JP7546009B2 - Air Purifier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an air purification device.

Patent document 1 discloses a retrofit filter that covers the air intake of a home air conditioner as an air conditioner.

JP 2002-147836 A

However, the add-on filter described in Patent Document 1 may not have sufficient performance for capturing and disinfecting viruses, bacteria, etc., and there is a risk that viruses, bacteria, etc. may be sucked into the air conditioner and spread from the air conditioner.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an air purifier that can purify the air drawn into an air conditioner.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an air purifying device having an inlet for introducing air into the interior and an outlet for discharging the air from the interior, a housing defining an air flow path between the inlet and the outlet, a filter disposed in the air flow path, and a light-emitting device for irradiating the filter with ultraviolet light, the outlet being attached to face the intake port of an air conditioner, and the inlet and the outlet being formed only at positions different from the light-emitting device when viewed from the direction in which the filter and the light-emitting device are arranged.

The present invention makes it possible to provide an air purifier that can purify the air drawn into an air conditioner.

1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the air purifying device is in use according to a first embodiment; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air purifying device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of each layer of the air purifying device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air purifying device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air purifying device according to a third embodiment.

[First embodiment]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that the embodiment described below is shown as a preferred specific example for carrying out the present invention, and while there are some parts that specifically exemplify various technical matters that are technically preferable, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this specific embodiment.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the air purifier 1 in use in this embodiment. The air purifier 1 is installed near an air conditioner 10 that is separate from the air conditioner 10, and discharges purified air toward the air inlet 101 of the air conditioner 10. In this embodiment, the air conditioner 10 is a wall-mounted household air conditioner with an air inlet 101 at the top. The air purifier 1 is attached to the upper side of the air conditioner 10 that has already been installed in a house, for example, and discharges purified air toward the air inlet 101. This allows purified air to be taken into the air conditioner 10, and prevents viruses, bacteria, etc. from spreading from the air conditioner 10 to the space (for example, a room) in which the air conditioner 10 is installed. When installed above the air conditioner 10, the air purifier 1 is configured to be flat in the horizontal direction, and this allows it to be placed in a limited space above the household air conditioner that is the air conditioner 10.

Hereinafter, the thickness direction of the air purifier 1 will be referred to as the "vertical direction". The vertical direction is the vertical direction when the air purifier 1 is installed above the air conditioner 10, and is the vertical direction in FIG. 2 described below. When the air purifier 1 is installed above the air conditioner 10, the upper side in the vertical direction (e.g., the upper side in FIG. 2) will simply be referred to as the "upper side", and the opposite side (e.g., the lower side in FIG. 2) will be referred to as the "lower side". A direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction of the air purifier 1 (e.g., the left-right direction in FIG. 2) will be referred to as the "left-right direction". A direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the left-right direction (e.g., the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2) will be referred to as the "front-rear direction".

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air purifier 1 parallel to both the vertical and horizontal directions. Note that in Figure 2, the thickness of each part and the distance between each part are exaggerated for convenience. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of each layer of the air purifier 1. In Figure 3, the thickness of each part of each layer is omitted for convenience.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air purifier 1 includes a housing 2, a filter layer 3 in which a filter 31 is arranged, a light-emitting device layer 4 in which a light-emitting device 41 is arranged, a detection unit 5, and a control unit 6.

The housing 2 is a flat, hollow rectangular box. The housing 2 has an inlet 211 for introducing air into the inside and an outlet 221 for discharging the air from the inside, and defines an air flow path 20 between the inlet 211 and the outlet 221. In FIG. 2, an example of the flow of air introduced into the housing 2 from the inlet 211, passing through the air flow path 20, and being discharged from the outlet 221 is shown by arrow F. The housing 2 is made of a material capable of blocking the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41. For example, the housing 2 may be made of a resin (e.g., fluororesin), ceramic, etc. that is difficult for ultraviolet light to pass through and is difficult to deteriorate by ultraviolet light, or may be made of a metal that reflects ultraviolet light.

