JP7690767B2 - Blower unit and air-conditioned clothing - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ventilation unit that can maintain a comfortable environment inside the clothing by suppressing the feeling of heat, and can provide air-conditioned clothing that is comfortable to wear and has an excellent design even in situations such as the office or home.

As a measure against global warming, setting the air conditioner temperature higher in the summer and lower in the winter is one effective way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, changing the temperature of the air conditioner reduces comfort in indoor spaces such as offices and homes, and especially in the summer, this can cause discomfort due to stickiness caused by sweating. As a result, clothing has been proposed that uses a fan to send airflow inside the clothing to maintain comfort.

For example, Patent Document 1 proposes clothing that uses blades and a motor to rotate the blades to blow outside air into the clothing, making it possible to efficiently evaporate sweat produced according to the amount of work done by the wearer. This technology lowers body temperature by evaporating all sweat produced, making it possible to cool the body with less electricity than using an air conditioner.

Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes clothing that places sensors inside the blower case that can detect temperature, humidity, and acceleration, allowing the fan's air volume to be automatically switched to a pre-programmed level based on the temperature outside the clothing, the discomfort index, and even the wearer's level of activity. This technology makes it possible to reduce unnecessary motor power consumption and extend the fan's operating time.

Patent No. 4329118 JP 2019-7103 A

The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes it possible to efficiently cool the wearer's body by efficiently evaporating the sweat produced by the wearer. However, with the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the wearer selects the fan's air volume, so if an excessively strong air volume is set, the battery life is shorter than when an appropriate air volume is set. Furthermore, there is an issue that the wearer's core body temperature drops, making the wearer feel tired and at risk of falling ill.

According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, a sensor capable of detecting temperature, humidity, and acceleration is placed inside the blower case, and the fan's air volume is automatically set based on the temperature in the air passage from the air intake to the air exhaust, the discomfort index, and even the wearer's amount of movement, making it possible to blow air at a relatively optimal fan air volume, reducing power consumption and extending the fan's operating time. However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 has the problem that even if the program selects a high air volume mode that provides the greatest cooling effect at the start of blowing air, for example, depending on the wearer and the conditions around the wearer detected by the sensor, the wearer's body becomes accustomed to the air flow, and the wearer is unable to feel a sustained sense of coolness.

The present invention aims to solve the problems of the conventional technology by providing an air-conditioning garment blower unit and air-conditioning garment that suppresses the wearer's body becoming accustomed to the high airflow mode and allows the wearer to feel a sustained sense of coolness.

As the inventors continued their research, they discovered that when trying to generate airflow inside clothing to feel cool, the coolest feeling is felt immediately after the fan is turned on, and then the coolness is lost as the body becomes accustomed to the airflow; however, if the airflow is deliberately reduced temporarily when the airflow is set to maximum, the wearer can feel a sustained sense of coolness, which led to the completion of the present invention.

That is, this can be achieved by any one of the following means: (1) A blower unit for an air-conditioned garment that generates an airflow inside the garment, the blower unit having a case having an air intake port for taking in air and an air outlet port for sending the taken-in air into the garment, a fan mounted in the case, a temperature and humidity sensor installed in the garment and/or in the case, and a control unit that controls the rotation speed of the fan in response to a signal from the temperature and humidity sensor;
The control unit is capable of setting at least one of strong and weak airflow modes in response to signals from a temperature and humidity sensor, and is characterized in that it automatically performs an oscillation operation in which the airflow is temporarily reduced when the airflow mode is strong.
(2) The blower unit according to (1) above, characterized in that the waveform of the air volume during the fluctuation operation is any one of a sine wave, a sawtooth wave, and a square wave.
(3) An air-conditioned garment comprising the air-blowing unit described in (1) or (2) above.

