JP7850088B2 - air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an air conditioner equipped with a blower unit that operates in conjunction with an air conditioning unit.

Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner capable of performing a clothes drying operation by linking an air conditioning unit and a blower unit.

Patent No. 7174986

However, this conventional system cannot adapt to changes in the condition of the space where the clothes drying cycle is performed or to variations in the degree of drying of the laundry due to the elapsed time of the drying cycle, so there is room for improvement.

To solve the above problems, claim 1 of the present invention provides an air conditioning unit and
An air conditioner comprising a blower unit that operates in conjunction with the air conditioning unit,
The aforementioned air conditioning unit is
An air conditioning control unit controls a clothes drying operation that operates the air conditioning unit and the blower unit in conjunction for a predetermined operating time to dry laundry in the target space,
The system includes a transmitting unit that transmits a control signal to the blower unit during the clothes drying operation for controlling the coordinated operation of the air conditioning unit and the blower unit during the clothes drying operation,
The aforementioned blower unit is
A receiving unit receives the control signal transmitted from the transmitting unit,
It includes a blower-side control unit that controls the blower unit based on the received control signal,
The aforementioned clothes drying operation has a drying acceleration mode and a finishing mode.
The air conditioning control unit is characterized by changing from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode based on the humidity of the target space detected during the clothes drying operation and the remaining time of the predetermined operating time.

Furthermore, claim 2 is characterized in that, when the air conditioning control unit determines that the humidity of the target space detected during the clothes drying operation falls below a predetermined low humidity level and that the remaining time of the predetermined operating time has reached a predetermined switching time, it changes from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode.

Furthermore, claim 3 is characterized in that, when the air conditioning control unit changes to the finishing mode, it reduces the amount of air blown by the air conditioning unit compared to the drying acceleration mode, and transmits the control signal to the air blowing unit, which includes an instruction to reduce the amount of air blown by the air blowing unit.

Furthermore, in claim 4, the air conditioning unit has a heating element that heats the air being blown and can switch between operating states.
The air conditioning control unit is characterized by keeping the heating element constantly running during the drying acceleration mode and changing the operation of the heating element based on the temperature of the target space during the finishing mode.

Furthermore, in claim 5, the blower unit has a blower section that is supported so as to be able to oscillate around an oscillating axis along a predetermined direction,
The blower-side control unit, upon receiving the control signal which includes a change to the finishing mode, is characterized by increasing the range and/or speed of the oscillation compared to when it is in the drying acceleration mode.

Furthermore, claim 6 is characterized in that, after changing to the finishing mode, the air conditioning control unit determines that the humidity detected in the target space has reached a predetermined high humidity level or higher, and then returns to the drying acceleration mode.

According to this invention, the system switches from drying acceleration mode to finishing mode based on the humidity of the target space detected during clothes drying operation and the remaining time of a predetermined operating period. This allows the system to adapt to the conditions of the target space and the degree of drying of the laundry based on the elapsed time, thereby improving product performance.

A front view perspective of the dehumidifier in its integrated state according to this embodiment. A perspective view of the dehumidifier as an integrated unit in this embodiment, as seen from the rear. A vertical cross-sectional view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. Decompressed perspective view of a dehumidifier with a built-in circulator. A schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of a dehumidifier with a circulating fan. A schematic functional block diagram specifically illustrating each power supply unit among the functional blocks in Figure 5. A perspective view of the circulator from the front when it is separated. External perspective view of the circulator as seen from the rear when separated. An external perspective view showing an example of the dehumidifier's usage during separation. A flowchart explaining the operation during the clothes drying cycle.

An embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings. In this embodiment, the air conditioner of the present invention will be described in relation to a dehumidifier with a circulator that uses a vapor compression refrigeration cycle to condense moisture contained in the air, dehumidify it, and blow out air.

Figure 1 is a front view perspective of the circulator-equipped dehumidifier 1 in its integrated state according to this embodiment.
Figure 2 is a rear view perspective of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in this embodiment when it is assembled.
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form.
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the dehumidifier with circulator 1 in its integrated form.
Figure 5 is a schematic functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the dehumidifier with a circulator 1.
Figure 6 is a schematic functional block diagram that specifically explains each power supply unit 83 and 183 within the functional block of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a frontal perspective view of the circulator 3 when it is separated.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the circulator 3 from the rear when it is separated.
Figure 9 is an external perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the dehumidifier 1 during separation.

In the following explanation, the definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right shown in each drawing will be followed. The side facing forward where the dehumidification unit's operating section 74 is located may be referred to as the front, and the side facing backward, opposite the front, may be referred to as the rear. Furthermore, the direction aligned with the front, back, left, and right directions will be defined as the horizontal direction. The definitions of front, back, up, down, left, and right for the circulator 3 may differ depending on whether the circulator 3 is attached to the dehumidification unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "integrated") or separated from the dehumidification unit 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "separated"). In the integrated state, the definitions in Figures 1 to 4 will apply, while in the separated state, the definitions in Figures 7 and 8 may apply.

The dehumidifier with a circulator (hereinafter simply referred to as "dehumidifier 1") comprises a dehumidification unit 2 (air conditioning unit) that blows out dehumidified (conditioned) air, and a circulator 3 (air blower unit) positioned above the dehumidification unit 2 that draws in ambient air and blows it out. As shown in Figure 4, the circulator 3 is detachable from the dehumidification unit 2 (housing 10) and can blow air in conjunction with or independently of the dehumidification unit 2. Furthermore, the circulator 3 can be operated integrally with or separately from the dehumidification unit 2.

