JP7421458B2 - humidifier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a humidifier that can carry out a mist operation that supplies humidified air containing mist into a room.

Conventionally, with this type of device, a rotating body installed at the lower end of the water in the water storage chamber rotates, sucking up the water and scattering it around, and the scattered water collides with the colliding body to generate mist and blow air. In a humidifier that performs mist operation in which air drawn into the device body by a fan passes through a water storage chamber to blow humidified air containing mist into the room, when it is determined that the mist operation has continued for a predetermined operating time. There are some systems that continue the mist operation, control the opening and closing of the water supply valve and the drain valve, and carry out a water exchange operation to keep the water level in the water storage chamber between the upper limit water level and the lower limit water level. (For example, Patent Document 1)

Patent No. 6591936

However, with this conventional system, during the water exchange operation, the water level in the water storage chamber fluctuates between the upper limit water level and the lower limit water level, resulting in a difference in the amount of water sucked up by the rotating body, which causes problems to occur in the water storage chamber. As the amount of mist increases or decreases, the amount of mist contained in the humidified air blown from the air outlet becomes unstable, making it impossible to obtain a constant amount of humidification, so there is room for improvement.

In order to solve the above problem, in claim 1 of the present invention, a water storage chamber that is located in the device main body and stores water;
a cylindrical rotating body whose lower end is submerged in the water storage chamber and pumps up and scatters water by rotation; a mist motor that rotationally drives the rotating body;
a collision body that generates mist when water scattered by the rotation of the rotary body collides; a blower fan that blows humidified air containing the mist generated by the collision body from a ventilation port;
water level detection means for detecting the water level in the water storage chamber;
a water supply pipe having one end connected to the water storage chamber and having a water supply valve in the middle of the pipe that can switch between supplying water to the water storage chamber;
a drain pipe having one end connected to the water storage chamber and having a drain valve in the middle of the pipe that can switch whether or not water in the water storage chamber is drained;
a control unit that controls a mist operation in which humidified air containing mist generated in the water storage chamber is blown from the air outlet by the blower fan;
The water level detection means is capable of determining whether the water level in the water storage chamber is above the upper limit water level, below the lower limit water level, or above an intermediate water level between the upper limit water level and the lower limit water level,
When determining that a predetermined operation start timing has arrived during the mist operation, the control unit opens the water supply valve and the drain valve to replace the water in the water storage chamber while continuing the mist operation. Perform water exchange operation,
During the water replacement operation, if the water level detecting means determines that the water level in the water storage chamber is above the upper limit water level, the water supply valve is closed, and if it is determined that the water level has fallen below the middle water level, the water supply valve is opened. so that the opening and closing of the water supply valve is controlled,
The drain valve is opened and closed so that when the water level detection means determines that the water level in the water storage chamber is below the lower limit water level, the drain valve is closed, and when it is determined that the water level is above the middle water level, the drain valve is opened. It is characterized by control.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control section sets the drain valve to a predetermined opening degree that limits the amount of water drained from the water storage chamber during the water exchange operation.

According to this invention, during a water exchange operation, if the water level detecting means determines that the water level in the water storage chamber is above the upper limit water level, the water supply valve is closed, and when it is determined that the water level has fallen below the middle water level, the water supply valve is opened. , controls the opening and closing of the water supply valve, and closes the drain valve when the water level detection means determines that the water level in the water storage chamber is below the lower limit water level, and opens the drain valve when it determines that the water level is above the middle water level. Since the opening/closing is controlled, the water level during the water exchange operation can be set to either between the middle water level and the upper limit water level, near the middle water level, or between the middle water level and the lower limit water level, so that the mist contained in the humidified air can be adjusted. It is possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount of humidified air and to blow a stable amount of humidified air.

A perspective view illustrating the appearance of an embodiment of this invention Schematic configuration diagram of the embodiment Control block diagram of the embodiment Diagram explaining the operation unit of the same embodiment Flowchart explaining the operation from start to end of the same embodiment Flowchart explaining the water replacement operation of the embodiment Flowchart explaining the water replacement operation of the embodiment Flowchart explaining the water replacement operation of the embodiment A diagram illustrating the water level in the water storage chamber that changes based on the relationship between the amount of water supplied and the amount of water discharged in the water exchange operation of the same embodiment.

