operation of the air conditioning unit is stopped.

2. An air conditioning unit that blows out harmonious air, A blowing unit which operates either integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit, and when integrated with the air conditioning unit, at least draws in and blows out the air that has been harmonized with the air conditioning unit, and when separated from the air conditioning unit, is positioned at a predetermined distance from the air conditioning unit and draws in and blows out ambient air, The system includes an air conditioning control unit that operates the air conditioning unit according to the integrated air conditioning conditions when the system is integrated, and operates the air conditioning unit according to different air conditioning separation conditions when the system is separated. An air conditioner in which the conditions for when the air conditioning side is integrated and the conditions for when the air conditioning side is separated include control information relating to the time until the air conditioning unit is automatically shut down, and the conditions for when the air conditioning side is separated are defined to make the time until the automatic shut-off longer than the conditions for when the air conditioning side is integrated.

3. An air conditioning unit that blows out harmonious air, A blowing unit which operates either integrally with or separately from the air conditioning unit, and when integrated with the air conditioning unit, at least draws in and blows out the air that has been harmonized with the air conditioning unit, and when separated from the air conditioning unit, is positioned at a predetermined distance from the air conditioning unit and draws in and blows out ambient air, The air conditioning control unit operates the air conditioning unit according to the air conditioning unit integrated conditions when it is integrated, and operates the air conditioning unit according to air conditioning unit separation conditions that are different from the air conditioning unit integrated conditions when it is separated. An air conditioner comprising: a blower-side control unit that operates the blower unit according to blower-side integrated conditions when the unit is integrated, and operates the blower unit according to blower-side separated conditions different from the blower-side integrated conditions when the unit is separated.

4. The aforementioned blower unit has a blower section that is supported so as to be able to oscillate around a swing axis along a predetermined direction, The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the conditions for when the blower side is integrated and the conditions for when the blower side is separated include control information relating to the range of oscillation of the blower unit, and the conditions for when the blower side is separated are defined to make the range of oscillation larger than that of when the blower side is integrated.

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