Desiccant rotor and desiccant cassette

Abstract

To provide a desiccant rotor which can easily secure circularity and a desiccant cassette which can realize airtight holding regardless of circularity of the rotor or accuracy of flatness.SOLUTION: A desiccant rotor comprises: a desiccant element 5 with a center hole 54 at a center part in an element radial direction; and a rotor assembling member 6 including a rotor casing 61 which surrounds an outer periphery of the desiccant element 5, a center boss 64 which is inserted into the center hole 54, and a plurality of rotor frames 65 which connects the center boss 64 with the rotor casing 61. The rotor frames 65 facing to each other in a casing radial direction connects the rotor casing 61 at positions facing to each other in the casing radial direction through the center boss 64 so that the rotor frames 65 respectively hold a same distance between the center boss 64 and the rotor casing 61.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a desiccant rotor and a desiccant cassette used in an air conditioner or the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a desiccant rotor described in, for example, Patent Document 1. This is a four-layer structure including an inner cylinder, a disk-shaped structure, a sponge sheet structure, and an outer cylinder. The disk-shaped structure is formed by concentrically winding a corrugated sheet carrying a hygroscopic agent on a cardboard structure around the inner cylinder, and has a sponge sheet structure in which a sponge sheet is wound around the outer peripheral portion of the disk-shaped structure, and an outer cylinder is provided on the outer periphery of the sponge sheet structure. A plurality of spokes penetrate in the radial direction from the outer cylinder toward the inner cylinder and are connected to the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, integrating the inner cylinder, the disk-shaped structure, the sponge sheet structure, and the outer cylinder.

[0003] The air conditioning device described in Patent Document 2 has a sealing material facing in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotor with respect to an edge member that extends in the rotor radial direction provided around the rotor body, and the sealing material slides on the edge member as the rotor rotates.

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Generally, a desiccant rotor needs to be rotated around the rotation axis while receiving resistance from a seal member in order to maintain the airtightness of the rotor, and the center portion and the outer peripheral portion of the element are connected and fixed by a reinforcing member so that no load is applied to the desiccant element.

[0005] However, if there are protrusions on the outer circumference of the desiccant element, the roundness of the rotor is impaired, making it difficult to maintain airtightness of the rotor. Therefore, ensuring the roundness of the rotor was a challenge.

[0006] Furthermore, when the sealing material slides on a plane that extends radially across the rotor, the roundness and flatness of the rotor must be determined.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a desiccant rotor that can easily ensure roundness, and a desiccant cassette that can maintain airtightness without being affected by the accuracy of the roundness or flatness of the rotor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the desiccant cassette of the present invention comprises a desiccant rotor and a casing. The desiccant rotor consists of a desiccant element and a rotor assembly member. The desiccant element is circular in shape and has a central hole that penetrates from the element's radial center in the direction of the element's axis. The rotor assembly member has a rotor outer cylinder surrounding the outer circumference of the desiccant element, a center boss inserted into the central hole, and a plurality of rotor frames connecting the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder. The rotor frames, which are opposite each other in the outer cylinder radial direction, connect their opposing positions in the outer cylinder radial direction of the rotor outer cylinder via the center boss, and each rotor frame maintains an equidistant distance between the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder in the outer cylinder radial direction. This ensures the roundness of the rotor outer cylinder. The casing surrounds the rotor outer cylinder around its axis and holds the desiccant rotor rotatably around its axis. The rotor outer cylinder is open at both ends in the direction of the outer cylinder axis, Between the inner surface of the casing and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder The space in between is open, and the open space is sealed airtightly in the middle, from one end to the other. The rotor has a closing section, which consists of a closing plate that extends in the outer diameter direction from the inner surface of the casing toward the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder, and an airtight sealing member that maintains airtightness between the closing plate and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder, wherein the airtight sealing member has a sliding material that contacts the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder in the outer diameter direction.

[0009] This invention Desiccant CassetteIn this invention, the rotor frame has a plurality of spokes extending radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from a boss connection portion connected to a center boss, and is characterized in that a rotor frame positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element and a rotor frame positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element are positioned with their positions offset around the outer cylinder axis.