2 and 3, two inlets 211 are formed in the top wall 21 of the housing 2. The two inlets 211 are each formed in a rectangular shape and are formed at both ends of the top wall 21 in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the portion between the two inlets 211 of the top wall 21 is a first light-shielding portion 212 that prevents ultraviolet light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 from leaking out of the inlet 211, as will be described in detail later. Note that the inlet 211 only needs to be located upstream of the air flow path 20 with respect to the filter 31 and the light-emitting device 41, and may be formed in, for example, the front wall 23 (see FIG. 1) or the side wall 24 of the housing 2.

Two exhaust ports 221 are formed in the bottom wall portion 22 of the housing 2. The two exhaust ports 221 are each formed in a rectangular shape and are formed at both ends of the bottom wall portion 22 in the longitudinal direction. As will be described in detail later, the portion between the two exhaust ports 221 of the bottom wall portion 22 is a second light-shielding portion 222 that prevents ultraviolet light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 from leaking out of the exhaust ports 221.

1 and 2, the housing 2 has two flanges 25 protruding on both sides in the left-right direction at the rear end. The flanges 25 have bolt insertion holes 251 for inserting the bolts B. The housing 2 is fixed to the installation wall 100 by inserting the bolts B into the bolt insertion holes 251 and screwing them into the installation wall 100 (e.g., the wall of a house) to which the air conditioner 10 is attached. The installation method of the housing 2 is not limited to bolt fastening, and various methods can be adopted. For example, it is also possible to add a structure that sandwiches the air conditioner 10 from the left and right directions to the air purifier 1. In this case, since the width of a home air conditioner as the air conditioner 10 is often set to a specific width, the structure that sandwiches the air conditioner 10 from the left and right directions can be designed taking this specific width into consideration. In addition, a structure that can be engaged with the air conditioner 10 may be added to the air purifier 1, or a suction cup or the like that adheres to the air conditioner 10 may be added to the air purifier 1. A filter layer 3 and a light-emitting device layer 4 are arranged inside the housing 2.

2 and 3, the filter layer 3 includes a filter 31 and a filter mounting plate 32 to which the filter 31 is attached. The filter 31 is disposed in the air flow path 20 in the housing 2. In this embodiment, the filter 31 is made of metal or alloy. Since the filter 31 is irradiated with ultraviolet light by the light emitting device 41, it is preferable that the filter 31 is made of metal or alloy that is not easily deteriorated even when irradiated with ultraviolet light. It is also possible to adopt a nonwoven fabric or the like as the filter 31. The housing 2 may be configured so that the filter 31 can be replaced. In particular, when the filter 31 is made of a nonwoven fabric or the like made of a material that deteriorates due to ultraviolet light, the filter 31 needs to be replaced. In addition, when the housing 2 is configured so that the filter 31 cannot be replaced, it is preferable to devise a structure of the housing 2 so that the filter 31 can be easily cleaned. For example, the filter layer 3 may be configured so that it can be pulled out from the housing 2, making it easier for the user to clean the filter 31.

The filter 31 may be, for example, mesh-like, sponge-like, or porous. A fine-meshed filter is used for the filter 31 so as to capture viruses, bacteria, and the like. In this embodiment, the filter 31 carries a photocatalyst. The photocatalyst is a catalyst that is activated by the ultraviolet light irradiated by the light-emitting device 41, and may be made of, for example, apatite, titanium oxide, or the like. The filter 31 does not have to carry a catalyst.

When viewed from the top and bottom, the filter 31 is disposed in a position that fits within the formation area of the first light-shielding portion 212, which is formed in the area between the two inlets 211 in the top wall portion 21 of the housing 2. In other words, when viewed from the top and bottom, the filter 31 does not protrude from the formation area of the first light-shielding portion 212. The first light-shielding portion 212 is a part of the housing 2 and is made of a material that can absorb ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41. The first light-shielding portion 212 prevents light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 and reflected by the metal or alloy filter 31 from leaking out of the housing 2 from the inlet 211. If ultraviolet light leaks from the inlet 211, for example, the wallpaper of the house may deteriorate and discolor, but the first light-shielding portion 212 prevents this. In FIG. 2, an example of light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 and reflected by the filter 31 is indicated by an arrow L1. The first light blocking section 212 may be constructed, for example, by assembling a separate member to the housing 2.

