Attachment fixture for ionizer, ionizer having the same, and attachment structure using the same

Abstract

[Problem] To provide, with regard to an ionizer that has a long and narrow housing in which a plurality of discharge needles are retained in a row, an attachment fixture that increases the efficiency of the work of attaching and detaching said housing to and from an installation site, as well as to provide an ionizer having said attachment fixture, and an attachment structure using said attachment fixture. [Solution] An attachment fixture 6 that attaches a housing 20, in which a plurality of discharge needles 31 are retained in a row along a long axis L1, to an installation location F is provided with: an axial direction support member 60 that has a locking engagement piece 61 capable of being manually manipulated between a locked position, in which the same is engaged with an end section of the housing and restricts movement of the housing along the long axis, and an unlocked position, in which said engagement is released; and a suspension support member 65 that has a sliding engagement piece 66 engaging, in a freely slidable manner, with a long axis direction slide groove 28 in the housing, and supporting the housing upward from below, wherein a pair of said attachment fixtures are used to retain both end sections of the housing.

Description

Mounting fixture for ionizer, ionizer having same, and mounting structure using same

[0001] The present invention relates to a mounting fixture for mounting an elongated housing that holds multiple discharge needles in an ionizer along its longitudinal axis to an installation location, an ionizer having the mounting fixture, and a mounting structure using the mounting fixture.

[0002] Ionizers that generate ions by corona discharge from discharge needles, in which multiple discharge needles are arranged in a row at intervals on the ion generating surface of a housing, are widely known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In such ionizers, the housing is typically attached to a downward-facing installation location such as a ceiling or frame. While mounting fixtures can be used to attach the housing to the installation location, the ionizer disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses end mounting fixtures fixed to both ends of the housing in the longitudinal direction.

[0003] In an ionizer, various maintenance tasks such as cleaning or replacing the discharge needles may require the housing that holds the discharge needles to be attached to or detached from the installation location. However, in the ionizer of Patent Document 1, the end fittings are fixed to the housing of the ionizer using fixing members such as screws, which requires tools such as a screwdriver to attach or detach the housing, making the work of attaching and detaching the housing cumbersome.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-070706

[0005] Therefore, the technical object of the present invention is to provide a mounting fixture for an ionizer having an elongated housing that holds multiple discharge needles along its longitudinal axis, which can more efficiently attach and detach the housing to and from the installation site during maintenance, etc., an ionizer having such a mounting fixture, and a mounting structure using such a mounting fixture.

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the mounting fixture of the present invention is an ionizer mounting fixture for mounting an elongated housing that holds a plurality of discharge needles of an ionizer along its long axis to an installation site, the mounting fixture being configured to be fixed to the installation site and detachably hold the housing, and having a central axis that is oriented along the long axis, the mounting fixture comprising: a fixing portion for fixing the mounting fixture to the installation site; an axial support member having a lock engagement piece for engaging and disengaging with a stopper portion of the housing that faces in a direction along the long axis; and a hanging support member having a sliding engagement piece for supporting the housing from below upward by slidably engaging with an engaged portion that extends from the housing along the long axis, the lock engagement piece being movable from a locked position that engages with the stopper portion to restrict movement of the housing in a direction along the long axis, to an unlocked position that allows movement of the housing in a direction along the long axis by manually disengaging from the stopper portion.

[0007] In the mounting fixture according to the present invention, preferably, the lock engagement piece is formed of a spring material that accumulates a biasing force toward the locked position as the mounting fixture moves toward the unlocked position. Also, preferably, the mounting fixture is for supporting an end of the housing in the longitudinal axis direction, and the lock engagement piece is provided to be movable between a lower locked position and an upper unlocked position, and further, the lock engagement piece is for engaging with a stopper portion formed on an end face of the housing in the longitudinal axis direction, and is provided at an end of the mounting fixture on the central axis. In this case, more preferably, the base end of the axial support member is connected to the hanging support member, and the tip end having the lock engagement piece extends along the central axis, and further, the lock engagement piece protrudes outward from one end edge of the hanging support member in the central axis direction.

[0008] In the mounting fixture according to the present invention, preferably, the sliding engagement pieces are formed by folding back both widthwise end portions of the suspension support member across the central axis inward in an L-shape in the width direction. In this case, more preferably, the sliding engagement pieces formed on both widthwise end portions of the suspension support member are arranged in multiple equal numbers along the central axis so as to face each other at the same position in the central axis direction. Also, in the mounting fixture according to the present invention, preferably, the fixing portions are integrally connected to both widthwise end portions of the mounting fixture across the central axis, and have long fixing holes along the central axis.

