Induction device

Abstract

Provided is a more convenient induction device that is capable of increasing the amount of air supplied from a blowout port in order to process a large amount of air, and capable of suppressing condensation in the blowout port.　An induction device 10 comprises: an upstream portion 100 having a connection port for connecting to a duct or the like; and a downstream portion 200 for mixing conditioned air and ambient air and blowing out the mixed air from a blowout port 202. The upstream portion 100 includes a contracting portion 110 having a continuously decreasing flow passage cross-sectional area, and an opening through which the conditioned air is blown out toward the downstream portion 200, and the downstream portion 200 includes an expanding portion 210 having a continuously increasing flow passage cross-sectional area, an inflow port into which the conditioned air blown out from the upstream portion 100 flows, and an induction port 203 through which the ambient air is induced.

Description

Attraction device

[0001] The present invention relates to an induction device used for air conditioning and ventilation in large spaces such as logistics warehouses, dome stadiums, exhibition halls, and semi-outdoor spaces, and which is connected to an air conditioner or duct (air conditioning duct, ventilation duct) to mix the conditioned air flowing in from the air conditioner with air drawn in from the surrounding space and blow it out.

[0002] When air-conditioning or ventilating large spaces such as logistics warehouses, dome stadiums, exhibition halls, and semi-outdoor spaces, it is necessary to use large-scale air-conditioning equipment (air conditioners, duct systems, etc.) to process large volumes of air. However, air-conditioning or ventilating large spaces not only consumes a lot of energy, but also increases the installation and running costs of the equipment.

[0003] Therefore, as a conventional technique, there is a facility (induction device) equipped with an induction mechanism that draws air from a surrounding space such as a duct and mixes it with the conditioned air.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an air conditioning device provided with a fan that blows air whose temperature has been adjusted by a temperature adjustment means from an outlet into an area to be air-conditioned. This air conditioning device is provided with an induction mixing means in the outlet air passage from the fan to the outlet that induces and draws in air within the area to be air-conditioned by the flow of air blown out from the fan and mixes it with the air blown out from the fan.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes a grill-type induction air outlet intended to prevent cold drafts and condensation.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 04-268130 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-081721

[0007] However, the air conditioning device described in Patent Document 1 is concealed in the ceiling, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. Furthermore, the air conditioning device includes an intake chamber forming box 16 as part of the induction mixing means 14 (paragraph 0020), and the induction section is housed within the box. Therefore, the internal air A2 is also induced from only one direction (vertical) relative to the fan-delivered air A1, and is also induced from the internal air present within the box. Therefore, it cannot be said that ambient air is efficiently induced, and is not suitable for use in air conditioning or ventilation of large spaces such as logistics warehouses.

[0008] Furthermore, the grill-type induced draft outlet described in Patent Document 2 uses the structure of the grill body 1 to induce ambient air and prevent condensation downwind from the air outlet, but the structure is complex (Figure 2). The grill-type induced draft outlet is used in air conditioning systems that reduce the volume of air supplied from an air conditioner and supply it to a conditioned space, such as a room (paragraphs 0002-0004). Therefore, the grill-type induced draft outlet has a limited air volume it can handle and cannot handle large volumes, making it difficult to apply to air conditioning in large spaces. Furthermore, in the grill-type induced draft outlet, ambient air is drawn into the main body 1 through the front outlet opening 11 via the induced draft duct 3. After the air is drawn into the main body 1, the flow direction deflects in the opposite direction to the inflow direction and merges with the mixed outlet duct 4, resulting in increased pressure loss within the grill-type induced draft outlet. Furthermore, since the air outlet 2 of the grill-type induction air outlet has an area of ​​approximately half the front of the grill, the mixed air blown out from the air outlet 2 naturally increases in blowing speed, which may give the user an excessive draft feeling and reduce comfort.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a more convenient air induction device that can increase the amount of air supplied from the air outlet to process a large amount of air and suppress condensation at the air outlet.

[0010] The induction device of the present invention is an induction device that mixes conditioned air flowing in from the upstream side directly from an air conditioner or via a duct with ambient air drawn from the ambient space, and blows the mixed air into the air-conditioned space downstream, and is composed of an upstream section having a connection port on the upstream side that connects to the air conditioner or the duct, and a downstream section having an outlet on the downstream side that mixes the conditioned air with the ambient air and blows the mixed air from the outlet, wherein the upstream section has a contracting section in which the flow path cross-sectional area continuously decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side, and an opening provided at the rear edge of the contracting section, through which the conditioned air is blown out toward the downstream section, and the downstream section has an expanding section in which the flow path cross-sectional area continuously increases from the upstream side to the downstream side, an inlet provided on the upstream side through which the conditioned air blown out from the upstream section flows in, and an induction port provided on the downstream side through which the ambient air is drawn.

[0011] With this configuration, (1-1) the conditioned air generated by the air conditioner flows into the upstream section from the upstream connection port either directly from the air conditioner or via a duct, and then its flow velocity is increased by the constriction section, further promoting the attraction of ambient air entering through the downstream induction port connected to the downstream side of the upstream section. (1-2) Furthermore, when the air conditioner is operating in cooling mode, the temperature of the air blown out from the outlet is about 10°C, and the ambient air is hotter than this air (conditioned air). Then, the ambient air is attracted through the induction port and mixed with the conditioned air, so the temperature of the mixed air is higher than the temperature of the incoming conditioned air (about 10°C).

[0012] In this case, it is desirable that the downstream section be connected to the downstream side of the upstream section by a connecting means at a position where the opening and the inlet face each other.

[0013] In this case, since the opening and the inlet are connected by the connecting means at positions facing each other, the conditioned air blown out from the opening is always blown out toward the inlet.

