JP2002061909A - Circulator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a circulator that can be easily installed in a room and that can suppress uneven distribution of a temperature distribution in the room. A reversible blower (6) for circulating room air is provided in a main body casing (2) configured to extend and contract from a floor surface to a vicinity of a ceiling surface. Vent holes 3, 4 and a temperature detecting means are provided at positions near the surface, respectively. Then, based on the detection signal from the temperature detecting means, switching control of the direction of air flow by the reversible blower 6 and air volume adjustment are performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a circulator capable of circulating indoor air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Normally, the temperature distribution in a room during cooling and heating in summer or winter is not uniform, and uneven distribution often occurs. That is, during the cooling operation in summer, the cool air descends and stays in the lower part of the room, while in the heating operation in winter, the warm air tends to rise and stay in the upper part, so that the temperature distribution in the room is unevenly distributed. It is easy to happen. Therefore, in the related art, room air is circulated by using, for example, a ceiling-mounted ceiling fan or a blower function of a room air conditioner, to thereby suppress uneven distribution of the indoor temperature distribution.

[0003]

However, the ceiling-mounted ceiling fan described above has a problem in that the installation work on the ceiling is difficult because installation work on the ceiling is required. Also,
When using the air-conditioning function of the room air conditioner, the room air can be circulated in an easy manner.However, since the wind directly hits the human body during the air-blowing operation, there is a problem that the air flow adversely causes discomfort. is there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional disadvantages, and an object of the present invention is to provide a circulator which can be easily installed indoors and can suppress uneven distribution of temperature distribution in the indoors. To provide.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circulator having a blower means for circulating room air in a main body casing, wherein the main body casing extends from a floor surface to a vicinity of a ceiling surface. The main body casing 2 is provided with ventilation holes 3 and 4 at positions near the ceiling surface and near the floor surface, respectively.

In the circulator of the first aspect, the ventilation holes 3 and 4 are provided near the ceiling surface and the floor surface of the main casing 2 respectively. As a result, the indoor air can be sucked or blown out between the vicinity of the floor where the cool air easily stays and the vicinity of the ceiling where the warm air easily stays, so that the air circulation efficiency by the blowing means 6 is improved. It is possible to suppress uneven distribution of the indoor temperature distribution.

A circulator according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the blower means 6 is a reversible blower capable of switching the direction of air flow.

In the circulator according to the second aspect of the present invention, the direction of air flow can be switched by using a reversible blower as the blowing means 6. As a result, the direction in which the indoor air is suctioned or blown out from each of the ventilation holes 3 and 4 can be switched according to the season and the indoor environment, so that it can be used throughout the year.

The circulator according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an air cleaning section or an ionization section is provided in the main body casing 2.

In the circulator according to the third aspect, an air cleaning section or an ionization section is provided in the main body casing 2. As a result, not only the circulation of the room air but also the dust and the like contained in the room air can be removed in the process of circulating the inside of the main body casing 2 to purify the air.

A circulator according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that an air heating section is provided in the main body casing 2.

In the circulator of the fourth aspect, an air heating section is provided in the main body casing 2. As a result,
In addition to the circulation of the indoor air, it is also possible to perform a heating operation by heating the indoor air in the process of circulating inside the main body casing 2.

A circulator according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the main body casing 2 is configured to be able to expand and contract in its height direction.

In the circulator of the fifth aspect, the main body casing 2 is configured to be extendable and contractible. As a result, the overall length of the main body casing 2 is shortened and compact, so that it is easy to carry and install when relocating, and
It is also possible for the user himself to move to a favorite place. In addition, since the height of the main body casing 2 can be adjusted according to the height of the ceiling in each room, if the upper end of the main body casing 2 is brought into contact with the ceiling surface, it is possible to prevent the fall.

Further, the circulator according to claim 6 is characterized in that the main body casing 2 is provided with an illuminating means 8.

In the circulator according to the sixth aspect, the illuminating means 8 such as a lamp is provided on the main body casing 2. This allows the circulator to be used as a lighting fixture.

A circulator according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a temperature detecting means is provided, and based on a detection signal from the temperature detecting means, switching control of the air flow direction using the reversible blower 6 is performed. .

