JP7531252B2 - Downlight - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to downlight technology.

Illumination devices capable of deodorizing and disinfecting air have been known for some time. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-048683 (Patent Document 1) discloses an air purifying device, an air purifying method using the air purifying device, and an air purifying system. According to Patent Document 1, an intake/exhaust port is provided on the wall of a housing to which an illumination light source is attached, and a fan is provided in the housing to generate a forced air current inside and outside the housing through the intake/exhaust port, thereby discharging heat generated from the illumination light source to the outside of the housing. Furthermore, a photocatalyst facing the flow path and a UV light source that irradiates light containing ultraviolet rays to the photocatalyst are provided as air purification means in the middle of the flow path of the forced air current a in the housing.

JP 2016-048683 A

The object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device that can sterilize and deodorize the air in a room while effectively utilizing the space behind the lighting.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a ceiling-embedded downlight is provided. The downlight includes a first light for illuminating downward, an air inlet formed at a position lower than the ceiling surface, an air outlet formed at a position lower than the ceiling surface, a fan arranged at a position higher than the ceiling surface for drawing in air from the air inlet and discharging the air from the air outlet, a photocatalyst arranged at a position higher than the ceiling surface for sterilizing the air from the air inlet, and a second light arranged at a position higher than the ceiling surface for shining light on the photocatalyst.

As described above, the present invention provides a lighting device that can sterilize and deodorize the air in a room while effectively utilizing the space behind the lighting.

1 is a top perspective view showing the appearance of a downlight according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view showing the appearance of the downlight according to the first embodiment. 1 is a plan view of a downlight according to a first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3 in a state in which the downlight according to the first embodiment is embedded in an opening in a ceiling. FIG. FIG. 1 is a top perspective view showing a main configuration of a downlight according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a photocatalyst unit according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the photocatalyst unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top perspective view showing the downlight with the upper cover removed according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top perspective view showing a downlight with a photocatalyst unit according to the first embodiment pulled out. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main control configuration of the downlight according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a front sectional view showing a first downlight according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a front sectional view showing a second downlight according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a front sectional view showing a third downlight according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a front sectional view showing a downlight according to a fifth embodiment.

Hereinafter, a downlight 100 will be described as an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated. In the following, the downlight 100, the appearance of the downlight 100, and the internal configuration of the downlight 100 will be described using directions in a state in which the lighting body 120 of the downlight 100 is facing downward as shown in FIG. 1, i.e., forward, backward, left, right, upward, downward, etc.
[First embodiment]
<External Configuration of Downlight 100>

First, the external configuration of the downlight 100 according to this embodiment will be described. With reference to Figures 1 to 3, the downlight 100 according to this embodiment is mainly composed of an upper cylindrical portion and a lower disk-shaped portion. In this embodiment, the radius of the lower disk is larger than the radius of the upper cylinder. In this embodiment, the downlight 100 is configured to be hat-shaped overall.

The upper cylindrical portion is covered by the upper cover 111. The upper cover 111 is embedded in the ceiling of a room or hallway. This means that the upper cover 111 is almost invisible to people in the room or hallway.

The lower disk-shaped portion is covered by a lower cover 112. The lower cover 112 is located lower than the ceiling surface. An intake port 101 is provided on the upper surface around the lower cover 112. An exhaust port 102 is provided in the centre of the lower surface of the lower cover 112. A human presence sensor 160 is provided further in the centre of the exhaust port 102. A first light 120 for illuminating the room or corridor is provided around the exhaust port 102.

In the downlight 100 of this embodiment, air is sucked in from the outer periphery of the lower cover 112, rises around the outside of the interior of the upper cover 111, is sterilized and deodorized inside the upper cover 111, and is expelled downward from the center of the lower cover 112.

In the downlight 100 according to the present embodiment, the upper cover 111 is first embedded in the ceiling, and then the lower cover 112 and the internal structure 100C shown in Fig. 5 are fixed to the upper cover 111. In the following description, the set of parts contained inside the upper cover 111 of the entire downlight 100 is also referred to as the internal structure 100C.

