JP7614508B2 - Air quality measuring equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an air quality measuring device that measures air quality.

Conventionally, it has been proposed to provide an air quality measuring device in an air conditioning system to maintain good air quality in the living space (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2020-51673 A

Such air quality measuring devices are equipped with, for example, semiconductor or optical sensors that measure the amount and concentration of substances contained in the air, and measure the air quality based on the measurement results. At this time, due to the measurement principle, the sensor is installed in a state where it is exposed to the air to be measured. Furthermore, the air to be measured flows due to natural convection or forced convection.

As air flows around the exposed sensor, foreign matter in the air, such as dust, may adhere to the sensor and affect the sensor's measurement results. Furthermore, if foreign matter that has adhered to a part other than the sensor is dispersed, the measurement results may differ from the actual air quality. Therefore, in order to properly measure air quality, it is necessary to create an appropriate measurement environment around the sensor.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an air quality measuring device that can make the measurement environment more suitable.

In the invention described in claim 1, the air quality measuring device includes a housing having an inlet through which air flows in and an outlet through which air flows out, a sensor for measuring the air quality of the air in the housing, and a removal device for performing a process to remove foreign matter from within the housing.

As mentioned above, air quality measuring devices measure the quality of the air that flows in through the inlet, and if there is foreign matter such as dust or dirt in the air, they may adhere to the sensor or housing and become attached, or may float in the air and affect the measurement results.

Therefore, by removing foreign objects from inside the housing, foreign objects that affect the measurement results can be eliminated, making the measurement environment more suitable.

In addition, when the air quality measuring device performs the process of removing foreign matter using the removal device, it changes at least one of the wind direction (the direction in which the air flows), the wind speed (the speed at which the air flows), and the air volume (the amount of air flowing) to change the air flow state and shake the foreign matter.

It is assumed that foreign objects inside the housing will get caught on the sensor or the inner surface of the housing as they move with the air flow. Once the foreign object has adhered, it is likely to remain attached even if a force of the same magnitude or direction is applied to it as when it adhered.

Therefore, the air quality measuring device changes the flow state to agitate any foreign matter that may be attached.

It is expected that by swinging the attached foreign object, the object will become less caught and be more likely to detach. In addition, it is thought that at least one of a force in a different direction or a force of a different magnitude than when the object was attached will be applied to the object, and that this force will cause the object to assume a different posture than when it was attached. In other words, by swinging the attached foreign object, it is possible to create a situation different from when it was attached.

If the foreign matter that has adhered to the sensor can be easily removed, it will be easier to remove the foreign matter, and the risk of the foreign matter re-adhering to the sensor in a different situation than when it was attached can be reduced. This makes it possible to remove foreign matter that has adhered to the sensor or housing, making the measurement environment more suitable.

In the invention described in claim 2 , the removal device executes a process for removing foreign matter periodically or before starting the measurement of air quality. This allows the air to be replaced periodically or before starting the measurement, and new air to be measured is taken in, making the measurement environment more suitable when measuring air quality. It also prevents foreign matter from becoming firmly attached for a long period of time, which means that it becomes difficult to remove.

In the invention described in claim 1 , the removal device includes a fan device that creates an air flow inside the housing, and the air flow state is changed using the fan device. This makes it possible to easily change the air flow state and to easily construct a configuration for changing the air flow state.

In the invention described in claim 1 , the removal device drives the fan device at a maximum operable capacity exceeding the rated capacity at least after the foreign object is swung, whereby foreign objects that have become easily detached by the swinging or foreign objects that have been detached during the swinging can be forcefully expelled outside the housing, reducing the risk of them reattaching.

In the invention described in claim 3 , a closing member is provided for closing the path of air flowing toward the inlet, thereby making it possible to prevent the foreign matter from being exhausted toward the inlet when the foreign matter is swung or removed.

In the invention described in claim 4 , the air quality measuring device includes a collection device that collects foreign matter to be removed. The collection device includes a main body formed in a hollow shape with both ends open and through which air flows, a damper that switches the air flow to a direction different from that of the opening of the main body, a collection port that is normally closed by the damper, an exhaust port that exhausts air that has flowed in from the main body through the collection port to the outside when the collection port is opened to remove foreign matter, and a filter provided at the exhaust port.

This allows the foreign matter removed from inside the housing to be collected by the filter at the collection port, preventing the removed foreign matter from being simply discarded outside the air quality measuring device. This reduces the risk of contaminating the environment in which the air quality measuring device is installed, and prevents the removed foreign matter from re-entering the interior of the air quality measuring device.

In the invention described in claim 5 , the removal device increases the wind speed flowing through the housing when performing a process to remove foreign matter, and the damper has a receiving portion that receives the air by bending a flat plate member that opens and closes the recovery port, and is rotatable around the end opposite the receiving portion, so that while it normally closes the recovery port, when the wind speed increases it rotates in response to increased pressure applied to the receiving portion, opening the recovery port and suppressing the flow of air toward the opening of the main body portion with the plate member , thereby switching the main air flow to a path toward the exhaust port.

This allows the damper to rotate automatically due to the air flow, which prevents the structure of the recovery device from becoming too complicated even when a damper is provided, improving reliability during long-term use and reducing costs.

In the invention described in claim 6 , the air quality measuring device is placed in a place other than the living space and measures the air quality of air flowing through a duct that supplies air from the outside to the living space. While people are expected to come and go in and out of the living space on a daily basis, places other than the living space are expected to have no or only a small number of people coming and going on a daily basis.

