JP7819984B2 - blower - Google Patents

Description

This embodiment relates to a blower (circulator).

In recent years, there has been an increasing need to dry laundry indoors to prevent pollen and PM2.5 from adhering to laundry hung outside, and in some cases, circulators, which are used to circulate indoor air, are used to dry clothes by blowing air onto the laundry.

JP 2010-54084 A

However, conventional circulators are designed to oscillate from side to side at a constant air speed, so when trying to dry laundry lined up horizontally by blowing air at it, the air hits the laundry closest to the center more strongly and the laundry on the edges less. Furthermore, if the airflow from the circulator is set too strong, the air pressure pushes the laundry closer to the center to the edges, causing the laundry to be biased to the edges and not be blown evenly, resulting in uneven drying.

This embodiment provides a blower that can dry laundry evenly.

According to one aspect of this embodiment, a blower is provided that includes a blower unit that has a fan and a motor that drives the fan and that can swing up and down, and a control unit that controls the motor and the up and down swing of the blower unit, and the control unit controls the blower unit to perform a clothes drying mode in which the wind speed is faster at a position closer to the upper end of the up and down swing of the blower unit than at a position closer to the lower end, and in the clothes drying mode, the wind speed gradually increases as the blower unit rotates from the lower end to the upper end of the up and down swing, and the wind speed gradually decreases as the blower unit returns from the upper end to the lower end. According to another aspect of this embodiment, there is provided a blower comprising: a blower unit having a fan and a motor for driving the fan, capable of swinging up and down; and a control unit that controls the motor and the swinging up and down of the blower unit; wherein the control unit controls the blower unit to operate in a clothes drying mode in which the wind speed at a position closer to the upper end of the swinging up and down of the blower unit is greater than the wind speed at a position closer to the lower end; and in the clothes drying mode, the wind speed adjustment range can be set to multiple stages, and the blower unit can swing up and down by selecting the wind speed from the multiple stages of the wind speed adjustment range depending on the distance to the object to be blown.

This embodiment allows laundry to be dried evenly.

1 is a perspective view of a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view of a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the blower according to the embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which laundry is dried using a blower according to a comparative example. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which laundry is dried using a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a diagram showing a state in which laundry is dried using a blower according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of an operation panel provided in the blower according to the embodiment. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the effect of setting the left and right swing angle range in three stages in the clothes drying mode of the blower according to this embodiment, where (a) a blower according to a comparative example is used, and (b) a blower according to this embodiment is used. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the relationship between the set angle range of left and right swing and the wind speed in the clothes drying mode of the blower of this embodiment, where (a) the set angle range of left and right swing is 60°, and (b) the set angle range of left and right swing is 120°. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of left and right swing of the blower according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a base of the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of up-and-down swing of the blower according to the present embodiment. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the relationship between the set left-right swing angle and the up-down swing angle of a blower according to this embodiment, where (a) the up-down swing angle is 65°, (b) the set left-right swing angle is 90°, and (c) an image of the air trajectory. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a vertical swing latch structure provided in the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a vertical swing latch structure provided in the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a vertical swing latch structure provided in the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a gear holder included in the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a gear holder included in the blower according to the embodiment. 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of the up and down swinging operation of the blower according to the present embodiment, in which (a) is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the blowing direction of the blower is oriented horizontally, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the blower is operated upward to its upper limit. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of another up and down swing operation of the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of air in the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a remote control holder included in the blower according to the embodiment. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a state in which the blower according to the embodiment is in use and drying laundry. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a state in which the blower according to the embodiment is in use and drying laundry. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a state in which the blower according to the embodiment is in use and drying laundry. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the vertical angle range of a blower according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a blower according to another embodiment is drying laundry. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing how the blower according to the embodiment agitates the air in a room. 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the swing operation in the forced stirring mode of the blower according to the present embodiment. A diagram showing a blower stirring the air in a room. A diagram showing a blower stirring the air in a room. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the mounting position of a distance sensor provided in the blower according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an on/off timer for the fan according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a remote control holder included in the blower according to the embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or similar parts are designated by identical or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship between thickness and planar dimensions, the thickness ratio of each layer, and the like may differ from the actual product. Therefore, specific thicknesses and dimensions should be determined with reference to the following explanation. Naturally, there are also parts in which the dimensional relationships and ratios differ between the drawings.

[overview]
The blower 1 according to this embodiment is a circulator equipped with a DC motor. This blower 1 is ideal for drying clothes indoors in clothes drying mode, and its swing angle can be adjusted left and right, increasing the air intake area and thereby increasing the blowing capacity. In clothes drying mode, the air speed is controlled to gradually decrease as the blower swings from the ends of the swing to the center, allowing laundry to be dried evenly.

[exterior]
1 to 5 are external views showing a blower 1 according to this embodiment, with Fig. 1 being a perspective view, Fig. 2 being a front view, Fig. 3 being a right side view, Fig. 4 being a top view, and Fig. 5 being a rear view. This blower 1 is designed to increase airflow speed with a spherical grill structure, and to have a compact appearance with an evolved spherical design.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the blower 1 according to this embodiment includes a blower section 2 having an air outlet 11 on the front side and a grille 12 attached to the air outlet 11, and a base (support) 3 supporting the blower section 2. The grille 12 has a plurality of fins (air guide plates) 13 arranged in a spiral shape, with the inner end 13A of the fins 13 near the center O of the spiral protruding in the airflow direction 4 beyond the outer end 13B that continues to the air outlet 11. In other words, the inner end 13A protrudes in the airflow direction 4 relative to the outer end 13B of the portion 13C of the grille 12 where the plurality of fins 13 are formed. The inner end 13A refers to the inner end near the center O of the spiral and includes the portion near the inner end. The outer end 13B refers to the outer end that continues to the air outlet 11. This allows the air to gather (converge) at the center, improving the air speed in the center of the airflow direction. It also increases the reach of the air (spiral airflow) blown out from the air outlet 11. As a result, the air in the room can be reliably stirred, making the room temperature uniform and contributing to energy savings.

Note that the configuration shown here includes a circular ring 13R that intersects with each fin 13 to prevent fingers from getting in between the gaps between the multiple fins 13 and also reinforce the grill 12, but this ring 13R is not necessary.

The cover 15 of the air blower unit 2 has a front cover 15a and a rear cover 15b. The front cover 15a is a hemispherical cover made of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene, and has a circular air outlet 11 opening at the front, with a spherical grill 12 attached. The rear cover 15b is also a hemispherical cover made of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene. Numerous air vents 21 for taking in outside air are formed over almost the entire surface of the rear cover 15b.

The grille 12 is a front panel made, for example, of a highly impact-resistant synthetic resin material. Specifically, the spiral fins 13 are formed in a convex curve so that they gradually protrude toward the center O of the spiral. A cap 14 is attached to the center O of the spiral of the grille 12. When air is sent from behind the grille 12 and passes in the front-to-rear direction of the grille 12, a spiral airflow is generated, which moves straight while swirling.

The base 3 supports the blower unit 2 so that it can swing left and right, and is placed on an installation surface. The base 3 has a lower base 31 that is circular in plan view, and an upper base 32 that can be fitted onto the lower base 31. The covers that form the outer surfaces of both the lower base 31 and the upper base 32 can be made of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene. A single-legged support 33 is erected vertically behind the center of the upper base 32, and an operation panel 34 is located in front of the support 33. Here, the base 3 is shown as an example of the support 3, but the support 3 may also be structured so that it can be attached to a ceiling, etc.