[0014] Furthermore, it is desirable that the induction device has an airflow adjustment unit within the downstream section that rectifies the mixed air blown out from the outlet, the airflow adjustment unit dividing the flow path within the downstream section into upper and lower sections (an upper-side flow path and a lower-side flow path) and having a generally dogleg shape when viewed from the left side that expands toward the outlet. As a result, the mixed air is evenly divided into the upper and lower sections, i.e., the upper-side flow path and the lower-side flow path within the downstream section, and blown out from the outlet, so that after being blown out, each airflow is supplied to the space to be air-conditioned while diffusing.

[0015] In particular, the airflow adjustment unit preferably has an upper panel (upper surface portion) located at the upper side of the downstream section and extending from the upstream end toward the air outlet, and a lower panel (lower surface portion) located at the lower side of the downstream section and extending from the upstream end toward the air outlet, and a plurality of guides are provided within the downstream section, extending from the downstream ends of the upper panel (upper surface portion) and the lower panel (lower surface portion) of the airflow adjustment unit to the air outlet, respectively, and the plurality of guides are provided so as to divide the air outlet into three sections, above and below, as viewed from the front. This generates an attraction of ambient air between the plurality of guides, i.e., toward the "central region" of the air outlet, which is divided into three sections, above and below, as viewed from the front.

[0016] Preferably, the plurality of guides are provided with gaps between them and the downstream ends of the upper and lower plates of the airflow adjustment unit, respectively, so that ambient air is attracted to the "central region," and the attracted air flows into the upper and lower flow paths in the downstream section through the gaps between the airflow adjustment unit and the guides.

[0017] It is desirable that the downstream portion be movably connected to the upstream portion, so that the downstream portion can be moved to any angle since the downstream portion is movably connected to the upstream portion.

[0018] Furthermore, it is desirable that the induction device be configured such that a nozzle is provided in the downstream portion so as to be positioned at the opening in the upstream portion, thereby increasing the wind speed of the conditioned air blown from the opening toward the inlet in the downstream portion.

[0019] In addition, it is desirable that a plurality of induction devices be provided along the longitudinal direction of the air outlet, and that the induction devices be provided with airflow adjustment vanes for adjusting the airflow direction of the mixed air being blown out, thereby making it possible to change the blowing direction of the mixed air being blown out from the air outlet depending on the conditions of the space to be air-conditioned.

[0020] According to the induction device of the present invention, due to its configuration, (1-1) the conditioned air generated by the air conditioner flows into the upstream section through the upstream connection port either directly from the air conditioner or via a duct, and then the flow velocity is increased by the constriction section, further promoting the attraction of ambient air entering through the downstream induction port connected to the downstream side of the upstream section. Therefore, by using the induction device, ambient air at a volume approximately 30% of the conditioned air can be attracted, thereby increasing the volume of the mixed air supplied from the induction device by approximately 30% compared to the conditioned air. For example, if a volume of 130°C is required for the air-conditioned space, a conventional air conditioner would need to generate conditioned air at a volume of 130°C. However, by using the induction device of the present invention, the air conditioner can attract approximately 30°C of ambient air by generating conditioned air at a volume of 100°C, thereby increasing the volume of the mixed air blown out to 130°C. As a result, the output or size of the air conditioner can be reduced. (1-2) Furthermore, when the air conditioner is in cooling operation, the temperature of the mixed air blown out from the outlet is higher than the temperature of the conditioned air that flows in, so that condensation near the outlet can be suppressed.

[0021] (2) In this case, the downstream section is connected to the downstream side of the upstream section by a connecting means at a position where the opening and the inlet are opposite each other, so that the conditioned air blown out from the opening is always blown toward the inlet, and therefore the conditioned air blown out from the upstream section can flow into the downstream section efficiently without loss.

[0022] (3) Furthermore, by including an airflow adjustment unit, the mixed air is split into upper and lower flow paths, i.e., into the upper and lower flow paths within the downstream section, and then blown out from the outlet. After being blown out, each airflow diffuses as it is supplied to the air-conditioned space. Therefore, when a user is present, the mixed air reaches the user at a wind speed that does not cause discomfort to the user. On the other hand, if the induction device does not include an airflow adjustment unit, the mixed air becomes an airflow concentrated in the center of the outlet, and the airflow is not sufficiently diffused at the outlet. Therefore, compared to when an airflow adjustment unit is included, the blown air speed does not decrease when it hits the user, which may cause discomfort to the user.

[0023] (4) In particular, since the airflow adjustment section has an upper panel (upper surface portion), a lower panel (lower surface portion), and multiple guides, the multiple guides separate the mixed air into an upper flow path and a lower flow path within the downstream section, and more reliably guide the mixed air to the outlet. As a result, the airflow blown out from the outlet does not tend to be centered in the height direction of the outlet, but is blown out separately from the upper and lower regions of the outlet.

[0024] (5) Furthermore, because the plurality of guides are respectively provided with gaps between them and the downstream end of the upper plate and the downstream end of the lower plate of the airflow adjustment unit, ambient air is attracted to the spaces between the guides, i.e., the "central region" of the air outlet, which is divided into three parts vertically when viewed from the front. This attracted air flows through the gaps between the airflow adjustment unit and the guides into the upper and lower flow paths within the downstream section, further increasing the volume of mixed air blown out from the "upper region" and "lower region." In short, the "central region" serves as an attraction port for attracting ambient air near the front of the air outlet, further improving the attraction efficiency.

[0025] (6) Furthermore, since the downstream section is configured to be movably connected to the upstream section, the downstream section can be moved to any angle, and therefore the direction in which the mixed air is blown into the air-conditioned space can be determined arbitrarily within the movable range.