The dehumidification unit 2 has a housing 10 that forms the external appearance of the dehumidification unit 2. The housing 10 includes a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, a top panel 14, and a base 15.

The front frame 11 and rear frame 12 are joined together via a connecting line 13 extending vertically at approximately the center of the housing 10 in the front-to-back direction, forming a roughly rectangular prism-shaped side surface 23 with four faces that connects the top surface 21 and bottom surface 22 of the housing 10. The front frame 11 and rear frame 12 each have a top frame portion 24 formed by bending horizontally inward from their upper ends. Furthermore, the front frame 11 and rear frame 12, which form the right side surface 23c and left side surface 23d, have handle cutouts 25 for the placement of handles 43. The handle cutouts 25 are formed at the upper ends of the right side surface 23c and left side surface 23d, approximately in the front-to-back direction. The front-facing surface of the front frame 11 is the front surface 23a of the side surface 23.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rear frame 12 (rear surface 23b) has an intake port 31, a tank insertion port 32, and a power cord port 34. The intake port 31 has multiple slits 36 and has a filter 37 and a filter case 38 on its outer surface. The filter 37 is made of a resin mesh or non-woven fabric and removes dust and odor components mixed in the intake air. The filter case 38 fixes the filter 37 to the intake port 31. The tank insertion port 32 is located below the intake port 31, and the drain tank 69 is inserted and removed from here. The power cord port 34 is located on the lower right of the rear frame 12, and the power cord 4 connected to the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is routed from the power cord port 34 to the outside of the housing 10.

The top plate 14 has an upward-facing base portion 14a and a peripheral wall portion 14b extending downward from the periphery of the base portion 14a. The top plate 14 is positioned to cover the opening 24a (Figure 3) formed by the inner edge of the top frame portion 24. Together with the top frame portion 24 described above, the base portion 14a forms the top surface 21, which is the surface facing upward of the housing 10. On the top surface 21, the peripheral wall portion 14b forms a step relative to the top frame portion 24, so that the base portion 14a functions as an upward-convex upper surface portion 90 (Figure 4) relative to the top frame portion 24.

Furthermore, the top panel 14 has an air outlet 41, an air guide wall 42, a handle 43, and left and right intake port recesses 45.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the air outlet 41 is formed in a rectangular shape approximately in the center of the base 14a. The air outlet 41 is equipped with a louver 48 capable of controlling the direction of dry air discharge, and a louver motor 49 (Figure 5) that drives the louver 48.

The air guide wall 42 is a wall that rises a predetermined amount upward from the base 14a, surrounding the outlet 41 when viewed from above. The air guide wall 42 directs the air blown out from the outlet 41 towards the upward-facing circulator 3. The air guide wall 42 forms a space connected to the interior of the housing 10, which serves as a passageway for the air blown out from the outlet 41.

The handles 43 are formed on the left and right sides of the top panel 14, corresponding to the handle notches 25 of the front frame 11 and rear frame 12, above the right side 23c and left side 23d. The handles 43 have handle recesses 51 and finger rests 52 that are recessed inward from the right side 23c and left side 23d in the left-right direction, and are used by the user when transporting the dehumidifier 1.

The left and right suction port recesses 45 are recesses for forming the left and right suction ports 121, which will be described later. The left and right suction port recesses 45 are formed in a position that overlaps with the handle recess 51 (handle 43) in the left-right direction with respect to the finger rest 52.

As shown in Figure 3, the base 15 is positioned to cover the opening 22a formed downwards by the combined front frame 11 and rear frame 12. The base 15 serves as the base of the dehumidifier 1 and forms the bottom surface 22, which is placed directly on the floor or other installation surface, or, if the dehumidifier has legs, through a gap.

The dehumidification unit 2, as shown in Figure 3, has the following main internal components housed in the casing 10: a fan case 61, a sirocco fan 62, a blower motor 63, a compressor 65, a heat exchanger 66, a heating element 67, a drain pan 68, and a drain tank 69.

The fan case 61 is positioned on the base 15 and primarily supports and positions the sirocco fan 62, the blower motor 63, and the drain tank 69.

The sirocco fan 62 rotates due to the rotation of the blower motor 63, drawing in air from the intake port 31 and creating an airflow that is blown out from the outlet port 41. The sirocco fan 62 and the blower motor 63 are mounted on the fan case 61 so that their rotation axes are aligned in the front-to-back direction.

The compressor 65 is fixed on the base 15 and connected to the heat exchanger 66 via piping 65a and a pressure reducing device.

The heat exchanger 66 exchanges heat with the air drawn in from the intake port 31. The heat exchanger 66 includes an evaporator 66a positioned near the intake port 31 and a condenser 66b positioned in front of the evaporator 66a. The evaporator 66a and condenser 66b are fin-tube type heat exchangers, with fins 66d attached to a U-shaped refrigerant pipe 66c. The refrigerant pipe 66c has multiple straight sections extending horizontally (left-right) and a bent section that curves vertically in a U-shape, connecting two straight sections. These straight and bent sections appear continuously along the length of the refrigerant pipe 66c.