[0009] In order to solve the above problem, the ionizer of the present invention is an ionizer having a pair of the above-mentioned mounting fixtures, and the ionizer has a bar-shaped ion generating module that holds the multiple discharge needles in a row along the long axis in the housing, a controller that supplies voltage to the ion generating module, and a cable that electrically connects the ion generating module and the controller, and the cable is detachably connected to the ion generating module, and the engaged portion is extended along the long axis on the outer peripheral surface of the housing around the long axis, and further the housing has a pair of stopper portions formed in opposite directions to each other in the long axis direction.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a mounting structure for a housing that holds discharge needles in an ionizer, in which an elongated housing that holds a plurality of discharge needles in an ionizer along a long axis is mounted to an installation location using mounting fixtures, a pair of the mounting fixtures are fixed to the installation location, and the mounting fixtures respectively hold one end side and the other end side of the housing in the long axis direction with their central axes aligned with the long axis of the housing, and the housing has an ion generation surface that faces downward and is formed by arranging the plurality of discharge needles in a row along the long axis, a mounting surface that faces upward on the opposite side from the ion generation surface, an outer circumferential surface made up of a pair of side surfaces that face back to back and are arranged along the long axis between the ion generation surface and the mounting surface, first end surface and second end surface arranged at both ends of the outer circumferential surface in the long axis direction, an engaged portion that is provided on the outer circumferential surface along the long axis, and a pair of strikers that are arranged in opposite directions in the long axis direction. and a stopper portion, and the mounting fixture has a fixing portion fixed to the installation location, an axial support member having a lock engagement piece, and a hanging support member having a sliding engagement piece, and when at a locked position where the lock engagement pieces of the pair of mounting fixtures are respectively engaged with a pair of stopper portions of the housing, they restrict movement of the housing in a direction along the long axis, and the sliding engagement pieces of the pair of mounting fixtures are slidably engaged with the engaged portions of the housing in a direction along the long axis and support the housing from below upward, and the lock engagement pieces are manually disengaged from the stopper portions so as to be movable from the locked position to an unlocked position where movement of the housing in a direction along the long axis is permitted, and with the lock engagement pieces moved to the unlocked position, the housing can be slid along the engaged portions to remove it from the pair of mounting fixtures.

[0011] In the mounting structure according to the present invention, the lock engagement pieces are preferably formed of a spring material that accumulates a biasing force toward the locked position as the lock engagement pieces move toward the unlocked position. Also, preferably, the stopper portions are formed on the first and second end faces of the housing, the lock engagement pieces of the pair of mounting devices engage with the stopper portions on the first and second end faces at the locked position, and the lock engagement pieces of the pair of mounting devices are movable from the locked position to an unlocked position above the mounting surface.

[0012] In the mounting structure according to the present invention, preferably, in the pair of mounting fixtures, the sliding engagement pieces are arranged on both widthwise end portions of the hanging support member on either side of the central axis, and are formed in a hook shape that is folded back inward in the widthwise direction in an L-shape, the engaged portions of the housing are formed by downward steps formed along the long axis on the pair of side surfaces, and the pair of sliding engagement pieces formed on the hanging support member are slidably engaged with the pair of steps as the engaged portions.

[0013] In this case, more preferably, the downward step serving as the engaged portion is formed by a sliding groove consisting of a concave groove, and the sliding engagement piece is engaged with the sliding groove so as to be slidable along the long axis. Also, more preferably, the step serving as the engaged portion on the housing is formed over the entire length from the first end face to the second end face on each of the pair of side faces. Also, more preferably, an attachment / detachment groove is recessed into the outer peripheral surface of the housing, extending from the mounting surface to the step serving as the engaged portion, and having a groove width greater than the length of the sliding engagement piece in the central axis direction.

[0014] Furthermore, in the mounting structure according to the present invention, preferably, the ionizer has an ion generating module that holds the plurality of discharge needles in a row along the longitudinal axis in the housing, a controller that supplies voltage to the ion generating module, and a cable that electrically connects the ion generating module and the controller, and the cable is detachably connected to the ion generating module.

[0015] As described above, according to the present invention, when attaching or detaching an elongated housing that holds multiple discharge needles of an ionizer along its long axis to or from its installation location, the attachment or detachment work can be performed more efficiently by manually operating a locking engagement piece provided on a mounting fixture for attaching the housing to the installation location and by sliding the housing in the direction along its long axis relative to the mounting fixture.

[0016] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views of the ion generating module of the ionizer according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] 1 and 2 , an ionizer 1 includes a bar-shaped ion generating module 2 having a housing 20 elongated in a direction along a major axis L1 and a plurality of discharge needles 31 held in a row along the major axis L1, a pair of mounting fixtures (brackets) 6, 6 for engaging with the housing 20 of the ion generating module 2 to mount the ion generating module 2 to an installation site F facing downward, such as a ceiling or a frame, a controller 4 for supplying voltage to the ion generating module 2, and a cable 5 for electrically connecting the ion generating module 2 and the controller 4.

[0018] 1 and 3, the cable 5 is detachably connected to the ion generating module 2 and the controller 4. Specifically, a first socket hole 22b is provided at one end of the housing 20 of the ion generating module 2, and a second socket hole 4a is provided at the lower end of the controller 4. The cable 5 is configured by attaching a first plug 5b and a second plug 5c to both ends of a cable line 5a.

[0019] The first plug 5b of the cable 5 is removably inserted into the first socket hole 22b of the ion generating module 2 and fixed to the housing 20 by a detachable fixing pin 5d. On the other hand, the second plug 5c is removably inserted into the second socket hole 4a of the controller 4 and detachably fixed to the controller 4 by fixing means such as a locking claw or a screw. In this way, the ion generating module 2 and the controller 4 are detachably connected via the cable 5.

[0020] In the ion generating module 2, the housing 20 has a hollow case body 21 that penetrates along the major axis L1 and opens downward, a first cap member 22 that has the first socket hole 22b and closes one end of the case body 21 in the major axis L1 direction, and a second cap member 23 that closes the other end of the case body 21 in the major axis L1 direction. As a result, a box-shaped space that opens downward is formed inside the housing 20.