Next, a mist generator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.
Please refer to FIG. Reference numeral 1 designates a main body of the device, 2 a top panel constituting the upper front portion of the main body 1, 3 a lower panel constituting the lower front portion of the main body 1, and 4 a breaker cover that hides a breaker (not shown).

See FIG. 2. Reference numeral 10 denotes a water storage chamber located at approximately the middle height position within the device main body 1 and for storing a predetermined amount of water. Inside the water storage chamber 10, there is a heater 11 that is installed below the water surface and heats the stored water by switching between ON and OFF states, and a water level sensor that detects the water level by moving the float up and down. 12, and a partition plate 14, on which the mist motor 24 is mounted on a horizontally extending plate, and whose upper end extending vertically upward abuts against and supports the lower end of the air/water separation case 30. Further, an air inlet 15 is formed at the upper right side of the water storage chamber 10 to allow indoor air to flow therein.

The water level sensors 12 include an upper water level sensor 12a that determines whether the water level is above the upper limit water level, a lower water level sensor 12c that determines whether the water level is below the lower limit water level, and an upper water level sensor 12c that judges whether the water level is above the middle water level between the upper limit water level and the lower limit water level. The detailed control contents according to the ON/OFF state of each water level sensor 10 will be described later.

Further, on the outside of the water storage chamber 10, a water storage temperature sensor 13 is installed on the bottom surface of the water storage chamber 10 and detects the temperature of the water stored in the water storage chamber 10.

See FIG. 2. Reference numeral 20 denotes a cylindrical rotating body whose lower end is submerged in water in the water storage chamber 10 and is pivotally supported by a drive shaft 21, and has a hollow inverted conical shape and whose circumference gradually increases upward. A cylindrical frame body 22 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the rotary body 20 and rotates together with the rotating body 20, and a porous portion 23 as a collision body made of a large number of slits, wire mesh, punched metal, etc. is provided on the entire circumferential wall of the frame body 22. is set up.

See FIG. 2. Reference numeral 24 denotes a mist motor 24 which is installed above the water storage chamber 10 and rotatably drives the rotating body 20 by being pivotally supported by the drive shaft 21. When the mist motor 24 is driven, the rotating body 20 rotates and the water storage chamber 10 is rotated. The water pumped up from the inner wall scatters toward the outer circumferential direction from a plurality of scattering holes (not shown) formed at the upper end of the rotating body 20 and collides with the porous portion 23, so that the water becomes fine and the particle size becomes nanometers (nm). At the same time, large amounts of mist with a relatively large particle size are generated. Further, the rotary body 20, the porous portion 23, and the mist motor 24 constitute a humidified air generating means.

The mist motor 24 uses a motor that can rotate the rotating body 20 only in the clockwise direction when viewed from above, and during the mist operation described later, the rotating body 20 is rotated clockwise according to each setting state. Rotate by changing the rotation speed in the direction.

Note that when the water level in the water storage chamber 10 falls below the lower limit water level, it becomes difficult for the rotating body 20 to pump up water, and the amount of mist and negative ions generated decreases, reducing the amount of humidified air released into the room. It will decrease.
Further, when the water level in the water storage chamber 10 exceeds the upper limit water level, the load on the rotation of the rotary body 20 increases due to the viscous resistance of the water, which places a load on the mist motor 24, leading to a reduction in product life.
From the above, by keeping the water level in the water storage chamber 10 within the range from the lower limit water level to the upper limit water level, it is possible to ensure the amount of water pumped by the rotating body 20 and to prevent an increase in the load on the mist motor 24.

See FIG. 2. 30 is an air/water separation case located above the water storage chamber 10, connects the water storage chamber 10 and the air outlet 40, and through which humidified air containing mist generated within the water storage chamber 10 passes; 31 is the air/water separation case; A plurality of plate-shaped baffle plates are arranged alternately in the middle of 30.

When humidified air passes through the air/water separation case 30, large water droplets with large particle diameters contained in the humidified air adhere to the baffle plate 31, and when the large water droplets adhering to the baffle plate 31 accumulate, the side surfaces of the air/water separation case 30 are It flows down and drips into the water storage chamber 10. As a result, large water droplets are not guided to the air outlet 40, and dew condensation near the air outlet 40 can be prevented from occurring.