Furthermore, if an air quality measuring device is placed in a location other than a residential space, it is expected that the air quality measuring device will be seen less frequently and that it will not be easy to get close to it. Therefore, by providing a removal device to the air quality measuring device, it becomes possible to remove foreign matter and create a good measurement environment even when the air quality measuring device is placed in a space where people do not often enter and regular cleaning is not likely to be possible.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an air quality measuring device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air quality measuring device; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of an example of the electrical configuration of an air quality measuring device; A schematic diagram showing the mechanism by which foreign matter adheres A diagram showing a process flow for removing foreign matter. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a flow pattern that changes the air flow state; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a typical manner in which foreign matter is removed; Schematic diagram of another example of a flow pattern. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an air quality measuring device according to a second embodiment. Diagram 2 showing a schematic example of the configuration of an air quality measuring device Diagram 3 showing a schematic configuration example of an air quality measuring device Diagram 4 showing a schematic configuration example of an air quality measuring device Diagram 5 showing a schematic example of the configuration of an air quality measuring device

Several embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, common parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals to simplify the description.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment will be described below. As shown in Fig. 1, the air quality measuring device 1 is arranged, for example, inside a house 100, and is provided in a duct 101 that introduces outside air into a living room or the like, and is assumed to measure the air quality of the air flowing through the duct 101. Hereinafter, the space in which the air quality measuring device 1 and the duct 101 are arranged will be referred to as a non-living space 103, as a place other than a living space 102 such as a living room where people enter and exit on a daily basis. The non-living space 103 may be a space separated by a door, partition, or the like within the living space 102, and can be considered to be a space where there is no or little daily entry and exit of people.

One end of the duct 101 opens to the outside of the house 100, forming an inlet 101a for introducing outside air. This inlet 101a is provided with an inlet filter 104 for preventing the intrusion of dust and the like, and an inlet fan device (not shown) for forcibly introducing outside air. However, the inlet filter 104 and the inlet fan device are not essential and may be provided as needed.

The duct 101 also branches within the non-habitable space 103, and the ends of the branches open into each habitable space 102 to form supply ports 105 that supply air. Although not shown in the figure, the supply ports 105 can be equipped with a supply-side filter to prevent the intrusion of dust and the like, a supply-side fan device to forcibly supply air, and the like, as necessary.

The air quality measuring device 1 is installed in the non-residential space 103 and measures the air quality of the air flowing through the duct 101. At this time, the air quality measuring device 1 is connected to a guide pipe 2 that is connected to the inside of the duct 101, and the air quality measuring device 1 measures the air quality of the air that has been guided through the guide pipe 2.

Specifically, the air quality measuring device 1 has a cylindrical housing 3 having a hollow portion through which air flows, as shown in Fig. 2. One end of this housing 3, shown on the left in the figure and connected to the guide pipe 2, is an inlet 3a through which air flows into the housing 3, and the other end, shown on the right in the figure, is an outlet 3b through which air flows out of the housing 3.

The inner surface of the housing 3 is provided with semiconductor or optical sensors 4 that measure the amount and concentration of substances contained in the air. In this embodiment, a VOC sensor 4A for measuring the concentration of volatile organic compounds, PM sensors 4B1 and 4B2 for measuring the concentration of PM2.5, and a CO2 sensor 4C for measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide are provided. The PM sensor 4B is an optical sensor, and a light-projecting unit 4Ba and a light-receiving unit 4Bb are paired to measure the concentration of PM2.5.

However, the types of sensors 4 and the number of sensors 4 installed shown here are just examples, and it is possible to provide other types of sensors 4 for measuring temperature sensors, humidity sensors, or other chemical substances or pollen, to provide one type or four or more types of sensors 4, or to use multiple sensors 4 to measure one measurement target.

Furthermore, a fan unit 5 is provided at the outlet 3b of the air quality measuring device 1. This fan unit 5 is provided to replace the air inside the housing 3 in order to measure the air quality, and to remove dust and the like adhering to the housing 3, as will be described in detail later. Hereinafter, as shown by the outlined arrow K1, the air flow from the inlet 3a toward the outlet 3b inside the housing 3 is referred to as the forward wind, as shown by the outlined dashed arrow K2, the air flow from the outlet 3b toward the inlet 3a is referred to as the reverse wind, the direction in which the air flows is referred to as the wind direction, the speed at which the air flows is referred to as the wind speed, and the amount of air flow is referred to as the wind volume, and these wind direction, wind speed, and wind volume are collectively referred to as the flow state.

As shown in FIG. 3, the air quality measuring device 1 includes a control circuit 10, a measuring circuit 11, and a communication circuit 12. The control circuit 10 is made up of a microcomputer, and performs processes such as measuring air quality, driving the fan device 5, and communicating by sending the measurement results to an external device via the communication circuit 12, as well as removing foreign matter adhering to the housing 3, as described below.

The measurement circuit 11 is an interface circuit for the sensor 4, and is composed of a circuit that supplies power to the sensor 4 and a circuit that amplifies the output of the sensor 4. The communication circuit 12 communicates with an operating device 13 installed in the living space 102. In this embodiment, since the air quality measuring device 1 is placed in the non-living space 103, the communication circuit 12 connects the air quality measuring device 1 and the operating device 13 by a wireless communication method, for example, by Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). However, the air quality measuring device 1 and the operating device 13 can also be connected by a wired communication method.

The operating device 13 is equipped with, for example, a liquid crystal display, and can display the measurement results obtained by the air quality measuring device 1. The operating device 13 can be a dedicated device for displaying the air quality results, but can also be configured to be shared with devices for supplying air to the living space 102, or devices provided for a home energy management system.

Next, the operation of the air quality measuring device 1 will be described.
As described above, the air quality measuring device 1 measures the amount and concentration of substances contained in the air with the sensor 4, and measures the air quality based on the measurement results. At this time, due to the measurement principle, the sensor 4 is provided in a state where it is exposed to the air to be measured, and the air to be measured flows inside the housing 3 by natural convection or forced convection.

At this time, if dust floating in the air adheres to the sensor 4, it may affect the measurement results of the sensor 4. Furthermore, if dust that has adhered to parts of the inner surface of the housing 3 other than the sensor 4 scatters, the measurement results may differ from the actual air quality. Therefore, in order to properly measure air quality, the air quality measuring device 1 makes the state of the air to which the sensor 4 is exposed, that is, the measurement environment of the sensor 4, more appropriate.

First, let us consider the mechanism by which dust and other particles adhere to the inner surface of the housing 3 with reference to Figure 4. For ease of understanding, in the following, foreign matter such as dust and dirt that may be carried by the air and adhere to the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4 will be referred to as floating matter 20 when floating in the air, and as adhesions 21 when adhering to the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4. At this time, it is expected that the substance to be measured itself will remain inside the housing 3 as adhesions 21, affecting subsequent measurement results.