According to the blower unit of the present invention, when the strong airflow mode is set to provide the coolest feeling at the start of blowing air, the airflow is temporarily reduced in response to signals from a temperature and humidity sensor installed in the clothing or in the blower unit case, so that the wearer can feel a continuous sense of coolness by suppressing the wearer's body from getting used to it. That is, the fan airflow is automatically set based on signals such as a discomfort index calculated from data detected by a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor installed in the clothing, and even if the discomfort index is judged to be "hot" and the strong airflow mode is set, the fan speed is reduced at a set cycle to temporarily reduce the airflow, rather than providing a constant strong airflow. By performing such fluctuating operation, the wearer can feel a continuous sense of coolness. Furthermore, since the fan airflow is set automatically by the control unit, rather than by the wearer, an unnecessarily strong airflow is not set, and an appropriate airflow can be set. Furthermore, since it is possible to control the speed to be reduced and select a small fan, the power consumption of the fan is reduced, and when using a battery, the operating time can be extended compared to conventional blower units. Therefore, when considering situations in which the product will be worn in the office or at home, it is possible to select and design a small, quiet fan with reduced air flow performance compared to conventional fans.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a blower unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view of a blower unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed double-dashed line A-A in FIG. 1 is a side view of a blower unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; 5 along the dashed double-dashed line B-B. FIG. 1 is a rear view of an air-conditioning garment equipped with a blower unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Flowchart showing the operation of the blower unit of the present invention Discomfort index calculated from temperature and humidity data and standard fan setting threshold Discomfort index calculated from temperature and humidity data and fan setting threshold for people who are sensitive to heat Discomfort index calculated from temperature and humidity data and fan setting threshold for people who do not feel hot easily Airflow pattern in low airflow mode Airflow pattern in medium airflow mode Airflow pattern in high airflow mode

The following describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[Blower unit]
The purpose of the air blowing unit of the present invention is to generate an air flow inside the garment and efficiently discharge hot air and humid air remaining inside the garment to the outside of the garment to obtain comfort, and as described below, it is used by being fixed, for example, around the shoulder blades on the back inside the garment by means of a mounting device provided on the air-conditioning garment. Specifically, for example, when used on an upper garment to inhale air, the air blowing unit of the present invention has an air intake port for taking in hot air from the back to the waist area and an air outlet port for sending the taken-in air into the garment, so that air stagnating near the waist is exhausted from the air outlet and finally discharged outside the garment from the collar and/or around the collar of the garment. Therefore, it is possible to obtain comfort. The air blowing unit acquires temperature and humidity data inside the garment, and the air flow discharged from the air blowing unit is controlled by a discomfort index calculated based on the data, making it possible to maintain comfort without the wearer being aware of it. This will be described in detail below.

The air blowing unit of the present invention must have a case and at least one fan housed in the case to generate an airflow inside the garment. It also has a temperature and humidity sensor inside the garment and/or inside the case to acquire temperature and humidity data inside the garment, and also has a control unit that electrically controls and changes the rotation speed of the fan based on the data from the temperature and humidity sensor. Note that the temperature and humidity sensor in the present invention may be configured as separate units or integrated units, and either configuration may be adopted. It is also preferable that the cables connecting the fan, control unit, and sensor are housed inside the case so that none of them are exposed. It is also preferable that a battery for supplying power to the fan is housed in the case so that it can be operated without supplying power from outside the case.

The case used in the blower unit of the present invention has an intake port on its outer wall for taking in air and an exhaust port for sending the taken-in air into the clothes. In the blower unit of the present invention, the number of intake ports and exhaust ports is not limited, and at least one of each is sufficient. At least one intake port is preferably opened on the bottom surface of the case when the blower unit is installed between the clothes and the body, and when the blower unit is placed on the back of the jacket, for example, it is preferable that the air can be taken in from the waist area on the back. In such a case, it is preferable that the case has a ventilation flow path with a roughly rectangular cross section that extends from the intake port opened on the bottom surface toward the fan, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the fan. This makes it possible to efficiently suck in air that has stagnated from the back to the waist area.

Note that the term "approximately rectangular cross section" here refers not only to a perfect rectangle, but also to shapes in which the corners of the rectangle have been chamfered or rounded. For example, if the edges of the outer case wall are chamfered or rounded, it is preferable that the inner case wall also deforms in accordance with the shape of the outer case wall so that the thickness of the case remains constant, and this type of configuration is also included. In this way, no unnecessary thickness is created in the case, and it is possible to make more effective use of the cross-sectional area of the ventilation channel. In addition, chamfering or rounding may be applied to facilitate edge processing of the inner wall of the ventilation channel during manufacturing, and this type of configuration is also included.

In the case used in the air blowing unit of the present invention, it is preferable that at least one air outlet opens on a different side from the air intake, and more preferably opens on the upper side when installed inside the clothing. This makes it possible to blow air along the skin surface and the fabric around the collar and collar.

The air outlet may simply be an opening, but it is preferable to provide a blade so that the airflow can flow over a wide area along the skin surface, such as around the collar. In that case, it is effective to make the opening so that it includes the top surface of the case and the edge between the surface that contacts the top surface, and provide a blade or the like. In this way, the airflow from the blower unit can be directed directly at the skin surface, making it feel cooler.