[0010] The desiccant cassette of the present invention The rotor comprises a desiccant rotor and a casing. The desiccant rotor consists of a desiccant element and a rotor assembly member. The desiccant element is circular in shape and has a central hole that penetrates from the element's radial center in the direction of the element's axis. The rotor assembly member has a rotor outer cylinder surrounding the outer circumference of the desiccant element, a center boss inserted into the central hole, and a plurality of rotor frames connecting the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder. The rotor frames, which are opposite each other in the outer cylinder radial direction, are connected to each other via the center boss at opposing positions in the outer cylinder radial direction. Each rotor frame holds the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder at an equal distance in the outer cylinder radial direction. The casing surrounds the rotor outer cylinder of the desiccant rotor around the outer cylinder axis. The desiccant rotor is held rotatably around the outer cylinder axis and has a closing portion provided between the inner surface of the casing and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder. The closing portion consists of a closing plate that extends in the outer cylinder diameter direction from the inner surface of the casing toward the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder, and an airtight retaining member that maintains airtightness between the closing plate and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder. The airtight retaining member has a sliding material that contacts the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder in the outer cylinder diameter direction. The rotor frame has a plurality of spokes that extend radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from a boss connection portion that connects to the center boss. A rotor frame positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element and a rotor frame positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element are positioned offset around the outer cylinder axis. The rotor frame spokes, which are positioned on one end face of the desiccant element in the element axis direction, and the rotor frame spokes, which are positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element, are positioned so as not to face each other in the outer cylinder axis direction.

[0011] This invention Desiccant Cassette In this invention, the rotor frame is characterized in that a pair of spokes extending radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from a boss connection portion connected to the center boss are spaced 90 degrees apart around the outer cylinder axis, and a rotor frame positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element and a rotor frame positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element are positioned with a 90-degree or 45-degree offset around the outer cylinder axis.

[0012] This invention Desiccant Cassette In this invention, the desiccant element has multiple insertion grooves extending from a central hole in the element diameter direction on its end face in the element axial direction, the center boss has a hub portion that fits and connects to a shaft inserted into the central hole, and a flange portion that extends from the hub portion in the outer cylinder diameter direction, and the rotor frame has spoke portions that are inserted into the insertion grooves of the element, and is joined to the rotor outer cylinder at an outer cylinder connection portion provided on one side of the spoke portion in the outer cylinder diameter direction, and is joined to the flange portion of the center boss at a boss connection portion provided on the other side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As described above, according to the present invention, rotor frames facing each other in the outer diameter direction connect opposing positions of the rotor outer cylinder in the outer diameter direction via a center boss, and each rotor frame holds the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder at an equidistant distance in the outer diameter direction.

[0015] Therefore, the roundness of the rotor outer cylinder is ensured around the center boss, which is integrated with the rotation axis of the desiccant rotor.

[0016] As a result, by housing the desiccant element inside the rotor outer cylinder, which has ensured roundness, high-precision roundness of the desiccant rotor relative to the rotation axis can be easily achieved even if the desiccant element does not have high-precision roundness.

[0017] The rotor frame has multiple spokes that extend radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from the boss connection portion that connects to the center boss. By shifting the position of the rotor frame around the outer cylinder axis at one end face and the other end face of the desiccant element, the number of connection points on the rotor outer cylinder that connect the spokes increases in the circumferential direction of the rotor outer cylinder, making it easier to ensure the roundness of the rotor outer cylinder.

[0018] Furthermore, when the desiccant rotor rotates, the load of the desiccant element acting on the rotor outer cylinder in the direction of gravity is alternately supported by spokes on one end face and the other end face of the desiccant element. As a result, the number of support points for the rotor outer cylinder increases in the circumferential direction of the rotor outer cylinder, thus structurally increasing the strength of the rotor outer cylinder.

[0019] By having the sliding material of the airtight sealing member contact the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder, which has ensured roundness, airtight sealing between the inner surface of the casing and the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder can be easily achieved without being affected by the accuracy of the outer circumferential roundness of the desiccant element. Furthermore, the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder, which is the contact point of the airtight sealing member, does not require the high-precision flatness required for airtight sealing in conventional designs.