As shown in FIG. 4, when air flows into the air quality measuring device 1 from the inlet 3a as indicated by the arrow K1, floating matter 20, indicated by the dashed line, may enter due to the air flow. It is expected that these floating matter 20 will adhere to the inner surface of the housing 3 as floating matter 20A and floating matter 20B, for example, and become adhesion matter 21A and adhesion matter 21B, or pass through the housing 3 and be discharged as is as floating matter 20C.

Now, as shown in an enlarged portion of Figure 4, let us assume that floating object 20A is carried by the air flow to the right in the figure, comes into contact with sensor 4 at attachment point P, and adheres to it, becoming attachment object 21A. In this case, although a force indicated by black arrow F1 is being applied to attachment object 21A by the air flow, it is believed that this force is cancelled out by attachment to attachment point P, causing attachment.

In other words, it is believed that attachment 21A is attached to attachment point P against a force to the right in the figure. It is also believed that the same situation exists for attachment 21B. Note that, for convenience, a point contact state is shown at attachment point P, but it is also assumed that attachment 21 is in surface contact with the inner surface of housing 3 or sensor 4. Hereinafter, the force acting on attachment 21 and the inner surface of housing 3 or sensor 4 will be referred to as adhesion force for convenience.

As shown in FIG. 5, the air quality measuring device 1 executes a process to remove foreign matter adhering to the housing 3, that is, a process to remove the adhering matter 21, and attempts to remove the adhering matter 21. Note that the process shown in FIG. 5 is executed by the control circuit 10, but for simplicity of explanation, the following description will be centered on the air quality measuring device 1. Also, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the air quality measuring device 1 is constantly powered and configured to repeatedly execute the process shown in FIG. 5.

For example, when the air quality measuring device 1 is turned on and processing begins, it determines whether it is time to remove the adhering matter 21 (S1). This removal time can be set appropriately, for example, when a predetermined time interval has elapsed since the previous removal, when a specific time set by the operating device 13 has arrived, or when air quality measurement begins.

In this embodiment, the removal time is set to the time when air quality measurement starts, but since air quality measurement is performed periodically at a predetermined time interval, such as every minute, removal of adhesions 21 is also performed periodically at a predetermined time interval. However, it is also possible to configure the two to be different times, such as by making the interval for removing adhesions 21 longer than the interval for measuring air quality.

When the air quality measuring device 1 determines that it is time for removal (S1: YES), it changes the air flow state (S2). At this time, the air quality measuring device 1 changes the air flow state by changing the drive state of the fan device 5, for example, as shown as graph (G) in FIG. 6. In other words, in this embodiment, the control circuit 10 and the fan device 5 constitute a removal device that removes the attachment 21 that has adhered to the inside of the housing 3.

Hereinafter, the change in the drive state of the fan device 5 when changing the air flow state is referred to as a flow pattern. At this time, the period from time t1 to time t4 in FIG. 6 corresponds to the oscillation period during which the attached matter 21 is oscillated, the period from time t5 to time t6 corresponds to the discharge period during which the attached matter 21 is discharged from inside the housing 3, and the combination of the oscillation period and the discharge period corresponds to the removal period during which an attempt is made to remove the attached matter 21. This is also common to the other flow patterns described below.

In addition, in order to simplify the explanation, Figure 6 shows a flow pattern in which the drive state is switched in a rectangular shape, but in reality, the wind speed changes gradually when the wind direction is switched at the start and end of the flow. In addition, the size of the housing 3 is constant, and since the object to be measured is air, the density does not change drastically, so the wind speed and air volume are basically in a roughly proportional relationship, and the higher the wind speed, the larger the air volume. Therefore, in the following explanation, even if wind speed is replaced with air volume, the meaning will be roughly the same.

Now, when the air quality measuring device 1 determines at time t1 that it is time to remove the air, it sets the fan device 5 to a headwind state, that is, a headwind state in which the wind direction is to the left in the figure. At this time, if, for example, an attachment 21 is attached as shown in the attached state in FIG. 7, by driving the fan device 5 to the headwind state, a force to the left in the figure will be applied to the attachment 21, as shown by the black arrow F2 in the headwind state in FIG. 7, that is, a force in the opposite direction to the right in the figure when the attachment occurs.

As a result, the adhesion 21 swings to the left in the figure. In other words, the air quality measuring device 1 swings the adhesion 21. It is assumed that the adhesion 21 will detach from the sensor 4 when the fan device 5 is driven in a headwind state, but for the sake of explanation, the adhesion is shown here as being in the attached state.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the air quality measuring device 1 continues to operate in a headwind state, for example, from time t1 to time t2, and then drives the fan device 5 to a forward wind state in which the wind direction becomes forward. As a result, as shown by the black arrow F3 in FIG. 7, which indicates the forward wind state, a force is applied to the attachment 21 to the right in the figure, causing the attachment 21 to sway to the right in the figure.

As a result, it is expected that the adhesion state of the attachment 21 will change due to the vibration, and the adhesion force will decrease. In other words, it is expected that the attachment 21 will become easier to detach from the inner surface of the housing 3 and the sensor 4. Note that it is also expected that the attachment 21 will detach from the sensor 4 when the wind condition is switched from the headwind condition to the forward wind condition, but for the sake of explanation, the attachment is shown in its attached state.

At this time, in this embodiment, the air quality measuring device 1 repeats switching between headwind and forward wind a predetermined number of times. For example, the air quality measuring device 1 drives the fan unit 5 with forward wind from time t2 to time t3, and then drives it with headwind from time t3 to time t4. In this case, the number of times to switch between headwind and forward wind can be set arbitrarily to one or multiple times.

However, the air quality measuring device 1 only needs to be driven in headwind at least once, and does not need to switch to forward wind. In other words, when removing the adhesion 21, the air quality measuring device 1 only needs to drive the fan unit 5 in headwind at least once, and apply a force in a different direction than when the adhesion was caused to oscillate the adhesion 21 at least once.