[Internal structure]
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of blower 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in this figure, blower unit 2 is a blowing device that generates an airflow and includes blower fan 17 and motor 18 that drives fan 17. An axial flow propeller fan is used as blower fan 17. Furthermore, a DC motor 18 is used as motor 18 for fan 17, which allows for more precise adjustment of wind speed than an AC motor.

The blower 1 according to this embodiment uses a motor M1 for left-right oscillation and a motor M2 for up-down oscillation to automatically perform left-right and up-down oscillation. These two oscillation motors M1 and M2 are stepping motors M1 and M2 that can accurately control the rotation angle and rotation speed using pulse signals. Note that up-down oscillation can also be performed manually.

[Control unit]
7 is an exploded perspective view of the blower 1 according to the present embodiment, in which the front cover 15a and rear cover 15b of the blower unit 2 are removed, and the cover forming the outer surface of the base unit 3 is also removed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the blower 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a control unit 50 that controls the power ON/OFF, operation of the off timer, operation of the on timer, selection of the fan mode, the rotation speed of the DC motor 18, and pulse signals sent to the stepping motors M1 and M2. This control unit 50 is realized, for example, by a main board on which a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. are mounted. A power supply board 3A is connected to the main board for generating the required output power from input power. An AC adapter can also be used in place of the power supply board 3A.

Furthermore, the blower 1 according to this embodiment can be operated not only using the operation panel 34, but also using the remote control 25. Signals from the remote control 25 are transmitted to the control unit 50 via a signal receiving unit 25a (see Figure 2) located in the center of the front of the base unit 3. The control unit 50 controls the above-mentioned processes based on signals transmitted from the remote control 25 and operation panel 34. The remote control 25 can be attached to a remote control holder 26 located on the top of the rear cover 15b of the blower unit 2.

[Comparative Example]
8 shows a state in which laundry items S1 to S20 (hereinafter collectively referred to as "laundry items S") are dried using the blower 100 according to the comparative example. Here, the example shows a case in which towels are hung on hangers and arranged in two rows on a clothesline.

As shown in Figure 8, the blower 100 of the comparative example is configured to oscillate from side to side at a constant air speed. When blowing air onto laundry S arranged horizontally to dry it, the air blows strongly onto laundry items S14, S15, S16, and S17 near the center (see reference symbol 4b), while the air does not blow as much onto laundry items S11, S12, S19, and S20 near the ends (see reference symbols 4a and 4c). Furthermore, if the airflow from the blower 100 is made too strong, the air pressure on laundry items S14, S15, S16, and S17 near the center will push them to the ends, causing the laundry S to be biased to the ends and not be blown evenly, resulting in uneven drying.

[Example 1]
9 shows a state in which laundry S is being dried using the blower 1 according to the present embodiment. Here, as in the comparative example, an example is shown in which towels are hung on hangers and arranged in two rows on a clothesline.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the air blowing mode is clothes drying mode, the blower 1 of this embodiment swings left and right to blow relatively weak air toward the center and relatively strong air toward the ends. This allows the laundry S, which is spread out to dry in the left-right direction, to be blown weakly toward the closer positions toward the center (see reference symbol 4b), and strong air toward the farther positions toward the ends (see reference symbols 4a and 4c). This prevents laundry S11-S20, which are at different distances from the blower 1, from being blown strongly only toward the center-facing laundry items S14, S15, S16, and S17, and from being blown weakly toward the ends-facing laundry items S11, S12, S19, and S20. This prevents the laundry S from being dried evenly.

As already explained, the blower 1 according to this embodiment employs a stepping motor M1 as the motor M1 for left-right oscillation. The stepping motor M1 operates in synchronization with a pulse signal (pulse power) and rotates at fixed angular increments, like the second hand of a clock, in response to the pulse signal from the control unit 50. Therefore, the stepping motor M1 rotates by the amount of pulse signals sent to the stepping motor M1 by the control unit 50. In other words, the blower 1 controls the stepping motor M1 using pulse signals sent from the control unit 50, enabling it to grasp its own posture and accurately control left-right oscillation. Furthermore, even if an external force is applied to the blower unit 2, causing a discrepancy between the pulse signal sent from the control unit 50 and the rotation of the stepping motor M1, the discrepancy between the control unit 50's recognition and the posture of the blower unit 2 can be corrected by position detection using the IR sensor 51 (see Figure 15).

Furthermore, because a DC motor 18 is used as the motor 18 for the fan 17, it is possible to control the wind speed in 10 steps in response to the left and right oscillation driven by the stepping motor M1. For example, in the clothes drying mode, the wind speed near the center of the left and right oscillation is set to 6 out of 10, and as the blower unit 2 rotates from the center to the end of the left and right oscillation, the wind speed gradually increases from 6 → 7 → 8 → 9 → 10. Next, when the blower unit 2 returns from the end of the left and right oscillation to the center, the wind speed gradually decreases from 10 → 9 → 8 → 7 → 6.

Furthermore, when controlling the airflow speed in the clothes drying mode, it is desirable to be able to set the airflow speed adjustment range to multiple levels (selectable from multiple strength levels), such as strong, medium, or weak.

Here, the wind speed adjustment range refers to the amount of change in wind speed, with the wind speed at either end of the left-right swing as the upper limit and the wind speed at the center as the lower limit. Specifically, strong clothes drying mode means that the wind speed is set to a strong level during left-right swing, while in the clothes drying mode, the wind speed is set to a medium level during left-right swing, and weak clothes drying mode means that the wind speed is set to a weak level during left-right swing. In strong clothes drying mode, the wind speed adjustment range is set relatively higher than the wind speed adjustment range in the clothes drying mode, and in the clothes drying mode, the wind speed adjustment range is set relatively higher than the wind speed adjustment range in weak clothes drying mode. This makes it possible to select an appropriate wind speed from multiple wind speed adjustment ranges depending on the distance between the laundry S and the blower 1.

[Example 2]
10 shows a state in which laundry S is being dried using the air blower 1 according to the present embodiment. In this example, a shirt is hung on a hanger and is being dried on a clothesline.

As shown in Figure 10, when the air blowing mode is the clothes drying mode, the blower 1 of this embodiment blows relatively weak air near the lower end (lower limit) of the up-and-down swing motion and relatively strong air near the upper end (upper limit). As a result, for laundry S hung vertically, weak air is blown toward the lower part of the laundry S that is close to the blower 1 (see symbol 4e), and strong air is blown toward the upper part of the laundry S that is farther from the blower 1 (see symbol 4d), preventing uneven drying between the upper and lower parts of the laundry S.

As already explained, the blower 1 according to this embodiment uses a stepping motor M2 as the motor M2 for up and down oscillation. Therefore, it is possible to precisely control the up and down oscillation using the pulse signal sent to the stepping motor M2.

Furthermore, because a DC motor 18 is used as the motor 18 for the fan 17, it is possible to control the wind speed in 10 steps in response to the up-and-down oscillation driven by the stepping motor M2. For example, in the clothes drying mode, the wind speed near the bottom of the up-and-down oscillation is set to 6 out of 10 steps, and as the blower unit 2 rotates from the bottom to the top of the up-and-down oscillation, the wind speed gradually increases from 6 to 7 to 8 to 9 to 10. Next, as the blower unit 2 returns from the top to the bottom of the up-and-down oscillation, the wind speed gradually decreases from 10 to 9 to 8 to 7 to 6. Furthermore, when controlling the wind speed in the clothes drying mode, it is desirable to be able to set the wind speed adjustment range to multiple levels (selectable from multiple strength levels), such as strong, medium, and weak. This allows the up-and-down oscillation in the clothes drying mode to be performed by selecting an appropriate one from the multiple wind speed adjustment ranges depending on the distance between the laundry S and the blower 1.