Further, the steam/water separation case 30 can be pulled out toward the front of the instrument main body 1 by gripping a handle (not shown). As a result, products caused by the air/water separation case 30 can be removed by periodically taking out the air/water separation case 30 from inside the appliance body 1 for maintenance, cleaning, etc., and returning it to the original installation location after the work is completed. Trouble can be prevented from occurring.

See FIG. 2. Reference numeral 40 denotes an air outlet formed with the front side of the upper part of the device main body 1 open. The humidified air containing mist that has passed through the air/water separation case 30 is blown into the room from the air outlet 40, thereby making it possible to humidify the room and purify the air. becomes.

See FIG. 2. Reference numeral 50 denotes an intake port formed on the front surface of the appliance main body 1 through which indoor air enters; It includes a blower fan 51 that blows air, an intake temperature sensor 52 that detects the ambient temperature of indoor air sucked into the intake port 50, and a humidity sensor 53 that detects the relative humidity in the room where the appliance body 1 is installed. .

When the blower fan 51 is driven at a predetermined rotation speed, the indoor air sucked in from the intake port 50 is blown toward the upper part of the appliance body 1, and the indoor air passes through the ventilation path 54 that connects the intake port 50 and the water storage chamber 10. Then, the indoor air that has flowed into the water storage chamber 10 becomes humidified air containing mist, rises inside the air/water separation case 30, and is blown into the room from the air outlet 40, thereby making the humidified air containing mist. Can be supplied indoors.

In addition, 55 is a bypass inlet formed in the steam/water separation case 30, and after passing through the ventilation path 54, the indoor air that is diverted without flowing into the air inflow port 15 of the water storage chamber 10 enters the steam/water separation case 30. flow inward.
As a result, the humidified air passing through the water storage chamber 10 and rising up the steam/water separation case 30 is mixed with the indoor air flowing in from the bypass inlet 55, and the air is blown from the air outlet 40, so that the humidified air is supplied with a large air volume. Air can be blown into the room, and it is possible to solve the problem of insufficient humidification when the installation area of the appliance main body 1 is large.

See FIG. 2. Reference numeral 60 denotes a water supply pipe whose one end is connected to the side surface of the water storage chamber 10 and supplies city water into the water storage chamber 10. In the middle of the water supply pipe 60, a solenoid valve is opened and closed to supply water into the water storage chamber 10. A water supply valve 61 to be controlled and a pressure reducing valve 62 to reduce the water supply pressure to a predetermined value are provided.

Reference numeral 70 is a drain pipe whose one end is connected to the lower part of the water storage chamber 10 and drains the water in the water storage chamber 10 to the outside of the appliance main body 1. A drain valve 71 is provided to control draining of water.

See FIG. 3. Reference numeral 80 denotes an operation section installed on the top panel 2 and provided with a plurality of switches and lamps.
The operation unit 80 includes an operation switch 81 that instructs to start and stop the mist operation, and an operation switch 81 that changes the temperature of the water stored in the water storage chamber 10 by switching the ON/OFF state of the heater 11. A humidification switch 82 that can be selected from three levels of humidification that change the amount of humidification that is the amount of water that flows out, and an auto mode that changes the humidification level so that the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 53 becomes a preset humidity. , three air volume levels that can set the rotational speed of the mist motor 24 and the blower fan 51, and an automatic system that changes the air volume level so that the humidity set by the humidity sensor 53 becomes a preset humidity. An air volume switch 83 that can be selected from modes is provided.

See FIG. 3. A lamp corresponding to each switch is provided above each switch of the operation unit 80, and an operation lamp 84 lights up when the operation switch 81 is operated, and an operation lamp 84 lights up during the sterilization operation that starts when the mist operation continues for a predetermined time or more. a sterilization lamp 85 that displays the humidification level set by the humidification switch 82, a value from 1 to 3 and A indicating auto mode, and a humidification level lamp 86 that displays the humidification level set by the air volume switch 83 from 1 to 3. An air volume level lamp 87 is provided which displays numerical values and A indicating auto mode.