Then, the air quality measuring device 1 changes the air flow state to sway the deposits 21 at least once, and then drives the fan unit 5 to produce strong winds as shown in FIG. 5 (S3). Strong wind driving means driving the fan unit 5 in a state where the wind speed is faster than the rated drive. Specifically, if the rated voltage of the fan unit 5 is, for example, 12 V, and the applicable voltage range is, for example, 10 V to 14 V, the fan unit 5 is driven by applying 12 V in the rated drive, and driven by applying, for example, 14 V in the strong wind drive.

At this time, the air quality measuring device 1 operates at rated speed when there is a headwind, and operates at gentle breeze speed when there is a forward wind, which reduces the wind speed compared to the rated speed. In other words, the force applied to the attachment 21 when there is a forward wind, which is the same as when the attachment 21 first adhered, is suppressed to be smaller than the force applied to the attachment 21 when there is a headwind. This prevents a strong force from being applied in the direction that causes the attachment 21 to adhere. Note that gentle breeze operation is an operating state that can generate a certain amount of air flow when measuring air quality, and can be set appropriately depending on the size of the housing 3, etc.

In this way, by changing the air flow state and changing the force applied to the adhesion 21 and the posture of the adhesion 21, as shown by the black arrow F4 in Figure 7 as the removal state, the adhered portion is in a state where it can be easily detached due to the rocking, and since a greater force is applied than when it was attached, the adhesion 21 is expelled from the housing 3 by the air flow.

In other words, at least one of a force in a different direction or a force of a different magnitude from when the attachment was made is applied to the attachment 21, which results in the attachment 21 taking a different posture from when it was attached, creating a situation different from when it was attached, and making it possible to remove the attachment 21, or more precisely, to attempt to remove the attachment 21.

When the air quality measuring device 1 executes the process for removing the adhering matter 21, it determines whether the measurement period has arrived as shown in FIG. 5 (S5). This measurement period is set to one minute in this embodiment, but it can be set to another value such as several minutes, or it can be set to measure at a specific time.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, when the process for removing the adhesion 21 is completed at time t6, for example, the fan device 5 is driven to generate a gentle breeze. Therefore, when measuring the air quality, air flows gently inside the housing 3, and the measurement environment for measuring the air quality is in a good state. However, it is possible to configure the measurement environment to be good by stopping the operation of the fan device 5 after removing the adhesion 21 to prevent air from flowing when measuring the air quality, or by waiting a predetermined waiting time after the air flow stops and measuring the air quality in a state in which the air inside the housing 3 has settled.

When the measurement environment is ready, the air quality measuring device 1 measures the air quality as shown in FIG. 5 (S6) and transmits the air quality measurement results to the operation device 13 (S7). The air quality measuring device 1 then determines whether or not an end operation has been performed (S8). At this time, whether or not an end operation has been performed can be determined, for example, by checking whether an operation to not measure air quality has been input from the operation device 13. If the air quality measuring device 1 determines that no end operation has been performed (S8: NO), it proceeds to step S1. On the other hand, if the air quality measuring device 1 determines that an end operation has been performed (S8: YES), it ends the process.

However, the air quality measuring device 1 basically always repeatedly performs the process for removing the adhering matter 21 and the process for measuring the air quality while power is being supplied. In this way, the air quality measuring device 1 measures the air quality after preparing the measurement environment for measuring the air quality.

According to the air quality measuring device 1 described above, the following effects can be obtained.
The air quality measuring device 1 comprises a housing 3 having an inlet 3a through which air flows in and an outlet 3b through which air flows out, a sensor 4 for measuring the air quality of the air within the housing 3, and a control circuit 10 and a fan unit 5 as a removal device that performs a process to remove adhesions 21 that have adhered to the inside of the housing 3.

The air quality measuring device 1 measures the air quality of the air that flows in through the inlet, and if foreign matter such as dust or dirt is present in the air, it may affect the measurement results by adhering to the sensor or housing, or by floating in the air. Therefore, by removing the foreign matter from within the housing, the foreign matter that affects the measurement results is eliminated, making the measurement environment more suitable.

In addition, when the removal device of the air quality measuring device 1 executes a process to remove foreign matter such as adhesions 21, it changes the state of air flow within the housing 3 to cause the adhesions 21 to vibrate. As a result, the adhesions 21 that have adhered to the housing 3 as they move from the inlet 3a to the outlet 3b are subjected to a force in a different direction than when they were attached, making them easier to detach, and the vibration changes the adhesion state of the adhesions 21, which is expected to weaken the adhesion force, making it easier to remove the adhesions 21.

And by making the deposits 21 easier to remove, it is possible to increase the likelihood that the deposits 21 can actually be removed. Therefore, it is possible to make the measurement environment more suitable when measuring air quality.

The removal device also periodically, or before starting air quality measurement, executes a process to remove foreign matter such as the adhering matter 21. This allows the air to be replaced and new air to be measured to be taken into the housing 3, making the measurement environment more suitable when measuring the air quality and improving the reliability of the measurement results. It also prevents the adhering matter 21 from remaining attached for a long period of time and becoming stubborn dirt that is difficult to remove.

The removal device also changes the air flow state by changing at least one of the wind direction, the wind speed, and the amount of air flow. This makes it possible to agitate foreign matter such as adhesions 21 by the air flow, simplifying the configuration of the air quality measurement device 1 and reducing the risk of reduced reliability during long-term use because the structure is not complicated.

In this embodiment, the wind direction and wind speed are changed during the removal period, but it is also possible to configure the device to change only the wind direction. Also, in this embodiment, the wind is initially blown backwards, and a force is applied to the attachment 21 in a direction different from when the attachment 21 was attached, making it easier to remove the attachment 21. Furthermore, by finally blowing a strong wind in the right direction, the attachment 21 that has detached from the inner surface of the housing 3 can be encouraged to be discharged to the outside through the outlet 3b. In other words, it is possible to prevent the foreign matter such as the attachment 21 from being discharged toward the inlet 3a.

The removal device also includes a fan device 5 that creates an air flow within the housing 3, and uses the fan device 5 to change the air flow state. This allows the air flow state to be easily changed, and a configuration for changing the flow state can be easily constructed. In addition, although the embodiment illustrates a configuration in which the fan device 5 is provided on the outlet 3b side, the same effect can be obtained by executing the above-mentioned process even if the fan device 5 is provided on the inlet 3a side.