[0020] Therefore, a simple rotor frame structure can achieve high-precision roundness in the desiccant rotor, and since processing precision is not required for the desiccant element and assembly components, it becomes possible to manufacture the desiccant rotor at a low cost. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1]Cross-sectional view of the decanter cassette in the embodiment of the present invention [Figure 2] Enlarged view of part A in FIG. 1 [Figure 3] Perspective view of the decanter cassette in the embodiment [Figure 4] Front view of the decanter cassette in the embodiment [Figure 5] Perspective view of the decanter rotor in the embodiment [Figure 6] Exploded perspective view of the decanter rotor in the embodiment [Figure 7] Perspective view showing the assembly of the rotor frame in the embodiment [Figure 8] Perspective view showing the arrangement structure of the rotor frame in the embodiment [Figure 9] Perspective view showing the arrangement structure of another rotor frame in the embodiment

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0023] In FIGS. 1 to 8, the decanter cassette 1 includes a casing 2, a decanter rotor 3, and a rotor drive unit 4.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 6, the decanter rotor 3 is formed by assembling a rotor assembly member 6 to a decanting element 5. The decanting element 5 has a decanting material 53 disposed between a cylindrical element outer layer 51 and an element inner layer 52 arranged concentrically. The element inner layer 52 forms a central hole 54 that penetrates in the element axial direction at the center in the element diameter direction, and has a plurality of insertion grooves 55 extending in the element diameter direction from the central hole 54 on the end surface in the element axial direction.

[0025] The rotor assembly member 6 includes a rotor outer cylinder 61 surrounding the outer circumference of the desiccant element 5, a rotor inner cylinder 62 inserted into the central hole 54, a shaft 63 inserted into the rotor inner cylinder 62, a center boss 64 fitted and joined to the shaft 63 and inserted into the rotor inner cylinder 62, and a plurality of rotor frames 65 connecting the center boss 64 and the rotor outer cylinder 61.

[0026] The center boss 64 has a hub portion 641 that fits and connects to the shaft 63, and a flange portion 642 that extends from the hub portion 641 in the direction of the outer cylinder diameter.

[0027] The rotor frame 65 has spoke portions 651 that are inserted into the element insertion grooves 55, and on one side of the spoke portion 651 in the outer cylinder diameter direction, there is an outer cylinder connecting portion 652 that is bent in the circumferential direction of the rotor outer cylinder 61 and joined to the inner surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61, and on the other side in the outer cylinder diameter direction, there is a boss connecting portion 653 that is joined to the flange portion 642 of the center boss 64, and the boss connecting portion 653 is inserted into the rotor inner cylinder 62.

[0028] Here, the rotor frame 65 has a pair of spokes 651 extending radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from both sides of the boss connection portion 653, with both spokes 651 spaced 90 degrees apart around the outer cylinder axis. The number of spokes 651 is not limited to two; multiple spokes 651 can also be provided.

[0029] Furthermore, the rotor frames 65, which are opposite each other in the outer diameter direction, connect their opposing positions in the outer diameter direction of the rotor outer cylinder 61 via the center boss 64, and each rotor frame 65 holds the center boss 64 and the rotor outer cylinder 61 at an equidistant distance in the outer diameter direction.

[0030] Furthermore, the rotor frame 65 is positioned such that the rotor frame 65 positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element 5 and the rotor frame 65 positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element 5 are offset in position around the outer cylinder axis, specifically by 45 degrees around the outer cylinder axis. As a result, the spoke portion 651 of the rotor frame 65 positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element 5 and the spoke portion 651 of the rotor frame 65 positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element are not in positions that face each other in the outer cylinder axis direction.

[0031] The rotor frame 65 positioned on one end face of the desiccant element 5 in the element axis direction and the rotor frame 65 positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element 5 can be positioned symmetrically across the desiccant element 5 in the element axis direction, without any displacement around the outer cylinder axis. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9, they can be positioned with a 90-degree displacement around the outer cylinder axis, and the displacement angle around the outer cylinder axis can be set arbitrarily.

[0032] The casing 2 has a rectangular frame 21 that surrounds the rotor outer cylinder 61 around the axis of the outer cylinder, and a rotor support portion 22 is provided across the opposite sides of the frame 21.