The case used in the blower unit of the present invention preferably has a thickness of 5 to 40 mm. This thickness refers to the maximum distance between opposing surfaces that will extend parallel to the skin surface when the blower unit is installed inside the clothing. By making the case 5 mm or thicker, the strength of the case can be increased and damage can be prevented, and a fan with a large air volume can be installed. The thickness is more preferably 6 mm or thicker, and even more preferably 7 mm or thicker. On the other hand, by making the case 40 mm or thicker, it is possible to prevent the case from getting in the way when sitting down and to further increase comfort when wearing it. The thickness is more preferably 30 mm or thinner, and even more preferably 20 mm or thinner.

The case used in the blower unit of the present invention preferably has an external shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The term "substantially rectangular parallelepiped" includes not only a perfect rectangular parallelepiped, but also a shape in which the corners of the rectangular parallelepiped are chamfered or rounded, and a shape having a partially gently curved surface or unevenness. The case has an external shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, which makes it easier to fix the case when it is attached to the storage section of the clothing, and makes it less likely for the intake and exhaust ports of the blower unit to be misaligned with the openings of the clothing, compared with a hemispherical or spherical case. In addition, when the blower unit is placed on the back of the jacket, the outer wall of the case can be placed substantially parallel to the skin surface, which allows air that tends to stagnate in the waist area to be efficiently sucked in and further increases comfort when worn. It is preferable to round the corners of the external shape of the case in order to prevent the blower unit from getting caught on clothing or the body.

The case used in the air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has a length of the longest side of 200 mm or less. By making the length of the longest side preferably 200 mm or less, more preferably 180 mm or less, and even more preferably 150 mm or less, the air blowing unit itself becomes compact, resulting in excellent comfort when worn. There is no particular lower limit to the length of the longest side, but it is about 50 mm.

The case used in the blower unit of the present invention has the role of protecting the device stored inside the case from external impacts. The case material may be, but is not limited to, metal materials such as aluminum alloys and stainless steel, resin materials such as polyolefin, polycarbonate, nylon, and ABS resin, and FRP materials such as glass fiber reinforced resin and carbon fiber reinforced resin. Of these, it is preferable to use ABS resin, which is lightweight and highly impact resistant.

The fan used in the blower unit of the present invention is preferably a centrifugal fan or a cross-flow fan that has a device for obtaining rotational energy such as a motor and blows air in a direction approximately perpendicular to the fan axis. By using a centrifugal fan or a cross-flow fan, it becomes easy to blow air with directionality approximately parallel to the body, making localized cooling possible. Furthermore, by blowing air in a direction approximately parallel to the body, clothing is less likely to bulge compared to when air is blown approximately perpendicular to the body, making it possible to provide air-conditioned clothing with excellent design.

The fan used in the air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has a diameter perpendicular to the fan axis of 10 to 60 mm. By making the diameter preferably 10 mm or more, more preferably 15 mm or more, and even more preferably 20 mm or more, it is possible to obtain a sufficient amount of air to blow outside air into the clothing. In addition, by making the diameter preferably 60 mm or less, more preferably 55 mm or less, and even more preferably 50 mm or less, the noise generated when the fan is driven is reduced and the air blowing unit body can be made smaller, resulting in an air blowing unit that is less uncomfortable to wear.

The fan used in the air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has a thickness in the fan axis direction of 3 to 18 mm. By making the thickness in the fan axis direction preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 4 mm or more, and even more preferably 5 mm or more, it is possible to obtain a sufficient amount of air to blow outside air into the clothing. In addition, by making the thickness in the fan axis direction preferably 18 mm or less, more preferably 16 mm or less, and even more preferably 14 mm or less, it is possible to make the air blowing unit body thinner, resulting in an air blowing unit that feels less uncomfortable when worn.

The fan used in the blower unit of the present invention may be a single fan or multiple fans. When multiple fans are used, they may be counter-rotating fans in which fans with different rotation directions are stacked, or a combination of a centrifugal fan and an axial fan may be used.

The motor used in the above fan is preferably a DC motor. By using a DC motor as the motor, stable operation is possible even at low voltage.

The blower unit of the present invention preferably has a battery for supplying power to the fan. By incorporating the battery in the blower unit, the power cable connecting the blower unit and the battery is not exposed, resulting in a blower unit that is highly comfortable to wear.