The removal device also drives the fan device 5 at a maximum operable capacity exceeding the rated capacity at least after the foreign matter such as the adhesion 21 has been swung. This allows foreign matter such as the adhesion 21 that has become easily detached by the swinging or the adhesion 21 that has detached during the swinging period to be forcefully expelled outside the housing 3, reducing the risk of the adhesion re-adhering.

The air quality measuring device 1 is placed in a non-residential space 103, which is a location other than the residential space 102, and measures the quality of the air flowing through a supply path for supplying air to the residential space 102 from the outside. In this case, since people do not often enter and exit the non-residential space 103, cleaning the air quality measuring device 1 is not easy, but by providing a removal device, the reliability of the air quality measuring device 1 placed in the non-residential space 103 during long-term use can be improved.

In addition, in the embodiment, a flow pattern in which headwind and forward wind are repeated is exemplified, but a flow pattern in which the wind speed is made different when headwind and forward wind are repeated can be adopted, for example, as shown as another flow pattern 1 in FIG. 8. Specifically, the wind speeds in headwind and forward wind during the first oscillation from time t11 to time t12 can be made different from the wind speeds in headwind and forward wind during the second oscillation from time t12 to time t13.

Alternatively, as shown in another flow pattern 2, a flow pattern can be adopted in which the wind direction is only a headwind during the rocking period in which foreign objects such as attachment 21 are rocked, or the wind speed is changed during the rocking period from time t21 to time t22. By rocking attachment 21 with different forces in this way, it is expected that attachment 21 will become easier to detach.

Also, a flow pattern may be used in which the wind speed is changed during the discharge period from time t23 to time t24. In this case, if there is a possibility that the attachment 21 is still attached during the discharge period, the attachment 21 can be rocked with a stronger force, so that it is expected that the attachment 21 will be more likely to be detached and discharged. By rocking the attachment 21 with different forces during the rocking period and discharge period in this way, it is expected that the attachment 21 will be more likely to be detached.
Moreover, the above-mentioned effects obtained by the air quality measuring device 1 of this embodiment can also be obtained in the second embodiment described later.

Second Embodiment
The second embodiment will be described below. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a configuration for collecting foreign matter such as the attached matter 21 to be removed. However, the mechanism by which foreign matter such as the attached matter 21 adheres, the basic flow of the process for removing the attached matter 21, and the air flow pattern are common to the first embodiment, and therefore, these may be implemented as appropriate with reference to the first embodiment and Figures 1 to 8, and therefore description thereof will be omitted here.

Below, we will explain the configuration for collecting foreign matter such as the deposits 21 and the configuration for preventing the deposits 21 from being discharged into the duct 101, individually, while showing several configuration examples.

<Configuration Example 1>
As shown in Fig. 9, the air quality measuring device 1 is equipped with a collection device 30 for collecting foreign matter such as attached matter 21. Although the main purpose of this collection device 30 is to collect attached matter 21 that has detached from the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4, due to its configuration, it can also collect floating matter 20 present in the air. Note that in Fig. 9, reference numerals for some components have been omitted to make the drawing easier to see. Also, the white arrows in Fig. 9 and subsequent figures show a schematic representation of the relative magnitude relationship between wind direction and wind speed by their size and direction.

Specifically, the recovery device 30 includes a main body 31 that is formed in a hollow shape with both ends open and through which air flows, a damper 32 that switches the air flow to a direction different from the opening of the main body 31, a recovery port 33 that is normally closed by the damper 32, an exhaust port 34 that exhausts air that has flowed in from the main body 31 through the recovery port 33 to the outside when the recovery port 33 is opened to remove the deposits 21, and a mesh-like filter 35, for example, that is provided at the exhaust port 34 and can recover the expected deposits 21. Hereinafter, the openings provided in the main body 31 will be referred to as the first opening 31a and the second opening 31b for convenience.

In this configuration example, the collection device 30 is located on the inlet 3a side of the air quality measurement device 1, and the guide pipe 2 is connected to the first opening 31a on the left side of the figure, and the second opening 31b is connected to the inlet 3a. Therefore, the air to be measured flows in from the first opening 31a, flows through the main body 31, and flows out from the second opening 31b to the inlet 3a as a forward wind. In addition, in the case of a headwind, the fan device 5 provided on the outlet 3b side causes the air to flow from the second opening 31b toward the first opening 31a. The fan device 5 can also be configured to be located between the collection device 30 and the air quality measurement device 1.

This main body 31 is provided with a collection port 33 that is always closed by a damper 32 and opens into the main body 31, and an exhaust port 34 for discharging air that has flowed in from the collection port 33 to the outside of the main body 31 when the damper 32 is open. In other words, the collection device 30 is configured to be able to switch the air that has flowed in from the first opening 31a to either the second opening 31b connected to the air quality measuring device 1, or the exhaust port 34 connected to the outside of the main body 31.

The damper 32 is formed by bending the end of the flat plate member 32a that opens and closes the recovery port 33 to form a receiving portion 32b that receives air pressure, and is provided so as to be rotatable around the end opposite the receiving portion 32b. Hereinafter, a damper 32 that rotates in this manner will also be referred to as a rotating type. This damper 32 is arranged so that the receiving portion 32b faces the wind direction during strong winds, in this case, on the second opening 31b side, and the rotation axis that is the center of rotation is located on the first opening 31a side.

The damper 32 always closes the recovery port 33 as shown during measurement, and also closes the recovery port 33 due to its weight during the rocking period when the deposits 21 are rocked as shown during rocking. On the other hand, when the fan device 5 is started up to produce strong winds during the discharge period as shown during strong winds, the pressure applied to the receiving portion 32b increases as the wind speed, or air volume, increases, and the damper 32 rotates and stands up due to this pressure.

At this time, the damper 32 is formed so that the length from the rotating end to the tip of the receiving portion 32b is such that it can close the hollow portion of the main body portion 31 in the raised state. Therefore, the damper 32 also functions as a closing member that closes the air path to the inlet 3a. Although not shown in the figure, the main body portion 31 has a rectangular cross section, and the hollow portion also has a rectangular cross section. Therefore, the outer shape of the damper 32 is also formed to be roughly rectangular.