The compressor 65, piping 65a, pressure reducing device, and heat exchanger 66 form a refrigeration cycle through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigeration cycle consists of the compressor 65, condenser 66b, pressure reducing device, and evaporator 66a, in the order of refrigerant flow. As the refrigerant flows through the evaporator 66a, it absorbs heat from the air passing through it and evaporates. Furthermore, as the refrigerant flows through the condenser 66b, it reheats the air passing through it and condenses. As a result, the air drawn in from the intake port 31, after having dust and odor components removed by the filter 37, is cooled and dehumidified in the evaporator 66a, and then heated in the condenser 66b to become low-humidity air.

The heating element 67 heats the low-humidity air that has passed through the condenser 66b before reaching the outlet 41.

The drain pan 68 has a drain port and receives the drain water generated and dripping from the evaporator 66a, discharging it through this port. The drain pan 68 supports and fixes the heat exchanger 66 from below.

The drain tank 69 stores the drain water discharged from the drain port of the drain pan 68. The drain tank 69 is attached to and detached from the housing 10 by sliding it in the front-rear direction through the tank insertion port 32. When inserted into the housing 10, the drain tank 69 is positioned in a tank chamber formed by the fan case 61.

The drain tank 69 has a tank lid 69a and a float housing 69b. The tank lid 69a allows drain water from the drain port of the drain pan 68 to fall into the drain tank 69. The float housing 69b houses a float, for example, one with a magnet, for detecting the water level in the drain tank 69. The magnetic field of the magnet, corresponding to the water level, is detected by a water level sensor 69c, such as an AMR sensor (Anisotropic-Magneto-Resistance sensor), which is mounted on the dehumidification unit side control unit 70, and the user is notified that the drain tank 69 is full.

As shown in Figure 5, the dehumidification unit 2 further includes a dehumidification unit-side control unit 70, a temperature sensor 71, a humidity sensor 72, a notification unit 73, a dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74, and a display unit 75.

The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 (air conditioning-side control unit) is a control board positioned in front of the fan case 61, supported by the required case.

The dehumidifier unit control unit 70 comprehensively controls the operation of the dehumidifier 1 by electrically controlling various components such as the louver motor 49, blower motor 63, compressor 65, heating element 67, and display unit 75 based on instructions from the dehumidifier unit operation unit 74 and pre-stored programs. The dehumidifier unit control unit 70 also controls various components of the circulator 3, such as the oscillation motor 138, by transmitting infrared signals, both when the units are integrated and when they are separated. In this embodiment, the dehumidifier unit control unit 70 controls the synchronized operation of the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3.

The dehumidification unit control unit 70 has a storage unit 77 and a timer 78. The storage unit 77 stores the operation programs for each part. The timer 78 performs timing for timer operation of the dehumidifier 1.

The temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 are installed at predetermined locations on the dehumidifier 1 body and measure the ambient temperature and humidity of the dehumidifier 1. The dehumidification unit control unit 70 uses the temperature and humidity as needed to control various parts. The notification unit 73 outputs an alarm sound or the like to inform the user of the situation based on instructions from the dehumidification unit control unit 70.

The dehumidifier unit's control panel 74 and display panel 75 are positioned on the upper part of the front 23a (side 23, front frame 11) of the housing 10, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. The dehumidifier unit's control panel 74 and display panel 75 are mounted on a control board 70a, which is positioned approximately parallel to the front 23a, and is for the dehumidifier unit's control panel 74, display panel 75, and dehumidifier unit's communication unit 82. The dehumidifier unit's control panel 74 has multiple input buttons, for example, an operation switch, a timer switch, an operation mode selection switch, and a switch for setting the operation of the circulator 3. The display panel 75 displays the operating status of the dehumidifier 1, etc., using the illumination status of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

The dehumidification unit 2 further includes a circulator detection sensor 81, a dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82, a dehumidification unit-side power supply unit 83, and a power switching unit 84.

The circulator detection sensor 81 is located on the dehumidification unit 2 (either the dehumidification unit 2 or the circulator 3) and detects the attachment/detachment status, indicating whether the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 are integrated or separate. The circulator detection sensor 81 is a reed switch (proximity sensor) that detects the presence or absence of the circulator 3 by, for example, detecting the magnetic field of a magnet placed at a predetermined position on the circulator 3.

The circulator detection sensor 81 outputs whether or not a magnetic field is detected to the dehumidification unit's control unit 70. Based on the acquired detection result, the dehumidification unit's control unit 70 determines that the circulator 3 is integrated if a magnetic field is detected, and separate if no magnetic field is detected, and acquires the attachment/detachment status.

The dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 is an infrared antenna that transmits the required infrared signal (wireless signal) to the circulator-side communication unit 182 of the circulator 3 based on the control of the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70. As shown in Figure 1, the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 transmits infrared rays through a dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86, which is provided within the panel 76 where the dehumidification unit-side operation unit 74 is formed.

The dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 transmits necessary information to the circulator 3 via the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82. Specifically, the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 transmits information regarding the attachment/detachment status obtained from the detection results of the circulator detection sensor 81, and information regarding operation control necessary to link the operation of the circulator 3 to the operation of the dehumidification unit 2, to the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 functions as a transmitter that transmits control signals to the circulator 3 to operate the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 in conjunction.

As shown in Figure 6, the dehumidification unit's power supply unit 83 converts the AC current supplied from the power cord 4 connected to the commercial power supply into DC power and supplies it to each part of the dehumidification unit 2.

