JP2006226554A - Humidifier - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a humidifier capable of preventing shortage of water during operation of a switch-off timer. <P>SOLUTION: This humidifier comprises a humidifying means for releasing moisture vapor into a room to humidify the room, a water supply tank for storing the water supplied to the humidifying means, a weight detecting means for detecting a weight of the water supply tank, an operation mode switching means for switching an operation mode, a switch-off timer operating means for stopping the operation after a prescribed time, a humidification quantity detecting means for calculating humidification quantity of the past prescribed time by the weight detecting means, and a display means. The humidification quantity in a case of continuing the operation to a switch-off timer set time, is compared with the quantity of water remaining in the water supply tank, when the operation of the switch-off timer is started, the necessity of water supply to the water supply tank is notified or displayed in a case of shortage of remaining water quantity, and an operation mode is lowered by one stage of less humidification quantity. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a humidifier that humidifies a room by passing air through a filter that sucks water to vaporize the filter.

Conventionally, in this type, a heating tank is directly heated by a heater, thereby humidifying means for releasing water vapor into the room, a water supply tank for storing water supplied to the humidifying means, and an operation mode. An operation mode switching means for switching, a cut-off timer operation means for stopping operation after a predetermined time, and a humidity sensor, estimating a humidification amount according to the heater heating time, and operating time and water heater after water supply to the water supply tank There was one that predicted the amount of water remaining in the water supply tank according to the heating time and displayed it as the operable time. Then, the amount of remaining water was compared with the amount of humidification within the timer operation time at the start of the timer operation, and when the remaining water amount until the timer end was insufficient, a notification was given to prompt the user to supply water. . (For example, see Patent Document 1)
JP 2002-5492 A

  However, in this conventional system, since the humidification amount is predicted based on the heater heating time, it is difficult not only to accurately predict the remaining water amount in the water supply tank, but in particular, the water amount in the water supply tank at the time of water supply is full. However, when the amount of water supplied was small, the actual amount of water in the water supply tank could not be determined. Also, as a matter of course, the amount of water in the water supply tank is recognized by mistake, so the notification of the cut-off timer operation is also made based on the wrong data, so the operation is stopped due to running out of water long before the end of the cut-off timer operation time. It was.

  This invention pays attention to this point, and in order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, humidifying means for releasing and humidifying water vapor in a room, a water supply tank for storing water supplied to the humidifying means, and detecting the weight of the water supply tank Weight detection means for performing operation mode switching means for switching the operation mode, a timer operation means for stopping operation after a predetermined time, a humidification amount detection means for calculating the humidification amount for the past predetermined time by the weight detection means, A display means is provided, and when the timer operation is started, the humidification amount when the operation is continued until the timer setting time is compared with the remaining water amount in the water supply tank, and if the remaining water amount is insufficient, the water supply to the water supply tank is not In addition to notifying or displaying that it is necessary, the operation mode is lowered to a direction with less humidification.

  Further, humidifying means for releasing and humidifying water vapor in the room, a water supply tank for storing water to be supplied to the humidifying means, weight detecting means for detecting the weight of the water supply tank, and operation mode switching means for switching the operation mode; A timer operation unit that stops operation after a predetermined time, a humidity sensor, a humidification amount estimation unit that estimates a humidification amount according to the operation mode and the detected value of the humidity sensor, and a display unit, and starts a timer operation Sometimes the humidification amount when the operation is continued until the timer setting time is compared with the remaining water amount in the water supply tank, and when the remaining water amount is insufficient, the water supply to the water supply tank is notified or displayed. The operation mode is lowered to those with less humidification.

  If the water supply tank runs short while the timer operation is continuing, it notifies or displays that water supply to the water supply tank is necessary every predetermined time and lowers the operation mode by one step toward the one with less humidification. It is what I did.

According to the present invention, the weight detection means for detecting the weight of the water supply tank can accurately detect the amount of water remaining in the water supply tank, so that it is possible to more accurately predict the water outage during the operation of the cut-off timer, When there is a risk of running out of water, automatically reducing the humidification amount can reduce running out of water during the timer operation.
Even when there is a notification to prompt water supply at the start of the cut-off timer operation, even if the water supply work to the water supply tank is not performed, the notification is performed again after a predetermined time and the humidification amount is lowered. It is possible to reduce running out of water during operation.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a frame made of a material such as plastic. The upper surface includes a steam outlet 2 and an insertion port 4 for a water supply tank 3, and the insertion port 4 includes a tank lid 5.
Reference numeral 6 denotes an operation unit provided on the front surface, which includes switches such as an operation switch 7, an operation mode changeover switch 8 (operation mode changeover means), and a turn-off timer switch 9 (cutoff timer operation means).
Reference numeral 10 denotes a display unit (display means) provided in the vicinity of the operation unit 6 and includes an operation lamp 11, a water supply lamp 12, and a turn-off timer lamp 13.