Therefore, when the fan unit 5 is driven by a strong headwind during the discharge period, the plate member 32a suppresses the flow of air toward the opening of the main body 31, in this case the first opening 31a on the left side in the figure, that is, the damper 32 side. In addition, by opening the recovery port 33, the air flow during the discharge period is switched to a path toward the discharge port 34.

By providing the rotating damper 32 in this manner, foreign matter such as the adhering matter 21 that has detached from the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4, and the floating matter 20 floating in the air, is carried by the air flow from the collection port 33 toward the discharge port 34, and is collected by the filter 35 provided at the discharge port 34 without being discharged to the guide pipe 2 side. Note that, to make the explanation easier to understand, the reference numbers are used to indicate the floating matter 20 and the adhering matter 21.

Then, when the adhesion 21 adheres to the housing 3 as it moves from the inlet 3a to the outlet 3b, a force is applied in a direction different from that at the time of adhesion, making it easier to detach, and the rocking motion changes the adhesion state of the adhesion 21, which is expected to weaken the adhesion force, making it easier to remove the adhesion 21. And, by making the adhesion 21 easier to remove, the possibility of actually being able to remove the adhesion 21 can be increased.

Therefore, it is possible to obtain the same effects as in the first embodiment, such as making the measurement environment more suitable when measuring air quality, and it is also possible to collect the adhering matter 21, thereby preventing foreign matter such as the floating matter 20 and the adhering matter 21 from being discharged into the duct 101 side.

In addition, since the damper 32 is a rotating type that rotates automatically due to air pressure, there is no need to change the configuration of the air quality measuring device 1 even if the collection device 30 is installed. In addition, since the damper 32 closes the collection port 33 during measurement, there is little possibility that the flow of air from the inlet 3a to the outlet 3b will be obstructed, reducing the risk of affecting the air quality measurement.

In addition, because the filter 35 collects foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and attached matter 21, it is possible to prevent these from being disposed in the space in which the air quality measuring device 1 is placed. Even if the air quality measuring device 1 is placed in the non-residential space 103, it is sufficient to clean the filter 35 at desired intervals, such as once a month, to prevent clogging, thereby preventing excessive burden on the user.

<Configuration Example 2>
As shown in Fig. 10, the air quality measuring device 1 includes a collection device 30 for collecting foreign matter such as the deposits 21. In the case of this configuration example, the configuration of the collection device 30 itself is the same as in the first configuration example, so a detailed description will be omitted. In this configuration example as well, the opening on the rotation shaft side of the damper 32 of the collection device 30 will be described as a first opening 31a, and the opening on the opposite side, that is, the opening on the receiving portion 32b side of the damper 32, will be described as a second opening 31b. Note that in Fig. 10, the reference numerals of some components have been omitted to make the drawing easier to see.

In this configuration example, the air quality measuring device 1 has the fan device 5 provided on the inlet 3a side, and the collection device 30 connected to the outlet 3b side. At this time, the collection device 30 is arranged in a state where the second opening 31b side is connected to the outlet 3b of the air quality measuring device 1 so that the receiving portion 32b of the damper 32 can receive air during strong winds.

Even in the case of such a configuration, the attachment 21 that has adhered to the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4, as shown during measurement, is easily swung and removed by the air of a headwind or forward wind, as shown during oscillation, and the attachment 21 removed by the strong wind drive, as shown during strong wind drive, is collected by the collection device 30 because the air flow is directed toward the exhaust port 34 by the raised damper 32. Note that, for ease of understanding, the reference numbers are not changed for the floating matter 20 and the attachment 21 as foreign matter.

Therefore, it is possible to obtain the same effects as in the first embodiment, such as making the measurement environment more suitable when measuring air quality, and it is also possible to collect the adhering matter 21, thereby preventing foreign matter such as the floating matter 20 and the adhering matter 21 from being discharged to the exhaust side, i.e., the space in which the air quality measuring device 1 is located.

In addition, since the damper 32 is a rotating type that rotates automatically due to air pressure, there is no need to change the configuration of the air quality measuring device 1 even if the collection device 30 is installed. In addition, since the damper 32 closes the collection port 33 during measurement, there is little possibility that the flow of air from the inlet 3a to the outlet 3b will be obstructed, reducing the risk of affecting the air quality measurement.

In addition, because the filter 35 collects foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and attached matter 21, it is possible to prevent these from being disposed in the space in which the air quality measuring device 1 is placed. Even if the air quality measuring device 1 is placed in the non-residential space 103, it is sufficient to clean the filter 35 at desired intervals, such as once a month, to prevent clogging, thereby preventing excessive burden on the user.

<Configuration Example 3>
As shown in Fig. 11, the damper 32 may be configured to be mechanically driven. Specifically, as shown as an electrical configuration, the air quality measuring device 1 is provided with a drive circuit 14 for forcibly driving the damper 32. This drive circuit 14 may be configured with a motor for rotating the damper 32 around a rotation axis, or a rotation mechanism for rotating the damper 32 by a combination of an actuator and a mechanical part. This makes it possible to rotate the damper 32 at any desired timing.

At this time, as shown in mechanical configuration 1, for example, the collection device 30 is connected to the inlet 3a side of the air quality measuring device 1, and the deposits 21 are swung as described in FIG. 9 above, the damper 32 is rotated to close the path to the inlet 3a, and then the fan device 5 is driven to generate strong wind, so that foreign matter such as the deposits 21 can be collected by the collection device 30. Note that in FIG. 11, the reference numerals of some components are omitted to make the drawing easier to see.

As a result, the attachments 21 adhering to the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4 are easily swayed and detached by the air in the headwind or forward wind, and the attachments 21 removed during strong wind operation can be collected by the collection device 30 as the air flow is directed toward the exhaust port 34 by the raised damper 32, and the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, such as making the measurement environment more suitable when measuring air quality.

In addition, since the path to the duct 101 side is closed, foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and deposits 21 can be prevented from being disposed of on the duct 101 side, and since the deposits 21 can be collected, the deposits 21 can be prevented from being disposed of in the space in which the air quality measuring device 1 is placed. In addition, since the damper 32 can be rotated at any timing, by rotating the damper 32 during the oscillation, the deposits 21 that have detached during the oscillation can be prevented from moving to the duct 101 side.