[0026] (7) Furthermore, by providing a nozzle in the downstream portion so as to be positioned at the opening in the upstream portion, the nozzle increases the wind speed of the conditioned air blown out from the opening toward the inlet in the downstream portion, thereby stabilizing the attraction rate of the ambient air entering through the inlet in the downstream portion.

[0027] (8) In addition, the configuration is provided with multiple airflow adjustment vanes, allowing users to freely change the direction and range of the mixed air blown out from the air outlet of the induction device depending on the conditions of the space to be air-conditioned.

[0028] 1A and 1B are schematic front, plan, and left side perspective views showing an embodiment of the induction device of the present invention. (i) is a schematic front, plan, and left side perspective view of a first casing, and (ii) is a schematic front, plan, and left side perspective view of a second casing. 1B are schematic front, bottom, and left side perspective views of the induction device shown in FIG. 1. (i) is a back view of the induction device shown in FIG. 1, and (ii) is a front view. (i) is a plan view of the induction device shown in FIG. 1, and (ii) is a bottom view. (i) is a right side view, (ii) is a left side view, and (iii) is an A-A cross-sectional view of the induction device shown in FIG. 1B. 1C are partially omitted perspective views of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6C. 1D are views for explaining the detailed configuration based on the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6C. 1D are views for explaining another embodiment of the airflow adjustment unit based on the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6C. 1D are schematic front, plan, and left side perspective views showing an embodiment of the induction device of the present invention, showing a state in which the second casing is tilted downward. 1E are schematic front, bottom, and left side perspective views of the induction device shown in FIG. 10. 10(i), (ii), and (iii) are right-side and left-side views, respectively, of the induction device shown in FIG. 10, with the second casing tilted downward. A diagram for explaining the operation of the induction device of the present invention based on the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6(iii). A conceptual diagram of mixed air blown out from the induction device shown in FIG. 13. A diagram for explaining the operation of the induction device without an airflow adjustment unit based on the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6(iii). A conceptual diagram of mixed air blown out from the induction device shown in FIG. 15. A schematic front, plan, and left-side perspective view showing another embodiment 1 of the induction device of the present invention. (i) is a front view of the induction device shown in FIG. 17, and (ii) is a plan view. A conceptual diagram of mixed air blown out from the induction device shown in FIG. 17. A conceptual diagram of mixed air blown out from the induction device shown in FIG. 17. A conceptual diagram of mixed air blown out from the induction device shown in FIG. 17. A cross-sectional view of another embodiment 2 of the induction device of the present invention based on FIG. 6(iii).

[0029] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention. However, the description of the constituent elements described below is an example (representative example) of an embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following content unless the gist of the present invention is changed.

[0030] [Induction Device] The induction device 10 is an induction device that mixes conditioned air SA, which flows in from the upstream side directly from an air conditioner (not shown) or via a duct (not shown), with ambient air AA, which is drawn from the surrounding space, and blows the mixed air MA into the air-conditioned space downstream (see FIGS. 1 to 13). The induction device 10 is composed of an upstream section 100 and a downstream section 200. These may be formed integrally, or may be formed separately and connected to each other. This explanation will focus on the latter case. Therefore, for convenience, the "upstream section" will be referred to as the "first casing" and the "downstream section" will be referred to as the "second casing" in the following explanation.

[0031] In this description, the direction in which the connection port 101 of the attraction device 10 is located is referred to as the rear (upstream side), and the direction in which the air outlet 202 is located is referred to as the front (downstream side). In addition, in this description, the up-down direction and the left-right direction are defined based on the front-to-back direction (see FIG. 1), and the front-to-back direction and the horizontal direction are synonymous, the up-to-down direction and the height direction are synonymous, and the left-to-right direction and the width direction are synonymous.

[0032] [First Casing] The first casing 100 has a connection port 101 on the upstream side that connects to an air conditioner or a duct. The first casing 100 also has a contraction section 110 in which the flow path cross-sectional area continuously decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side. An opening 102 is provided at the rear edge 110e of the contraction section 110, through which the conditioned air SA is blown out toward the second casing 200 (see FIG. 2(i)).

[0033] The reduction section 110 is formed by a side wall member 110s and opposing upper and lower wall members 110t and 110b (see FIG. 2(i)). The degree of reduction of the reduction section 110, i.e., the angle between the upper and lower wall members 110t and 110b, can be arbitrarily changed. In this embodiment, the angle A1 (see FIG. 6(ii)) is 110°.

[0034] Furthermore, connection port 101 is a rectangular short pipe that is inserted into the connection port of an air conditioner or the like (the connection port of an air conditioner or the like is also a short pipe), and the periphery of the short pipe is fastened with screws, and then the connection is made by sealing with tape, etc. Alternatively, connection port 101 can be flange-shaped, and the air conditioner or the like can be connected to connection port 101 using bolts, nuts, clips, etc. (not shown).

[0035] Note that nozzles 250 are provided at the opening 102 of the first casing 100 to increase the wind speed of the conditioned air SA blown toward the inlet 201 of the second casing 200 (see FIGS. 1 and 6(iii)). In this embodiment, the nozzles 250 are fixed to the second casing 200 (see FIG. 2) and are provided so as to be movable relative to the first casing 100 (see FIGS. 6(iii) and 12(iii)). More specifically, because the second casing 200 has partitions 240 (241, 242) described below, the nozzles 250 (nozzles 251, 252, 253) are also provided in the areas partitioned by the partitions 240. Of course, the nozzles 250 are not limited to this form, as long as they can increase the wind speed of the conditioned air SA blown toward the inlet 201 of the second casing 200 and are provided in the area where the opening 102 of the first casing 100 is located.