In addition, the filter 31 is arranged in a position that fits within the formation area of the second light-shielding portion 222, which is formed in the area between the two exhaust ports 221 in the bottom wall portion 22 of the housing 2, when viewed from the top and bottom. In other words, the filter 31 does not protrude from the formation area of the second light-shielding portion 222 when viewed from the top and bottom. The second light-shielding portion 222 is a part of the housing 2 and is made of a material that can reflect ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41. The second light-shielding portion 222 suppresses the light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 and passing through the filter 31 from leaking out of the housing 2 from the exhaust port 221. If ultraviolet light leaks from the exhaust port 221, for example, the upper part of the air conditioner 10 may deteriorate and discolor, but the second light-shielding portion 222 suppresses this. In addition, in FIG. 2, an example of light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 and passing through the filter 31 is represented by an arrow L2. A part of the ultraviolet light reflected by the second light-shielding portion 222 is irradiated to the filter 31 and used for sterilization of viruses, bacteria, etc. captured by the filter 31. In order to prevent the ultraviolet light reflected by the second light-shielding portion 222 from leaking from the exhaust port 221, for example, the filter mounting plate 32 may be made of a material capable of absorbing ultraviolet light. In addition, when the filter mounting plate 32 is made of a material that reflects ultraviolet light, the second light-shielding portion 222 may be made of a material capable of reflecting ultraviolet light at its center and a material capable of absorbing ultraviolet light at both ends. In this case, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 and reflected by the second light-shielding portion 222 is prevented from traveling toward the filter mounting plate 32, and as a result, the ultraviolet light is prevented from being reflected by the filter mounting plate 32 and leaking from the exhaust port 221. In this case, for example, the width in the left-right direction of the center of the second light-shielding portion 222 (i.e., the portion made of a material capable of reflecting ultraviolet light) can be set to be equal to or less than the length from one end to the other end in the left-right direction of three light-emitting elements 412 described below mounted on a substrate 411 described below. This further prevents the ultraviolet light reflected at the center of the second light-shielding portion 222 from traveling toward the filter mounting plate 32, thereby further preventing the ultraviolet light from being reflected by the filter mounting plate 32 and leaking out of the exhaust port 221. The second light-shielding portion 222 may be configured, for example, by assembling a member separate from the housing 2 to the housing 2.

The width in the left-right direction of the second light-shielding portion 222 is greater than the width in the left-right direction of the first light-shielding portion 212. In this embodiment, the light-emitting device 41 emits ultraviolet light toward the filter 31 located below, so that the ultraviolet light tends to spread below the filter 31. By widening the width of the second light-shielding portion 222 located on the side (below) where the light-emitting device 41 emits ultraviolet light, it is possible to reduce the ultraviolet light leaking from the housing 2. As described above, the housing 2 in this embodiment is made of a material capable of blocking ultraviolet light, and is designed to prevent ultraviolet light from leaking from the two inlets 211 and the two outlets 221, which are openings provided in the housing 2.

The filter mounting plate 32 has a mounting opening 321 in which the filter 31 is attached, and is formed in a plate shape. Like the housing 2, the filter mounting plate 32 is made of a material that can block the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41.

The light-emitting device layer 4 is disposed above the filter layer 3. The light-emitting device layer 4 has three light-emitting devices 41 and a device mounting plate 42 on which the three light-emitting devices 41 are attached. The light-emitting device 41 is for sterilizing the filter 31 by irradiating the filter 31 with ultraviolet light. The light-emitting device 41 has a substrate 411 that is elongated in the left-right direction and a plurality of light-emitting elements 412 mounted on the lower surface of the substrate 411 so as to be aligned in the left-right direction. The three substrates 411 are arranged in parallel. The light-emitting element 412 is a light-emitting diode (LED: Light Emitting Diode) element that can emit ultraviolet light. Hereinafter, the light-emitting element 412 is referred to as a light-emitting diode element 412. The light-emitting diode element 412 is an element having a stack of layers made of, for example, an AlGaN-based nitride semiconductor. In this embodiment, the light-emitting diode element 412 emits ultraviolet light with a central wavelength of 200 nm or more and 350 nm or less, and in this embodiment in particular, emits deep ultraviolet light with a central wavelength of 290 nm or less. Among ultraviolet lights, deep ultraviolet light has high sterilization performance for viruses, bacteria, etc. Note that the configuration of the light-emitting device 41 is not limited to the above-mentioned one, as long as it is possible to irradiate ultraviolet light to the filter 31.