See FIG. 4. Reference numeral 90 denotes a control unit composed of a microcomputer that controls operation details and opening/closing of valves based on the detection values detected by each sensor and the settings of each switch provided on the operation unit 80. The water temperature in the water storage chamber 10 is controlled by switching the ON/OFF states of the mist motor control means 91 that drives the mist motor control means 91 to drive the blower fan 51 at a predetermined rotation speed, the blower fan control means 92 that drives the blower fan 51 at a predetermined rotation speed, and the heater 11. A heater control means 93 composed of a solid state relay (SSR) is provided.

Next, the operation from the start to the end of operation in this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

First, when the operation switch 81 of the operation unit 80 is operated, the control unit 90 opens the drain valve 71 to drain the water in the water storage chamber 10, and when the water level becomes below the lower limit water level, the sewage level sensor 12c outputs an OFF signal. When this is detected, the water supply valve 61 is opened to perform a cleaning operation to flush the inside of the water storage chamber 10 with water, and after a predetermined period of time, the drain valve 71 is closed to drain the water flowing from the water supply valve 61 into the water storage chamber 10. When a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the water storage chamber 10 by a flow sensor (not shown), a cleaning mode is performed in which the water supply valve 61 is closed (step S101).

When the cleaning mode in step S101 is finished, the control unit 90 turns on the heater 11 with the heater control means 93 until the water temperature detected by the water temperature sensor 13 becomes the same as the room temperature, and controls the mist motor 24 and A start-up mode is performed in which a start-up operation is controlled by the mist motor control means 91 and the blower fan control means 92 so that the blower fan 51 reaches a predetermined rotation speed (step S102).

When the start-up mode in step S102 ends, the control unit 90 controls the mist motor 24 and the blower fan 51 to operate at a predetermined rotation speed based on the humidification level and air volume level set by the humidification switch 82 and the air volume switch 83. The rotation speed is controlled by the mist motor control means 91 and the blower fan control means 92 to drive the heater 11, and the ON/OFF state of the heater 11 is switched and controlled by the heater control means 93 to adjust the humidification level and the air volume level. A normal operation mode is performed in which a mist operation is performed to keep the temperature within the predetermined temperature range (step S103).

Further, if the control unit 90 determines that the water level in the water storage chamber 10 has become below the lower limit water level and the sewage level sensor 12c has outputted an OFF signal during the misting operation, the control unit 90 opens the water supply valve 61 so that the water inside the water storage chamber 10 is When it is determined that the water level in the water storage chamber 10 has exceeded the upper limit water level and the water level sensor 12a has output an ON signal, the water supply valve 61 is closed to stop the water supply to the water storage chamber 10. By doing so, it is possible to maintain a water level that allows constant mist operation.

In addition, the control unit 90 calculates the cumulative amount of water supplied into the water storage chamber 10 from the number of ON/OFF times of the water level sensor 12 and a flow sensor (not shown) during mist operation, and when the cumulative amount of water supplied reaches a predetermined value. When it is determined that the predetermined operation start timing has come, a water replacement operation is performed to replace the water in the water storage chamber 10 while continuing the mist operation, thereby suppressing scale generation in the water storage chamber 10.
The detailed operation contents of the water exchange operation will be described later.

Furthermore, if the lower limit water level is not detected within the predetermined drainage time period during which the lower limit water level sensor 12c detects the lower limit water level during the water replacement operation, the control unit 90 determines that an error has occurred, and the mist motor 24 and the blower fan 51 The error is notified by stopping the drive and blinking the operation lamp 84, and switching to an error state in which mist operation is prohibited by operating the operation switch 81. When the control unit 90 determines that a predetermined error release operation has been performed, such as when a specific switch (not shown) in the control unit 90 is operated after maintenance has been performed by the operator, the error state is canceled and the operation is started. By operating the switch 81, the state is changed to a state in which mist operation can be performed.

