JP2003190269A - Air cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air cleaner capable of enhancing sterilizing effect and having excellent durability. <P>SOLUTION: A dust collection filter 10 is formed by a high-efficiency filter such as HEPA filter or ULPA filter obtained by forming filtering material 24 like pleats. Since an ultraviolet lamp 11 is disposed on both front and rear surfaces of the dust collection filter 10 intersecting perpendicularly to the pleat direction of the filtering material 24 of the dust collection filter 10, the ultraviolet rays can reach the whole of the dust collection filter 10 so that the germs captured by the dust collection filter 10 can be sterilized efficiently and surely. During operation of the air cleaner 1, the ultraviolet lamps 11 are controlled to light in a cycle of lighting for a fixed time, and then lighting out for a fixed time, whereby durability of the filtering material 24, an adhesive and packing 23 constituting the dust collection filter 10 can be improved, and the life of the ultraviolet lamp 11 can be lengthened so as to reduce the replacement frequency. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an air purifier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 6 (a), a conventional air purifier a has an air intake port c equipped with a prefilter b.
A dust collecting filter g and an ultraviolet lamp h are arranged in an air passage f which has an air outlet d and an air passage in a predetermined direction by a fan e. In addition, fine dust is collected by the dust collecting filter g, and the bacteria in the air are sterilized by irradiation of ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet lamp h to discharge clean air to the outside.

In the air purifier having such a structure, when a high-efficiency filter such as a HEPA filter is used as the dust collecting filter g, bacteria as well as dust can be collected with high efficiency, and the dust collecting filter g is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. By doing so, the sterilization rate can be increased.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, HEP
In a high-efficiency filter such as the A filter, the filter material i is formed in a pleated shape in order to enhance the dust removal efficiency as shown in FIG. 6 (b), and therefore the ultraviolet lamp h is simply arranged in the vicinity of the dust collection filter g. Then, it is difficult for the light of the ultraviolet lamp h to reach the troughs and the ends of the filter material i, and the sterilizing effect is remarkably reduced at the troughs and the ends. Then, depending on the environmental temperature and humidity, there is a risk that bacteria will grow without being killed. Further, when the dust collecting filter g is continuously irradiated with ultraviolet rays, there is a problem that the filter material, the adhesive, the packing, and the like which constitute the dust collecting filter g are deteriorated and the durability is lowered. The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an air purifier having a high sterilization effect and excellent durability.

[0005]

The air purifier according to claim 1 for achieving the above object has an air intake port and an air outlet port, and allows a fan to circulate the air in a predetermined direction. A dust collecting filter and an ultraviolet lamp are placed in the air passage, and dust in the air is collected by the dust collecting filter, and ultraviolet rays are radiated by the ultraviolet lamp to sterilize bacteria and release clean air to the outside. In the air cleaner, the dust collecting filter is composed of a high-efficiency filter such as a HEPA filter or a ULPA filter having a pleated filter medium, and the ultraviolet lamps are provided on both front and rear surfaces of the dust collecting filter. It is characterized in that it is arranged orthogonal to the pleat direction of the filter material of the dust collecting filter.

The air purifier according to a second aspect of the present invention is the air purifier according to the first aspect, wherein the air purifier is in operation during operation.
The ultraviolet lamp is controlled to be turned on in a cycle of being turned on for a certain period of time and then being turned off for a certain period of time.

[0007]

According to the air cleaner of the first aspect, the dust collecting filter is composed of a high efficiency filter such as a HEPA filter or a ULPA filter having a pleated filter medium, and Since the ultraviolet lamps are arranged on the front and rear surfaces of the dust collecting filter at right angles to the pleating direction of the filter material of the dust collecting filter, ultraviolet rays reach the entire dust collecting filter and bacteria collected by the dust collecting filter. Can be sterilized efficiently and reliably.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the ultraviolet lamp is turned on in a cycle in which the ultraviolet lamp is lit for a certain period of time and then extinguished for a certain period of time during operation of the air purifier, dust collection is possible. It is possible to improve the durability of the filter material, the adhesive, the packing, and the like that compose the filter, and to extend the life of the ultraviolet lamp and reduce the frequency of replacement.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air purifier 1, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the dust collecting filter 10, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an irradiation mode of ultraviolet rays to the dust collecting filter 10, and FIG. 4 is a control system. Is a block diagram showing the configuration of FIG. 5, and FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the operation of the air purifier 1. The front panel 3 of the housing 2 of the air purifier 1 has an air intake port 4 formed below and an air outlet port 5 formed on the upper surface.
Are formed. A controller 6 is arranged in the upper corner portion of the housing 2.