[0033] The rotor support portion 22 holds the desiccant rotor 2 so that it can rotate around the outer cylinder axis via a shaft bearing 23 that rotatably holds the shaft 63 of the desiccant rotor 2. A closing portion 24 is provided between the inner surface of the casing 2 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61. The closing portion 24 consists of a closing plate 25 that extends in the outer cylinder diameter direction from the inner surface of the casing 2 toward the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61, and an airtight retaining member 26 that maintains an airtight seal between the closing plate 25 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61. The airtight retaining member 26 is divided into two parts in the outer cylinder circumferential direction and has a sliding material 27 that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61. The sliding material 27 is made of an elastic material or the like.

[0034] The rotor drive unit 4 includes a drive belt 41 wound around a belt track 611 provided on the outer circumference of the rotor outer cylinder 61, a belt tensioner 42 that applies tension to the drive belt 41, a drive roller 43 that drives the drive belt 41, and a desiccant motor 44 that rotates the drive roller 43.

[0035] The operation of the above configuration will be explained below. The desiccant cassette 1 rotates around the axis of the shaft 63 by driving the drive belt 41 with the desiccant motor 44.

[0036] In the desiccant rotor 3, rotor frames 65 facing each other in the outer diameter direction are connected to opposing positions of the rotor outer cylinder 61 in the outer diameter direction via a center boss 64, and each rotor frame 65 holds the center boss 64 and the rotor outer cylinder 61 at an equal distance in the outer diameter direction.

[0037] Therefore, the roundness of the rotor outer cylinder 61 is ensured around the center boss 64, which is integrated with the shaft 63, which is the rotation axis of the desiccant rotor 3.

[0038] As a result, the desiccant element 5 is housed inside the rotor outer cylinder 61, which has a high degree of roundness. This makes it easy to achieve high-precision roundness of the desiccant rotor 3 relative to the rotation axis, even if the desiccant element 5 does not have high-precision roundness.

[0039] The rotor frame 65 has multiple spoke portions 651 that extend radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from a boss connection portion 653 that connects to a center boss 64. By shifting the position of the rotor frame 65 around the outer cylinder axis at one end face and the other end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element 5, the number of connection points of the rotor outer cylinder 61 that connect the spoke portions 651 increases in the circumferential direction of the rotor outer cylinder 61, making it easier to ensure the roundness of the rotor outer cylinder 61.

[0040] Furthermore, when the desiccant rotor 3 rotates, the load of the desiccant element 5 acting on the rotor outer cylinder 61 in the direction of gravity is alternately supported by the spoke portion 651 on one end face and the spoke portion 651 on the other end face of the desiccant element 5. As a result, the number of support points for the rotor outer cylinder 61 increases in the circumferential direction of the rotor outer cylinder 61, thus structurally increasing the strength of the rotor outer cylinder 61.

[0041] The sliding material 27 of the airtight sealing member 26 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61, which has a high degree of roundness. This allows for easy airtight sealing between the inner surface of the casing 2 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61, without being affected by the accuracy of the outer circumferential roundness of the desiccant element 5. Furthermore, the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder 61, which is the contact point for the airtight sealing member 26, does not require the high degree of flatness required for airtight sealing in conventional designs.

[0042] Therefore, the simple rotor frame 65 enables high-precision roundness of the desiccant rotor 3, and since the desiccant element 5 and assembly members 6 do not require high machining precision, the desiccant rotor 3 can be manufactured at a low cost. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1 Desiccant Cassette 2 Casing 3 Desiccant Rotors 4. Rotor drive unit 5 Desiccant element 6. Rotor assembly components 21 Frame 22 Rotor support section 23 Shaft bearing 24 Closing part 25 Closure plate 26 Airtight sealing member 27 Sliding material 41 Drive belt 42 Belt Tensioner 43 Drive rollers 44 Desiccant Motor 51 Element outer layer 52-element inner layer 53 Desiccant material 54 Central hole 55 Insertion groove 61 Rotor outer cylinder 62 Rotor inner cylinder 63 Shaft 64 Center Boss 65 Rotor Frame 611 Belt track section 641 Hub section 642 Flange section 651 Spoke section 652 Outer cylinder connection part 653 Boss connection part