[Operation Panel]
FIG. 11 is a plan view of the operation panel 34 included in the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11 , the operation panel 34 includes a power button 34a, an off timer button 34b, an on timer button 34c, a fan mode button 34d, air volume buttons 34e and 34f, an up/down swing button 34g, and a left/right swing button 34h. The power button 34a is a button for turning the power on and off. The off timer button 34b is a button for setting the off timer. The on timer button 34c is a button for setting the on timer. The fan mode button 34d is a button for selecting a fan mode (continuous mode, rhythm mode, or clothes drying mode). The air volume buttons 34e and 34f are buttons for adjusting the air volume of the fan unit 2. Each time the air volume button 34e is pressed, the air volume decreases, and each time the air volume button 34f is pressed, the air volume increases. The up/down swing button 34g is a button for setting up/down swing on/off. The left/right swing button 34h is a button for setting left/right swing on/off, and the swing width of the left/right swing can be adjusted in three setting angle ranges (60°, 90°, and 120°).

[Three-stage setting range for left and right swing angle in clothes drying mode]
12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating the effect of setting the set angle range of the left-right swing in three stages in the clothes drying mode of the blower 1 according to the present embodiment. Specifically, when the blower 100 according to the comparative example is used, the set angle range (swing width) of the left-right swing cannot be adjusted, so when a large amount of laundry S is spread out to dry, it is necessary to blow air from a location far away from the laundry S (see FIG. 12A). In contrast, when the blower 1 according to the present embodiment is used, as shown in FIG. 12B, the swing width of the left-right swing can be adjusted to multiple set angle ranges (60°, 90°, 120°) according to the width of the laundry S. This eliminates the need to install the blower 1 far away from the laundry S. Furthermore, by adjusting the air speed in the clothes drying mode, the blower 1 can blow air of a strength suitable for drying all the laundry S without biasing the laundry S to either end, thereby improving drying efficiency.

[Set the wind speed according to the left and right swing angle setting in clothes drying mode]
13 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the set angle range of the left-right swing and the wind speed in the clothes drying mode of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. That is, when the set angle range (swing width) of the left-right swing is changed and the width of the laundry S to be placed is expanded, the distance between the blower 1 and both ends of the width of the laundry S to be placed increases even if the distance between the blower 1 and the center of the width of the laundry S is the same. Therefore, it is desirable to set a wind speed increase/decrease width corresponding to each set angle range of the left-right swing (60°, 90°, 120°). Here, the wind speed increase/decrease width is the amount of change in wind speed, with the wind speed at positions near the ends of the left-right swing as the upper limit and the wind speed at a position near the center as the lower limit, and may also be referred to as the wind speed adjustment range described above.

For example, as shown in Figure 13(a), when the set angle range for left and right swing is 60°, the wind speed at a position near the center of the left and right swing is set to 3 out of 10 (see symbol 4b), and as the left and right swing rotates toward the ends, the wind speed gradually increases from 3 to 4 to 5 (see symbols 4a and 4c). When returning from the ends of the left and right swing to a position near the center, the wind speed gradually decreases from 5 to 4 to 3. In other words, when the set angle range for left and right swing is 60°, the wind speed switches between three stages, from 3 to 5.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 13(b), when the set angle range for left and right swing is 120°, the wind speed at a position near the center of the left and right swing is set to 3 out of 10 (see symbol 4b), and as the left and right swing rotates toward the ends, the wind speed gradually increases from 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 (see symbols 4a and 4c). When returning from the ends of the left and right swing to a position near the center, the wind speed gradually decreases from 7 → 6 → 5 → 4 → 3. In other words, when the set angle range for left and right swing is 120°, the wind speed switches between five stages, from 3 to 7.

In other words, if the set angle range of the left and right swing is changed from 60° to 120° to accommodate an increase in the installation width of the laundry S, the distance between the blower 1 and both ends of the installation width of the laundry S increases, but because the wind speed is set high at positions near the ends of the left and right swing, appropriate wind can be sent to the laundry S at both ends of the installation width, and there is no unevenness in the drying rate of the laundry S at the center and both ends of the installation width, allowing the laundry S to be thoroughly dried. In other words, the blower 1 of this embodiment can handle small to large amounts of laundry S.

[Left and right swing: Stepping motor & IR sensor]
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the left-right swing of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As already described, the blower 1 according to this embodiment employs a stepping motor M1 as the motor M1 for left-right swing. Therefore, by controlling the pulse signal sent to the stepping motor M1, as shown in FIG. 14 , when the automatic left-right swing is stopped (see symbol P11), the blower unit 2 returns to the reference position facing forward (see symbol P10). Similarly, when the power is turned off, the blower unit 2 returns to the reference position facing forward.

The reference position refers to the static position shown in Figures 1 to 5. In other words, the reference position is a position in which the left-right swing position of the blower unit 2 is in the center position and the blowing direction 4 of the blower unit 2 is horizontal.

In this way, the blower 1 according to this embodiment returns to the same forward position as the standard position when the left-right oscillation stops or when the power is turned off. This allows the blower unit 2 to maintain a neat position facing forward at all times when the left-right oscillation is in a standby state (stopped state). Furthermore, if the left-right oscillation in the clothes drying mode is started (resumed) while the blower unit 2 is facing the laundry S directly, the left-right oscillation will always resume at an equal angle, making it easy to align the center position when drying clothes.

Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the base 3 of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 15, the left/right swing position (one location) is detected by an IR (infrared) sensor 51 such as a phototransistor. This makes it possible to correct the left/right swing position during operation, as described below.

That is, a stepping motor M1 is fixed to the upper surface of the fixed plate 41, and a left-right oscillation mechanism 43 is connected to the output shaft of the stepping motor M1. An IR sensor 51 is attached to the lower part of the fixed plate 41, and when the left-right oscillation position of the blower unit 2 is in the center position, the IR sensor 51 is blocked by a light-shielding plate 52 attached to the lower base 31. This makes it possible to detect that the left-right oscillation position of the blower unit 2 is in the center position, and the number of steps of the stepping motor M1 can be corrected each time the center position is passed. As a result, even if an external force is applied to the blower unit 2 and it becomes stuck, or if it is forcibly rotated, or if it hits an object mid-oscillation and becomes stuck, it is possible for the left-right oscillation operation to continue with the correct number of steps.

[Up and down swing: stepping motor]
FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating the up-and-down oscillation of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As already described, the blower 1 according to this embodiment employs a stepping motor M2 as the motor M2 for up-and-down oscillation. Therefore, by controlling the pulse signal sent to the stepping motor M2, as shown in FIG. 16 , when the automatic up-and-down oscillation is stopped (see symbol P21), the blower unit 2 returns to the horizontally oriented reference position (see symbol P20). Similarly, when the power is turned off, the blower unit 2 returns to the horizontally oriented reference position.

In this way, the blower 1 according to this embodiment returns to the same horizontal position as the reference position when the up and down oscillation stops or when the power is turned off. This allows the blower unit 2 to maintain a neat, horizontal position at all times when the up and down oscillation is in a standby state (stopped state).