Each of the three light-emitting devices 41 faces the filter 31 in the vertical direction. Each light-emitting diode element 412 of the light-emitting device 41 emits ultraviolet light with directivity toward the lower side (i.e., the filter 31 side). The irradiation angle of the ultraviolet light emitted by each light-emitting diode element 412 can be, for example, 30° or more and 180° or less. The positional relationship between the three light-emitting devices 41 and the filter 31 can be designed to be such that the filter 31 is sufficiently irradiated with ultraviolet light, depending on the irradiation angle of the ultraviolet light emitted by each light-emitting diode element 412, the size of the filter 31, etc.

The device mounting plate 42 is formed in a plate shape with an opening 421 in the center. The device mounting plate 42 also has two thin connecting plates 422 that connect both ends of the opening 421 in the front-rear direction. The three light emitting devices 41 are fixed to the two connecting plates 422. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the light emitting devices 41 are fixed to the device mounting plate 42 without providing the connecting plates 422. The device mounting plate 42 is made of a material that can block the ultraviolet light emitted by the light emitting devices 41, similar to the housing 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the detection unit 5 and the control unit 6 are fixed to the device mounting plate 42. It is noted that the detection unit and the control unit are not shown in FIG. 3.

The detection unit 5 is capable of detecting the air flow in the air flow path 20 of the housing 2, and can be configured, for example, with a pressure sensor (specifically, an air pressure sensor), a flow rate sensor, etc. In this embodiment, the detection unit 5 is shown attached to the upper surface of the device mounting plate 42, but the installation position can be set arbitrarily as long as it is located in a position facing the air flow path 20 in the housing 2 and can measure the flow in the air flow path 20. The detection result of the flow in the air flow path 20 by the detection unit 5 is output to the control unit 6.

The control unit 6 controls the light emitting operation of the light emitting device 41 based on the flow in the air flow path 20 detected by the detection unit 5. Specifically, the control unit 6 controls the light emitting operation of the light emitting device 41 so that the light emitting device 41 emits light when air is flowing in the air flow path 20 in the housing 2 (i.e., when the air conditioner 10 is operating), and the light emitting device 41 does not emit light when air is not flowing in the air flow path 20 in the housing 2 (i.e., when the air conditioner 10 is stopped). For example, when the detection unit 5 is an air pressure sensor, the control unit 6 makes the light emitting device 41 non-emitting when the air pressure in the air flow path 20 obtained by the detection unit 5 is within a predetermined range including atmospheric pressure, and makes the light emitting device 41 emit light when the air pressure in the air flow path 20 obtained by the detection unit 5 is outside the predetermined range. This predetermined range can be appropriately set based on each element such as the shape and size of the housing 2, the opening area of the inlet 211 and the outlet 221, etc. The control unit 6 includes a processor, a RAM that serves as a calculation area when the processor is operating, and a ROM that stores a program executed by the processor. However, without being limited to this, the control unit 6 may be configured with hardware such as a logic circuit, or may be configured as a combination of hardware and software.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air purifier 1 of this embodiment has a power cord 11 having a plug 111 at one end that can be plugged into an external power source. The power cord 11 supplies commercial power to the light emitting device 41 and the control unit 6 by connecting the plug 111 to a household outlet (not shown). In addition, a socket 12 electrically connected to the power cord 11 is provided on the side wall 24 of the housing 2. In particular, when the air conditioner 10 is a household air conditioner, there is often only one household socket near the air conditioner 10, since it is sufficient to be able to plug in the plug (not shown) of the air conditioner 10. According to this embodiment, by plugging the plug 111 of the power cord 11 of the air purifier 1 into a household socket and plugging the plug (not shown) of the air conditioner 10 into the socket 12 of the air purifier 1, both the air conditioner 10 and the air purifier 1 can be used with power supplied from a single household socket. In this embodiment, the outlet 12 is provided on the side wall 24 of the housing 2, but it can also be provided on the top wall 21 of the housing 2, for example. However, if the outlet 12 is provided on the top wall 21, it is necessary to provide a space above the air purifier 1 for inserting the plug 111 of the home air conditioner, which forces the air purifier 1 to be made even thinner, so it is preferable to provide the outlet 12 on the side wall 24, etc.