In addition, even if the air quality measuring device 1 is placed in a non-residential space 103, the filter 35 can be cleaned at desired intervals, such as once a month, to prevent clogging, thereby preventing excessive burden on the user.

Alternatively, for example, as shown in mechanical configuration 2, the collection device 30 can be configured to be connected to the outlet 3b side of the air quality measuring device 1. In this case, an exhaust fan device 36 is provided at the exhaust port of the collection device 30.

Then, as explained in FIG. 10 above, foreign matter such as the deposits 21 are agitated, the damper 32 is rotated to close the path to the outlet 3b, and the exhaust fan device 36 is then driven to generate strong wind, so that the deposits 21 can be collected by the collection device 30.

Even with this configuration, foreign matter such as the attachments 21 attached to the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4 can be easily swung off by the air in a headwind or forward wind, and the attachments 21 removed during strong wind operation can be collected by the collection device 30 because the air flow is directed toward the exhaust port 34 by the rotated damper 32, and the measurement environment when measuring air quality can be made more suitable, thereby obtaining the same effects as in the first embodiment.

In addition, because foreign matter such as the adhering matter 21 can be collected, the adhering matter 21 can be prevented from being disposed in the space in which the air quality measuring device 1 is placed. Even if the air quality measuring device 1 is placed in the non-residential space 103, the filter 35 can be cleaned at desired intervals, such as once a month, to prevent clogging, thereby preventing excessive burden on the user.

In the case of mechanical configuration example 2, the fan device 5 is not provided, and the discharge fan device 36 is used to oscillate the deposits 21 and to remove the deposits 21 by driving a strong wind.

<Configuration Example 4>
As shown in FIG. 12 , the damper 32 is not of the pivotal type described above, but rather has a main body 31 formed in an accordion-like shape when viewed from the side, and can be configured to expand and contract in a linear manner along a rail 37 provided on the inner surface of the main body 31.

In this case, it is advisable to provide the fan device 5 on the guide pipe 2 side of the recovery device 30, and provide an exhaust fan at the exhaust port 34. With this arrangement, when the damper 32 is retracted as shown during measurement, the air flow is directed toward the outlet 3b and the exhaust port 34, so it is believed that there is no effect on the measurement.

On the other hand, when the damper 32 is extended as shown in the figure for driving strong winds, the gap between the damper 32 and the fan unit 5 is closed, and foreign matter such as the deposits 21 can be collected by driving the exhaust fan unit 36. However, the damper 32 can also be extended when rocking the deposits 21, and the deposits 21 can be rocked by the exhaust fan unit 36. Note that in FIG. 12, the reference numerals of some components have been omitted to make the drawing easier to see.

Even with this configuration, foreign matter such as the attachments 21 attached to the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4 can be easily swung off by headwind or forward wind air, and the attachments 21 removed during strong wind operation can be collected by the collection device 30 because the air flow is directed toward the exhaust port 34 by the extended damper 32, and the measurement environment when measuring air quality can be made more suitable, thereby achieving the same effects as in the first embodiment.

In addition, since the path to the duct 101 side is closed, foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and deposits 21 can be prevented from being discharged to the outside from the outlet 3b, and since the deposits 21 can be collected, the deposits 21 can be prevented from being discharged into the space in which the air quality measuring device 1 is placed. Even if the air quality measuring device 1 is placed in the non-residential space 103, it is only necessary to clean the filter 35 at desired intervals, such as once a month, to prevent clogging, thereby preventing excessive burden on the user.

According to the air quality measuring device 1 described above, the following effects can be obtained.
When performing a process for removing foreign matter such as the adhesion 21, the air quality measuring device 1 changes the state of air flow within the housing 3 to vibrate the foreign matter. As a result, foreign matter such as the adhesion 21 that adheres to the housing 3 when moving from the inlet 3a to the outlet 3b is subjected to a force in a direction different from that at the time of adhesion, making it easier to remove, and it is expected that the adhesion state of the adhesion 21 will change and the adhesion force will weaken due to the vibration, making it easier to remove foreign matter such as the adhesion 21. Therefore, it is possible to obtain effects similar to those of the first embodiment, such as making the measurement environment when measuring air quality more appropriate.

In this embodiment, the air quality measuring device 1 includes a collection device 30 that collects the deposits 21 removed from the housing 3. The collection device 30 includes a main body 31 that is formed in a hollow shape with both ends open and through which air flows, a damper 32 that switches the air flow to a direction different from the opening of the main body 31, a collection port 33 that is normally closed by the damper 32, an exhaust port 34 that exhausts air that has flowed in from the main body 31 through the collection port 33 to the outside when the collection port 33 is opened to remove foreign matter such as the deposits 21, and a filter 35 provided in the exhaust port 34.

This allows foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and attached matter 21 removed from inside the housing 3 to be collected by the filter 35 of the collection port 33, and prevents the removed foreign matter from being discarded directly outside the air quality. This reduces the risk of contaminating the environment in which the air quality measuring device 1 is placed, and prevents the removed foreign matter from re-entering the interior of the air quality measuring device 1.

The removal device also increases the wind speed through the housing 3 when performing a process to remove foreign matter such as the deposits 21. The damper 32 is equipped with a flat plate member 32a that opens and closes the collection port 33, and a receiving portion 32b that stands up from the plate member 32a and receives air. The damper 32 is rotatable around the end opposite the receiving portion 32b, and normally closes the collection port 33. However, when the wind speed increases, the damper rotates in response to an increase in pressure applied to the receiving portion 32b, opening the collection port 33 and suppressing the flow of air to the opening of the main body portion 31 with the plate member 32a, thereby switching the main air flow to a path toward the exhaust port 34.

This allows the damper 32 to rotate automatically due to the air flow, so even if the damper 32 is provided, the configuration of the recovery device 30 is prevented from becoming complicated, improving reliability during long-term use and reducing costs.

In addition, the damper 32 suppresses the flow of air toward the inlet 3a when the opening of the main body 31 is opened. This prevents the removed foreign matter from being discarded toward the inlet 3a.

The air quality measuring device 1 also includes a collection fan that is provided at the collection port 33 and exhausts air from the collection port 33 to the outside. This makes it possible to collect foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and attached matter 21 even in a situation where the air flow caused by the fan device 5 is blocked by the damper 32.