[0021] The open lower surface of the housing 20 has an ion generation surface 24 formed by arranging the plurality of discharge needles 31 in a row along the long axis L1 and emitting ions generated by the discharge needles 31 to the outside. The housing 20 has an attachment surface 25 facing upward on the side opposite the ion generation surface 24, and an outer peripheral surface 27 around the long axis L composed of a pair of side surfaces 26, 26 facing back to back between both side edges along the long axis L1 of the attachment surface 25 and the ion generation surface 24, and a first end surface 22 a and a second end surface 23 a arranged on both ends of the outer peripheral surface 27 in the direction of the long axis L1. Here, the first end surface 22 a and the second end surface 23 a are formed by the first cap member 22 and the second cap member 23.

[0022] Furthermore, the housing 20 has an engaged portion 28a extending along the long axis L1 on the outer peripheral surface 27, and a pair of stopper portions 29a, 29b provided in opposite directions in the direction along the long axis L1. Meanwhile, the mounting fixture 6 is fixed to the installation location F to detachably hold the housing 20, and has a central axis L2 that is aligned with the long axis L1 when holding the housing 20. In this embodiment, a pair of the mounting fixtures 6 are fixed to the installation location F with their central axes L2 arranged coaxially and facing in opposite directions, and each hold one end side and the other end side of the housing 20 in the direction of the long axis L1.

[0023] 5 to 12, the mounting fixture 6 has fixing portions 63, 68 for fixing to the installation location F, an axial support member 60 having a manually operable lock engagement piece 61, and a suspension support member 65 having a sliding engagement piece 66. When the mounting fixtures 6 are fixed to the installation location F by the fixing portions 63, 68, the lock engagement pieces 61 of the mounting fixtures 6 are engaged with a pair of stopper portions 29a, 29b of the housing 20, respectively, and the sliding engagement piece 66 of the mounting fixtures 6 is slidably engaged with the engaged portion 28a of the housing 20 in the direction along the long axis L1.

[0024] That is, when the lock engagement pieces 61, 61 of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 are in the locked position (see solid lines in FIGS. 10 and 12) where they are engaged with the pair of stopper portions 29 a, 29 b, respectively, the movement of the housing 20 in the direction along the long axis L1 is restricted by these lock engagement pieces 61, 61. At the same time, the housing 20 is supported upward from below by the sliding engagement pieces 66, 66 which are slidably engaged with the engaged portions 28 a of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 in the direction along the long axis L1.

[0025] The lock engagement pieces 61 are manually disengaged from the stopper portions 29 a, 29 b, and are movable from the locked position to an unlocked position (see the two-dot chain lines in FIGS. 10 and 12 ) that allows movement of the housing 20 in the direction along the longitudinal axis L1. With one or both of the pair of lock engagement pieces 61, 61 moved to the unlocked position, the housing 20 can be slid along the engaged portions 28 a, thereby detaching the housing 20 from the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6.

[0026] 2, 4 and 11, a plurality of discharge needle units 30 (two in this embodiment) are housed in a connected state along the long axis L1 inside the housing 20 of the ion generating module 2. The discharge needle units 30 each include a plurality of discharge needles 31 (six in this embodiment) arranged in a row along the long axis L1 on the underside of a body 32 that is elongated in the direction along the long axis L1. Note that the number of discharge needle units 30 provided in the ion generating module 2 may be one.

[0027] In this discharge needle unit 30, the plurality of discharge needles 31 are held by the body 32 with their base ends embedded in the body 32 and their tip ends protruding from the underside of the body 32, and further, within the body 32, they are electrically connected to the first socket hole 22b via conductors 31a.

[0028] Each discharge needle 31 is surrounded by a plurality of columnar protective walls 33 that stand upright downward from the underside of the body 32, and one discharge needle 31 and the columnar protective walls 33 that surround it form one discharge part 34. That is, in the discharge needle unit 30, a plurality of discharge parts 34 each including one discharge needle 31 are arranged in a row along the long axis L1.

[0029] In each discharge unit 34, the plurality of (eight in this embodiment) columnar protective walls 33 are erected integrally with the body 32 from the lower surface of the body 32. These columnar protective walls 33 are arranged symmetrically about the major axis L1, with a predetermined gap between adjacent columnar protective walls 33 on the same circumference around the discharge needle 31. In each discharge unit 34, the tip surfaces of the plurality of columnar protective walls 33 are located below the tip of the discharge needle 31 and above the ion generation surface 24 that opens into the lower surface of the housing 20 (inside the housing 20).

[0030] Furthermore, the plurality of columnar protective walls 33 in each discharge unit 34 are erected so that a pair of the gaps is arranged on the long axis L1, and as a result, the pair of gaps in each of the plurality of discharge units 34 is arranged in a row on the long axis L1. This makes it possible to easily clean the plurality of discharge needles 31 in the ion generating module 2 using a brush.

[0031] An earth terminal 35 (FIG. 3) is provided on the first end surface 22a of the first cap member 22 of the housing 20, and one end of an earth wire 35a (see FIG. 4) serving as an opposing electrode is connected to the earth terminal 35 and grounded. The other end of the earth wire 35a is disposed between the side surface of the body 32 of the discharge needle unit 30 and the inner surface of the housing 20, and extends in the direction along the major axis L1.

[0032] In the housing 20, the stopper portions 29a, 29b are formed on the upper ends of the first end face 22a and the second end face 23a. The engaged portions 28a of the housing 20 are formed by downward steps (specifically, sliding surfaces formed by the undersides of the steps) formed along the long axis L1 on the upper ends of each of the pair of side faces 26. In this embodiment, the engaged portions 28a, 28a are formed continuously on both of the pair of side faces 26 over the entire length of the housing 20, from the first end face 22a to the second end face 23a.