(Functions and Effects of the First Embodiment)
The air purifying device 1 of this embodiment includes a filter 31 disposed in the air flow path 20 inside the housing 2, and a light emitting device 41 that irradiates the filter 31 with ultraviolet light, and is attached such that the exhaust port 221 of the housing 2 faces the intake port 101 of the air conditioner 10. Therefore, it is possible to purify the air drawn into the air conditioner 10. This purifies the air in a space such as a room in which the air conditioner 10 is disposed.

The filter 31 is also made of metal or an alloy. This prevents the filter 31 from deteriorating even when exposed to ultraviolet light.

The air purifier 1 of this embodiment also includes a first light-shielding section 212 and a second light-shielding section 222 that are arranged on both sides of the light-emitting device 41 and the filter 31 and that prevent the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41 from leaking out of the inlet 211 and the outlet 221. This makes it possible to prevent the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41 from leaking out of the inlet 211 and the outlet 221, which would cause the air conditioner 10 to deteriorate or discolor, or the ceiling surface of the room in which the air conditioner 10 is installed to deteriorate or discolor.

The light-emitting device 41 also has a light-emitting diode element 412 that emits deep ultraviolet light with a central wavelength of 290 nm or less. By irradiating the filter 31 with deep ultraviolet light that has high sterilization performance for viruses, bacteria, etc., the air drawn into the air conditioner 10 can be further purified. Furthermore, by making the light-emitting device 41 have the light-emitting diode element 412, the entire air purifier 1 can be made smaller and lighter. In addition, since the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting diode element 412 has a higher directivity than the ultraviolet light emitted by, for example, a mercury lamp, it is possible to emit ultraviolet light in a concentrated manner toward the filter 31 and to suppress irradiation of ultraviolet light to areas where irradiation of ultraviolet light is not desired.

The filter 31 also carries a photocatalyst. Therefore, the photocatalyst promotes oxidation of viruses, bacteria, etc. captured by the filter 31, and they are inactivated in a short time. The photocatalyst also promotes the decomposition of odor-causing substances captured by the filter 31, and the generation of odors can be suppressed. In addition to the effect of the photocatalyst, ultraviolet light can also directly act on viruses, bacteria, etc. in the air to inactivate them.

The air purifier 1 also includes a detector 5 capable of detecting the air flow in the air flow path 20, and a controller 6 that controls the light emitting operation of the light emitting device 41 based on the air flow in the air flow path 20 detected by the detector 5. Therefore, the light emitting device 41 emits light only when necessary based on the state of the air flow in the air flow path 20, reducing power consumption.

As described above, this embodiment provides an air purifier that can purify the air drawn into the air conditioner.

[Second embodiment]
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air purifying device 1 in this embodiment parallel to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction.

This embodiment has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, but further includes an additional filter 71.

Inside the housing 2, an additional filter layer 7 with an additional filter 71 is disposed above the light-emitting device layer 4. The additional filter layer 7 includes an additional filter 71 and an additional filter mounting plate 72 to which the additional filter 71 is attached. The additional filter 71 is, for example, a nonwoven fabric filter for collecting dust and the like. The additional filter 71 is disposed upstream of the air flow path 20 relative to both the light-emitting device 41 and the filter 31. The additional filter 71 is disposed in a position that does not overlap the light-emitting device 41 when viewed from the top-bottom direction so that the additional filter 71 is not easily hit by the light emitted from the light-emitting device 41 and reflected by the filter 31. In this embodiment, the additional filters 71 are disposed at both ends of the additional filter layer 7 in the left-right direction. In addition, one additional filter 71 is disposed in a position that overlaps one inlet 211 in the top-bottom direction, and the other additional filter 71 is disposed in a position that overlaps the other inlet 211 in the top-bottom direction.