Alternatively, a portion of the upper cover 111 may be embedded in the ceiling with the upper cover 111 fixed to the lower cover 112 and the internal structure 100C. Thereafter, during maintenance or the like, a user can press the switch 155 with the upper cover 111 fixed to the ceiling to release the fixation between the upper cover 111 and the lower cover 112, and remove the internal structure 100C of the downlight 100 from the upper cover 111.
<Internal Configuration of Downlight 100>

Next, the internal configuration of the downlight 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 3, showing a state in which the upper part of the downlight 100 is embedded in an opening 201 in a ceiling 200, and is a front cross-sectional view of the center of the front and rear of the downlight 100. Figure 5 is an upper perspective view showing the main internal structure of the downlight 100.

First, the lower cover 112 and the first light 120 are provided at the bottom of the downlight 100 according to this embodiment. An intake port 101 is formed on the upper surface of the outer periphery of the upper surface of the lower cover 112, i.e., on the upper surface of the part outside the upper cover 111. An intake filter 115 is attached to the intake port 101. When the fan 150, which will be described later, is driven, the inside of the upper cover 111 becomes negative pressure, and outside air is sucked into the inside of the lower cover 112 through the intake filter 115.

A human presence sensor 160 is provided at the center of the underside of the lower cover 112. An exhaust port 102 is provided in the center of the lower cover 112, i.e., around the human presence sensor 160. Air that has been sterilized and deodorized by a photocatalyst (described below) is exhausted downward from the exhaust port 102 by a fan 150. A first light 120 is arranged around the exhaust port 102. In other words, the first light 120 is provided on the underside of the lower cover 112, and the exhaust port 102 is formed inside the first light 120.

The first light 120 includes a plurality of LEDs 121, 121... arranged around the outlet 102, and a transparent or translucent cover 122 that covers below the LEDs 121, 121... and is circular or donut-shaped when viewed from the bottom.

The upper and middle parts of the downlight 100 according to this embodiment include, from the top, the power connector 118, the second light 140, the photocatalyst unit 130, the fan 150, etc. as main components. The second light 140, the photocatalyst unit 130, the fan 150, the upper part of the first light 120, etc. are covered on the sides by the inner cover 113. In this embodiment, the outer side of the inner cover 113 is covered by the upper cover 111.

The second light 140 has multiple LED lights 142, 142... attached to the underside of the base 141. The multiple LED lights 142, 142... shine light on the photocatalyst unit 130 located below.

As for the photocatalyst unit 130, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the photocatalyst body 131 is attached to the inside of the side cover 132. A gripping member 133 is attached to the side cover 132. The gripping member 133 includes a surrounding frame 133A for attachment to the side cover 132 and a clamping frame 133B for a user to grip by pinching it between their fingers.

The photocatalyst body 131 has many holes that penetrate in the vertical direction to increase the surface area, and is configured to allow air to pass from above to below. The photocatalyst body 131 preferably has a thickness of several mm to several cm in the vertical direction, but may be a thin mesh sheet or the like.

Returning from FIG. 4 to FIG. 5, a fan 150 is provided below the photocatalyst unit 130. In this embodiment, the fan 150 is a propeller fan. The fan 150 includes a motor and a propeller, and as the motor rotates, the propeller causes the air to flow from above to below. More specifically, the air above the photocatalyst body 131 flows through the numerous holes in the photocatalyst body 131, through the fan 150, and into the space inside the first light 120, i.e., the space around the human presence sensor 160.