If it is determined that the time that has passed since the start of the normal operation mode in step S103 has reached 16 hours, or that the operation switch 81 has been operated during the normal operation mode and an instruction to end the mist operation has been issued, the control unit 90 controls the mist operation. After stopping the motor 24, the drain valve 71 is opened to drain the water in the water storage chamber 10, and after a predetermined period of time, the water supply valve 61 is opened to clean the water storage chamber 10, and then the drain valve 71 is opened. A cleaning operation is performed in which the valve is closed and a predetermined amount of water is stored in the water storage chamber 10, and then a sterilization operation is performed for 10 minutes in which the heater 11 is turned on and the water is heated to around 65° C. to sterilize the water. After 10 minutes have elapsed, a cooling operation is performed to cool the inside of the water storage chamber 10, and when the water storage temperature becomes less than 60° C., a cleaning mode is performed in which the drain valve 71 is opened to drain the water (step S104).

When the cleaning mode in step S104 ends, the control unit 90 shifts to the drying mode (step S105), and controls the blower fan control means 92 to drive the blower fan 51 at a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 800 rpm), A drying operation is performed in which the blower fan 51 is continued to be driven for a predetermined period of time (for example, 3 hours), and when it is determined that 3 hours have elapsed, the blower fan 51 is stopped and the operation is ended.

Next, the water replacement operation in the normal operation mode in this embodiment will be explained.
See FIG. 6. When the control unit 90 determines that the cumulative amount of water supplied into the water storage chamber 10 during the mist operation has reached a predetermined value, the control unit 90 opens the water supply valve 61 and the drain valve 71 while continuing the mist operation to supply water to the water storage chamber 10. Simultaneous water supply and drainage is carried out, and furthermore, counting of the cumulative water supply amount during the water exchange operation is started from the opening time of the water supply valve 61 and the water supply flow rate (step S201).

At this time, the drain valve 71 is not fully opened to 0°, but is opened by a predetermined opening degree of 30°. The purpose of this is to prevent over-drainage from continuing for a long period of time, as the relationship between water supply and drainage to the water storage chamber 10 is designed so that the amount of water supplied is less than the amount of drainage, assuming in advance that the drainage will be clogged by scale. .

After opening the water supply valve 61 and the drain valve 71 in step S201, the control unit 90 determines whether the detected water level in the water storage chamber 10 is higher than the lower limit water level with the sewage level sensor 12c in the ON state (step S202), and performs the detection. If the water level is higher than the lower limit water level and the determination is Yes, it is determined whether the detected water level of the water storage chamber 10 is lower than the upper limit water level with the upper water level sensor 12a in the OFF state (step S203), and if the detected water level is lower than the upper limit water level and the determination is Yes. For example, the amount of water supplied into the water storage chamber 10 and the amount of water discharged are the same, and the water supply valve 61 and the drain valve 71 continue to be open.

If Yes is determined in step S203, the control unit 90 determines whether the cumulative amount of water supplied since the start of the water replacement operation is 28 L or more (S204), and if the cumulative amount of water supplied is 28 L or more and Yes is determined, water is supplied. The valve 61 and the drain valve 71 are closed to finish counting the cumulative amount of water supplied, and the water replacement operation is completed (step S205). If the cumulative amount of water supplied is less than 28 L and the determination is No, the determination in step S202 is repeated. repeat.

See FIG. 9. In this way, if the amount of water supplied to the water storage chamber 10 and the amount of water discharged are maintained at the same level during the water exchange operation, the water level will be located between the upper limit water level and the lower limit water level, as shown in the state (1). Since a constant water level can be maintained, there is almost no fluctuation in the water level, so there is no fluctuation in the amount of mist contained in the humidified air, and a stable amount of humidified air can be continuously blown into the room.
In addition, since the water supply valve 61 and the drain valve 71 are opened and closed only once each from the start to the end of the water exchange operation, wear and tear caused by repeated opening and closing operations of the water supply valve 61 and the drain valve 71 is suppressed. be able to.

See FIG. 7. If the sewage level sensor 12c is in the OFF state in step S202 and the detected water level in the water storage chamber 10 is below the lower limit water level and the determination is No, the control unit 90 determines that there is an excessive drainage state and closes the drain valve 71 ( Step S210), stopping drainage from the water storage chamber 10.

After completing the process of step S210, the control unit 90 determines whether the middle water level sensor 12b is in the ON state and the detected water level in the water storage chamber 10 is equal to or higher than the middle water level (step S211), and determines whether the detected water level is If the detected water level is higher than the middle water level and the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to the next step, and if the detected water level is lower than the middle water level and the determination is No, the determination in step S211 is repeated.