The additional filter mounting plate 72 is located between the two additional filters 71 and is formed in a plate shape. The additional filter mounting plate 72, like the housing 2, is made of a material capable of blocking the ultraviolet light emitted by the light emitting device 41. The additional filter mounting plate 72 may be configured so that the additional filter 71 can be pulled out to the outside of the housing 2, for example by a slide or the like.

The rest is similar to the first embodiment.
In addition, among the symbols used in the second and subsequent embodiments, the same symbols as those used in the previously described embodiments represent the same components, etc. as those in the previously described embodiments, unless otherwise specified.

(Functions and Effects of the Second Embodiment)
In this embodiment, an additional filter 71 is provided on the upstream side of the air flow path 20 relative to both the light emitting device 41 and the filter 31. Therefore, adhesion of dust and the like to the light emitting device 41 and the filter 31 can be suppressed.
In addition, the second embodiment has the same functions and effects as the first embodiment.

[Third embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air purifying device 1 in this embodiment, parallel to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction.

This embodiment has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, but further includes a light-shielding structure 8 in the air flow path 20 in the housing 2 that allows air to pass through and limits the passage of ultraviolet light.

The light-shielding structure 8 is disposed on both sides of the light-emitting device 41 and the filter 31 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the light-shielding structure 8 is a blind-like structure in which a plurality of slats 81 inclined in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are arranged in the horizontal direction. The light-shielding structure 8 is made of a material capable of blocking the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41, and can be made of a material capable of reflecting or absorbing ultraviolet light, for example. In addition, as a modified example of the light-shielding structure 8, for example, a structure in which a plurality of punched metals having a large number of holes are stacked at intervals with the positions of the holes shifted, or a structure forming a labyrinth passage that allows air to pass but not light to pass through, can be adopted. In this embodiment, the entire upper part of the housing 2 is an inlet 211, and the entire lower part is an outlet 221. In this embodiment, the upper and lower light-shielding structures 8 prevent the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41 from leaking upward and downward from the housing 2, so that the inlet 211 and the outlet 221 can be made wider, making it easier to increase the amount of air passing through the housing 2. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the leakage of ultraviolet light is suppressed as described above, the sizes of the filter 31 and the light emitting device 41 can be easily increased.
The rest is similar to the first embodiment.

(Functions and Effects of the Third Embodiment)
In this embodiment, a light-shielding structure 8 that allows air to pass and restricts the passage of ultraviolet light is further provided in the air flow path 20. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device 41 from leaking outside the housing 2.
The rest of the functions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Other Modifications)
In each of the above-described embodiments, a home air conditioner is assumed as the air conditioner 10, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be, for example, a commercial ceiling-embedded air conditioner. In the case of a ceiling-embedded air conditioner, the air intake faces downward, so the air purifier is attached to the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in a position such that the exhaust port opens upward.

(Summary of the embodiment)
Next, the technical ideas grasped from the above-described embodiment will be described by using the reference numerals and the like in the embodiment. However, the reference numerals and the like in the following description do not limit the components in the claims to the members and the like specifically shown in the embodiment.

[1] A first embodiment of the present invention is an air purifying device (1) having an inlet (211) for introducing air into an interior thereof and an outlet (221) for discharging the air inside thereof, the air purifying device (1) comprising a housing (2) defining an air flow path (20) between the inlet (211) and the outlet (221), a filter (31) disposed in the air flow path (20), and a light emitting device (41) for irradiating the filter (31) with ultraviolet light, the air purifying device (1) being attached such that the outlet (221) faces an intake port (101) of an air conditioner (10).
This allows the air drawn into the air conditioner to be purified.

[2] A second embodiment of the present invention is the first embodiment, wherein the filter (31) is made of a metal or an alloy.
This can prevent the filter from being deteriorated due to exposure to ultraviolet light.