The power switching unit 84 switches whether or not to supply AC current from the commercial power supply to the power output terminal 87. As shown in Figure 4, the power output terminal 87 is exposed above the top surface 21 where the circulator 3 is mounted. When the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is integrated, it closes the power switching unit 84 and supplies power from the power output terminal 87 to the power input terminal 187 of the circulator 3. Conversely, when the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 is separated, it opens the power switching unit 84 and does not supply power to the power output terminal 87.

When the circulator 3 is integrated, it primarily draws in the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2. When separated, it draws in the surrounding air and circulates and agitates the surrounding air while blowing it out.

The circulator 3 comprises a base portion 110 and an air blower portion 130. The air blower portion 130 is supported on the base portion 110 so as to be able to oscillate around an axis aligned with the left-right direction when integrated with the base portion 110.

The base portion 110 is a cylindrical casing that forms a space (a through-hole that penetrates vertically when the unit is assembled) inside the base portion 110 capable of housing the air blower portion 130. The base portion 110 has a base portion bottom surface 111, a base portion side surface 112, and a base portion top surface 113. The base portion side surface 112 consists of an outer surface and an inner surface. The internal space 115, formed by closing off the base portion bottom surface 111, the base portion side surface 112, and the base portion top surface 113, is partially or entirely hollow, as shown in Figure 3.

The base bottom surface 111 is a frame-shaped surface having substantially the same shape as the upper surface 21 formed by the upper frame 24. When assembled as a single unit, the base bottom surface 111 is placed on the upper frame 24 and becomes a surface that contacts the upper frame 24.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the base bottom surface 111 has a circulator-side recess 190 located inward from the inner peripheral edge 111a of the base bottom surface 111. The circulator-side recess 190 is a recessed space that is recessed upward, corresponding to the vertical length of the peripheral wall portion 14b of the top plate 14 and the shape of the top surface convex portion 90. Because the circulator-side recess 190 corresponds to the shape of the top surface convex portion 90, it engages with the top surface convex portion 90 when assembled. As a result, the base 110's horizontal movement parallel to the mounting surface, i.e., movement on the top surface 21, is restricted by the top surface convex portion 90. Also, since the circulator 3 is supported by the housing 10 through a simple interlocking of recesses and protrusions, it can be easily removed by lifting it upwards.

The side surface 112 of the base portion has an outer surface shape that is almost identical to the outer surface shape of the side surface 23 of the housing 10. That is, when the circulator 3 is assembled, the side surface 112 of the base portion is flush with the side surface 23 of the dehumidification unit 2, giving it an appearance as if it were an integral part of the housing 10. The side surface 112 of the base portion has left and right intake ports 121 and a rear intake port 122.

The left and right intake ports 121 are positioned approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction of the left and right side surfaces 112c of the base portion, and are formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the left and right side surfaces 112c of the base portion and the base portion bottom surface 111. As shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the left and right intake ports 121 have a shape that is approximately vertically symmetrical with respect to the handle 43 on the side surface 23 of the housing 10 with respect to the finger rest 52, or with respect to the boundary line 5 between the top frame portion 24 and the base portion bottom surface 111. As described above, the top plate 14 has left and right intake port recesses 45, and the space formed in these left and right intake port recesses 45 and the left and right intake ports 121 interact to connect the periphery of the dehumidifier 1 to the inside of the base portion 110 (base portion side surfaces 112) via the left and right intake ports 121.

As shown in Figure 1, the side surface 112 of the base portion faces forward in the same direction as the front surface 23a when the parts are integrated, and has a base portion front surface 112a which is the front surface of the base portion 110. It also has a base portion rear surface 112b which faces rear when the parts are integrated, and is the rear surface of the base portion 110.

The rear intake port 122 is positioned approximately in the center of the base portion's rear surface 112b in the left-right direction, and is formed by cutting out a predetermined amount upward from the boundary between the base portion's rear surface 112b and the base portion's bottom surface 111. The rear intake port 122, in conjunction with the shape of the upper surface 21 of the housing 10, connects the surrounding area to the inside of the base portion 110 via the rear intake port 122.

The upper surface 113 of the base consists of a horizontally parallel surface 113a extending from the rear to approximately the center, and a curved downward-sloping surface 113b extending from approximately the center to the front. Due to this configuration, when the unit is assembled, the upper surface 113 is located above the bottom surface 111 of the base and faces upward (approximately upward). The upper surface 113 of the base has a curved recess 113c at its rear. The recess 113c is formed to create an airflow path without the base 110 obstructing the airflow from the circulator 3 when the unit is assembled.

The air blower unit 130 includes a cover 131, a fan motor 135, and a fan 136.

The cover 131 is a bone-like member designed to protect the user's fingers or other body parts from the fan 136. The cover 131 comprises a roughly hemispherical intake-side cover 131a, which covers the intake side (upstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the intake surface, and a flat outlet-side cover 131b, which covers the outlet side (downstream side) of the fan 136 and forms the outlet surface. The intake-side cover 131a and the outlet-side cover 131b are combined to form a single unit. In the orientation of the air blower unit 130 where the outlet-side cover 131b is aligned approximately horizontally and the rotation axis of the fan 136 is aligned vertically, as shown in Figure 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "stopped position"), the intake-side cover 131a has a motor support portion 131c formed as an upward recess at its downward-facing central position.

The fan motor 135 and fan 136 are housed inside the cover 131 in the stopped position, with the rotation axis of the fan motor 135 (fan 136) aligned vertically and passing through the center of the sphere forming the cover 131. The fan motor 135 rotates the fan 136 around its rotation axis. The fan 136 blows air from the outlet 41, which is drawn in from the intake cover 131a, and air drawn into the intake cover 131a from outside the dehumidifier 1, through the outlet cover 131b.