The battery used in the air blower unit of the present invention is preferably a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. Examples of such batteries include, but are not limited to, lead-acid batteries, alkaline batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. Of these, it is preferable to use lithium-ion batteries because they can be made small and have a large capacity.

It is also preferable that the air blower unit of the present invention has a charging terminal for charging the battery, and that the power cable connection part of the charging terminal is arranged on the exterior of the case. By providing the air blower unit with a charging terminal, charging is possible without removing the battery from the air blower unit, greatly improving the practicality of the air blower unit.

The blower unit of the present invention preferably has a power switch for operating and stopping the blower unit, and the operation part of the power switch is arranged on the exterior of the case. By providing the blower unit with a power switch, the blower unit can be operated or stopped at any timing. Note that the power can be turned on and off during normal use by a switch other than the power switch, for example, a wireless signal from an external device.

The air blowing unit of the present invention requires a temperature sensor to obtain temperature data, a humidity sensor to obtain humidity data, and a control unit that calculates a discomfort index and other data based on the temperature and humidity data and controls the fan speed. The fan's air volume mode is set by processing these signals.

The temperature sensor and humidity sensor used in the air blowing unit of the present invention may be located in any position that allows accurate measurement of the temperature and humidity inside the clothes. Although the sensors may be located on the surface of the case, it is preferable to locate the sensors inside the case so that the cables are not exposed to the outside of the case. In that case, it is preferable to locate the sensors inside the ventilation flow path from the viewpoint of securing space.

The temperature sensor may be an IC sensor, a thermocouple, a resistor, or a thermistor. The humidity sensor may be a resistance change type or a capacitance change type, but a capacitance change type is more preferable as it provides a faster response speed. Sensors that combine a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor in a single package are now in widespread use, so it is also possible to use such a sensor.

The control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention is preferably arranged inside the case, so that no cables are exposed, and it is preferable to use a processor such as a microcomputer that can perform processing to calculate the discomfort index and change the air volume. By using such a control unit, it becomes possible to perform PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control that can continuously change the air volume of the fan, and it is preferable because the rotation speed can be easily changed.

The airflow mode used in the blower unit of the present invention can basically be switched between at least two levels of strong and weak (strong airflow and weak airflow), and preferably between three levels of strong, medium and weak (strong airflow, medium airflow, weak airflow). An appropriate airflow mode is set based on the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor. When the maximum airflow mode, "strong airflow," is set, a "fluctuation operation" is performed in which the airflow is controlled and temporarily reduced. Specifically, for example, the duty ratio of the PWM that controls the airflow of the fan is gradually reduced to slow down the fan rotation speed, thereby continuously reducing the airflow. By performing a fluctuation operation that temporarily reduces the airflow in this way in a situation where the temperature and humidity are set to the maximum airflow mode, it is possible to prevent the body from getting used to the maximum airflow mode, and to enable the wearer to feel a continuous sense of coolness. In addition, because the fan's airflow mode is not set by the wearer but is set automatically based on signals from the temperature and humidity sensor, an unnecessarily strong airflow is not set, and it is possible to set an appropriate airflow volume based on the effects of the "oscillating operation" described above. Furthermore, because it is possible to control the rotation speed to be lowered and to select a small fan, the power consumption of the fan is reduced, and when using a battery, the operating time can be extended compared to conventional blower units. Therefore, when considering situations in which the product will be worn in an office or at home, it is possible to select and design a small, quiet fan with reduced airflow performance compared to conventional fans.

The minimum airflow during fluctuation operation in the strong airflow mode is preferably about 50-90% of the maximum airflow, and more preferably 70-90%. If the airflow is suddenly reduced, the wearer will feel hotter due to the change in airflow, so it is preferable to reach the minimum airflow in 1-20 minutes. After reaching the minimum airflow, the airflow can be suddenly increased to allow the wearer to feel cooler. In this way, even at strong airflow, the airflow is not uniform, but is fluctuated in strength at a set sawtooth cycle, making it possible for the wearer to feel even cooler.

In the present invention, the airflow may be varied in the medium airflow mode and the low airflow mode. The maximum airflow and minimum airflow in the medium airflow mode are preferably about 30-90% and 10-60% of the maximum airflow in the high airflow mode, respectively. The airflow fluctuation in the medium airflow mode may have a sawtooth cycle, as in the high airflow mode, but it may also have a sine wave or square wave cycle. In this way, by fluctuating the airflow in the medium airflow mode, it is possible to suppress the drop in the wearer's core body temperature and prevent fatigue and the risk of falling ill.