Claims

1. Equipped with a desiccant rotor and casing, A desiccant rotor consists of a desiccant element and rotor assembly components. The desiccant element is circular in shape and has a central hole that penetrates through the element axial direction from the center of the element's radial direction. The rotor assembly component includes a rotor outer cylinder surrounding the outer circumference of the desiccant element, a center boss inserted into the central hole, and multiple rotor frames connecting the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder. Rotor frames facing each other in the outer diameter direction are connected to opposing positions in the outer diameter direction of the rotor outer cylinder via a center boss, and each rotor frame maintains an equidistant distance between the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder in the outer diameter direction, thereby ensuring the roundness of the rotor outer cylinder. The casing surrounds the rotor outer cylinder around its axis and holds the desiccant rotor so that it can rotate around the axis of the outer cylinder. Both ends of the rotor outer cylinder in the direction of the outer cylinder axis are open, and there is an open space between the inner surface of the casing and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder. There is a closing section in between the open ends that hermetically closes the open space. The closing section consists of a closing plate that extends in the outer diameter direction from the inner surface of the casing toward the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder, and an airtight retaining member that maintains an airtight seal between the closing plate and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder. A desiccant cassette characterized in that the airtight sealing member has a sliding material that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder in the radial direction of the outer cylinder.

2. The desiccant cassette according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor frame has a plurality of spoke portions extending radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from a boss connection portion connected to a center boss, and a rotor frame positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element and a rotor frame positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element are positioned with their positions offset around the outer cylinder axis.

3. comprising a desiccant rotor and a casing, A desiccant rotor consists of a desiccant element and rotor assembly components. The desiccant element is circular in shape and has a central hole that penetrates through the element axial direction from the center of the element's radial direction. The rotor assembly component includes a rotor outer cylinder surrounding the outer circumference of the desiccant element, a center boss inserted into the central hole, and multiple rotor frames connecting the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder. Rotor frames facing each other in the outer diameter direction are connected to opposing positions in the outer diameter direction of the rotor outer cylinder via a center boss, and each rotor frame maintains an equidistant distance between the center boss and the rotor outer cylinder in the outer diameter direction. The casing surrounds the rotor outer cylinder of the desiccant rotor around the axis of the outer cylinder, holds the desiccant rotor rotatably around the axis of the outer cylinder, and has a closing portion provided between the inner surface of the casing and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder. The closing section consists of a closing plate that extends in the outer diameter direction from the inner surface of the casing toward the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder, and an airtight retaining member that maintains an airtight seal between the closing plate and the outer surface of the rotor outer cylinder. The airtight sealing member has a sliding material that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the rotor outer cylinder in the radial direction of the outer cylinder. The rotor frame has multiple spokes extending radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from a boss connection portion connected to the center boss, and a rotor frame positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element and a rotor frame positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element are positioned offset around the outer cylinder axis. A desiccant cassette characterized in that the spoke portion of the rotor frame, which is positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element, and the spoke portion of the rotor frame, which is positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element, are positioned so as not to face each other in the outer cylinder axis direction.

4. The desiccant cassette according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the rotor frame has a pair of spokes extending radially in the outer cylinder diameter direction from a boss connection portion connected to a center boss, spaced 90 degrees apart around the outer cylinder axis, and a rotor frame positioned on one end face in the element axis direction of the desiccant element and a rotor frame positioned on the other end face of the desiccant element are positioned with a 90-degree or 45-degree offset around the outer cylinder axis.

5. The desiccant element has multiple insertion grooves extending radially from a central hole on its end face in the axial direction of the element. The center boss has a hub portion that fits and connects to a shaft inserted into the central hole, and a flange portion that extends from the hub portion in the direction of the outer cylinder diameter. The desiccant cassette according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the rotor frame has spoke portions that are inserted into insertion grooves for elements, and is joined to the rotor outer cylinder at an outer cylinder connecting portion provided on one side of the spoke portion in the outer cylinder diameter direction, and is joined to the flange portion of the center boss at a boss connecting portion provided on the other side.

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