The air blower unit 130 is supported on the base unit 110 in a stationary position, with the direction of airflow from the fan 136 substantially coinciding with the direction of airflow from the outlet 41, which is approximately upward. The air blower unit 130 is also supported on the base unit 110 so that it can oscillate within a predetermined range of angles around an oscillation axis that runs in the left-right direction (a predetermined direction) from its stationary position, using an oscillation motor 138. The oscillation motor 138 is located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The oscillation axis of the oscillation motor 138 is positioned approximately in the center of the front-to-back direction of the circulator 3. The oscillation axis also passes through the center of the sphere forming the hemispherical intake cover 131a. Furthermore, the oscillation axis is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the fan 136.

The circulator 3 further includes a circulator-side control unit 170, a circulator-side operation unit 174, a circulator-side communication unit 182, and a circulator-side power supply unit 183.

The circulator-side control unit 170 is a control board (Figure 3) located in the internal space 115 of the base unit 110. The circulator-side control unit 170 electrically controls the fan motor 135 and the oscillation motor 138 based on instructions from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 or the circulator-side operation unit 174. In this embodiment, the circulator-side control unit 170 functions as a blower-side control unit that controls the circulator 3 based on control signals received from the dehumidification unit-side control unit 70 (dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82).

The circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned approximately in the center of the base front surface 112a in the left-right direction. Similar to the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74, the circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned on a control board 170a that is approximately parallel to the base front surface 112a. The control board 170a is a control board for the circulator-side control unit 174 and the circulator-side communication unit 182. The control board 170a of the circulator-side control unit 174 is positioned approximately overlapping with, or as close as possible to, the control board 70a of the dehumidification unit-side control unit 74 when viewed from above. The circulator-side control unit 174 has multiple input buttons, for example, an operation switch and an oscillation switch. In particular, in this embodiment, the circulator-side control unit 174 functions as a blower-side control unit that inputs user instructions to stop or start the operation of the circulator 3 to the circulator-side control unit 170.

The circulator-side control unit 170 includes a storage unit 177 and a timer 178. The storage unit 177 stores programs and information necessary for controlling each unit. The timer 78 performs timing for timer operation of the circulator 3.

The circulator-side communication unit 182 is an infrared antenna that receives the required infrared signals (wireless signals) transmitted from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82 based on the control of the circulator-side control unit 170. In this embodiment, the circulator-side communication unit 182 functions as a receiver that receives control signals transmitted from the dehumidification unit-side communication unit 82, which acts as a transmitter. The circulator-side communication unit 182 receives infrared rays from, for example, the infrared-transmitting circulator-side transparent window 186 provided on the upper surface 113 of the base portion 110. The circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are realized, for example, by thinning the thickness of the areas on the upper surface 113 of the base portion and the front frame 11 where the circulator-side transparent window 186 and the dehumidification unit-side transparent window 86 are formed, or by forming them with a material that has high infrared transmittance.

As shown in Figure 6, the circulator-side power supply unit 183 converts the AC current supplied from the power input terminal 187 into DC current and supplies it to each part of the circulator 3. As shown in Figure 8, the power input terminal 187 is positioned to be directly connectable to the power output terminal 87, which is exposed from the upper surface 21 of the dehumidification unit 2 when the unit is integrated.

The circulator-side power supply unit 183, when integrated, supplies power to each component from the power input terminal 187 directly connected to the power output terminal 87 of the dehumidification unit 2. When separated, it supplies power to each component from the power input terminal 187 connected to the power cord 8 (Figure 9) connected to the commercial power supply. The connection of the power output terminal 87 and the terminals of the power cord 8 to the power input terminal 187 can be facilitated by the user's terminal connection operation, for example, by using magnetic attraction.

In its integrated operation, the circulator 3 primarily draws in the dehumidified air blown out from the dehumidification unit 2, circulating and agitating the surrounding air while blowing this air upwards. Furthermore, the circulator 3 operates by oscillating, alternating between directing its air outlet forward and backward around a pivot axis that runs along the left-right direction.

Furthermore, when separated, the circulator 3 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the dehumidification unit 2 (Figure 9). In this configuration, the circulator 3 is positioned 90 degrees upright from its integrated state, with the rear surface 112b of the base facing the floor or other mounting surface, the front surface 112a of the base facing upwards, and the top surface 113 of the base facing the dehumidification unit 2. In this configuration, the circulator 3 draws in ambient air from the rear (bottom surface 111) of the base and circulates and agitates this air by blowing it towards the front (top surface 113) of the base. The circulator 3 also operates while oscillating vertically around a pivot axis that runs horizontally.

This type of dehumidifier 1, by operating with an integrated circulator 3, allows the circulator 3 to draw in most of the air dehumidified by the dehumidification unit 2, and then efficiently blows out the dehumidified air, thereby improving dehumidification efficiency. Furthermore, by operating the dehumidifier 1 with the circulator 3 separated, it can be suitably used in applications such as those listed below.