If Yes is determined in step S211, the control unit 90 determines whether the cumulative water supply amount from the start of the water replacement operation is 28 L or more (S212), and if the cumulative water supply amount is 28 L or more and Yes is determined, the control unit 90 performs the Proceeding to step S205, the water replacement operation is completed, and if the accumulated water supply amount is less than 28 L and the determination is No, the drain valve 71 is returned to the 30° open state (step S213), and the determination in step S202 is repeated.

See FIG. 9. In this way, if the relationship between the amount of water supplied to the water storage chamber 10 during the water exchange operation is such that the amount of water supplied < the amount of water discharged, as shown in (2), the water level of the water storage chamber 10 is adjusted between the middle water level and the lower limit water level. Since the amount of mist contained in the humidified air increases or decreases due to the large fluctuation range of the water level, it is possible to suppress unevenness in the amount of humidification.

Refer to FIG. If the water level sensor 12a is in the ON state and the detected water level in the water storage chamber 10 is equal to or higher than the upper limit water level in step S203, and the determination is No, the control unit 90 closes the water supply valve 61 as an excessive water supply state ( Step S220), the water supply to the water storage chamber 10 is stopped.

After completing the process of step S220, the control unit 90 determines whether the middle water level sensor 12b is in the OFF state and the detected water level of the water storage chamber 10 is lower than the middle water level (step S221), and determines whether the detected water level is lower than the middle water level. If the detected water level is lower than the middle water level and the judgment is YES, the water supply valve 61 is returned to the open state (step S222), and the judgment in step S202 is repeated. Repeat the judgment.

See FIG. 9. In this way, if the relationship between the amount of water supplied to the water storage chamber 10 during the water exchange operation is such that the amount of water supplied > the amount of water discharged, as shown in (3), the water level of the water storage chamber 10 is adjusted between the upper limit water level and the middle water level. Since the amount of mist contained in the humidified air increases or decreases due to the large fluctuation range of the water level, it is possible to suppress unevenness in the amount of humidification.

In this embodiment, the water supply valve 61 is closed in step S220 so that the detected water level in the water storage chamber 10 becomes lower than the upper limit water level. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The amount of water discharged may be increased by As a result, the water level in the water storage chamber 10 can be lowered, and the same effect as closing the water supply valve 61 can be expected.

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

When replacing water during mist operation, after opening the water supply valve 61 and drain valve 71 to perform simultaneous water supply and drainage, if the upper limit water level and lower limit water level are not detected by each water level sensor 12, simultaneous water supply and drainage will continue. When a water level above the upper limit water level is detected, the opening and closing of the water supply valve 61 is controlled so that the water level fluctuates between the middle water level and the upper water level, and when a water level below the lower limit water level is detected, the water level fluctuates between the lower water limit water level and the middle water level. Since the opening and closing of the drain valve 71 is controlled, it is possible to suppress the fluctuation range of the water level in the water storage chamber 10 during the water exchange operation, and because there is no unevenness in the amount of mist contained in the humidified air, stable humidification is achieved during the water exchange operation. A large amount of humidified air can be blown indoors.

In addition, during the water exchange operation, the opening degree of the drain valve 71 is set to 30 degrees, which is the predetermined opening degree that limits the amount of water discharged from the water storage chamber 10, so that the state of excessive drainage, which is the relationship of water supply amount < drainage amount, will last for a long time. By continuing for a long time, the number of water level fluctuations in the water storage chamber 10 increases and the amount of mist contained in the humidified air becomes uneven, which can prevent stable humidified air from being blown.

In this embodiment, the opening degree of the drain valve 71 is fixed at a predetermined opening degree of 30 degrees during the water exchange operation, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the opening degree of the drain valve 71 may be changed based on the closing time of the water supply valve 61 and the drain valve 71 during the water exchange operation.

Specifically, in the water exchange operation, the drain valve 71 is closed in step S210, which is performed when there is an excessive amount of water discharged, where the relationship of water supply amount<drainage amount is satisfied, and then the drain valve 71 is closed in step S213. The control may be such that the time until the valve opens is counted, and the opening degree of the drain valve 71 when the drain valve 71 is opened in step S213 is changed in a direction proportional to the counted time.