The maximum and minimum airflows in the low airflow mode are preferably about 10-60% and 0-40% of the maximum airflow in the high airflow mode, respectively. The airflow fluctuations in the low airflow mode may be sawtooth, sinusoidal, or rectangular, as in the medium airflow mode. In this way, by fluctuating the airflow in the low airflow mode, it is possible to suppress the drop in the wearer's core body temperature and prevent fatigue and the risk of falling ill, as in the medium airflow mode.

The operation program of the control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 7, with an example in which the airflow mode can be switched between three levels: weak, medium, and strong. First, the user of the blower unit operates the fan to start rotating (S1 in Fig. 7). The control unit reads the thresholds (THA) for the weak and medium airflow modes and the thresholds (THB) for the medium and strong airflow modes stored in the memory (S2 in Fig. 7). Then, the control unit obtains temperature sensor data (S3 in Fig. 7) and humidity sensor data (S4 in Fig. 7), and calculates a discomfort index (THI) based on both data, for example, using the following formula 1, and sets the airflow mode by comparing it with the thresholds (THA) for the weak and medium airflow modes and the thresholds (THB) for the medium and strong airflow modes that were previously read in S2 in Fig. 7 (S5 in Fig. 7). If THI is equal to or less than THA, the weak airflow mode is selected (S6 in Fig. 7). When THI is greater than THA and equal to or less than THB, the medium airflow mode is selected (S7 in FIG. 7). When THI is greater than THB, the strong airflow mode is selected (S8 in FIG. 7).
THI=0.81Td+0.01H (0.99Td-14.3)+46.3...(Formula 1)

Figure 8 shows the relationship between temperature and humidity data and air volume when the threshold (THA) for the weak air volume mode and the medium air volume mode is set to 75 and the threshold (THB) for the medium air volume mode and the strong air volume mode is set to 79 for the control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention. In this figure, the horizontal axis is temperature and the vertical axis is humidity, and the discomfort index calculated from each temperature and humidity using formula 1 is written in each cell. For example, when the temperature is 28°C and the humidity is 40%, the area becomes the lightly filled S6, so the fan is driven to switch to the weak air volume mode. Similarly, when the temperature is 30°C and the humidity is 40%, the area becomes the S7, so the fan is driven to switch to the medium air volume mode. Furthermore, when the temperature is 35°C and the humidity is 40%, the area becomes the darkly filled S8, so by switching to the strong air volume mode, the air volume can be switched without the wearer being aware of it, making it possible to obtain comfort.

Regarding the control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention, it is preferable that the threshold value (THA) for the weak airflow mode and the medium airflow mode and the threshold value (THB) for the medium airflow mode and the strong airflow mode can be changed by the user. For example, if the wearer is prone to feeling hot, the threshold value (THA) for the weak airflow mode and the medium airflow mode can be set to 73 and the threshold value (THB) for the medium airflow mode and the strong airflow mode can be set to 77 as shown in FIG. 9, making it possible to increase the airflow even with a lower discomfort index compared to the case of FIG. 8. Also, if the wearer is not prone to feeling hot, the threshold value (THA) for the weak airflow mode and the medium airflow mode can be set to 77 and the threshold value (THB) for the medium airflow mode and the strong airflow mode can be set to 81 as shown in FIG. 10, making it possible to prevent the airflow from increasing unless the discomfort index becomes higher than the case of FIG. 8.

The air blowing unit of the present invention preferably has devices such as a fan, motor, battery, charging terminal, power switch, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and control unit housed in a single case. By housing the above devices in a single case, not only can they be easily attached to and detached from the clothing, but the wiring cables are not exposed outside the case during use, providing air-conditioned clothing that is highly comfortable to wear.

[Air-conditioned clothing]
The air-conditioned garment of the present invention preferably has one or more attachments for fixing the air-blower unit. The attachments may be safety pins, stitching, hooks, buttons, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc., and the air-conditioned garment may be formed by attaching the air-blower unit to the garment when the wearer uses the garment.

The air-conditioned garment of the present invention preferably has a storage section for the air blowing unit, and at least a part of the material constituting the storage section is preferably made of a stretchable material. Examples of stretchable materials include, but are not limited to, woven or knitted fabrics made of spandex or crimped fibers, and rubber materials. Among these, woven fabrics made of spandex or crimped fibers are preferred because of their excellent durability and retention.