When a dehumidifier 1 is used to dry laundry hung indoors, the laundry can be dried efficiently by placing the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry. In this case, it is preferable to position the dehumidifier 1 so that it does not overlap with the laundry. However, depending on the height of the clothesline and the type of laundry, it may be difficult to place the dehumidifier 1 directly beneath the laundry, and the dehumidifier 1 must be placed at a distance from the laundry to avoid overlapping. In contrast, the dehumidifier 1 in this embodiment allows the circulator 3, which is positioned above the dehumidifier 1, to be removed and placed separately on the mounting surface. Therefore, if the dehumidifier 1 overlaps with the laundry, the circulator 3 can be separated, and the height of the dehumidifier 1 can be lowered, resulting in a dehumidifier 1 that is easy to use depending on the situation.

In this embodiment, as described above, even when the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 are physically separated, the dehumidifier unit 1 can operate in a manner suitable for the surrounding environment by having the dehumidifier unit side control unit 70 transmit control signals to the circulator side control unit 170 via the dehumidifier unit side communication unit 82 and the circulator side communication unit 182.

Specifically, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines the airflow rate (rotation speed of the blower motor 63), temperature, airflow rate of the circulator 3, and operating time of the dehumidifier 1 based on the ambient temperature and humidity obtained from the temperature sensor 71 and humidity sensor 72 acquired by the dehumidification unit 2. Based on these parameters, the dehumidification unit 2 and circulator 3 can be controlled in conjunction to achieve appropriate results.

While the acquisition of temperature and humidity data and the determination of optimal control settings based on the surrounding environment could be performed individually by the dehumidification unit control unit 70 and the circulator control unit 170, this would necessitate the use of high-performance control boards in both units and could lead to increased complexity in the processing required for mutual coordination. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dehumidifier 1 addresses the above issues by having the dehumidification unit control unit 70 control the circulator 3 as well, in order to control the dehumidifier 1 as a whole.

Next, we will describe the clothes drying operation in which laundry hung in the target space according to the present invention is dried.

When drying laundry hung in a target space, the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 are installed separately in the target space. The user sets the clothes drying operation by operating the washing mode switch on the dehumidifier unit's control panel 74. When the clothes drying operation is set, a predetermined operating time is determined based on the temperature and humidity of the target space, and the timer 78 counts down until the predetermined operating time is reached. The clothes drying operation has a drying acceleration mode and a finishing mode, and each mode is performed according to the humidity of the target space and the remaining time of the predetermined operating time.

The aforementioned drying acceleration mode is performed from immediately after the start of the clothes drying operation until the humidity in the target space falls below a predetermined low humidity level and the remaining time of the predetermined operation time is the predetermined switching time.
In drying acceleration mode, the dehumidification unit 2 is controlled by the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 to drive the compressor 65, the blower motor 63 drives the sirocco fan 62 to produce a strong airflow, and the heating heater 67 is kept running at all times.
Furthermore, in drying acceleration mode, the circulator 3 receives a control signal transmitted from the dehumidification unit side control unit 70, and the circulator side control unit 170 drives the oscillation motor 138 to cause the air blowing section 130 to swing upwards in a narrow area above the circulator 3, with the oscillation speed suppressed, and the fan motor 135 drives the fan 136 to produce a strong airflow.

As described above, when the dehumidifying unit 2 and the circulating fan 3 operate in conjunction during the drying acceleration mode, if the laundry is still very wet shortly after being hung in the target space, the dehumidifying unit 2 and the circulating fan 3 will blow a strong, concentrated airflow over a specific area, thereby accelerating the drying of the laundry.

The finishing mode is performed when the humidity of the target space falls below a predetermined low humidity level during the execution of the drying acceleration mode, and the remaining time of the predetermined operating time becomes a predetermined switching time.
In finishing mode, the dehumidification unit 2 is controlled by the dehumidification unit side control unit 70 to drive the compressor 65, the blower motor 63 drives the sirocco fan 62 to a weak airflow, which is smaller than the airflow during strong airflow, and the heating heater 67 is driven until the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 71 reaches a predetermined value (for example, 30°C) or higher, and then stops once the temperature reaches the predetermined value, thereby changing the drive state.
Furthermore, in finishing mode, the circulator 3 receives a control signal transmitted from the dehumidification unit side control unit 70, and the circulator side control unit 170 drives the oscillation motor 138 so that the air blower 130 oscillates in a wide swing, which is wider than the upper swing, and at a faster speed than in the drying acceleration mode, and the fan motor 135 drives the fan 136 to produce a weak wind, which is a smaller airflow compared to the strong wind mode.

As described above, by operating the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 in conjunction during the finishing mode, a weaker airflow is used to distribute the air evenly over the laundry that has already been dried in the drying acceleration mode. This suppresses uneven drying and allows the clothes drying cycle to end with the laundry uniformly dry.

Next, the specific operation of the clothes drying cycle in this invention will be explained based on the flowchart in Figure 10.

The dehumidification unit control unit 70, based on the detection result of the circulator detection sensor 81, determines that the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 are separated, and that the clothes drying operation is set using the operation mode selection switch on the dehumidification unit's operation unit 74. It then operates the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 in conjunction in drying acceleration mode, while simultaneously checking the temperature of the target space detected by the temperature sensor 71 and the humidity H of the target space detected by the humidity sensor 72. Based on the confirmed temperature and humidity, it determines a predetermined operating time for the clothes drying operation and starts counting the remaining time on the timer 78 (step S101).