[0033] In this embodiment, the engaged portion 28a is formed by a sliding groove 28 consisting of a recessed groove that communicates between the first end face 22a and the second end face 23a of the housing 20. In addition, inclined surfaces 28b, 28b that slope linearly upward to the first end face 22a and the second end face 23a are formed at both ends of the sliding groove 28 in the direction of the long axis L1. This increases the groove width of the sliding groove 28 in the up-down direction at the first end face 22a and the second end face 23a, making it easier for the sliding engagement piece 66 of the mounting fixture 6 to engage and disengage with the sliding groove 28.

[0034] Next, the mounting fixture 6 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 to 12. In the mounting fixture 6, the axial support member 60 and the suspension support member 65 are each formed by punching and press-forming a metal plate such as stainless steel, and are formed symmetrically with respect to the central axis L2. The mounting fixture 6 is formed by stacking the axial support member 60 and the suspension support member 65 with the suspension support member 65 on top and connecting them to each other. In this embodiment, the plate thickness of the axial support member 60 is formed thinner than the plate thickness of the suspension support member 65 to ensure its function as a leaf spring.

[0035] In addition to the lock engagement piece 61, the axial support member 60 has a pair of first fixing portions 63, 63 for fixing it to the installation location F together with the hanging support member 65, a first connecting tongue piece 64 for connecting to the hanging support member 65, and a first main body portion 62 to which the lock engagement piece 61, the pair of first fixing portions 63, 63 and the first connecting tongue piece 64 are joined together.

[0036] In the direction of the central axis L2, the lock engagement piece 61 has a distal end operating portion 61a for manual operation and a proximal end connecting portion 61b integrally joined to the operating portion 61a, and is integrally joined to one end of the first main body portion 62 by the connecting portion 61b. That is, the lock engagement piece 61 is disposed at the end of the mounting fixture 6 on the central axis L2. An engagement hole 61c is formed through the operating portion 61a to engage with the stopper portions 29a, 29b of the housing 20.

[0037] The engagement hole 61c is formed as an elongated hole that is longer in a direction perpendicular to the central axis L2 than in a direction along the central axis L2, and has a first edge 61d arranged on the tip side of the lock engagement piece 61 and a second edge 61e arranged on the base end side, and these first and second edge portions 61d, 61e extend substantially linearly in a direction perpendicular to the central axis L2. The lengths of these first and second edge portions 61d, 61e are formed to be greater than the length in the width direction perpendicular to the long axis L1 of the mounting surface 25 at both ends of the housing 20 (i.e., the length of the stopper portions 29a, 29b).

[0038] The lock engagement piece 61 is formed of a spring material (specifically, a leaf spring) that accumulates an elastic biasing force toward the locked position due to deformation (particularly deformation of the connecting portion 61 b) accompanying movement from the lower locked position to the upper unlocked position. Therefore, the lock engagement piece 61 has a shape that gradually slopes downward in the direction of the central axis L2 from the base end of the connecting portion 61 b ​​joined to the first main body portion 62 toward the tip side where the operating portion 61 a is disposed.

[0039] The first main body portion 62 is formed in a flat plate shape along the central axis L2, and has an elongated hole 62a extending linearly along the central axis L2 formed at the center in the width direction thereof. As will be described in detail later, when assembling the axial support member 60 and the suspension support member 65, a sliding protrusion 67a protruding downward from the underside of the suspension support member 65 is slidably inserted into the elongated hole 62a in the direction along the central axis L2.

[0040] The pair of first fixing portions 63, 63 are integrally joined to the other end of the first main body portion 62 on the side opposite the lock engagement piece 61 in the direction of the central axis L2. Each of these first fixing portions 63 is formed in a flat plate shape arranged on the same plane as the first main body portion 62, joined to both sides of the central axis L2 at the other end of the first main body portion 62, and extends in the width direction perpendicular to the central axis L2.

[0041] 2, each of the first fixing portions 63 has a first fixing hole 63a formed therethrough for inserting a fixing member S such as a screw when fixing the mounting fixture 6 to the installation site F. The first fixing hole 63a is formed as an elongated hole extending in the direction along the central axis L2, and allows the fixing position of the mounting fixture 6 to be adjusted in the direction along the central axis L2.

[0042] The first connecting tongue 64, like the first fixing portion 63, is integrally joined to the other end of the first main body portion 62. This first connecting tongue 64 is also formed in a flat plate shape arranged on the same plane as the first main body portion 62, and is joined onto the central axis L2 of the first main body portion 62 between the pair of first fixing portions 63, 63, and extends along the central axis L2.

[0043] Furthermore, a connecting protrusion 64a is provided on the lower surface of the first connecting tongue 64 on the central axis L2 and protrudes downward (see FIG. 8). As will be described in detail later, when the axial support member 60 and the suspension support member 65 are assembled, this connecting protrusion 64a is adapted to engage with a connecting hole 69a formed in the second connecting tongue 69 of the suspension support member 65.

[0044] On the other hand, the hanging support member 65 has, in addition to the sliding engagement piece 66, a pair of second fixing portions 68, 68 for fixing it together with the axial support member 60 to the installation location F, a second connecting tongue piece 69 for connecting it to the axial support member 60, and a second main body portion 67 to which the sliding engagement piece 66, the pair of second fixing portions 68, 68 and the second connecting tongue piece 69 are joined together.

[0045] The second main body portion 67 extends in the direction of the central axis L2 from one end to the other end of the suspension support member 65, and is provided with a substantially rectangular window hole 67b in its central portion in the direction of the central axis L2 and the width direction, through which the second connecting tongue piece 69 is disposed. In addition, on the underside of the second main body portion 67, on the central axis L2 closer to the one end than the window hole 67b, there is provided a sliding protrusion 67a which is formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter substantially the same as the width of the elongated hole 62a of the axial support member 60 and is slidably inserted into the elongated hole 62a.