[0036] In this embodiment, the nozzle 250 has a curved inner surface (see FIG. 6(iii)). Therefore, even when the second casing 200 is tilted downward (see FIG. 12(iii)), the conditioned air can be reliably guided in the tilted direction, and the airflow that flows through the upper and lower regions (the upper flow path 280 and the lower flow path 281) divided by the airflow adjustment unit 220 can be more stably generated (see FIG. 6(iii)). In this way, by moving the nozzle 250 in conjunction with the movement of the second casing 200, the conditioned air whose velocity has been increased by the nozzle can be efficiently introduced into the downstream portion without loss.

[0037] In this embodiment, iron plates (galvanized iron plates) are used for each component of the first casing 100. Heat insulating material (polyethylene foam) is attached to the outer surfaces of the first casing 100, including the top wall material 110t, the bottom wall material 110b, and the side wall material 110s.

[0038] [Second Casing] Meanwhile, the second casing 200 has an outlet 202 on the downstream side, mixes the conditioned air SA with the ambient air AA, and blows out the mixed air MA from the outlet 202. The second casing 200 has an inlet 201 on the upstream side through which the conditioned air SA blown out from the first casing 100 (opening 102) flows in, and also has an enlarged section 210 whose flow path cross-sectional area continuously increases from the upstream side to the downstream side (see FIG. 2(ii)). The second casing 200 also has an induction port 203 located downstream of the inlet 201, through which the ambient air AA is drawn.

[0039] Like the reduced section 110 of the first casing 100, the expanded section 210 of the second casing 200 is formed by a side wall member 210s and opposing upper and lower wall members (see FIG. 2(ii)). In this embodiment, however, induction ports 203 are provided over almost the entire upper surface (the portion where the upper wall member is located) and lower surface (the portion where the lower wall member is located) of the second casing 200 (see FIGS. 1, 3, etc.). In this embodiment, the angle A2 (see FIG. 6(ii)) formed between the upper wall member and the lower wall member is 30°.

[0040] Furthermore, a hanging bracket 270 for hanging the second casing 200 is provided above the air outlet 202. In this embodiment, hanging brackets 270 (271, 272) are provided on the left and right sides of the upper part of the air outlet 202 (see FIG. 1, etc.). The hanging brackets 270 are hung by hanging bolts (not shown) and nuts (not shown) provided on the building frame, such as the ceiling. Thus, the second casing 200 can be supported on the building frame, such as the ceiling, via the hanging brackets 270.

[0041] The second casing 200 is connected downstream of the first casing 100 with the opening 102 and the inlet 201 facing each other. For example, if Figures 2(i) and 2(ii) show the first casing 100 and the second casing 200 before they are connected, respectively, the opening 102 and the inlet 201 are connected to each other to form the induction device 10 shown in Figure 1. In this embodiment, a portion (rear portion) of the second casing 200 including the inlet 201 overlaps and is connected to the front portion of the first casing 100 (see Figure 6).

[0042] The second casing 200 is movably connected to the first casing 100 by a connecting means. In this embodiment, the first casing 100 and the second casing 200 are connected by a connecting means 260, such as a screw or a connecting rod (see FIGS. 4(i) and 6(iii)). Therefore, the second casing 200 can be tilted downward from a horizontally aligned state (see FIG. 1) like the attraction device 11 (see FIGS. 10 to 12). Of course, the second casing 200 can also be tilted upward, and the tilt angle can be changed as desired (for example, from horizontal (0°) to 30°). The second casing 200 can then be fixed to the first casing 100 in the tilted state.

[0043] In this embodiment, iron plates (galvanized iron plates) are used for each component of the second casing 200, including the airflow adjustment unit 220, guide 230, and nozzle 250. Furthermore, insulating material (polyethylene foam) is attached to the outer surface of the second casing 200 and the air outlet. Specifically, insulating material is attached to the outer surfaces of the side wall material 210s and nozzle 250, as well as the upper and lower plates 221b and 222b of the airflow adjustment unit 220, the plate-like member 223, and the guide 230 (see FIG. 6(iii)). In particular, it is desirable to provide insulating material on the surfaces of the upper and lower plates 221b and 222b of the airflow adjustment unit 220, the plate-like member 223, and the guide 230, which come into contact with the ambient air AA drawn from the central region 310 as it passes through, and on the outer surface of the nozzle 250, which comes into contact with the ambient air AA drawn from the induction port 203 as it passes through (see FIGS. 6 and 13).

[0044] The horizontal length L1 (see FIG. 8) of the attraction device 10 of this embodiment is 600 mm. The horizontal length L2 (see FIG. 8) of the second casing 200 is 500 mm, and the length L3 (see FIG. 6(ii)) from the expansion section 210 to the air outlet 202 is 50 mm. The height length L4 (see FIG. 8) of the first casing 100 is 350 mm (370 mm if thermal insulation is provided on the exterior surface). The height length L5 (see FIG. 8) of the second casing 200 is 400 mm. The width length L6 (see FIG. 5(i)) of the second casing 200 is 1,225 mm (1,245 mm if thermal insulation is provided on the exterior surface).

[0045] In this way, the induction device 10 has a first casing 100 and a second casing 200 that are separate bodies, and as shown in this embodiment (see FIG. 6), a portion of the second casing 200, including the inlet 201, overlaps and is connected to the front portion of the first casing 100. Therefore, by appropriately designing the sizes of the first casing 100 and the second casing 200 of the induction device 10, it is possible to fit the size of the duct in which the induction device 10 is installed and the size of the air conditioner.

[0046] [Airflow Adjustment Unit] Furthermore, induction device 10 has, within second casing 200, airflow adjustment unit 220 that rectifies the mixed air MA blown out from outlet 202. Airflow adjustment unit 220 is a plate-like member that crosses the interior of second casing 200 in the left-right direction, and has a generally dogleg shape in left-side view that expands toward outlet 202, dividing the flow path within second casing 200 into upper and lower parts (upper flow path 280 and lower flow path 281) (see FIGS. 6(iii) and 7).