[Center of ball = center of swing rotation (up/down/left/right)]
In the blower 1 according to this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 14, the rotation axis C1 for left-right oscillation is located at a position that passes through the center of the spherical blower unit 2 in a plan view. Also, as shown in Fig. 16, the rotation axis C2 for up-down oscillation is located at a position that passes through the center of the spherical blower unit 2 in a side view. In this way, with the configuration in which both the rotation axis C1 for left-right oscillation and the rotation axis C2 for up-down oscillation are located at positions that pass through the center of the spherical blower unit 2, the outer shape (silhouette) remains the same regardless of whether the blower is swung left-right or up-down. Therefore, even if the blower is installed in a narrow space such as a window or a staircase, it will not come into contact with nearby objects during oscillation.

[Set angle of left/right swing ≠ integral multiple of angle of up/down swing]
FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the set angle of left-right oscillation and the angle of up-down oscillation of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17( a), the set angle of up-down oscillation is 65°. The set angle of left-right oscillation is also 60°, 90°, or 120°, but here, as shown in FIG. 17( b), the set angle of left-right oscillation is set to 90°. Thus, if the set angle of left-right oscillation is not an integer multiple of the angle of up-down oscillation, and the oscillation speeds are the same for both up-down and left-right oscillations simultaneously, the airflow trajectory becomes random, as shown in FIG. 17( c), and it is possible to blow air so that it reaches the entire airflow range.

Figure 17(c) will be explained in more detail below. The dashed line in Figure 17(c) indicates the position of the center of airflow in the airflow direction 4 when the target is considered as a surface, and the arrow in Figure 17(c) indicates the airflow trajectory. Assume that the left-right swing is at the far left end and the up-down swing is at the lowest position. The left-right and up-down swing speeds are the same. In this state, the head moves 90° to the right while also moving 65° up. In this case, while the head moves 65° up, it also moves 65° to the right. After the 65° up movement, it begins to move downward, and continues to move downward as it moves from 65° to 90° to the right. Furthermore, when it reaches 90° to the right, the head is moving downward, so it reverses to the left as it moves downward. This makes it easy to achieve airflow along a random trajectory by simultaneously swinging left-right and up-down. This prevents uneven airflow and ensures even drying of laundry S in the airflow direction 4.

[Up and down swing latch structure]
18 to 20 are diagrams illustrating the vertical swing latch structure of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As will be described below, not only is the vertical swing performed automatically, but the vertical swing angle can also be adjusted manually.

As shown in Figure 18, removing the front cover 15a and rear cover 15b of the blower unit 2 reveals the stepping motor M2, ratchet mechanism 81, and rack gear 85. The rack gear 85 is fixed to the support pillar 70. The support pillar 70 clamps the motor cover 71 from both sides, and this clamped position serves as the vertical swing axis 72, allowing the blower unit 2 to swing up and down relative to the base unit 3. A gear is attached to the output shaft of the stepping motor M2, and this moves up and down via a rack and pinion.

Specifically, the ratchet mechanism 81 has a structure in which a pinion gear 82 (see Figure 19) with a locking recess 82a faces a latch base 83 (see Figure 20) with a locking pin 84. The output shaft of the stepping motor M2 fits into the central hole 83b of the latch base 83. The pin 84 of the latch base 83 is pressed against the locking recess 82a by a resilient force in the axial direction. This allows the latch to be completed within the size of the pinion gear 82, making it possible to make the ratchet mechanism 81 more compact.

To automatically swing the latch up and down, the latch base 83 is rotated by the stepping motor M2. When the latch base 83 rotates, the pinion gear 82 also rotates at the same time because the locking pin 84 is pressed against the locking recess 82a.

On the other hand, when manually adjusting the up and down swing angle, the stepping motor M2 is stopped, so the latch base 83 does not rotate. If the blower unit 2 is moved by hand in this state, only the pinion gear 82 rotates. In other words, the latch base 83 does not rotate because the locking pin 84 is only pressed by spring B (see Figure 22). Moving the blower unit 2 by hand does not affect the stepping motor M2.

Here, a locking pin 84 is attached to one of the multiple holes 83a formed in the latch base 83, but the number of locking pins 84 can be adjusted as needed. If multiple locking pins 84 are attached, it is desirable to attach them in symmetrical positions.

[Up and down swing latch structure (gear holder)]
21 and 22 are diagrams illustrating the gear holder 86 included in the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the gear holder 86 is integrated with the rack gear 85. When the stepping motor M2 is driven, the output shaft M2a of the stepping motor M1 rotates, transmitting torque to the pinion gear 82 via the latch base 83. This torque causes the pinion gear 82, which meshes with the rack gear 85, to move up and down. At this time, the convex portion 82c formed at the center of the pinion gear 82 moves along the groove 86a of the gear holder 86. The gear holder 86 abuts against the surface opposite (in the axial direction) to the surface where the pin 84 is pressed against the locking recess 82a of the pinion gear 82, thereby supporting the pinion gear 82 and maintaining the engagement between the locking recess 82a and the pin 84. Furthermore, the guide portion 86g of the gear holder 86 maintains the meshing between the pinion gear 82 and the rack gear 85. This allows the meshed state to be maintained reliably and prevents malfunction.

[Up and down swing: swing operation after manual adjustment]
FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating the vertical oscillation of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 23( a), when the vertical range of motion θ2 is 65°, manually moving the blower unit 2 from a horizontal position to the midpoint P22 of the vertical oscillation causes a discrepancy between the perceived position of the stepping motor M2 and the actual oscillation position. Therefore, when vertical oscillation is started (restarted) from a stopped state, as shown in FIG. 23( b), the motor operates upward to the upper limit in step (1), stops by the amount of manual movement in step (2), and then operates downward to the lower limit in step (3). In step (2), the protrusion 82c formed at the center of the pinion gear 82 is physically engaged with the end of the groove 86a in the gear holder 86. Therefore, if the motor is always operated upward when oscillation is initiated, the discrepancy can be eliminated in the initial step (2).

[Up and down swing: modified example of swing operation after manual adjustment]
FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating another operation of the vertical oscillation of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. Here, as in FIG. 23 , it is assumed that the vertical range of motion θ2 is 65° and the blower is manually moved to position P22 while the vertical oscillation is stopped. Naturally, even in this case, a discrepancy occurs between the recognized position of the stepping motor M2 and the actual oscillation position. When the vertical oscillation is subsequently resumed, the oscillation starts in small increments, gradually increasing the angle, as in steps (1) → (2) → (3) → (4). This reduces the "time lag" that occurs when the vertical oscillation stops due to a "discrepancy" between the recognized position of the stepping motor M2 and the actual oscillation position. Reducing the "time lag" shortens the number of seconds that the vertical oscillation remains stopped, reducing the likelihood of the user mistaking it for a malfunction.

[Expanded intake area → Increased airflow capacity]
Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view showing the air flow in the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 25, multiple air intake holes 15d are formed on the edge of the front cover 15a. This allows outside air to be taken in not only through the vent 21 formed in the rear cover 15b but also through the multiple air intake holes 15d. As a result, the air intake area is enlarged and air flows more smoothly, improving the blowing capacity. As a result, clothes drying performance is improved.

In addition, as shown in Figure 25, a cylindrical air duct 16 is provided inside the front cover 15a, which stabilizes the wind speed of the air blown out from the air outlet 11. The air blown out from the circulator is a spiral airflow that moves straight while swirling, and has higher directionality and linearity than an electric fan, etc. By providing the air duct 16, the directionality and linearity of the air, which are unique to circulators, can be ensured. In this embodiment, the curved (spherical) grille 12 creates the effect of linearity, so the air duct 16 may be short.