When the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines that the processing in step S101 is complete, it determines whether the humidity H of the target space detected by the humidity sensor 72 is 50% RH or less, which is a predetermined low humidity (step S102). If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines that the detected humidity is 50% RH or less, it determines, based on the count value of the timer 78, whether the remaining time of the predetermined operating time determined in step S101 is 2 hours or less, which is a predetermined switching time (step S103). If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines that the remaining time is 2 hours or less, it changes the operation of each drive unit of the dehumidification unit 2 to operate in finishing mode, and transmits information to the circulator 3 via a control signal to indicate the change to finishing mode. Upon receiving the control signal, the circulator control unit 170 changes the operation of each drive unit of the circulator 3 to operate in finishing mode (step S104).

If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines in step S102 that the humidity H of the target space detected by the humidity sensor 72 is higher than 50%RH, it determines, based on the count value of the timer 78, whether the time elapsed since the start of the clothes drying operation has reached a predetermined upper limit (e.g., 12 hours) (step S105). If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines that the elapsed time has reached the predetermined upper limit, it proceeds to step S104; if it determines that the elapsed time has not reached the predetermined upper limit, it proceeds to step S102.

If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines in step S103 that the remaining time for the predetermined operating time is longer than the predetermined switching time of 2 hours, it repeats the determination in step S103.

After completing the process in step S104, the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines whether the humidity of the target space detected by the humidity sensor 72 is below a predetermined high humidity of 60% RH (step S106). If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines that the detected humidity is below 60% RH, it continues in finishing mode (step S107). If it determines that the detected humidity is 60% RH or higher, it changes the operation of each drive unit of the dehumidification unit 2 to operate in drying acceleration mode. It also transmits information that the dehumidification unit 2 has changed to drying acceleration mode to the circulator 3 via a control signal. Upon receiving the control signal, the circulator control unit 170 changes the operation of each drive unit of the circulator 3 to operate in drying acceleration mode (step S108).

The dehumidifier unit control unit 70 determines, after completing the processing in step S107 or step S108, whether the predetermined operating time for the clothes drying operation has elapsed and time has run out (step S109). If time has run out, the dehumidifier unit control unit 70 stops the operation of the drive unit within the dehumidifier unit 2 and transmits operation stop information from the dehumidifier unit 2 to the circulator 3 using a control signal. The circulator unit control unit 170, upon receiving the control signal, stops the operation of each drive unit, thereby ending the clothes drying operation.

If the dehumidification unit control unit 70 determines in step S109 that the predetermined operating time has not elapsed and therefore the time limit has not been reached, it repeats the determination in step S106.

Furthermore, the remaining operating time counted by the timer 78 is periodically transmitted as a control signal from the dehumidifier unit's communication unit 82 to the circulator's communication unit 182. The circulator's control unit 170 performs an elapsed time count using its internal clock based on the transmitted remaining time. Even if, after the start of the clothes drying operation, the control signal transmitted from the dehumidifier unit's communication unit 82 cannot be received by the circulator's communication unit 182 due to the presence of a person or object between the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3, the circulator 3 can still determine the remaining time for the clothes drying operation, allowing the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 to stop almost simultaneously when the time limit is reached. Therefore, even though the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 operate in conjunction during the clothes drying operation, it is prevented from continuing to operate independently after the time limit is reached, improving product performance.

Next, the effects of the present invention will be explained.

This system operates the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 in conjunction for a predetermined operating time to dry laundry in the target space. Based on the humidity of the target space detected during the drying operation and the remaining operating time, the system switches from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode. By estimating the state of the target space and the degree of drying of the laundry based on humidity and remaining time, the system switches to the finishing mode to complete the drying process. This ensures optimal drying of the laundry and improves product performance.

Furthermore, the dehumidification unit's control unit 70 switches from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode when the humidity of the target space detected during the clothes drying operation drops to a predetermined low humidity of 50% RH or less, and the remaining time of the predetermined operation time falls to a predetermined switching time of 2 hours or less. Since the system switches to the finishing mode when the drying of the laundry hung in the target space is progressing and the finishing stage is about to begin, the drying of the laundry hung in the target space can be optimized.

Furthermore, when the dehumidifier unit's control unit 70 switches from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode during clothes drying operation, it reduces the airflow from the dehumidifier unit 2 compared to the drying acceleration mode and sends a control signal to the circulator 3 to reduce the airflow from the circulator 3. In the drying acceleration mode, the airflow from the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 is increased compared to the finishing mode, thereby promoting the drying of laundry hung in the target space. When switching from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode, reducing the airflow from the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 compared to the drying acceleration mode allows for optimal drying of the laundry.

Furthermore, the dehumidification unit's control unit 70 operates the heating element 67 continuously during the drying acceleration mode, and changes the operation of the heating element 67 based on the temperature of the target space during the finishing mode. During the drying acceleration mode, the heating element 67, located within the dehumidification unit 2 and used to heat the airflow, is continuously driven, ensuring that high-temperature air is constantly blown from the outlet 41, accelerating the drying of laundry hung in the target space. During the finishing mode, the heating element 67 is stopped when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 71 exceeds a predetermined value. This prevents the laundry from being exposed to high-temperature air while nearly dry, thus preventing deterioration of the drying finish and ensuring optimal laundry drying.

Furthermore, when the circulator-side control unit 170 receives a control signal indicating a change to finishing mode, it increases the oscillation range and/or speed compared to the drying acceleration mode. In drying acceleration mode, the air blower unit 130 oscillates at a low speed in a narrow area above the circulator 3 with an upward swing. In finishing mode, the air blower unit 130 oscillates at a high speed in a wider area than the upward swing with a wide swing. Therefore, in drying acceleration mode, laundry hung in the target space can be dried intensively, and in finishing mode, the entire laundry can be dried uniformly. This ensures even drying and a satisfactory drying finish for the laundry.