Fiber materials used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention include, but are not limited to, polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, polyacrylic fibers, rayon fibers, acetate fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyurethane fibers, cotton, linen, silk, wool, etc. Among these, polyester fibers and polyamide fibers are preferred due to their excellent mechanical properties and durability.

The fibers used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention are not particularly limited in terms of form, and may be monofilament, multifilament, staple, spun yarn, etc., and may be processed, such as false twist or twisted yarn.

The fibers used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention are not particularly limited in total fineness as multifilaments, and may be appropriately selected depending on the application and required characteristics, but it is preferably 10 to 500 dtex. By setting the total fineness to preferably 10 dtex or more, more preferably 30 dtex or more, and even more preferably 50 dtex or more, the air-conditioned garment will have less thread breakage, better processability, less fuzz generation during use, and excellent durability. Furthermore, by setting the total fineness to preferably 500 dtex or less, more preferably 400 dtex or less, and even more preferably 300 dtex or less, the flexibility of the garment will be increased, resulting in an air-conditioned garment that is comfortable to wear.

The fibers used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention are not particularly limited in single fiber fineness, and may be appropriately selected according to the application and required characteristics, but it is preferably 0.5 to 4.0 dtex. In the present invention, the single fiber fineness refers to the value obtained by dividing the total fineness by the number of single fibers. By setting the single fiber fineness to preferably 0.5 dtex or more, more preferably 0.6 dtex or more, and even more preferably 0.8 dtex or more, the air-conditioned garment will have less thread breakage, better processability, less fuzz generation during use, and excellent durability. Furthermore, by setting the single fiber fineness to preferably 4.0 dtex or less, more preferably 2.0 dtex or less, and even more preferably 1.5 dtex or less, the garment will have high flexibility and will be comfortable to wear.

The fibers used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention are not particularly limited in terms of breaking strength, and may be appropriately selected depending on the application and required characteristics, but from the viewpoint of mechanical properties, it is preferable that the breaking strength is 2.0 to 5.0 cN/dtex. By setting the breaking strength to preferably 2.0 cN/dtex or more, and more preferably 3.0 cN/dtex or more, the air-conditioned garment will generate less fuzz during use and will have excellent durability. Furthermore, by setting the breaking strength to preferably 5.0 cN/dtex or less, the flexibility of the garment will be increased, resulting in an air-conditioned garment that is comfortable to wear.

The fibers used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention have no particular restrictions on the breaking elongation, which can be selected appropriately depending on the application and required characteristics, but from the viewpoint of durability, it is preferably 10 to 60%. By setting the breaking elongation to preferably 10% or more, more preferably 15% or more, and even more preferably 20% or more, the abrasion resistance of the garment is improved, there is less generation of fuzz during use, and the air-conditioned garment has excellent durability. Furthermore, by setting the breaking elongation to preferably 60% or less, more preferably 55% or less, and even more preferably 50% or less, the dimensional stability of the garment is improved, resulting in an air-conditioned garment with excellent durability.

The fibers used in the air-conditioning garment of the present invention are not particularly limited in terms of cross-sectional shape, and can be appropriately selected according to the application and required characteristics. They may have a perfectly circular cross section or a non-circular cross section. Specific examples of non-circular cross sections include, but are not limited to, multi-lobed, polygonal, flat, and elliptical.

The fabric used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention preferably has an air permeability of 50 to 500 ^{cm 3} /cm ² ·s. By setting the air permeability of the fabric to preferably 50 cm ³ /cm ² ·s or more, more preferably 70 cm ³ /cm ² ·s or more, and even more preferably 90 cm ³ /cm ² ·s or more, the fabric has excellent sweat transpiration properties, so that the air-conditioned garment can reduce stuffiness, stickiness, and heat sensation when sweating. In addition, by setting the air permeability of the fabric to preferably 500 cm ³ /cm ² ·s or less, more preferably 400 ^{cm 3} /cm ² ·s or less, and even more preferably 350 ^{cm 3} /cm ² ·s or less, the mechanical properties of the fabric are improved, so that the fabric and garment can be manufactured with improved processability and handleability, and the air-conditioned garment can be made to have excellent durability when used. In addition, the fabric is not too thin, so it can be worn without any discomfort.

The fabric used in the air-conditioning garment of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of fabric form, and can be woven, knitted, piled, nonwoven, etc., according to known methods. In addition, such fabrics may have any weave or knit structure, and suitable weaves include plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, double weave, or variations of these, warp knit, weft knit, circular knit, lace knit, or variations of these.