[Remote control holder]
FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a remote control holder 26 included in the blower 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 26 , a remote control holder 26 for holding a remote control 25 is provided on the upper part of the rear cover 15b of the blower unit 2. Specifically, a recessed space is provided on the inside to maintain the spherical shape, and double plate-like members 26a, 26b, 26c, and 26d are provided on both the left and right sides of the space. The upper plate-like members 26a and 26b press the top surface of the remote control 25, while the lower plate-like members 26c and 26d press the sides of the remote control 25, allowing the remote control 25 to be held securely. Furthermore, with the remote control 25 held in the remote control holder 26, the blower 1 can be lifted by inserting a finger into the space above the remote control 25, and the structure of the remote control holder 26 also serves as a handle.

[Clothes drying mode: left and right swing]
When the blower 1 according to this embodiment is set to clothes drying mode (left-right oscillation), the left-right oscillation angle is (automatically) set to 60°. The left-right oscillation angle can be set as follows each time the oscillation (left-right) button 34h is pressed: 60° → 90° → 120° → 60° → .... Note that even in clothes drying mode, when the oscillation (left-right) is at 60°, the wind speed may be set to remain unchanged. When the left-right oscillation angle is switched between 90° and 120°, the wind speed on the left and right becomes stronger relative to the wind speed in the front.

Pressing the airflow mode button 34d controls the airflow mode of the blower 1, switching between multiple airflow modes (continuous mode, rhythm mode, and clothes drying mode). In continuous mode, the motor 18 is controlled to maintain a constant airflow speed while the blower unit 2 oscillates left and right at a predetermined speed. In clothes drying mode, the motor 18 is controlled to make the airflow speed at the center of the blower unit 2 slower than the airflow speed at both ends of the blower unit 2, causing the blower unit 2 to oscillate left and right at a slower speed than the predetermined speed for continuous mode. In other words, the speed of the left and right oscillation in clothes drying mode is set slower than the normal (continuous mode) left and right oscillation. Preferably, the left and right oscillation in clothes drying mode is set at a speed between 1/2 and 1/4 times slower than the left and right oscillation speed in continuous mode. Specifically, the left and right oscillation speed in clothes drying mode is set to 1/3 of the left and right oscillation speed in continuous mode. It is also preferable to set the left-right oscillation speed in the clothes drying mode to change according to the left-right oscillation angle (60°, 90°, 120°). By performing left-right oscillation at a slow speed in the clothes drying mode, the time during which the laundry S is continuously exposed to the wind is increased, accelerating drying. More specifically, when the laundry S is exposed to the wind, the laundry S may sway and change its orientation (angle) relative to the blower 1. If the time during which the laundry S is continuously exposed to the wind is short, the laundry S will be exposed to the wind in an unstable position. Increasing the time during which the laundry S is continuously exposed to the wind has the advantage that the laundry S will be able to receive the wind in a stable position after the swaying of the laundry S has subsided (converged), allowing the laundry S to dry well.

The inventors conducted a clothes drying test. As a result, when comparing clothes drying in continuous mode with a predetermined (normal) left-right oscillation speed and clothes drying in clothes drying mode with a slow left-right oscillation speed, it was found that the time required for the clothes dryness rate to drop from 100% to 72% was 176 minutes in continuous mode and 160 minutes in clothes drying mode, meaning that a time reduction of approximately 10% can be expected.

[Clothes drying mode: simultaneous up/down/left/right swing]
The blower 1 according to this embodiment swings up, down, left, and right simultaneously in the clothes drying mode, and adjusts the wind speed depending on the direction of the air blown up, down, left, and right to keep constant the strength of the wind blowing on the laundry S. In other words, when the blower is set to swing up, down, left, and right simultaneously in the clothes drying mode, the wind speed is controlled in the left and right directions and up and down depending on the distance between the blower 1 and the laundry S, and the wind is weaker toward nearby laundry S and stronger toward farther laundry S.

As shown in Figure 27, the area where the laundry S is drying is divided into 15 areas (3 vertically and 5 horizontally), and the strength of the wind blowing on each area is expressed as a number from 1 to 5. The higher the number, the stronger the wind. In this example, the strongest wind (number "5" on the 1 to 5 scale) is blown to the left and right edge areas of the upper row where the laundry S is located, which is farthest from the fan 1, and the weakest wind (number "1" on the 1 to 5 scale) is blown to the center area of the lower row where the laundry S is located, which is closest to the fan 1. This allows the laundry S to be dried evenly.

[Distance detection means]
A distance detection means (see FIG. 36 ) such as a distance sensor 61 that detects the distance to the laundry S in the direction of airflow may be provided, and the motor 18 and oscillation may be controlled based on the distance detection information detected by the distance sensor 61 to adjust the airflow speed. That is, in the clothes drying mode, the airflow speed is controlled according to the distance between the air blower 1 and the laundry S detected by the distance detection means, and the airflow is made weaker toward nearby laundry S and stronger toward distant laundry S. An infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor can be used as the distance sensor 61. The installation position of the distance sensor 61 will be described later.

[Wetness detection means]
A wetness detection means (see FIG. 36 ), such as a temperature sensor 62, may be provided to detect the wetness of laundry S in the direction of airflow. Based on the wetness of the laundry S detected by the temperature sensor 62, the motor 18 and oscillation may be controlled to adjust the airflow speed so as to appropriately direct air toward the wet laundry S. As an example of airflow speed and oscillation control of the blower 1, as shown in FIG. 28 , the airflow speed is controlled according to the airflow direction within the airflow range where the wet laundry S is detected by the temperature sensor 62. In this example, since there is no wet laundry S in the two leftmost areas of the upper row and the entire lower row, a weak airflow ("1" in the guidelines 1 to 5) is blown. Meanwhile, since there is wet laundry S in the remaining areas (thick-framed areas), the airflow speed is controlled according to the distance between the blower 1 and the laundry S, with a weak airflow directed toward nearby laundry S and a strong airflow directed toward distant laundry S. This eliminates the need to blow strong air toward areas where there is no laundry S, thereby enabling efficient drying of wet laundry S. A surface temperature measuring device configured as a non-contact thermometer such as an infrared radiation thermometer can be used as the temperature sensor 62. The installation position of the temperature sensor 62 will be described later. Wind speed control is also possible by using the temperature sensor 62 and the distance sensor 61 in common.

As another example of controlling the airflow speed and oscillation of the blower 1, as shown in FIG. 29, the blower 2 may be oscillated to blow air so that the direction of airflow from the blower 2 is more frequently directed toward the wet laundry S detected by the temperature sensor 62. In this example, since there is no wet laundry S in the two leftmost areas of the upper row and the entire area of the lower row, these areas are determined to be non-drying areas and no air is blown thereto. On the other hand, since there is wet laundry S in the remaining areas (thick-framed areas), the airflow speed is controlled according to the distance between the blower 1 and the laundry S, with weaker airflow directed toward nearby laundry S and stronger airflow directed toward distant laundry S. This eliminates the waste of blowing air into areas where there is no laundry S, allowing for efficient drying of wet laundry S.

The control unit 50 of the blower 1 has a determination means for determining, based on the wetness state of the laundry S (air-blowing target object) detected by the temperature sensor 62, the area within the air blowing range caused by the up/down/left/right swing as the area to be dried where the wet laundry S is present, and the area without the wet laundry S as the non-drying area. If it is determined that part of the laundry S in the drying area has dried, the area where the dry laundry S is present is changed from the drying area to the non-drying area. In other words, if it is determined that the laundry S has dried, that area may be excluded, and the swing range of the blower unit 2 may be gradually narrowed. In this way, gradually reducing the air blowing range based on the dryness determination of the control unit 50 using the temperature sensor 62 can further dry the wet laundry S efficiently.