[0046] When the suspension support member 65 and the axial support member 60 are assembled, as shown in Figure 6, the sliding protrusion 67a is arranged at the end of one end side (i.e., the lock engagement piece 61 side) of the elongated hole 62a.

[0047] The pair of sliding engagement pieces 66, 66 extend downward from both ends of the second main body 67, one end and the other end sandwiching the window hole 67b in the direction of the central axis L2. The sliding engagement pieces 66 face each other at the same position in the direction of the central axis L2.

[0048] In this manner, in this embodiment, two sliding engagement pieces 66 are provided on each of the two side ends of the second main body portion 67 so as to face each other across the central axis L2, but this is not limitative, and it is sufficient that the same number of sliding engagement pieces 66 are arranged on each of the two side ends of the second main body portion 67 so as to face each other across the central axis L2. However, it is desirable that the number of sliding engagement pieces 66 provided on each side end of the second main body portion 67 be plural, as in this embodiment.

[0049] As described above, the sliding engagement pieces 66 hang down from both widthwise ends of the second main body portion 67, and are formed into hook shapes by folding back their tips inward in the widthwise direction (toward the central axis L2) in an L-shape. The folded-back tips of the sliding engagement pieces 66 form engagement claws 66a that slidably engage with the sliding grooves 28 (i.e., sliding surfaces 28a) of the housing 20 of the ion generating module 2 in the direction along the major axis L1.

[0050] At this time, in the vertical direction perpendicular to the central axis L2, the thickness of the engaging claws 66a is formed to be smaller than the width of the sliding groove 28, and the horizontal distance between the tips of the opposing engaging claws 66a is formed to be substantially equal to the horizontal distance between the bottom surfaces of the sliding groove 28 in the housing 20, within the range where sliding along the central axis L2 is not hindered. Note that in this embodiment, the sliding surfaces 28a, 28a formed on the pair of side surfaces 26, 26 of the housing 20 are arranged at the same positions relative to each other in the vertical direction, but this is not limitative and they may be arranged at different positions relative to each other.

[0051] The pair of second fixing portions 68, 68 are formed in a flat plate shape and arranged on the same plane as the second main body portion 67, and are joined integrally to both widthwise ends of the second main body portion 67, approximately at the center in the direction of the central axis L2, on either side of the central axis L2, and extend in a direction perpendicular to the central axis L2. That is, the second fixing portions 68 are arranged between the two sliding engagement pieces 66 at each side end of the second main body portion 67, and extend in opposite directions to each other.

[0052] Like the first fixing portion 63 of the axial support member 60, each of the second fixing portions 68 has a second fixing hole 68a formed therethrough for inserting the fixing member S. The second fixing hole 68a is also formed as an elongated hole extending in a direction along the central axis L2. The first fixing portion 63 and the second fixing portion 68 are formed to have the same shape and size as each other in a plan view, and the first fixing hole 63a and the second fixing hole 68a are also formed to have the same shape and size as each other. As a result, in the mounting fixture 6, the first fixing portion 63 and the second fixing portion 68 coincide and overlap in the vertical direction to form a single fixing portion, and at the same time, the first fixing hole 63a and the second fixing hole 68a coincide and overlap to form a single fixing hole.

[0053] The second connecting tongue 69 is integrally joined to the edge of the window hole 67b of the second main body 67 opposite the edge adjacent to the sliding protrusion 67a and extends into the window hole 67b along the central axis L2. The second connecting tongue 69 is deformed downward so that a constant gap, approximately the same as the thickness of the first connecting tongue 64, is formed between the upper surface of the second connecting tongue 69 and the lower surface of the second main body 67. A connecting hole 69a is formed in the first connecting tongue 64 on the central axis L2 and extends in the vertical direction (see FIG. 8). However, it is sufficient for the connecting hole 69a to open to the upper surface of the second connecting tongue 69; it does not necessarily have to be formed completely through the window hole 67b.

[0054] Then, when forming the mounting fixture 6 using the axial support member 60 and the suspension support member 65, first, the first main body portion 62 of the axial support member 60 and the second main body portion 67 of the suspension support member 65 are overlapped with the suspension support member 65 arranged on top, and the sliding protrusion 67a of the suspension support member 65 is inserted into the elongated hole 62a of the axial support member 60. At this time, the sliding protrusion 67a is arranged at the end of the elongated hole 62a on the first connecting tongue piece 64 side (the end on the base end side of the axial support member 60).

[0055] Next, when the axial support member 60 and the suspension support member 65 are slid relatively in the direction of the central axis L2 in a direction in which the first connecting tongue 64 and the second connecting tongue 69 approach each other, the first connecting tongue 64 rides up onto the second connecting tongue 69, and the connecting protrusion 64a of the first connecting tongue 64 engages with the connecting hole 69a of the second connecting tongue 69, resulting in the axial support member 60 and the suspension support member 65 being assembled to form the mounting fixture 6. At this time, as shown in Figure 8(b) , the sliding protrusion 67a is arranged at the end of the elongated hole 62a on the lock engagement piece 61 side (the end toward the tip of the axial support member 60), and the lock engagement piece 61 protrudes outward from one end edge of the suspension support member 65 in the direction of the central axis L2.