The air quality measuring device 1 also includes a filter 35 that collects foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and attached matter 21. This prevents the floating matter 20 and attached matter 21 removed from inside the housing 3 from being exhausted to the outside of the air quality measuring device 1, reducing contamination of the environment in which the air quality measuring device 1 is placed, and also preventing the removed floating matter 20 and attached matter 21 from re-entering the interior of the air quality measuring device 1.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or shown in the drawings, but may be modified or expanded without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such modifications and expansions are within the scope of equivalents.

For example, the air quality measuring device 1 can be configured to have a shutter 40 as a closing member that blocks the inlet 3a side of the configuration of the first embodiment, as shown in configuration example 5 in Figure 13. The shutter 40 is rotatably suspended from the ceiling on the inner surface of the housing 3 as shown during measurement (no wind), and is configured in such a way that its rotation toward the outlet 3b side is restricted by a restricting member 41 provided at the bottom of the inner surface of the housing 3. Note that in Figure 13, the reference numerals of some components have been omitted to make the drawing easier to see.

The shutter 40 is long enough so that it does not come into contact with the bottom surface when suspended from the ceiling, and is provided in such a manner that its rotation toward the outlet 3b is limited to a predetermined angle (α). The angle (α) may be any angle that does not cause the shutter 40 to come into contact with the ceiling when rotated. Although not shown in the figure, an attachment may be attached between the guide pipe 2 and the inlet 3a of the air quality measuring device 1, and the shutter 40 and the restricting member 41 may be provided on the attachment.

The shutter 40 is made of a lightweight material such as plastic, and is formed with a shape and weight that allows it to rotate to a state in which the inlet 3a is at least partially open when air flows in a positive wind from the fan device 5, as shown in positive wind drive. Therefore, in a windless state, the shutter 40 closes the inlet 3a. Note that a windless state refers to a state in which the fan device 5 is not driven, or a state in which air flows very slowly to suppress fluctuations in the measurement values.

When a certain amount of air flows, as shown by forward wind drive, the shutter 40 responds by opening at least a portion of the air path from the inlet 3a. This allows the air to be replaced. On the other hand, when air flows in a reverse wind due to the fan device 5, as shown by reverse wind drive, the shutter 40 closes the inlet 3a to prevent floating objects 20 and attached objects 21 from being discharged to the duct 101 side.

When the wind speed or volume of the positive wind increases, as shown in the example of strong wind operation, the shutter 40 rotates more, opening the outlet 3b further, ensuring a sufficient volume of air and allowing foreign matter such as floating matter 20 and attached matter 21 to be expelled from inside the housing 3. For ease of understanding, the symbols for floating matter 20 and attached matter 21 are used without modification.

Even with this configuration, the attachments 21 that are attached to the inner surface of the housing 3 or the sensor 4 are easily swayed and detached by the air of a headwind or a forward wind, and the attachments 21 that are removed when the device is driven by strong winds are expelled by the air flow, and at that time, the air is replaced and the air to be measured can be taken in, making the measurement environment more suitable when measuring air quality, and other effects similar to those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

The configuration may also include a sound-deadening member that reduces noise when the damper 32 opens and closes the recovery port 33, or when the shutter 40 comes into contact with the regulating member 41. The sound-deadening member may be constructed, for example, by attaching an elastic member such as rubber to the edge of the recovery port 33, or by arranging a ribbed elastic member. The sound-deadening member may also be constructed by attaching an elastic member to the shutter 40 or the regulating member 41, or by forming the regulating member 41 itself from an elastic member.

In the drawings, 1 indicates an air quality measuring device, 3 indicates a housing, 3a indicates an inlet, 3b indicates an outlet, 4 indicates a sensor, 5 indicates a fan device (removal device), 10 indicates a control circuit (removal device), 14 indicates a drive circuit (removal device), 20 indicates floating matter (foreign matter), 21 indicates adhering matter (foreign matter), 30 indicates a collection device, 32 indicates a damper (closing member), 32b indicates a receiving portion, 33 indicates a collection port, 34 indicates an exhaust port, 35 indicates a filter, 40 indicates a shutter (closing member), 101 indicates a duct, 102 indicates a living space, and 103 indicates a non-living space.

Claims (6)

a housing provided with an inlet through which air flows in and an outlet through which air flows out;
a sensor for measuring the quality of the air within the enclosure;
a removal device for removing foreign matter from within the housing,
When performing the process of removing the foreign object, the removal device changes at least one of the wind direction (the direction in which the air flows), the wind speed (the speed at which the air flows), and the air volume (the amount of air flow) to change the air flow state and shake the foreign object, and is equipped with a fan unit, and the air quality measuring device uses the fan unit to change the air flow state and drives the fan unit at a maximum operable capacity that exceeds the rated capacity at least at the timing after the foreign object has been shaken . 2. The air quality measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the removal device performs a process of removing the foreign matter periodically or before starting measurement of air quality. 3. The air quality measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a closing member for closing a path of air flowing toward the inlet. A recovery device for recovering the foreign matter is provided,
The collection device is an air quality measuring device described in any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a main body portion formed in a hollow shape with both ends open and through which air flows, a damper that switches the flow of air in a direction different from that of the opening of the main body portion, a collection port that is always closed by the damper , an exhaust port that discharges air that has flowed in from the main body portion through the collection port to the outside when the collection port is opened to remove the foreign matter, and a filter provided at the exhaust port. the removal device increases a speed of airflow through the housing when performing the process of removing the foreign matter;
The damper has a receiving portion that receives air by bending a flat plate member that opens and closes the recovery port, and is rotatable around the end opposite the receiving portion.The damper normally closes the recovery port, but when the wind speed increases, it rotates in response to the increased pressure applied to the receiving portion, opening the recovery port and using the plate member to suppress the flow of air toward the opening of the main body, thereby switching the main air flow to a path toward the exhaust port.This is the air quality measuring device described in claim 4 . 6. The air quality measuring device according to claim 1, which is arranged in a location other than the living space and measures the quality of air flowing through a supply path for supplying air from the outside to the living space.

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