Another example of the blower 1 according to the present embodiment will now be described.
As shown in Figure 30, the vertical movement range θ1 of the blower 1 according to another embodiment is from 15° downward (-15°) to 90° upward. In the clothes drying mode, the vertical swing angle range θ2 is limited to 15° downward (-15°) to 45° upward. This eliminates the waste of blowing air in the upward blowing direction where laundry S is not present, and allows the air to be concentrated toward laundry S that is present at an angle between 15° downward and 45° upward from the blower 1.

As shown in FIG. 31 , a blower 1 according to another embodiment can change the airflow direction upward while maintaining the vertical swing angle range θ2 in clothes drying mode. This allows air to be blown onto a flat drying net 120 or the like from below, while simultaneously drying hanging laundry S. Note that while a vertical swing angle range of 60° is shown as an example, this is not limited to this. That is, the vertical swing of the blower unit 2 is set to an angle range of 45° to 75°, and the angle can be adjusted vertically while maintaining the vertical swing angle range of the blower unit 2. An angle range of 45° includes, for example, -15° to 30° or 45° to 90°. An angle range of 75° includes, for example, -15° to 60° or 15° to 90°. This variable angle range can accommodate a variety of user needs.

[Forced stirring mode]
FIG. 32 is a diagram showing how fan 1 according to the present embodiment agitates the air in room 110. As shown in FIG.
The blower 1 is configured to be controlled by switching the blowing mode to a forced stirring mode (using the aforementioned blowing mode button 34d). In the forced stirring mode, the blower is controlled to oscillate left and right at a higher speed than in the continuous (normal) mode. The left and right oscillation speed in the forced stirring mode is set, for example, twice as fast as the left and right oscillation speed in the normal (continuous) mode. Preferably, the forced stirring mode swings left and right at a speed 1.5 to 3 times faster than the left and right oscillation speed in the continuous mode. When the blower 1 is set to the forced stirring mode, the swing (left and right) is automatically turned on even if it was previously turned off, and the swing (up and down) angle is fixed at 45° upward. In the forced stirring mode, the blower unit 2 stops swinging up and down, and swings intermittently left and right at a high speed (for example, twice as fast) while maintaining the vertical angle (45° upward), repeatedly starting and stopping. Specifically, the fan swings left and right by 15 degrees (a 30° angular range) and stops at both ends for a certain period of time (for example, 4 seconds). In the forced stirring mode, a vertically rotating airflow is generated throughout the room 110 to circulate the air in the room 110.
32, the forced stirring mode is used when it is desired to stir the air in the room 110 and reduce the temperature difference. By sending air to the ceiling to circulate the air, it is possible to reduce temperature variations in the air in the room 110.

The inventors conducted a forced stirring test to measure the improvement rate (hereinafter referred to as the average stirring rate) of temperature unevenness near the ceiling and floor in the center of a room before and after operation of Fan 1 in forced stirring mode. Specifically, a 20-tatami room was heated using a heat source (kerosene stove) without a blowing function, creating a temperature difference (approximately 7-8°C) between the top and bottom of the room. Fan 1 was then operated for 0.5 hours to measure the stirring effect. The results showed that the average stirring rate before and after operation in continuous mode was 92.9%, while the average stirring rate in forced stirring mode, which oscillates left and right at twice the speed of continuous mode, was 95.8%, and the average stirring rate in comparative mode, which oscillates left and right at half the speed of continuous mode, was 88.1%. Furthermore, the average stirring rate was found to increase to 98.9% in forced stirring mode, which oscillates left and right at twice the speed, oscillates 15 degrees left and right, and stops for 4 seconds at both ends. In this way, it has become clear that swinging the fan left and right at a higher speed (for example, twice as fast) compared to normal swinging left and right has the effect of stirring the indoor air more efficiently.

[Forced stirring mode: left and right swing intermittent operation]
33 is a flowchart showing another example of the swing operation in the forced stirring mode of the blower 1. When the forced stirring mode is selected, the blower 1 may swing intermittently from side to side, repeatedly starting and stopping, as will be described below.

First, when the forced stirring mode is selected (using the airflow mode button 34d), the blower 1 oscillates so that the airflow direction 4 of the airflow unit 2 faces forward, and remains fixed in this position for, e.g., 10 minutes (Step S1). Next, the blower 1 oscillates so that the airflow direction 4 of the airflow unit 2 faces 60° to the left, and remains fixed in this position for, e.g., 5 minutes (Step S2). Next, the blower 1 oscillates so that the airflow direction 4 of the airflow unit 2 faces forward, and remains fixed in this position for, e.g., 5 minutes (Step S3). Next, the blower 1 oscillates so that the airflow direction 4 of the airflow unit 2 faces 60° to the right, and remains fixed in this position for, e.g., 5 minutes (Step S4). Next, the blower 1 oscillates so that the airflow direction 4 of the airflow unit 2 faces forward, and remains fixed in this position for, e.g., 5 minutes (Step S5). Thereafter, the same process is repeated (steps S2 → S3 → S4 → S5 → S2 → ...). By intermittently swinging left and right in this way and repeatedly starting and stopping, it is possible to generate an airflow that rotates vertically.

[Forced stirring mode: distance sensor]
The blower 1 may be equipped with a distance sensor 61 in the blower unit 2, detect the farthest wall (i.e., the corner 111 of the room 110 in FIG. 32 ), and adjust the airflow direction to blow air toward that wall. Alternatively, the blower 1 may be controlled to swing left and right between two points 111 and 112 (or three points 111, 112, 113) in the corners of the room 110. This allows the blower 1 to find the farthest corner of the room 110 and efficiently circulate air in the room 110, regardless of the installation location. The blower 1 may also be controlled to adjust the air speed depending on the distance from the blower 1 to the corner of the room 110.

[Forced stirring mode: Temperature sensor]
As shown in Figure 34, a temperature sensor 62 may be mounted on the blower unit 2 to detect the position of the air conditioner 115 during heating and direct air toward the air conditioner 115. This allows warm air stagnating near the air conditioner 115 (near the ceiling) to be circulated regardless of the installation location of the blower 1. This makes it possible to equalize the temperature in the room and improve heating efficiency. Furthermore, since the cost required is only that of mounting the temperature sensor 62 on the blower 1, this can be achieved at a lower cost than the cost required when the blower 1 is linked to the air conditioner 115.

Also, as shown in Figure 35, when using the cooling function, it is recommended to stand with your back to the air conditioner 115 and circulate the cold air that accumulates below. This creates an air current that circulates the cold air that accumulates near the floor, increasing the feeling of freshness.

Therefore, it is possible to distinguish between cooling and heating operation of the air conditioner 115 based on temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 62 of the air blower unit 2, and change the air blowing method when cooling and when heating. Specifically, as shown in Figure 35, air is blown horizontally when cooling, while as shown in Figure 34, air is blown diagonally upward when heating. This maximizes the effect of the circulator and improves the efficiency of cooling and heating according to the season.

Furthermore, the blower 1 may be configured to be swivellable (capable of changing direction by 180 degrees) so that it can blow air in the optimal direction when using the cooling and heating functions. Specifically, the range of motion of the base part 3 of the blower 1 may be changed to allow it to swing left and right by more than 180 degrees. Alternatively, the blower 1 may be equipped with a travel means such as tires, and the travel means may be used to change the direction of the blower 1. Furthermore, the blower 1 may be self-propelled to move to the optimal position in the room and blow air in the optimal direction. This can further improve the efficiency of cooling and heating.