[0047] In this embodiment, the airflow adjustment section 220 is an upper panel (upper surface portion) 221 located on the upper side of the second casing 200, and includes the upper panel 221 extending from the upstream end 220t of the airflow adjustment section 220 toward the air outlet 202, a lower panel (lower surface portion) 222 located on the lower side of the second casing 200, and extends from the upstream end 220t toward the air outlet 202, and a plate-shaped member 223.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper plate 221 is composed of an upper plate 221a extending from the upstream end 220t toward the air outlet 202 and an upper plate 221b extending continuous to the downstream end of the upper plate 221a. The lower plate 222 is composed of a lower plate 222a extending from the upstream end 220t toward the air outlet 202 and a lower plate 222b extending continuous to the downstream end of the lower plate 222a. In this embodiment, the downstream end of the upper plate 221b and the downstream end of the lower plate 222b are connected by a plate-like member 223 that crosses the interior of the second casing 200 in the left-right direction. By providing the plate-like member 223, ambient air AA drawn from a central region 310 of the air outlet 202 (described later) collides with the plate-like member 223 and then flows along the inner surfaces of the upper plate 221b and the lower plate 222b. Therefore, the ambient air AA is more easily guided to the upper flow path 280 in the second casing and the lower flow path 281 in the second casing, but even if the plate-shaped member 223 is not provided, the ambient air AA is sufficiently guided from the central region 310 of the outlet 202.

[0049] In this embodiment, the angle A3 (see FIG. 8 ) formed between the upper plate 221a and the lower plate 222a is 30° with the upstream end 220t as the fulcrum. The upper plate 221b extends upward relative to the direction in which the upper plate 221a extends, and the lower plate 222b extends downward relative to the direction in which the lower plate 222a extends (see the dotted line in FIG. 6(iii)). In this embodiment, the angle A4 (see FIG. 8 ) formed between the upper plate 221b and the lower plate 222b is 50° with the fulcrum being the point at which the upper plate 221b and the lower plate 222b intersect when extended downstream.

[0050] In this embodiment, the airflow adjustment unit 220 has a generally dogleg shape when viewed from the left side. However, the shape is not limited to this as long as the airflow adjustment unit can achieve the effects described herein. For example, the upper panel 221, the lower panel 222, and the guide 230 may be partially or entirely curved. Alternatively, the upper panel 221 and the lower panel 222 may extend to the air outlet 202, and a blocking plate 234 may be provided between the downstream end of the upper panel 221 and the downstream end of the lower panel 222 (see FIG. 9 ). In this case, the upper panel 221, the lower panel 222, and the blocking plate 234 form a closed space between the upper flow path 280 and the lower flow path 281 within the second casing 200. However, even with this configuration, the mixed air MA blown out from the air outlet 202 can be rectified and the flow path within the second casing 200 can be divided into upper and lower flow paths (the upper flow path 280 and the lower flow path 281).

[0051] [Guides] The induction device 10 also has a plurality of guides 230 provided within the second casing 200, each extending from the downstream end of the upper plate 221 and the downstream end of the lower plate 222 of the airflow adjustment unit 220 to the air outlet 202 (see FIGS. 1, 4(ii), 6(iii), etc.). In this embodiment, two guides 230 are provided (guides 231, 232), and are provided so as to divide the air outlet 202 into upper and lower thirds when viewed from the front (front view).

[0052] Therefore, in this embodiment, the air outlet 202 of the air induction device 10 is divided into three sections by the guides 231 and 232: an upper section 300, a central section 310, and a lower section 320 (see Fig. 1, Fig. 4(ii), etc.). Note that the ratio of the lengths of the upper section 300, the central section 310, and the lower section 320 in the vertical direction (height direction) is approximately 4:5:4 in this embodiment.

[0053] In this embodiment, the guides 231 and 232 are provided closer to the center of the air outlet 202 than the upper plate 221b and the lower plate 222b. Furthermore, because the guides 231 and 232 are provided parallel to the upper plate 221b and the lower plate 222b, respectively, the angle A5 (see FIG. 8 ) formed between the guides 231 and 232 is 50°. As described above, the upper plate 221b extends upward relative to the direction in which the upper plate 221a extends, and the lower plate 222b extends downward relative to the direction in which the lower plate 222a extends. Furthermore, the guides 231 and 232 are provided closer to the center of the air outlet 202 than the upper plate 221b and the lower plate 222b. Therefore, a gap is formed between the downstream end of the airflow adjustment unit 220 (upper plate 221, lower plate 222) and the upstream end of the guide 230. This gap, which will be described in detail later, serves as a passageway for the ambient air AA drawn in from the central region 310 of the outlet 202 to hit the inside of the airflow adjustment section 220 and flow into the upper flow path 280 and the lower flow path 281 (see Figure 6 (iii) and Figure 13).

[0054] The airflow adjustment unit 220 and guide 230 described above are designed as appropriate according to various conditions. For example, the dimensions of the triangular portion of the airflow adjustment unit 220, which is made up of the upper panel 221, the lower panel 222, etc., and the guide 230 are designed as appropriate according to the amount of ambient air SA that is attracted and the shape of the air outlet 202 that blows out the mixed air MA.

[0055] [Dividers] The induction device 10 includes dividers (partition plates) 240 arranged inside the second casing 200 to divide the airflow path within the second casing 200 at equal intervals in the left-right direction (width direction) (see Figures 1, 4(ii), etc.). In other words, the dividers 240, arranged upright along the flow direction of the conditioned air SA (see Figure 13), divide the second casing 200 into multiple airflow paths in the left-right direction. By providing the dividers 240, the airflow path within the second casing 200 is divided at equal intervals in the width direction and rectified, thereby preventing an increase in pressure loss within the second casing 200. Furthermore, rectifying the airflow in the width direction of the second casing 200 improves induction efficiency. The dividers 240 also function as reinforcement, thereby increasing the strength of the induction device 10 in the width direction.