The fabric used in the air-conditioned garment of the present invention may be dyed as necessary. There are no particular limitations on the dyeing method, and known methods can be suitably used, such as cheese dyeing machines, jet dyeing machines, drum dyeing machines, beam dyeing machines, jiggers, and high-pressure jiggers. In addition, there are no particular limitations on the dye concentration or dyeing temperature in the present invention, and known methods can be suitably used.

The form of the air-conditioned clothing of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be either an upper garment or a lower garment, but it is preferable to use an upper garment in order to generate an airflow from the back to the waist area where hot air tends to accumulate and to efficiently cool the body with a relatively small amount of air. In the present invention, the upper garment may be long-sleeved, short-sleeved, or sleeveless, and the lower garment may be long-hemmed or short-hemmed. In the present invention, the upper garment refers to clothing worn on the upper body, and the lower garment refers to clothing worn on the lower body. Specific examples of the upper garment include, but are not limited to, underwear such as inner shirts, tank tops, and camisoles, general clothing such as T-shirts, polo shirts, cut-and-sewn shirts, pajamas, blouses, blousons, and work clothes, and sports clothing such as sports inner shirts and sports shirts. Specific examples of the lower garment include, but are not limited to, underwear such as inner pants, general clothing such as slacks, pants, skirts, pajamas, and work clothes, and sports clothing such as sports pants. Additionally, in both the upper and lower garments, the garment may be something worn for the purpose of attaching the air blower unit, such as a holster.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples.

Example 1
A blower unit having the configuration shown in Figures 1 to 5 was produced. That is, first, a case (2) was produced using a 3D printer. The case was designed such that an opening communicating with the inside of the case was provided on one 75 mm side of a 15 mm x 75 mm x 130 mm approximately rectangular parallelepiped that was in contact with the 15 mm x 75 mm surface, and two blades (22) inclined at about 45° were attached thereto to form the blower port (21). An intake port (31) measuring 3 mm x 60 mm was provided on the 15 mm x 75 mm surface opposite the surface on which the blower port (21) was provided, and a ventilation flow path (33) with a rectangular cross section and a thickness of 3 mm was provided so as to communicate from the intake port (31) to the installation position of the fan. Further, in the ventilation flow path (33), a partition wall (32) having a thickness of 1 mm was provided to divide the ventilation flow path (33) into five in the same direction as the flowing air, so that the cross-sectional aspect ratio of each divided flow path was 3.73. At this time, the end face of the partition wall (32) opposite to the intake port was designed to converge at the fan installation position as shown in FIG. 5. Next, a small blower fan (51) was installed so that the outlet of the fan was connected to the air outlet and the inlet of the fan was connected to the ventilation flow path, and a board equipped with a microprocessor (manufactured by Espressif Systems) with built-in Wi-Fi, a temperature and humidity sensor (54), and a battery (53) for supplying power to the fan and the control unit were installed in the case as a control unit (52) for controlling the fan. In addition, a power switch (41) was installed so that the operation unit was exposed from the case, and wiring was provided.

Next, a program was created that allows the fan rotation to be started and stopped via a smartphone and changes the fan's airflow volume according to the flowchart in Figure 7, and written to the microprocessor. The threshold (THA) for the low airflow mode and medium airflow mode was set to 75, and the threshold (THB) for the medium airflow mode and strong airflow mode was set to 79 (the relationship between temperature and humidity data and airflow volume is as shown in Figure 8). The airflow fluctuation in the low airflow mode was set to repeat a duty ratio of 30-50% (wind speed 1.7-2.9 m/s) in a 10-minute cycle, as shown in Figure 11. The airflow fluctuation in the medium airflow mode was set to repeat a duty ratio of 50-70% (wind speed 2.9-3.8 m/s) in a 10-minute cycle, as shown in Figure 12. The airflow fluctuations in the strong airflow mode were set to maintain a duty ratio of 100% (wind speed 4.9 m/s) for 1 minute, then smoothly decrease by 2% per minute for 9 minutes to a final duty ratio of 83% (wind speed 4.2 m/s), after which the duty ratio returns to 100%, and this fluctuation is repeated in a 10-minute cycle, as shown in Figure 13.

An elastic band (attachment) was sewn onto the skin-facing side of a commercially available polyester shirt, and an air-blowing unit was attached in the position shown in Figure 6 to prepare the shirt as an air-conditioned garment.