[3] A third embodiment of the present invention is the first or second embodiment, further comprising an additional filter (71) arranged upstream of the air flow path (20) relative to both the light-emitting device (41) and the filter (31).
This can prevent dust and other particles from adhering to the light emitting device and the filter.

[4] A fourth embodiment of the present invention is any one of the first to third embodiments, further comprising a plurality of light-shielding portions (212, 222) arranged on both sides of the light-emitting device (41) and the filter (31) and suppressing leakage of ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device (41) from the inlet (211) and the outlet (221).
This makes it possible to prevent deterioration or discoloration of the air conditioner, and of the wall on which the air conditioner is attached, from occurring.

[5] A fifth embodiment of the present invention is any one of the first to fourth embodiments, further comprising a light-shielding structure (8) within the air flow path (20) that allows air to pass through and limits the passage of ultraviolet light.
This can prevent ultraviolet light emitted by the light emitting device from leaking outside the housing.

[6] A sixth embodiment of the present invention is any one of the first to fifth embodiments, wherein the light-emitting device (41) has a light-emitting diode element (412) that emits deep ultraviolet light having a central wavelength of 290 nm or less.
This allows the air drawn into the air conditioner to be further purified.

[7] A seventh embodiment of the present invention is any one of the first to sixth embodiments, in which a photocatalyst is supported on the filter (31).
This can suppress the generation of unpleasant odors.

[8] An eighth embodiment of the present invention is any one of the first to seventh embodiments, further comprising a detection unit (5) capable of detecting the air flow in the air flow path (20), and a control unit (6) that controls the light emitting operation of the light emitting device (41) based on the air flow in the air flow path (20) detected by the detection unit (5).
This allows the light emitting device to emit light only when necessary based on the state of the air flow in the air flow path, thereby reducing power consumption.

(Additional Note)
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the invention according to the claims is not limited to the above embodiment. It should be noted that not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiment are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention. The present invention can be modified appropriately without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1...Air purifying device 10...Air conditioner 101...Suction port 2...Housing 20...Air flow path 211...Inlet 212...Light-shielding section 221...Outlet 222...Light-shielding section 31...Filter 41...Light-emitting device 412...Light-emitting diode element 5...Detection section 6...Control section 8...Light-shielding structure 71...Additional filter

Claims (10)

a housing having an inlet for introducing air into an interior thereof and an outlet for discharging the air therein, the housing defining an air flow path between the inlet and the outlet;
A filter disposed in the air flow path;
a light emitting device that irradiates the filter with ultraviolet light,
The exhaust port is attached so as to face the intake port of the air conditioner,
the inlet and the outlet are formed only at positions different from the light-emitting device when viewed from the arrangement direction of the filter and the light-emitting device;
Air purifier. The filter is made of metal or metal alloy.
2. The air purifying device according to claim 1. further comprising an additional filter disposed upstream of the air flow path relative to both the light emitting device and the filter;
3. The air purifying device according to claim 1 or 2. a plurality of light-shielding portions arranged on both sides of the light-emitting device and the filter and configured to prevent ultraviolet light emitted by the light-emitting device from leaking out of the inlet and the outlet;
The air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A light-shielding structure is further provided in the air flow path, the light-shielding structure allowing air to pass and limiting the passage of ultraviolet light.
5. An air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The light emitting device has a light emitting diode element that emits deep ultraviolet light having a central wavelength of 290 nm or less.
6. An air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The filter carries a photocatalyst.
7. An air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A detection unit capable of detecting an air flow in the air flow path;
and a control unit that controls a light emitting operation of the light emitting device based on the air flow in the air flow path detected by the detection unit.
8. An air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The air conditioner has the suction port at an upper portion,
The air purifying device is installed above the air conditioner,
The housing includes a top wall portion in which the inlet is formed and a bottom wall portion in which the outlet is formed.
9. An air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. a power cord having a plug at one end that can be inserted into an external power source, for supplying power to the light emitting device;
and a power outlet electrically connected to the power cord.
10. An air purifying device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images