The direction of airflow in forced stirring mode can also be set manually.
For example, when the blower 1 is installed in a room 110 and the blowing mode is set to the forced mixing mode, the search mode is activated. In the search mode, the blower 1 oscillates up, down, left, and right. While the blower 1 is oscillating up, down, left, and right, the search mode is terminated by using a setting operation means such as the remote control 25 to set, for example, one of the four corners 112 and the corner diagonally opposite to that corner 114 of the wall 116 of the room 110 shown in FIG. 32 . Once the search mode is terminated, the blower 1 is controlled to oscillate left and right within the rectangular area defined by the two points 112 and 114 of the room 110. This allows for the adaptation to unusual room shapes where the distance sensor 61 does not function properly. In other words, efficient air mixing tailored to the shape of the room 110 is possible. Furthermore, since the distance sensor 61 is not required, costs can be reduced.

[Sensor installation position]
FIG. 36 is a perspective view showing the mounting position of the distance sensor 61 provided in the blower 1 according to this embodiment. Here, the mounting position of the distance sensor 61 will be described, but the same applies to the mounting position of the temperature sensor 62. As shown in FIG. 36 , the distance sensor 61 is provided on the movable part (blower unit 2) of the circulator that swings up, down, left, and right. Here, the distance sensor 61 is provided on the upper end of the front cover 15a of the blower unit 2, but the distance sensor 61 may also be provided on the lower end of the front cover 15a of the blower unit 2. This allows the detection target of the distance sensor 61 or the temperature sensor 62 to follow the airflow direction 4. A circulator with a spherical grill structure has the advantage that the airflow converges and concentrates in a narrow area, so that even if the detection target area detected by the distance sensor 61 or the temperature sensor 62 is a narrow area, the airflow can be concentrated there.

[On/Off Timer]
The on timer can be selected by pressing the on timer button 34c (see Figure 11) on the fan 1. Similarly, the off timer can be selected by pressing the off timer button 34b. When the fan is not operating (power is OFF) and the on timer is being set (the lamp is flashing), it is possible to set the off timer, fan mode, up/down oscillation, left/right oscillation, and air volume.

In addition, when the on timer is set, the up/down and left/right oscillation positions will be maintained when the unit is stopped for the set off timer time, and when the unit starts operating for the set on timer time, the original oscillation positions will be used to blow air. This means that if the oscillation position is set so that the air does not blow directly on the user when going to sleep, the air will not blow directly on the user even after the on timer is activated. When the unit is stopped during normal operation, the up/down and left/right oscillation positions will return to their original positions.

Figure 37 is an explanatory diagram of the on/off timer of the blower 1 according to this embodiment. Here, it is assumed that the off timer is set first, and then the on timer is set. As shown in Figure 37, if the on timer is set while the off timer is operating (during operation), operation will stop after the time set by the off timer, and only the on timer lamp will light up. In addition, the on timer lamp will change according to the remaining time, and operation will start after the time set by the on timer.

[Remote control holder]
Figure 38 is a perspective view of remote control holder 26 included in blower 1 according to this embodiment. As already explained, remote control holder 26 for holding remote control 25 is provided on the upper part of rear cover 15b of blower unit 2. As shown in Figure 38, at least one rib 26e of the ribs constituting remote control holder 26 may be raised slightly higher. In this way, when remote control 25 is attached to remote control holder 26, rib 26e comes into contact with the underside of remote control 25, making it possible to prevent remote control 25 from falling off.

As described above, the blower 1 according to this embodiment comprises a blower unit 2 that can swing left and right and has a blower fan 17 and a motor 18 that drives the fan 17, and a control unit 50 that controls the motor 18 of the blower unit 2 and the left and right swing of the blower unit 2. The control unit 50 controls the left and right swing of the blower unit 2 so that the wind speed at positions closer to the center is slower than the wind speed at positions closer to the ends. This allows weaker wind to be blown toward positions closer to the center, and stronger wind to positions farther away, toward laundry S that are spread out to dry left and right, enabling the laundry S to be dried evenly.

Specifically, the blower 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a stepping motor M1 that drives the left-right oscillation of the blower unit 2, and the control unit 50 preferably controls the left-right oscillation of the blower unit 2 using a pulse signal sent to the stepping motor M1. This makes it possible to control the wind speed according to the left-right oscillation position of the blower unit 2.

Furthermore, the blower unit 2 has a DC motor 18 that drives the fan 17, and the control unit 50 desirably controls the DC motor 18 in response to the left and right swing of the blower unit 2 caused by the stepping motor M1. This enables fine-tuned wind speed control in multiple stages, allowing for precise wind speed changes depending on the left and right swing position of the blower unit 2.

It is also desirable to be able to set the wind speed adjustment range in multiple stages (select from multiple strength levels), with the upper limit being the wind speed at either end of the left and right swing of the blower unit 2 and the lower limit being the wind speed at a position closer to the center. This allows the wind speed to be adjusted according to the distance from the laundry S.

It is also desirable to make the left-right swing amplitude of the air blower unit 2 adjustable within multiple set angle ranges. This allows the left-right swing angle (swing amplitude) to be adjusted to match the width of the laundry S, thereby improving drying efficiency.

It is also desirable to set a range of increase or decrease in wind speed from the upper limit at either end of the left-right swing of the blower unit 2 to the lower limit at the center, corresponding to each set angle range of the left-right swing of the blower unit 2. This increases the drying rate of the laundry S and allows the unit to handle both small and large amounts of laundry S.

Furthermore, when the left-right swing of the air blower unit 2 is stopped or the power is turned off, the control unit 50 preferably controls the air blower unit 2 to return to its standard position in which the air blowing direction 4 faces forward. This makes it easier to align the center when drying clothes.

It is also desirable to have a detection unit (IR sensor 51) that detects whether the left-right swing position of the blower unit 2 is in a specified position. This makes it possible to correct the left-right swing position during operation.

It is also equipped with a stepping motor M2 that drives the up and down oscillation of the air blower unit 2, and it is desirable for the control unit 50 to control the up and down oscillation of the air blower unit 2 so that the wind speed at the upper end is faster than the wind speed at the lower end. This allows weaker wind to be blown toward the laundry S hanging vertically near the lower end, which is closer, and stronger wind to be blown toward the upper end, which is farther away, allowing the laundry S to be dried evenly.

Furthermore, when the up-and-down oscillation of the blower unit 2 is stopped or the power is turned off, the control unit 50 preferably controls the blower unit 2 to return to its standard position in which the airflow direction 4 faces horizontally. This allows the blower unit 2 to always maintain a neat position facing horizontally when the up-and-down oscillation is in a standby state (stopped state).

The blower 1 according to this embodiment includes a blower unit 2 that can oscillate left and right and has a blower fan 17 and a motor 18 that drives the fan 17, and a control unit 50 that controls the motor 18 of the blower unit 2 and the left and right oscillation of the blower unit 2. The control unit 50 controls the left and right oscillation of the blower unit 2 so that the wind speed at a position closer to the center is slower than the wind speed at positions closer to both ends. The control unit 50 also controls the blowing of air and the left and right oscillation of the blower unit 2 by switching between multiple blowing modes. The multiple blowing modes include a continuous mode in which the blower unit 2 oscillates left and right at a predetermined speed while controlling the motor 18 to maintain a constant wind speed, and a clothes drying mode in which the blower unit 2 oscillates left and right at a speed slower than the predetermined speed while controlling the motor 18 so that the wind speed at a position closer to the center is slower than the wind speed at both ends of the left and right oscillation of the blower unit 2. This allows the head to swing slowly left and right in clothes drying mode, accelerating the drying of laundry S, such as clothes.