The downlight 100 according to the present embodiment is configured as described above, so that when the fan 150 is driven, the air around the lower cover 112 is sucked into the lower cover 112 through the suction filter 115 by the negative pressure generated in the space above the fan 150. The air flows upward through the space between the flow path cover 114 and the inner cover 113 that cover the sides of the fan 150 and the photocatalyst unit 130, that is, the space outside the fan 150 and the photocatalyst unit 130 and inside the inner cover 113. The air flows under the second light 140 by the negative pressure of the fan 150, and flows downward inside the photocatalyst unit 130. The air then flows downward inside the fan 150, passes through the space inside the first light 120, that is, the space around the human sensor 160, and is discharged below the downlight 100.

In this embodiment, leaf springs 117, 117 biased outward are provided on the outside of the upper cover 111. The leaf springs 117, 117 are formed in a V shape when viewed from the front. As a result, as shown in Figure 4, the downlight 100 can be embedded and fixed in the ceiling 200 by pushing the upper cover 111 into the opening 201 of the ceiling 200 against the biasing force of the leaf springs 117, 117.

When the downlight 100 is embedded in the ceiling 200, it is preferable that the upper cover 111, the second light 140, the photocatalyst unit 130, the fan 150, etc. are positioned higher than the ceiling surface 202. The lower end of the fan 150 may reach a position lower than the ceiling surface 202. On the other hand, in this state, it is preferable that the lower cover 112, the first light 120, the intake port 101, and the exhaust port 102 are positioned lower than the ceiling surface 202.

More specifically, as shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 5, in this embodiment, the periphery of the lower cover 112 has a shape that protrudes outward in the horizontal direction more than the upper cover 111. The suction port 101 is formed on the upper surface of the protruding portion 112X. That is, the suction port 101 is configured to face the ceiling surface 202 around the opening 201. This allows the downlight 100 according to this embodiment to suck in and sterilize air in the vicinity of the ceiling 200. In other words, the downlight 100 can sterilize and deodorize the entire air in the room while smoothly circulating the air in the room without stagnating the air in the vicinity of the ceiling 200.
<Configuration for Removing Photocatalyst Unit 130>

As for the downlight 100 according to the present embodiment, in other words, the internal structure 100C of the upper cover 111 of the downlight 100, the photocatalyst unit 130 is configured to be detachable from the inner cover 113 as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. More specifically, the user pulls out the internal structure 100C of the downlight 100, such as the inner cover 113 and the lower cover 112, downward from the upper cover 111 embedded in the ceiling 200 as shown in Fig. 8. Next, as shown in Fig. 9, the user pinches the clamping frame 133B of the photocatalyst unit 130 and removes the photocatalyst unit 130 from the inner cover 113. This allows the user to wash the photocatalyst body 131 with tap water or the like while pinching the clamping frame 133B of the photocatalyst unit 130 with one hand.
<Control configuration of downlight 100>

10, in the downlight 100 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 170 controls the first light 120, the second light 140, the fan 150, etc., based on the detection result of the human presence sensor 160. For example, when the switch of the room lighting is ON, if the human presence sensor 160 detects a person, the control unit 170 turns ON the first light 120, the second light 140, and the fan 150. When the switch of the room lighting is ON, if the state in which the human presence sensor 160 does not detect a person continues for a predetermined time, for example, 10 minutes, the control unit 170 turns OFF the first light 120, the second light 140, and the fan 150.
[Second embodiment]

The control configuration of the first light 120, the second light 140, and the fan 150 is not limited to that of the above embodiment. For example, the control unit 170 always turns on the first light 120 when the room lighting switch is on, and turns on the second light 140 and the fan 150 when the human presence sensor 160 detects a person. When the room lighting switch is on and the human presence sensor 160 does not detect a person for a predetermined period of time, such as 10 minutes, the control unit 170 turns off the second light 140 and the fan 150 and leaves the first light 120 on.