As a result, the amount of water discharged from the water storage chamber 10 during water replacement operation is reduced, so the amount of water supplied and the amount of water discharged can be brought close to the same amount, and the time when the water level fluctuation range is small can be maintained for a long time, so that the humidified air It is possible to suppress the increase or decrease in the amount of mist contained therein, and to blow a stable amount of humidified air into the room.

In addition, during the water replacement operation, the time from when the water supply valve 61 is closed in step S220, which is carried out when the water supply is in an oversupply state where the relationship of water supply > drainage volume, to the time when the water supply valve 61 is opened in step S222 is counted. However, the control may be such that the opening angle of the drain valve 71 is changed in the direction of opening in proportion to the count time, and the water supply valve 61 is opened in step S222, and the drain valve 71 is set to the changed opening degree. .

As a result, the amount of water discharged from the water storage chamber 10 during the water exchange operation increases, so the amount of water supplied and the amount of water discharged can be brought close to the same amount, and the time when the water level fluctuation range is small can be maintained for a long time, so that the humidified air is It is possible to suppress the increase or decrease in the amount of mist contained therein, and to blow a stable amount of humidified air into the room.

In addition, by changing the opening degree of the drain valve 71 during the water exchange operation, the amount of water supplied and discharged is not only brought closer to the same amount, but also by changing the opening degree of the water supply valve 61, etc., the amount of water supplied during the water exchange operation is changed. However, the control may be such that the water supply and drainage amount approaches the same amount by decreasing the water supply amount when there is an excessive water supply state and increasing the water supply amount when there is an excessive drainage state.

Further, in this embodiment, the predetermined operation start timing for starting the water replacement operation is determined based on the cumulative water supply amount during the mist operation reaching a predetermined value, but this is not limited to this. The content may be such that the water replacement operation is performed after a preset predetermined time has elapsed, and the water replacement operation is performed at a timing when the water in the water storage chamber 10 becomes highly contaminated during mist operation. Any content that can be used falls within the scope of the present invention.

1 Apparatus body 10 Water storage chamber 12 Water level sensor (water level detection means)
12a Upper water level sensor 12b Middle water level sensor 12c Lower water level sensor 20 Rotating body 23 Porous part (colliding body)
24 Mist motor 40 Air outlet 51 Air blower fan 60 Water supply pipe 61 Water supply valve 70 Drain pipe 71 Drain valve 90 Control section

Claims (2)

A water storage chamber that stores water within the device body;
a cylindrical rotating body whose lower end is submerged in the water storage chamber and pumps up and scatters water by rotation; a mist motor that rotationally drives the rotating body;
a collision body that generates mist when water scattered by the rotation of the rotary body collides; a blower fan that blows humidified air containing the mist generated by the collision body from a ventilation port;
water level detection means for detecting the water level in the water storage chamber;
a water supply pipe having one end connected to the water storage chamber and having a water supply valve in the middle of the pipe that can switch between supplying water to the water storage chamber;
a drain pipe having one end connected to the water storage chamber and having a drain valve in the middle of the pipe that can switch whether or not water in the water storage chamber is drained;
a control unit that controls a mist operation in which humidified air containing mist generated in the water storage chamber is blown from the air outlet by the blower fan;
The water level detection means is capable of determining whether the water level in the water storage chamber is above the upper limit water level, below the lower limit water level, or above an intermediate water level between the upper limit water level and the lower limit water level,
When determining that a predetermined operation start timing has arrived during the mist operation, the control unit opens the water supply valve and the drain valve to replace the water in the water storage chamber while continuing the mist operation. Perform water exchange operation,
During the water exchange operation, if the water level detecting means determines that the water level in the water storage chamber is equal to or higher than the upper limit water level, the water supply valve is closed, and if it is determined that the water level has fallen below the middle water level, the water supply valve is opened. so that the opening and closing of the water supply valve is controlled,
The drain valve is opened and closed so that when the water level detection means determines that the water level in the water storage chamber is below the lower limit water level, the drain valve is closed, and when it is determined that the water level is above the middle water level, the drain valve is opened. A humidifying device characterized by: The humidifying device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets the drain valve to a predetermined opening degree that limits the amount of water drained from the water storage chamber during the water exchange operation.

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