  In the frame 1, the cartridge-type water supply tank 3 accommodated in the frame 1 so as to store water for humidification, and a water tank portion 14 for storing water supplied from the water supply tank 3. Then, the filter 15 which is folded into a pleat shape and has a large hydrophilicity is brought into contact with the water in the water tank part 14 at one end, and the water sucked up by the filter 15 is vaporized by the air passing through the filter 15 to humidify the filter 15. Done.

A turbo-type blower fan 16 is provided above the filter 15, and a blower passage 17 is formed by communicating a suction port (not shown), a blower fan 16, the filter 15, and the blower outlet 2 provided on the front surface of the frame 1. is doing.
The air flow path 17 between the blower fan 16 and the filter 15 is provided with a heater 18, and the amount of humidification is increased by heating the air passing through the filter 15. Two-stage switching is performed, and the amount of humidification is adjusted by the air volume of the blower fan 16 and the heater 18, and the filter 15, the blower fan 16 and the heater 18 constitute a humidifier.

  Reference numeral 19 denotes a weight sensor (weight detection means) composed of a pressure sensor, a strain sensor and the like for detecting the total weight of the water supply tank 3 including the water stored in the water supply tank 3. Thus, the amount of remaining water in the water supply tank 3 is detected, and is arranged at an appropriate position of the tank receiving portion 20 so as to detect the total weight of the water supply tank 3 as accurately as possible.

  A humidity sensor 21 detects the humidity of the suction. 22 is a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the intake air, and 23 is a buzzer (notification means). When the total weight of the water supply tank 3 is determined to be insufficient by the weight sensor 19, a warning sound is generated to notify the user. The reference numeral 24 denotes a fan motor that rotates the blower fan 16.

  Reference numeral 25 denotes a control unit that controls the operation of the blower fan 16 and the heater 18 according to the operation conditions set in the operation unit 6 to adjust the humidification amount and display the lamps on the display unit 10. Is what you do.

  The control unit 25 is a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer), and includes a humidification amount detection means 26 that calculates a humidification amount from the detection value of the weight sensor 19 and the value of the timer time Z. On the input side, the operation switch 7, the operation mode switching switch 8, the off timer switch 9, the weight sensor 19 and the like are connected.

  On the other hand, the heater 18, the display unit 10, the buzzer 23, the fan motor 24, and the like are connected to the output side of the control unit 25.

  The operation mode changeover switch 8 automatically controls the operation of the fan motor 24 and the heater 18 according to the detected value of the humidity sensor 21 with a target humidity of 60%, or forcibly turns on the fan motor 24. Switching between the heater humidification mode in which the heater 18 is operated and the maximum humidification amount is operated, the strong humidification mode in which only the fan motor 24 performs strong operation, and the weak humidification mode in which only the fan motor 24 performs weak operation is switched. The display is switched every time the button is pressed, and a lamp is displayed on the display unit 10.

  The turn-off timer switch 9 switches a set time such as 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, etc., every time the switch button is pressed, and displays a lamp on the display unit 10.

  If the flowchart of FIG. 3 is demonstrated, T time of a cut timer will be set by the frequency | count of pressing of the switch timer switch 9 during normal driving | operation. (ST1) Next, the process proceeds to ST2 where the current humidity X of the humidity sensor 21 is read and the weight of the water supply tank 3 is read by the weight sensor 19 to obtain the remaining water amount Y in the water supply tank 3 and the timer Z is started.

  Next, in ST3, it is determined whether or not 1 hour has elapsed since the start of operation. If YES in one hour or more, the process proceeds to ST4, and if NO, the process proceeds to ST8. In ST4, the current humidity X of the humidity sensor 21 is read again, and the weight of the water supply tank 3 is read by the weight sensor 19, so that the remaining water amount Y in the water supply tank 3 is obtained, and the elapsed time of the timer Z is read. In ST5, the remaining water amount Y in the water supply tank 3 and the humidification amount A for the past hour are multiplied by the time (TZ) until the end of the cut-off timer, that is, the necessary remaining water amount until the end of the cut-off timer is compared. If the amount of water Y is larger, it is determined that there is no drainage before the end of the timer, and the process proceeds to ST6 of YES. If the remaining amount of water Y is smaller, it is determined that the drainage occurs before the end of the timer, and ST9 of NO Proceed to

  In ST6, if the water supply lamp 12 is blinking, it is determined that water supply in the water supply tank 3 has eliminated the fear of running out of the water during the timer operation, and the water supply lamp 12 is turned off and the humidification mode is turned off before the timer operation. The humidification mode is switched to and the process proceeds to ST7.