[0056] In this embodiment, two dividers 240 are provided (dividers 241 and 242), which are provided to divide the air outlet 202 into three parts, left and right, when viewed from the front (see FIG. 1, etc.). Therefore, in this embodiment, the air outlet 202 of the air induction device 10 is divided by the guides 231 and 232 and the dividers 241 and 242 into a total of six areas: upper areas 301, 302, 302; lower areas 310, 311, 312; and lower areas 320, 321, 322 (see FIGS. 1, 4(ii), etc.).

[0057] [Operation of Attraction Device] Hereinafter, the operation of the attraction device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13 as well as FIGS. 14 to 16.

[0058] First, conditioned air SA flows into induction device 10 through connection port 101 of first casing 100, which is connected to an air conditioner or the like (see FIG. 13). As conditioned air SA passes through contraction section 110 and heads toward downstream outlet 202, its flow velocity increases due to the portion of contraction section 110 where the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path continuously decreases toward the downstream side. This further promotes the induction of ambient air AA, which enters through induction port 203 provided in second casing 200 connected downstream of contraction section 110.

[0059] The ambient air AA drawn in through the induction port 203 is mixed with the conditioned air SA in the expanded portion 210 of the second casing 200 and is blown out from the outlet 202 as mixed air MA.

[0060] In this way, the attraction of ambient air AA is further promoted, and the air volume of the mixed air MA blown out from the attraction device 10 is the "air volume of the conditioned air SA supplied to the attraction device 10 from the air conditioner" plus the "ambient air AA attracted by the conditioned air SA," which results in an increase of approximately 30% over the air volume of the conditioned air SA.

[0061] In addition, because ambient air AA is drawn in through induction port 203 and mixed within second casing 200, when an air conditioner or the like is operating in cooling mode (when the temperature of conditioned air SA is low), the temperature of the mixed air MA blown out from outlet 202 is higher than the temperature of the conditioned air SA. This makes it possible to suppress condensation at outlet 202. Note that, because insulating material is attached to the outer surfaces of first casing 100 and the outer surfaces and outlets of second casing 200, the second casing 200 and the like is not cooled by the conditioned air SA, and condensation can be suppressed even when ambient air AA comes into contact with the second casing 200 and the periphery of outlet 202.

[0062] Furthermore, the induction device 10 can arbitrarily determine the direction in which the mixed air MA is blown into the air-conditioned space within its movable range, and since the opening 102 and the inlet 201 are connected at opposing positions, the conditioned air SA blown out from the opening 102 is always blown out toward the inlet 201.Therefore, no matter how the second casing 200 is moved (tilted), the conditioned air SA blown out from the first casing 100 can be efficiently flowed into the second casing 200 without loss.

[0063] Furthermore, because induction device 10 has airflow adjustment section 220, mixed air MA is split into upper and lower flow paths 280 and 281 within second casing 200 and then blown out of outlet 202 (see FIG. 6(iii)). That is, mixed air MA is blown out of upper region 300 and lower region 320 of outlet 202 without excessively increasing in wind speed compared to when mixed air MA is blown out horizontally without being split into upper and lower portions. Therefore, the mixed air MA blown out of outlet 202 does not increase in wind speed excessively and is dispersed over a wide area (see FIG. 13). Thus, induction device 10 can adjust the wind speed of the blown mixed air MA so that the wind speed of the mixed air MA blown out toward users staying in the air-conditioned space is a desired value (see FIG. 14).

[0064] If the airflow adjustment unit 220 is not provided, the mixed air MA will not be sufficiently diffused from the air outlet 202, as is the case with the induction device 20, and will be blown out horizontally while concentrating near the center in the height direction of the air outlet 202 (see FIG. 15). Therefore, this mixed air MA will hit users staying in the air-conditioned space without being attenuated, which could cause discomfort to the users (see FIG. 16).

[0065] The air outlet 202 of the induction device 10 is divided into three regions by guides 231 and 232: an upper region 300, a central region 310, and a lower region 320. Therefore, the ambient air AA is attracted to the central region 310 (a flow of the ambient air AA from the central region 310 of the air outlet 202 into the second casing 200).

[0066] Therefore, the airflow flowing inside second casing 200 is divided by guide 230 into upper flow path 280 and lower flow path 281 inside the second casing and is guided more reliably to outlet 202, so that the air is not centered in the vertical direction (height direction) of outlet 202, but is diffused and blown out vertically from upper region 300 and lower region 320 of outlet 202 (see FIG. 13). Thus, induction device 10 can adjust the wind speed of the blown mixed air MA so that the wind speed at the destination point becomes a desired value at a more arbitrary wind speed and at a more arbitrary point (see FIG. 14).

[0067] Furthermore, as described above, guide 230 attracts ambient air AA toward central region 310 of air outlet 202, and the attracted ambient air AA hits the inside of airflow adjustment section 220 (particularly plate-like member 223) and flows into upper flow path 280 and lower flow path 281 (see FIG. 6(iii)) through the gap between guide 230 (231, 232) and airflow adjustment section 220 (221, 222). The air is then mixed within second casing 200 and blown out as mixed air MA from upper region 300 and lower region 320 (see FIG. 13).

[0068] In short, by providing the guide 230, the induction device 10 can induce the ambient air AA into the second casing 200 from a portion of the air outlet 202, thereby further promoting the induction of the ambient air AA. Therefore, the volume of the mixed air MA supplied via the induction device 10 can be further increased.