[0056] Next, a method for attaching and detaching the ion generating module 2 to and from the mounting fixture 6 will be described in detail. 9 to 12 schematically show a state in which the ion generating module 2 is attached to the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 fixed to the installation location F. Here, the relative positional relationship between the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 at the installation location F can be adjusted by appropriately moving the fixing holes (first fixing hole 63a and second fixing hole 68a) of the fixing parts (first fixing part 63 and second fixing part 68) in a direction along the central axis L2 with respect to the fixing member S fixed to the installation location F.

[0057] In this state, the lock engagement pieces 61 of the axial support members 60 of each of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 abut and engage with the stopper portions 29a, 29b formed on the housing 20, i.e., the upper ends of the first end face 22a and the second end face 23a, respectively, in the locked position (solid lines in Figure 10), thereby restricting movement of the ion generating module 2 relative to these mounting fixtures 6 in the direction along the longitudinal axis L1.

[0058] More specifically, in this locked position, the engagement holes 61c, 61c of the lock engagement pieces 61, 61 of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 engage with both ends of the housing 20 by abutting their first edge portions 61d, 61d against stopper portions 29a, 29b consisting of the upper ends of the first and second end faces 22a, 23a of the housing 20, while at the same time abutting their second edge portions 61e, 61e against both ends of the mounting surface 25 (specifically, the upper surfaces of the first cap member 22 and the second cap member 23).

[0059] In this embodiment, the initial position (solid line in FIG. 8 ) where the lock engagement piece 61 does not accumulate an elastic biasing force is located below the locked position. Therefore, even in the locked position, the lock engagement piece 61 accumulates an elastic biasing force that attempts to return to the initial position. With this elastic biasing force, the first edge portions 61 d, 61 d of the engagement holes 61 c, 61 c abut against the upper ends (stopper portions 29 a, 29 b) of the first and second end faces 22 a, 23 a, and the second edge portions 61 e, 61 e abut against both ends of the mounting surface 25.

[0060] Furthermore, when the ion generating module 2 is attached to the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6, the sliding engagement piece 66 of the hanging support member 65 is engaged with the sliding groove 28 by abutting the upper surface of the engagement claw 66a against the downward-facing sliding surface (engaged portion) 28a of the sliding groove 28, thereby supporting the housing 20 of the ion generating module 2 from below upward. At this time, in the present embodiment, the second edge portion 61e of the engagement hole 61c in the lock engagement piece 61 abuts against the mounting surface 25 of the housing 20 with an elastic biasing force. Therefore, the sliding surface 28a is pressed against the engagement claw 66a, and as a result, movement of the ion generating module 2 in the vertical direction is restricted.

[0061] Next, when the ion generating module 2 is detached from the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 and removed from the installation site F, as shown in Figures 10 and 12, the lock engagement pieces 61 of one or both of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 are moved from the locked position (solid line) to an unlocked position (two-dot chain line) above the mounting surface 25 of the housing 20, centered around the base end of the connecting portion 61b. At this time, the operating portion 61a of the lock engagement piece 61 is manually operated so as to push up against the elastic biasing force due to the spring characteristics of the lock engagement piece 61. Then, the ion generating module 2 becomes movable in the direction of the major axis L1 toward the mounting fixture 6 that has moved the lock engagement piece 61 to the unlocked position.

[0062] Then, when the ion generating module is slid along the longitudinal axis L1, the engaging claws 66a of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 are sequentially disengaged from the pair of sliding grooves 28, 28 of the housing 20, and as a result, the ion generating module 2 can be detached from the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 and removed from the installation location F.

[0063] Conversely, when the ion generating module 2 is attached to the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 and mounted to the installation site F, the lock engagement pieces 61 of one or both of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 are manually operated from the initial position to the unlocked position (see FIG. 8 ). In this state, from the mounting fixture 6 whose lock engagement pieces 61 have been moved to the unlocked position, the pair of opposing engagement claws 66 a, 66 a of the mounting fixture 6 are sequentially inserted into the pair of sliding grooves 28, 28 of the ion generating module 2, and the ion generating module 2 is slid along the long axis L1.

[0064] Then, by engaging the lock engagement pieces 61, 61 of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 with the stopper portions 29a, 29b on the first end surface 22a and the second end surface 23a of the housing 20 in the locked position, the ion generating module 2 is attached to the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 and installed at the installation location F.

[0065] In this embodiment, since the lock engagement piece 61 has a shape that gradually inclines downward from the base end side to the tip end side in the direction of the central axis L2, only the lock engagement piece 61 of one of the mounting fixtures 6 may be moved to the unlocked position when attaching the ion generating module 2 to the installation site F. That is, with respect to the other mounting fixture 6, the lock engagement piece 61 is pushed up from the inside from the initial position ( FIG. 8 ) to the locked position by the pressure of the housing 20 of the ion generating module 2 that has been slid from the side of the one mounting fixture 6, and is engaged with the corresponding stopper portion (29 a or 29 b).

[0066] Thus, according to this embodiment, when attaching or detaching the housing 20 of the ion generating module 2 in the ionizer 1 to or from the installation site F for various maintenance such as cleaning or replacing the discharge needle 31, the attachment and detachment work can be performed more efficiently by manually operating the lock engagement piece 61 provided on the mounting fixture 6 and sliding the housing 20 in the direction along the long axis L1 relative to the mounting fixture 6.