Furthermore, the air blower 2 is equipped with a distance sensor 61 that detects the distance to the laundry S in the air blowing direction 4, and the control unit 50 desirably controls the motor 18 and oscillation of the air blower 2 based on the distance detection information detected by the distance sensor 61. This allows the optimal air speed to be selected depending on the distance from the air blower 1 to the laundry S, and the air to be blown onto the laundry S at a constant speed.

Furthermore, the air blower 2 is equipped with a temperature sensor 62 that detects the wetness of the laundry S in the air blowing direction 4, and the control unit 50 preferably controls the motor 18 and oscillation of the air blower 2 based on the wetness of the laundry S detected by the temperature sensor 62. This allows the wet laundry S to be dried efficiently.

The control unit 50 also has a determination means for determining, based on the wetness of the laundry S detected by the temperature sensor 62, the area within the air blowing range of the air blowing unit 2 where the wet laundry S is present as the drying target area and the area where the wet laundry S is not present as the non-drying target area. If it is determined that part of the laundry S in the drying target area has dried, it is desirable to change the area where the dried laundry S is present from the drying target area to the non-drying target area. This allows the wet laundry S to be dried efficiently.

Furthermore, the blower 1 according to this embodiment includes a blower unit 2 that can swing left and right and has a blower fan 17 and a motor 18 that drives the fan 17, and a control unit 50 that controls the motor 18 of the blower unit 2 and the left and right swing of the blower unit 2. The control unit 50 controls the blower unit 2 to swing up and down so that the wind speed at a position near the upper end is faster than the wind speed at a position near the lower end. This allows the laundry S to be dried evenly.

Furthermore, the vertical swing of the air blower unit 2 is set within an angle range of 45 to 75 degrees, and it is desirable to make the angle adjustable in the vertical direction while maintaining the vertical swing angle range of the air blower unit 2. This allows the air to be directed intensively at the laundry S, allowing for efficient drying. It can also be used in a variety of clothing drying situations.

The blower 1 according to this embodiment also includes a blower unit 2 that can swing up and down and left and right and has a blower fan 17 and a motor 18 that drives the fan 17, and a control unit 50 that controls the motor 18 of the blower unit 2 and the up and down and left and right swing of the blower unit 2. The control unit 50 controls the blower unit 2 so that the wind speed at the center position is slower than the wind speed at both ends when the blower unit 2 swings left and right, and so that the wind speed at the top position is faster than the wind speed at the bottom position when the blower unit 2 swings up and down. This allows the laundry S to be dried evenly.

Furthermore, the blower 1 according to this embodiment comprises a blower unit 2 that can oscillate left and right and has a blower fan 17 and a motor 18 that drives the fan 17, and a control unit 50 that controls the motor 18 of the blower unit 2 and the left and right oscillation of the blower unit 2. The control unit 50 controls the airflow and left and right oscillation of the blower unit 2 by switching between multiple blowing modes. The multiple blowing modes include a continuous mode in which the blower unit 2 oscillates left and right at a predetermined speed, and a forced stirring mode in which the blower unit 2 oscillates left and right at a speed faster than the predetermined speed. As a result, indoor air can be circulated by rapidly oscillating left and right in the forced stirring mode.

Furthermore, it is desirable for the control unit 50 to stop the vertical oscillation of the air blower unit 2 and control it to oscillate left and right at a speed faster than a predetermined speed while maintaining the vertical angle. This allows the indoor air to be mixed efficiently.

It is also desirable for the control unit 50 to control the left-right oscillation of the blower unit 2 intermittently. This can improve the mixing rate of the indoor air.

Furthermore, the air blower unit 2 is equipped with a distance sensor 61 that detects the distance to the laundry S in the air blowing direction 4, and the control unit 50 preferably controls the motor 18 and oscillation of the air blower unit 2 based on the distance detection information detected by the distance sensor 61. This allows indoor air to be efficiently agitated in forced agitation mode regardless of the installation location of the air blower 1.

Furthermore, the blower unit 2 is equipped with a temperature sensor 62 that detects the temperature of an object in the blowing direction 4, and the control unit 50 preferably controls the motor 18 and oscillation of the blower unit 2 based on the temperature detection information detected by the temperature sensor 62. This allows for efficient mixing of the indoor air.

The control unit 50 also has a determination means for determining whether the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, in which it attempts to lower the indoor temperature, or a heating mode, in which it attempts to raise the indoor temperature, based on temperature detection information detected by the temperature sensor 62. In the cooling mode, it is desirable to control the air blower unit 2 to blow air toward a low position along the floor of the room, and in the heating mode, to control the air blower unit 2 to blow air toward a high position in the room. This maximizes the effectiveness of the circulator during cooling or heating, improving the efficiency of cooling and heating.

It is also desirable that the air blower 2 be configured so that it can turn its direction by 180 degrees. This allows the indoor air to be stirred efficiently.

It is also desirable for the blower unit 2 to be equipped with a travel means, which allows for efficient agitation of the indoor air.

It is also desirable to provide a remote control 25 for setting the airflow range of the air blower 2, and for the control unit 50 to control the oscillation of the air blower 2 so that air is blown toward the airflow range set by the remote control 25. This eliminates the need for sensors, reducing costs. It also allows the airflow range to be set as desired by the user.

[Other embodiments]
Although several embodiments have been described above, the descriptions and drawings forming part of the disclosure are illustrative and should not be understood as limiting. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples, and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

As such, this embodiment includes various other embodiments not described here.

1 blower 2 blower section 17... fan 18... DC motor 25... remote control (setting operation means)
50: Control unit 61: Distance sensor (distance detection means)
62...Temperature sensor (wetness detection means)
M1...Stepping motor M2...Stepping motor

Claims (4)

a blower unit having a fan and a motor for driving the fan, and capable of swinging up and down;
a control unit that controls the motor and the up-and-down swing of the blower unit;
A blower comprising :
the control unit controls the air conditioner to perform a clothes drying mode in which weak air is blown toward a lower portion of the air blowing target that is close to the air blower and strong air is blown toward an upper portion of the air blowing target that is far from the air blower ;
In the clothes drying mode, the air speed gradually increases as the air blower unit rotates from the lower end to the upper end of the up-down swing, and the air speed gradually decreases as the air blower unit returns from the upper end to the lower end.
Blower. The motor is a DC motor.
The blower of claim 1 . Further provided is a motor for swinging the air blower up and down,
The vertical swing motor is a stepping motor that controls the vertical swing of the blower unit using a pulse signal.
The blower according to claim 1 or 2. a blower unit having a fan and a motor for driving the fan, and capable of swinging up and down;
a control unit that controls the motor and the up-and-down swing of the blower unit;
A blower comprising :
The control unit controls the air conditioner to perform a clothes drying mode in which weak air is blown toward a lower portion of the object to be blown that is close to the air blower and strong air is blown toward an upper portion of the object to be blown that is far from the air blower ,
In the clothes drying mode, the air speed adjustment range can be set to a plurality of stages,
The wind speed can be selected from the plurality of wind speed adjustment ranges depending on the distance to the object to be blown, and the blower unit can be swung up and down.
Blower.