[0069] [Another embodiment 1] Next, another embodiment of the attraction device according to the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those of the attraction device 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0070] The induction device 30 is configured such that the first casing 100 and the second casing 200 are aligned horizontally (i.e., the mixed air MA blown from the induction device 30 is horizontal), and multiple airflow adjustment vanes 400 are provided near the air outlet 202 of the second casing 200 (see FIGS. 17 and 18 ). In this embodiment, multiple plate-shaped airflow adjustment vanes 400 are arranged horizontally in the upper region 300 and the lower region 320. The airflow adjustment vanes 400 can be formed by bending a metal plate along a cutout. In this embodiment, black-painted steel plate is used. Using black-painted steel plate reduces the visibility of the airflow adjustment vanes 400 and improves their appearance. Of course, the number, size, thickness, and material of the airflow adjustment vanes 400 can be modified as needed. For example, aluminum plate or other materials can be used for weight reduction.

[0071] The airflow adjustment vane 400 is a vertical blade that can tilt left and right in a plan view, and adjusts the blowing direction of the mixed air MA blown out from the air outlet 202 left and right in a plan view (see FIG. 17). Here, (i) of FIGS. 19 to 21 shows an enlarged, partially omitted plan view of the induction device 30 (the airflow adjustment vane 400 is shown in solid lines) so that the tilt of the airflow adjustment vane 400 can be seen, and (ii) shows an image of the mixed air MA being blown out.

[0072] When the airflow adjustment vane 400 faces straight ahead (when the airflow adjustment vane 400 is not tilted), the mixed air MA is blown out in a straight direction from the air outlet 202 (see FIGS. 17 and 19). This ensures the reach of the straight airflow, so the user can set it to this state when they want to ensure the reach (when they want the airflow to reach a point that is somewhat far away) or when they do not need to change the wind direction.

[0073] Furthermore, when the airflow adjustment vanes 400 provided in the upper region 301 and the lower region 321 are tilted approximately 30° to the left, the airflow adjustment vanes 400 provided in the upper region 303 and the lower region 323 are tilted approximately 30° to the right, and the airflow adjustment vanes 400 provided in the upper region 302 and the lower region 322 are facing straight ahead (when the airflow adjustment vanes 400 are not tilted), the mixed air MA is blown out from the air outlet 202 while being diffused in the left-right direction (see FIGS. 17 and 20). In this case, the reach is reduced compared to the state shown in FIG. 19, but the airflow can be diffused over a wider range in the left-right direction, so this state can be achieved when a user wants the airflow to be diffused over a wider area rather than ensuring the reach, or when an area relatively close to the induction device 30 is to be air-conditioned.

[0074] When all of the airflow adjustment vanes 400 are tilted approximately 30 degrees to the left, the mixed air MA is deflected to the left and blown out from the air outlet 202 (see FIG. 21 ). This allows for spot use, and the user can achieve this state when they want the airflow to reach only a specific area (when they do not want to supply air to unnecessary areas or when they want to avoid areas with obstacles). Because the inclination of each of the multiple airflow adjustment vanes 400 can be set as desired, the blowing direction of the mixed air MA can also be adjusted more precisely.

[0075] As described above, the user can change the tilt of airflow adjustment vane 400 to freely change the blowing direction and blowing range of mixed air MA blown out from outlet 202 of induction device 30 according to the conditions of the space to be air-conditioned. Note that, like induction device 10, induction device 30 can tilt second casing 200 downward or upward, so the blowing direction of the blown mixed air MA can be adjusted more precisely in the up, down, left, and right directions.

[0076] Alternative Embodiment 2: The induction device 40 has some components formed as shaped members (see FIG. 22). In this embodiment, the airflow adjustment unit 220, guide 230, nozzle 250, upper plate member 290, and lower plate member 291 (see FIG. 7) are made of aluminum extrusions extruded from aluminum alloy. While the upper plate 221b of the airflow adjustment unit 220 in the induction device 10 is integrated with the upper plate 221a, and the lower plate 222b is integrated with the lower plate 222a, the upper plate 221b and the lower plate 222b of the airflow adjustment unit 220 in the induction device 40 are formed as separate members (shared) with the guide 230 (231, 232) and have the same shape. The upper plate 221a and the lower plate 222a of the airflow adjustment unit 220 are integrated with the plate-shaped member 223 to form hollow triangular members. As with the induction device 40, replacing sheet metal components, such as steel plates, with aluminum extrusions can reduce the number of manufacturing processes. This shaping method is particularly effective for components with complex shapes, as it eliminates the need for the tedious curved surface processing and bending processes that are required with steel plates. Furthermore, using aluminum for shaping can reduce the weight of the product compared to steel plates. Furthermore, if the shaped portion is located on the movable side of the induction device 40 (the second casing 200 side), the movable side is lighter, reducing the effort required to switch the induction device 40 between horizontal and diagonally downward blowing, making operation easier.

[0077] Furthermore, the induction device 40 has C-shaped protrusions, or screw holes BH, on the shaped guide 230 and nozzle 250, which are used to screw into other components, such as steel plates. The screw holes BH also serve as reinforcement, increasing the longitudinal strength of flat plate-like components, particularly the guide 230. This eliminates the need for the partition 240 (see Figure 1) provided as a reinforcing member across the width of the induction device 10, reducing the number of parts, costs, and simplifying manufacturing. Regarding simplified manufacturing, increasing the strength of steel plate components requires additional bending processes, which increases the number of processing steps.

[0078] Also, in the induction device 40, as in the induction device 10, insulation material is provided on the outer surface of the first casing 100, the airflow adjustment section 220 of the second casing 200, the guide 230, the nozzle 250, etc. (see the hatched areas in Figure 22).