[0067] 13 and 14 show another embodiment of the present invention. To avoid repetition, detailed descriptions of components that are the same as those in the previous embodiment will be omitted. The essential difference between the previous embodiment and this embodiment is that in this embodiment, an attachment / detachment groove 28c extending in the vertical direction is recessed between the sliding surfaces 28a formed on a pair of side surfaces 26, 26 of the housing 20 and the mounting surface 25 formed by the top surface of the housing 20 in the ion generating module 2. The engagement claws 66a of the sliding engagement pieces 66 of the mounting fixture 6 are inserted into the attachment / detachment groove 28c, allowing the ion generating module 2 to be attached to and detached from the mounting fixture 6 through the attachment / detachment groove 28c.

[0068] In this embodiment, the detachable grooves 28c are recessed in each of the pair of side surfaces 26, 26 of the housing 20 in the same number as the sliding engagement pieces 66 provided on each side end of the mounting fixture 6 (in this embodiment, two on each side surface 26, for a total of four). Furthermore, when a plurality of sliding engagement pieces 66 are provided on each side end of the mounting fixture 6, as in this embodiment, the detachable grooves 28c are recessed in each side surface 26 at the same intervals as the plurality of sliding engagement pieces 66 provided on each side end of the mounting fixture 6.

[0069] The attachment / detachment groove 28c is formed with a groove width greater than the length in the direction of the central axis L2 of the sliding engagement piece 66 (specifically, the engagement claw 66a) that is inserted therethrough, and both ends thereof open to the mounting surface 25 and the sliding surface 28a of the housing 20. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14(a) , when the ion generating module 2 is attached to the mounting fixture 6, the attachment / detachment groove 28c is recessed at a position that does not completely overlap any of the sliding engagement pieces 66.

[0070] 14(a), to detach the ion generating module 2 from the mounting fixture 6, first, as shown by the arrow, the operating portion of the lock engagement piece is pushed up to move the lock engagement piece from the locked position to the unlocked position. Next, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the ion generating module 2 is slid along the longitudinal axis L1 to align the sliding engagement piece 66 with the corresponding attachment / detachment groove 28c, and their positions in the longitudinal axis L1 are aligned.

[0071] Then, from this state, the ion generating module 2 can be moved downward as shown by the arrow in Fig. 14(b) and the engaging claws 66a of the sliding engaging pieces 66 can be inserted into the corresponding attachment / detachment grooves 28c, thereby detaching the ion generating module 2 from the mounting fixture 6 as shown in Fig. 14(c). Conversely, to attach the ion generating module 2 to the mounting fixture 6, the procedure for the detachment can be performed in reverse.

[0072] In this embodiment, the necessity of the detachment groove 28c corresponding to one of the pair of mounting fixtures 6, 6 can be determined depending on the position in the direction of the major axis L1 of the detachment groove 28c corresponding to the other mounting fixture 6. As described above, according to this embodiment, when attaching or detaching the ion generating module 2 to or from the mounting fixture 6, the length by which the ion generating module 2 slides along the major axis L1 can be made shorter, thereby making it possible to make the working space more compact.

[0073] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, the ionizer 1 described here is an example in which a bar-type ion generating module 2 formed by arranging a plurality of discharge needles 31 in a row in a housing 20 extending in a direction along the major axis L1 and a controller 4 that supplies voltage thereto are electrically connected by the cable 5. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a bar-type ionizer may be one in which both the plurality of discharge needles and the controller are housed in a single housing.

[0074] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Ionizer 2 Ion generating module 4 Controller 4a Second socket hole 5 Cable 5a Cable wire 5b First plug 5c Second plug 5d Fixing pin 6 Mounting fixture 20 Housing 21 Case body 22 First cap member 22a First end face (end face) 22b First socket hole 23 Second cap member 23a Second end face (end face) 24 Ion generating surface 25 Mounting surface 26 Side surface 27 Outer circumferential surface 28 Sliding groove 28a Engaged portion (sliding surface) 28b Inclined surface 28c Attachment / detachment groove 29a, 29b Stopper portion 30 Discharge needle unit 31 Discharge needle 31a Conductor 32 Body 33 Column-shaped protective wall 34 Discharge portion 35 Ground terminal 35a Ground wire 60 Axial support member 61 Lock engagement piece 61a Operating portion 61b Connecting portion 61c Engagement hole 61d First edge portion 61e Second edge portion 62 First main body portion 62a Elongated hole 63 First fixing portion (fixing portion) 63a First fixing hole (fixing hole) 64 First connecting tongue 64a Connecting protrusion 65 Hanging support member 66 Sliding engagement piece 66a Engaging claw 67 Second main body portion 67a Sliding protrusion 67b Window hole 68 Second fixing portion (fixing portion) 68a Second fixing hole (fixing hole) 69 Second connecting tongue 69a Connecting hole L1 Long axis L2 Central axis F Installation portion S Fixing member

Claims

1. An ionizer mounting fixture for mounting a housing that holds multiple discharge needles of an ionizer along its longitudinal axis to an installation location, wherein the mounting fixture is configured to be fixed to the installation location and detachably hold the housing, and has a central axis that is aligned with the longitudinal axis, the mounting fixture comprising: a fixing portion for fixing the housing to the installation location; an axial support member having a locking engagement piece for engaging and disengaging with a stopper portion of the housing that faces in a direction along the longitudinal axis; and a hanging support member having a sliding engagement piece for supporting the housing from below upward by slidably engaging with an engaged portion that extends from the housing along the longitudinal axis, wherein the locking engagement piece is configured to be movable from a locked position, where it engages with the stopper portion to restrict movement of the housing in the direction along the longitudinal axis, to an unlocked position, where it is manually disengaged from the stopper portion to allow movement of the housing in the direction along the longitudinal axis.