An air inlet 4 and an air outlet 5 are communicated with each other in the housing 2, and a fan 7 arranged on the air outlet 5 side directs the air from the air inlet 4 to the air outlet 5. An air passage 8 through which air flows is formed. A prefilter 9 is attached to the air intake port 4 of the air passage 8. A dust collecting filter 10 is fitted across the air passage 8 at approximately the center of the air passage 8. An ultraviolet lamp 11 is arranged so as to face the front surface and the rear surface of the dust collecting filter 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the dust collecting filter 10 comprises a frame member 21, a filter portion 22, and a packing 23 fixed around the frame member 21 with an adhesive. The filter portion 22 is formed by pleating a filter medium 24 made of glass fiber (see FIG. 3). The dust collecting filter 1
Reference numeral 0 is a high-efficiency filter such as a HEPA filter or a ULPA filter, and the ultraviolet lamp 11 is arranged orthogonal to the pleating direction of the filter material 24 of the dust collecting filter 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 6 is
A CPU 31 and a power supply circuit 32 connected to the CPU 31;
Drive circuit 3 of fan motor 33 for rotating fan 7
4 and a drive circuit 36 for driving the inverter 35 of the ultraviolet lamp 11. Further, the CPU 31 is provided with an operation switch 37 for starting the interface 38.
The turn-off time setting volume 39 of the ultraviolet lamp 11 is connected via the interface 40.

Regarding the operation of the air purifier 1 having the above structure,
This will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. When the operation switch 37 is turned on to start the operation of the air purifier 1, the ultraviolet lamp 11 is turned on, the fan 7 is rotated by the fan motor 33, and the air is sucked from the air suction port 4. The pre-filter 9 removes large dust from the air sucked from the air suction port 4,
The dust collecting filter 10 collects fine dust and bacteria adhering to the dust with high efficiency. Then, the dust collecting filter 10
Ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet lamp 11 are radiated to the whole of the above, and the collected bacteria are efficiently sterilized. In this way, the dust and dirt in the air is removed, and the sterilized and cleaned air is blown out from the air outlet 5.

The ultraviolet lamp 11 is extinguished when a preset time (T1) has elapsed after lighting. Then, when the time (T2) set by the turn-off time setting volume 39 has elapsed, the light is turned on again. During the operation of the air purifier 1, the ultraviolet lamp 11 is controlled so as to intermittently light up. Time to turn on the ultraviolet lamp 11 (T
1) is determined based on the illuminance of the ultraviolet lamp 11 and the sterilization dose required to sterilize the collected bacteria. The time (T2) for turning off the ultraviolet lamp 11 is arbitrarily set by the turn-off time setting volume 39 based on the environment in which the air purifier 1 is used, for example, the amount of bacteria, temperature and humidity.

The air purifier 1 includes a dust collecting filter 10
Is composed of a high-efficiency filter such as a HEPA filter or an ULPA filter in which the filter medium 24 is formed in a pleated shape, and the ultraviolet lamp 11 is provided on the front and rear surfaces of the dust collecting filter 10 to pleats the filter medium 24 of the dust collecting filter 10. Since it is arranged orthogonal to the direction, the dust collection filter 1
Ultraviolet rays reach the entire area of 0 and bacteria that have been collected by the dust collecting filter 10 can be sterilized efficiently and reliably.

During operation of the air purifier 1, the ultraviolet lamp 11 is controlled to be lit in a cycle of turning on for a certain period of time and then turning off for a certain period of time. Therefore, the filter medium 24, adhesive and The durability of the packing 23 and the like can be improved, and the life of the ultraviolet lamp 11 can be extended and the replacement frequency can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an outline of an air purifier.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of a dust collecting filter.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a manner of irradiation of ultraviolet rays on a dust collecting filter.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the operation of the air purifier.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view schematically showing a conventional air purifier.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Air purifier 4 ... Air inlet 5 ... Air outlet 6. Controller 8 ... Air passage 10 ... Dust collection filter 11 ... UV lamp 24 ... Filter media

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A dust collecting filter and an ultraviolet lamp are arranged in an air passage having an air suction port and an air blowing port, and a fan circulates the air in a predetermined direction. In an air purifier that collects the dust of the above and sterilizes the bacteria and radiates clean air to the outside by irradiating ultraviolet rays from an ultraviolet lamp, the dust collecting filter has a pleated filter element HE.
The filter is composed of a high-efficiency filter such as a PA filter or an ULPA filter, and the ultraviolet lamps are arranged on both front and rear surfaces of the dust collecting filter at right angles to the pleating direction of the filter material of the dust collecting filter. An air purifier characterized by that. 2. The air purifier according to claim 1, wherein during the operation of the air purifier, the ultraviolet lamp is controlled to be lit in a cycle of being lit for a certain period of time and then being lit for a certain period of time.