In a room controlled at a room temperature of 28°C and a humidity of 60%, the power switch (41) of the air blowing unit was turned on, and the air blowing unit was attached to the shirt to make an air-conditioned garment, which was then worn by 10 subjects. The fan was not started to rotate for 29 minutes after the air-conditioned garment was put on, and when the fan was started to rotate by operating a smartphone 30 minutes after the air-conditioned garment was put on, the strong airflow mode was selected for all subjects. Note that even for subjects who rated the temperature as "just right," "slightly cold," or "cold" in the sensory evaluation just before the fan started to rotate, the strong airflow mode was set based on the temperature and humidity data inside the garment. The sensory evaluation results obtained just before the fan started to rotate, and 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and 50 minutes after the fan started to rotate are shown in Table 1. During this time, the fan's airflow was maintained in the strong airflow mode.

<Comparative Example 1>
An air blowing unit and an air-conditioned garment were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. However, for each air volume, the weak air volume was set to blow a uniform airflow with a duty ratio of 40% (air speed of 2.2 m/s). The medium air volume was set to blow a uniform airflow with a duty ratio of 60% (air speed of 3.4 m/s). The strong air volume was set to blow a uniform airflow with a duty ratio of 100% (air speed of 4.9 m/s).

In a room controlled at a room temperature of 28°C and a humidity of 60%, the power switch (41) of the air blowing unit was turned on, and the air blowing unit was attached to the shirt to make an air-conditioned garment, which was then worn by 10 subjects. The fan was not started to rotate for 29 minutes after the air-conditioned garment was put on, and when the fan was started to rotate by operating a smartphone 30 minutes after the air-conditioned garment was put on, the strong airflow mode was selected for all subjects. Note that even for subjects who rated the temperature as "just right," "slightly cold," or "cold" in the sensory evaluation just before the fan started to rotate, the strong airflow mode was set based on the temperature and humidity data inside the garment. The sensory evaluation results obtained just before the fan started to rotate, and 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and 50 minutes after the fan started to rotate are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of 10 subjects in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. 29 minutes after putting on the air-conditioned garment before the fan was turned on, 50% of the subjects felt hot, such as "hot" or "slightly hot." However, 10 minutes after the fan started to turn on, the number of subjects who felt hot in Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 decreased to 10%. Then, 30 minutes and 50 minutes after the fan started to turn on, 40% of the subjects felt hot in Comparative Example 1, while the number was 10% in Example 1. It was confirmed that the feeling of coolness can be sustained in Example 1 compared to Comparative Example 1. This shows that even in a situation where the fan is set to the strongest "strong airflow mode," by operating the fan in a way that temporarily reduces the airflow rather than providing a uniform airflow, it is possible to make the wearer of the air-conditioned garment feel cooler for a longer period of time, despite using less power than when a uniform airflow is provided.

For subjects whose sensory evaluation just before the fan started rotating was "just right," "slightly cold," or "cold," it is possible to provide an air blower unit and air-conditioned clothing that is more suitable for the subject by appropriately changing and adjusting the threshold values (THA) for the low airflow mode and medium airflow mode and the threshold values (THB) for the medium airflow mode and high airflow mode.

The air blowing unit of the present invention operates by purposely temporarily reducing the air volume when the high air volume mode is set, preventing the body from becoming accustomed to the high air volume, allowing the wearer to continue to feel a sense of coolness. As a result, a larger fan is not required compared to conventional models, and a quieter, smaller fan can be selected, making it ideal for use in the office or at home.

1: Blower unit 2: Case 21: Blower port 22: Blade
31: Air intake 32: Partition 33: Ventilation channel 41: Power switch 51: Fan 52: Control unit 53: Battery 54: Temperature and humidity sensor

Claims (2)

A blower unit for air-conditioned clothing that generates an airflow inside the clothing, the blower unit comprising: a case having an air intake port for taking in air and an air outlet port for sending the taken-in air into the clothing; a fan mounted in the case; a temperature and humidity sensor installed in the clothing and/or in the case; and a control unit that controls the rotation speed of the fan in response to a signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, the control unit being capable of setting at least one of strong and weak airflow modes in response to the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, and the blower unit performing an oscillating operation when the airflow mode is strong , in which the airflow temporarily decreases and the waveform of the airflow reaches a minimum and then becomes a sawtooth wave that rapidly increases . An air-conditioned garment comprising the air blowing unit according to claim 1 .

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