  On the other hand, if the operation duration time is less than 1 hour in ST3, the process proceeds to ST8, and in ST8, the estimated humidification amount B in the current set humidification mode, for example, the fan motor 24 is in strong operation when the heater 18 is on and the current humidity is high. When 30%, 500cc / h, when the fan motor 24 is weakly operated with the heater 18 off and the current humidity is 30%, the humidification amount set in advance in FIG. If the remaining water amount Y is greater than the value multiplied by the time (TZ), that is, the necessary remaining water amount until the end of the cut-off timer, it is determined that there is no water outage before the end of the cut-off timer. Proceeding to ST7, if the remaining water amount Y is smaller, it is determined that water runs out before the end of the turn-off timer, and the process proceeds to NO of ST9.

  In ST9, it is determined whether 1 hour has passed since the previous determination, that is, the remaining water amount in the water supply tank 3 is insufficient, but if the operation is continued without water supply, the determination is made once an hour. In the case of YES, in ST10, the remaining amount of water in the water supply tank 3 is insufficient, so that the user can recognize that the water supply is necessary. After reducing the humidification mode by one step in order to reduce the flow, the process proceeds to ST7.

  In ST9, when 1 hour has not passed since the previous determination, that is, the remaining water amount in the water supply tank 3 is insufficient, but the operation is continued without water supply, but 1 hour has not passed since the previous determination. If NO, continue to ST7.

  Next, in ST7, it is determined whether the cut-off timer time has expired. If the cut-off timer time has expired, the operation of the humidifier is stopped in YES at ST13. 3, if there is no remaining water in the water supply tank 3, the water supply lamp 11 is turned on in order to inform the user of running out of water in ST 12, and the humidifier is stopped in ST 13.

  If water remains in the water supply tank 3 in ST11, the process returns to ST4 to read the current humidity X of the humidity sensor 21 again and read the weight of the water supply tank 3 by the weight sensor 19 to store the water in the water supply tank 3. The remaining amount of water Y is obtained, the elapsed time of the timer Z is read, and the above operation is repeated until the cut-off timer time ends.

Since the remaining amount of water in the water supply tank 3 can be accurately detected by the weight sensor 19 that detects the weight of the water supply tank 3 in this manner, it is possible to more accurately predict the water outage during the timer operation, When there is a risk of occurrence of water loss, automatically reducing the humidification amount can reduce running out of water during the timer operation.
In addition, even if there is a display or notification for prompting water supply at the start of the timer operation, even if the water supply work to the water supply tank 3 is not performed, the notification and the humidification amount are reduced again after a predetermined time. Further, it is possible to reduce running out of water during the timer operation.

The schematic block diagram of one Example of this invention. The schematic block diagram of the same control apparatus. The flowchart figure of the principal part. Explanatory drawing of the humidification amount.

Explanation of symbols

3 Water supply tank 8 Operation mode changeover switch 9 Off timer switch 10 Display unit 12 Water supply lamp 15 Filter 19 Weight sensor

Claims (3)

  Humidification means for releasing and humidifying water vapor into the room, a water supply tank for storing water to be supplied to the humidification means, weight detection means for detecting the weight of the water supply tank, operation mode switching means for switching the operation mode, A cut-off timer operation means for stopping operation after a predetermined time, a humidification amount detection means for calculating a humidification amount for the past predetermined time by the weight detection means, and a display means, and when the cut-off timer operation starts, until the cut-off timer setting time Compare the amount of humidification when the operation is continued with the amount of residual water in the water supply tank.If the amount of residual water is insufficient, notify or display that water supply to the water supply tank is necessary and set the operation mode to the amount of humidification. Humidifier characterized by lowering to less.   Humidification means for releasing and humidifying water vapor into the room, a water supply tank for storing water to be supplied to the humidification means, weight detection means for detecting the weight of the water supply tank, operation mode switching means for switching the operation mode, A cut-off timer operation means for stopping operation after a predetermined time, a humidity sensor, a humidification amount estimation means for estimating a humidification amount according to the operation mode and the detected value of the humidity sensor, and a display means, and at the start of the cut-off timer operation Compares the humidification amount when the operation is continued until the set time of the timer is turned off and the remaining water amount in the water supply tank. If the remaining water amount is insufficient, the operation is performed while notifying or displaying that the water supply to the water supply tank is necessary. Humidifier characterized by lowering the mode to the less humidified mode.   If the amount of water in the water supply tank is insufficient while the timer is running, notify or display that water supply to the water supply tank is required every predetermined time, and lower the operation mode by one step toward the one with less humidification. The humidifier according to claim 1 or 2.

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