2. The ionizer mounting fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that the lock engagement piece is formed of a spring material that accumulates a biasing force toward the lock position as the lock engagement piece moves toward the unlock position.

3. The mounting fixture for an ionizer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: the mounting fixture is for supporting the end of the housing in the longitudinal direction; the lock engagement piece is provided so as to be movable between a lower locked position and an upper unlocked position; and the lock engagement piece is for engaging with a stopper portion formed on the end face of the housing in the longitudinal direction, and is arranged at the end of the mounting fixture on the central axis.

4. The ionizer mounting fixture described in claim 3, characterized in that the axial support member has its base end connected to the hanging support member, its tip end having the lock engagement piece extending along the central axis, and further, the lock engagement piece protruding outward from one end edge of the hanging support member in the central axial direction.

5. An ionizer mounting fixture as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sliding engagement pieces are formed by folding back both widthwise end portions of the hanging support member, sandwiching the central axis, in an L-shape toward the inside of the widthwise direction.

6. The ionizer mounting fixture described in claim 5, characterized in that the sliding engagement pieces formed on both widthwise end portions of the hanging support member are arranged in multiple equal numbers along the central axis so as to face each other at the same position in the central axis direction.

7. An ionizer mounting fixture as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the fixing parts are integrally connected to both widthwise side ends of the mounting fixture on either side of the central axis, and have long fixing holes along the central axis.

8. An ionizer having a pair of mounting fixtures as described in claim 1, characterized in that the ionizer comprises a bar-shaped ion generating module that holds the plurality of discharge needles in a row along the long axis in the housing, a controller that supplies voltage to the ion generating module, and a cable that electrically connects the ion generating module and the controller, the cable being detachably connected to the ion generating module, the engaged portion extending along the long axis on the outer peripheral surface of the housing around the long axis, and the housing further having a pair of stopper portions formed in opposite directions in the long axis direction.

9. An attachment structure for attaching an elongated housing for holding a plurality of discharge needles in an ionizer along its longitudinal axis to an installation location using attachments, wherein a pair of the attachments are fixed to the installation location, and the attachments respectively hold one end and the other end of the housing in the longitudinal direction with their central axes aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing, and the housing has: an ion generation surface facing downward and comprising the plurality of discharge needles arranged in a row along the longitudinal axis; an attachment surface facing upward on the opposite side from the ion generation surface; and an outer peripheral surface consisting of a pair of side surfaces facing back to back and arranged along the longitudinal axis between the ion generation surface and the attachment surface; first and second end surfaces arranged at both ends of the outer peripheral surface in the longitudinal direction; an engaged portion extended along the longitudinal axis on the outer peripheral surface; and a pair of stopper portions arranged facing opposite to each other in the longitudinal axis direction. the mounting fixture has a fixed portion fixed to the installation location, an axial support member having a lock engagement piece, and a hanging support member having a sliding engagement piece, wherein the lock engagement pieces of the pair of mounting fixtures restrict movement of the housing in a direction along the long axis when in a locked position where they are respectively engaged with a pair of stopper portions of the housing, and the sliding engagement pieces of the pair of mounting fixtures are slidably engaged with engaged portions of the housing in a direction along the long axis and support the housing from below upward, the lock engagement pieces are manually disengaged from the stopper portions and are arranged to be movable from the locked position to an unlocked position where movement of the housing in the direction along the long axis is permitted, and with the lock engagement pieces moved to the unlocked position, the housing can be slid along the engaged portions to remove it from the pair of mounting fixtures.

10. The mounting structure according to claim 9, characterized in that the lock engagement piece is formed of a spring material that accumulates a biasing force toward the lock position as it moves toward the unlock position.

11. The mounting structure described in claim 9, characterized in that the stopper portions are formed on the first end surface and the second end surface of the housing, the lock engagement pieces of the pair of mounting fixtures are engaged with the stopper portions on the first end surface and the second end surface in the locked position, and the lock engagement pieces of the pair of mounting fixtures are movable from the locked position to an unlocked position above the mounting surface.

12. A mounting structure as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that in the pair of mounting fixtures, the sliding engagement pieces are arranged on both widthwise end portions of the hanging support member on either side of the central axis, and are formed in a hook shape that is folded back in an L-shape towards the inside in the widthwise direction, the engaged portions of the housing are formed by downward steps formed along the long axis on the pair of side surfaces, and a pair of sliding engagement pieces formed on the hanging support member are slidably engaged with the pair of steps as the engaged portions.

13. The mounting structure according to claim 12, characterized in that the downward step portion as the engaged portion is formed by a sliding groove consisting of a concave groove, and the sliding engagement piece is engaged with the sliding groove so as to be freely slidable along the longitudinal axis.

14. The mounting structure according to claim 12, wherein a step portion serving as an engaged portion on the housing is formed on each of the pair of side surfaces over the entire length from the first end face to the second end face.

15. The mounting structure described in claim 12, characterized in that the outer peripheral surface of the housing is provided with a detachable groove extending from the mounting surface to the stepped portion serving as the engaged portion, the groove width being greater than the length of the sliding engagement piece in the central axis direction, and the housing can be attached and detached to the mounting fixture by inserting the sliding engagement piece of the mounting fixture into the detachable groove.

16. The mounting structure according to claim 9, wherein the ionizer comprises an ion generating module that holds the plurality of discharge needles in a row along the longitudinal axis in the housing, a controller that supplies voltage to the ion generating module, and a cable that electrically connects the ion generating module and the controller, and the cable is detachably connected to the ion generating module.

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