[0079] To reduce weight, non-flammable lightweight materials (for example, non-flammable cardboard with aluminum foil attached to both sides) can be used for the components that make up the attracting devices 10 to 40. In this case, since the attracting devices are made from non-flammable cardboard, material processing is easy, manufacturing is simplified, and the weight of the attracting device itself can be reduced, making installation and operation easier.

[0080] The lure attracting device 10 and other components described above are merely examples of lure attracting devices according to the present invention. The configuration of the present invention is not limited to these examples, provided that they do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, the lure attracting device 10 is configured such that the divided first casing 100 and second casing 200 are connected by connecting means 260, such as screws or connecting rods. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Specifically, the first casing 100 and second casing 200 may be integrally formed (i.e., the casing is constricted approximately in the center, with the upstream portion 100 and the downstream portion 200 being upstream and downstream of the constricted portion, respectively). Furthermore, the first casing 100 and second casing 200 may be integrally connected by a connecting member such as a bellows.

[0081] In addition, the number of partitions 240 may be increased to increase strength, and the lengths of the airflow adjustment unit 220 and the guide 230 in the horizontal direction may also be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, the upper plate 221b, the lower plate 222b, and the plate-like member 223 may be integrally molded.

[0082] The attraction device of the present invention is industrially useful because it can be widely used by being connected to air conditioners or ducts used for air conditioning and ventilation in large spaces such as logistics warehouses, dome stadiums, exhibition halls, and semi-outdoor spaces.

[0083] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Induction device 11 Induction device with downstream portion (second casing) tilted downward 20 Induction device configured without airflow adjustment portion and guide 30, 40 Induction device of another embodiment 100 Upstream portion (first casing) 101 Connection port 102 Opening 110 Contraction portion 110e Rear edge of contraction portion 110t Upper wall material of contraction portion 110b Lower wall material of contraction portion 110s Side wall material of contraction portion 200 Downstream portion (second casing) 201 Inlet 202 Outlet 203, 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e, 203f Induction port 210 Expanded portion 210s Side wall material of expansion portion 220 Airflow adjustment portion 220t Upstream end of airflow adjustment portion 221, 221a, 221b Upper surface plate (upper surface portion) of air flow adjustment unit 222, 222a, 222b Lower surface plate (lower surface portion) of air flow adjustment unit 223 Plate-shaped member 230, 231, 232 Guide 234 Closure plate 240, 241, 242 Partition (partition plate) 250, 251, 252, 253 Nozzle 260 Connection means 270, 271, 272 Hanging metal fitting 280 Upper flow path in downstream portion (second casing) 281 Lower flow path in downstream portion (second casing) 290 Upper plate member 291 Lower plate member 300, 301, 302, 303 Upper region 310, 311, 312, 313 Central region 320, 321, 322, 323 Lower region 400 Airflow adjustment vane L1 Horizontal length of induction device L2 Horizontal length of downstream portion (second casing) L3 Length from expansion portion to air outlet L4 Height direction length of upstream portion (first casing) L5 Height direction length of downstream portion (second casing) L6 Width direction length of downstream portion (second casing) A1 Angle between upper and lower wall materials of contraction portion A2 Angle between upper and lower wall materials of expansion portion A3 Angle between upper plate 221a and lower plate 222a of airflow adjustment portion A4 Angle between upper plate 221b and lower plate 222b of airflow adjustment portion A5 Angle between guide 231 and guide 232 BH Screw hole SA Conditioned air AA Ambient air MA mixed air

Claims

1. An induction device that mixes conditioned air flowing in from the upstream side directly from an air conditioner or via a duct with ambient air drawn in from the surrounding space, and blows the mixed air into the air-conditioned space downstream, comprising: an upstream section having a connection port on the upstream side that connects to the air conditioner or the duct; and a downstream section having an outlet on the downstream side, which mixes the conditioned air with the ambient air and blows out the mixed air from the outlet, wherein the upstream section has a contracting section in which the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path continuously decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side, and an opening provided at the rear edge of the contracting section, through which the conditioned air is blown out toward the downstream section, and the downstream section has an expanding section in which the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path continuously increases from the upstream side to the downstream side, an inlet provided on the upstream side through which the conditioned air blown out from the upstream section flows in, and an induction port provided on the downstream side through which the ambient air is drawn.

2. An induction device as described in claim 1, wherein the downstream portion is connected to the downstream side of the upstream portion by a connecting means at a position where the opening and the inlet face each other.

3. An induction device as described in claim 1 or 2, comprising an airflow adjustment section within the downstream section that rectifies the mixed air blown out from the outlet, the airflow adjustment section having a roughly L-shape when viewed from the left side that divides the flow path within the downstream section into upper and lower sections and expands toward the outlet.

4. The airflow adjustment section has an upper plate located on the upper side of the downstream section and extending from the upstream end toward the air outlet, and a lower plate located on the lower side of the downstream section and extending from the upstream end toward the air outlet, and the downstream section has a plurality of guides arranged within the downstream section to extend from the downstream end of the upper plate and the downstream end of the lower plate of the airflow adjustment section to the air outlet, respectively, and the induction device described in claim 3 has a plurality of guides arranged to divide the air outlet into thirds above and below when viewed from the front.

5. An induction device as described in claim 4, wherein the plurality of guides are provided with gaps between the downstream end of the upper plate and the downstream end of the lower plate of the airflow adjustment section.

6. An induction device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the downstream portion is movably connected to the upstream portion.

7. The induction device according to claim 6, wherein a nozzle is provided in the downstream portion so as to be positioned at the opening in the upstream portion.

8. The induction device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of airflow adjusting vanes provided along the longitudinal direction of the air outlet for adjusting the airflow direction of the mixed air being blown out.

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