Furthermore, the dehumidification unit's control unit 70, after switching to finishing mode, returns to the drying acceleration mode if it determines that the humidity detected in the target space has reached a predetermined high humidity level or higher. It also returns to the drying acceleration mode if, after switching to finishing mode, the humidity in the target space increases due to factors such as opening the door, potentially preventing the laundry from drying completely within the remaining time of the clothes drying cycle. This ensures that the laundry hung in the target space is completely dried within the remaining time of the clothes drying cycle.

While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications are permitted without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as described in the claims.

For example, although the air conditioner according to the present invention was described using an example where the air conditioning unit is a dehumidifier 1, it can also be applied to other air conditioning equipment such as humidifiers, dryers, heating and cooling systems, and air purifiers that can adjust the humidity, temperature, and purity of the air.

The explanation used an example where the dehumidification unit 2 has a circulator detection sensor 81 for detecting the attachment/detachment state. However, the dehumidification unit 2 and the circulator 3 may each detect the attachment/detachment state, or the attachment/detachment state detected by the circulator 3 may be shared with the dehumidification unit 2. For example, the attachment/detachment state may be detected by having an attitude sensor that detects whether the circulator 3 is in an integrated position (with the base bottom surface 111 facing downwards) or in a separated position (with the base rear surface 112b facing downwards (installed on the mounting surface)).

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when changing from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode during clothes drying operation, the oscillation range of the air blower unit 130 of the circulator 3 is changed from a narrow upward swing to a wide swing, and the oscillation speed is changed from low speed to high speed. However, this is not the only method. When changing from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode, only the oscillation range or the oscillation speed of the air blower unit 130 may be changed. Even if only one of the oscillation range or oscillation speed of the air blower unit 130 is changed, it is expected that the drying quality of the laundry hung in the target space will improve in the finishing mode. Therefore, even if only the oscillation range or oscillation speed is changed, it falls within the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, while this embodiment transmits control signals from the dehumidification unit 2 to the circulator 3, it is not limited to this configuration. For example, if the circulator 3 is capable of detecting the humidity of the target space, the control signals may be transmitted from the circulator 3 to the dehumidification unit 2. The transmission and reception of control signals are not limited to the content of this embodiment.

Furthermore, while this embodiment describes the clothes drying operation as a linked operation of the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 in a separate state, it is not limited to this. For example, when the clothes drying operation is performed with the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 in an integrated state, the system may switch from a drying acceleration mode to a finishing mode based on the humidity detected during the clothes drying operation and the remaining time of a predetermined operating time. Even in an integrated state, the airflow of the dehumidifier unit 2 and the drive of the heating element 67 can be varied, and the airflow, oscillation range, and oscillation speed of the circulator 3 can also be varied. Therefore, operating the dehumidifier unit 2 and the circulator 3 in a linked manner during clothes drying operation in an integrated state, and switching from a drying acceleration mode to a finishing mode, is also within the scope of the present invention.

1. Dehumidifier with circulator (dehumidifier)
2 Dehumidification unit 3 Circulator 67 Heating heater 70 Dehumidification unit side control unit 72 Humidity sensor 82 Dehumidification unit side communication unit 130 Air blower 170 Circulator side control unit 174 Circulator side operation unit 182 Circulator side communication unit

Claims (6)

Air conditioning unit and
An air conditioner comprising a blower unit that operates in conjunction with the air conditioning unit,
The aforementioned air conditioning unit is
An air conditioning control unit controls a clothes drying operation that operates the air conditioning unit and the blower unit in conjunction for a predetermined operating time to dry laundry in the target space,
The system includes a transmitting unit that transmits a control signal to the blower unit during the clothes drying operation for controlling the coordinated operation of the air conditioning unit and the blower unit during the clothes drying operation,
The aforementioned blower unit is
A receiving unit receives the control signal transmitted from the transmitting unit,
It includes a blower-side control unit that controls the blower unit based on the received control signal,
The aforementioned clothes drying operation has a drying acceleration mode and a finishing mode.
The air conditioning unit is characterized by changing from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode based on the humidity of the target space detected during the clothes drying operation and the remaining time of the predetermined operating time. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that the air conditioning control unit, when it determines that the humidity of the target space detected during the clothes drying operation falls below a predetermined low humidity level and the remaining time of the predetermined operating time has reached a predetermined switching time, changes from the drying acceleration mode to the finishing mode. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, when the air conditioning control unit changes to the finishing mode, it reduces the amount of air blown by the air conditioning unit compared to the drying acceleration mode, and transmits the control signal to the air blowing unit, which includes an instruction to reduce the amount of air blown by the air blowing unit. The aforementioned air conditioning unit has a heating element that heats the air being blown and has a switchable operating state.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that the air conditioning control unit keeps the heating heater running at all times during the drying acceleration mode and changes the operation of the heating heater based on the temperature of the target space during the finishing mode. The aforementioned blower unit has a blower section that is supported so as to be able to oscillate around a swing axis along a predetermined direction,
The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that when the blower side control unit receives the control signal which includes a change to the finishing mode, it increases the range and/or speed of the oscillation compared to when it is in the drying acceleration mode. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, after changing to the finishing mode, the air conditioning control unit determines that the humidity detected in the target space has reached a predetermined high humidity level or higher, and then returns to the drying acceleration mode.