Alternatively, when the switch for the lighting in the room is ON, the control unit 170 turns ON the second light 140 and the fan 150, and when the motion sensor 160 detects a person, turns ON the first light 120. When the switch for the lighting in the room is ON and the motion sensor 160 does not detect a person for a predetermined period of time, such as 10 minutes, the control unit 170 turns OFF the first light 120 and keeps the second light 140 and the fan 150 ON.
[Third embodiment]

In the above embodiment, the human presence sensor 160 is disposed in the center of the lower surface of the lower cover 112. However, the human presence sensor 160 may be disposed in another position, or the human presence sensor 160 may not be mounted.
[Fourth embodiment]

In the above embodiment, the suction port 101 is formed on the upper surface of the protruding portion 112X on the outer periphery of the lower cover 112. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11, an exhaust port 102 may be formed inside the first light 120, while an intake port 101 facing downward may be formed outside the first light 120.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12, an exhaust port 102 may be formed on the outside of the first light 120, and an intake port 101 facing downward may be formed further outboard.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 13, an exhaust port 102 may be formed on a first direction side of the first light 120, while an intake port 101 facing downward may be formed on a second direction side.

That is, in more detail, when the downlight 100 is embedded in the ceiling 200, the upper cover 111, the second light 140, the photocatalyst unit 130, the fan 150, etc. are positioned higher than the ceiling surface 202, and the lower cover 112, the first light 120, the intake port 101, and the exhaust port 102 are positioned lower than the ceiling surface 202, thereby making it possible to sterilize and deodorize the air in the room while effectively utilizing the space behind the first light 120, i.e., the internal space of the ceiling 200.
[Fifth embodiment]

In the above embodiment, the air sucked in from the outer periphery of the lower cover 112 rises through the inner part of the inner cover 113, turns around at the top, is sterilized and deodorized by the inner part of the flow path cover 114, and is discharged downward from the center of the lower cover 112. However, the air flow may be reversed. That is, as shown in FIG. 14, the air sucked in from the center of the lower cover 112 may rise through the inner part of the flow path cover 114, be sterilized and deodorized by the photocatalyst unit 130, turn around at the top, fall through the outer part of the flow path cover 114, and be discharged outward from the outer periphery of the lower cover 112.
[summary]

In the above embodiment, a ceiling-embedded downlight is provided. The downlight includes a first light for illuminating downward, an air inlet formed at a position lower than the ceiling surface, an air outlet formed at a position lower than the ceiling surface, a fan arranged at a position higher than the ceiling surface for drawing in air from the air inlet and discharging the air from the air outlet, a photocatalyst arranged at a position higher than the ceiling surface for sterilizing the air from the air inlet, and a second light arranged at a position higher than the ceiling surface for shining light on the photocatalyst.

Preferably, the lower end of the ceiling recessed downlight is extended beyond the opening in the ceiling surface, and an intake port is formed on the upper surface of the extended portion.

The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

100: Downlight 100C: Internal structure 101: Intake port 102: Outlet port 111: Upper cover 112: Lower cover 112X: Protrusion 113: Inner cover 114: Flow path cover 115: Intake filter 117: Leaf spring 118: Power connector 120: First light 121: LED
122: Cover 130: Photocatalyst unit 131: Photocatalyst body 132: Side cover 133: Grip member 133A: Surrounding frame 133B: Clamping frame 140: Second light 141: Base 142: LED light 150: Fan 155: Switch 160: Human sensor 170: Control unit 200: Ceiling 201: Opening 202: Ceiling surface

Claims (1)

A ceiling recessed downlight,
a first light for illuminating downwards;
An intake port formed at a position lower than the ceiling surface;
An outlet formed at a position lower than the ceiling surface;
a fan that is disposed at a position higher than the ceiling surface and that draws in air through the intake port and expels the air through the exhaust port;
A photocatalyst arranged at a position higher than the ceiling surface for sterilizing the air from the air intake port;
A second light is disposed at a position higher than the ceiling surface and for irradiating the photocatalyst with light .
The lower end of the ceiling recessed downlight is extended to the outside beyond the opening in the ceiling surface, and the air inlet is formed on the upper surface of the extended portion so as to face the ceiling surface .

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