In the circulator of the seventh aspect, the switching control of the direction of air flow using the reversible blower 6 is performed based on the detection signal from the temperature detecting means. As a result, the direction of air flow can be automatically switched according to the seasons such as summer and winter. That is, during cooling in summer, air near the floor where the cooler tends to stay is sucked in from the lower ventilation hole 4 and transferred to the vicinity of the ceiling from the upper ventilation hole 3, and during heating in winter, the ceiling tends to stay warm. It is possible to perform control such that air in the vicinity is sucked from the upper ventilation hole 3 and transferred from the lower ventilation hole 4 to the vicinity of the floor surface.

Further, in the circulator according to the present invention, the temperature detecting means is provided near the ceiling surface and the floor surface of the main body casing 2, and the difference between the room temperatures detected by the respective temperature detecting means makes the air blowing means 6. It is characterized in that the air volume of the air is adjusted.

In the circulator of the eighth aspect, the air volume of the air blowing means 6 is adjusted based on the difference between the room temperatures detected by the upper and lower temperature detecting means. As a result, the air volume can be automatically adjusted according to the situation, so that the comfort of the indoor environment can be improved.

A circulator according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a heavy object such as an air blowing means 6, an air purifying section or an ionizing section is arranged in a lower portion in the main body casing 2.

In the circulator of the ninth aspect, a heavy object such as a blower is disposed in a lower portion in the main body casing. By lowering the center of gravity to the lower portion in this way, the main body casing 2 can be stabilized, and thus the fall can be prevented.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, specific embodiments of the circulator of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a circulator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The main casing 2 of the circulator 1 includes a cylindrical lower casing 2b having a bottom and a cylindrical upper casing 2a having a closed top.
The upper casing 2a is formed to be vertically slidable along the inner peripheral surface of the lower casing 2b. At this time, the upper casing 2a
Can be adjusted according to the ceiling height in the room where the circulator 1 is installed, and the top of the upper casing 2a is installed so as to contact the ceiling surface in the room. ing. An upper ventilation hole 3 and a lower ventilation hole 4 are provided near the ceiling surface of the upper casing 2a and near the floor surface of the lower casing 2b, respectively. Are provided with temperature sensors (not shown) which are temperature detecting means for detecting the room temperature. An illumination lamp 8 as illumination means is provided at a position below the upper ventilation hole 3 on the surface of the upper casing 2a.

On the other hand, inside the lower casing 2b, a reversible blower 6 as a blower is disposed at a position above the lower ventilation hole 4. This is provided to circulate room air, and the room air sucked from one side of the ventilation holes 3 and 4 of the main body casing 2 is blown into the room through the ventilation holes 4 and 3 on the other side. It is composed. Further, the reversible blower 6 is configured so that the flow direction of the air flowing through the inside of the main body casing 2 can be reversed. On the other hand, an air purifier 7 provided with an air filter or the like is disposed at a position above the reversible blower 6 so that dust contained in air sucked into the main body casing 2 can be removed. It is designed to remove dust and the like and purify the air.

The circulator 1 has a control unit (not shown) for detecting a detection signal from each of the temperature sensors and controlling the direction of air flow by the reversible blower 6 based on the detection signal. The circulator 1 is configured to perform various operation controls.

If the circulator 1 is installed in a place where moisture easily accumulates, such as a corner of a wall surface on the opposite side where an air conditioner is installed, or a corner of a room, an air flow is generated there. Therefore, a local ventilation effect can be expected, and it is also effective as a mold prevention measure.

Next, an operation state when the circulator 1 having the above configuration is operated in combination with a cooling / heating device (not shown) will be described. First, in a state where the indoor cooling and heating operation is not performed, the indoor temperature is detected (initial temperature) by the temperature sensor. The control unit detects a detection signal from the temperature sensor, that is, an initial temperature, and compares the initial temperature with a preset reference temperature. Here, the reference temperature in this embodiment refers to a temperature for determining whether the current season is summer or winter. For example, the first reference temperature for determining summer is 25. If the second reference temperature for determining that it is winter or not is set to 15 ° C. or less, it is determined whether the initial temperature satisfies the first or second reference temperature. .

Here, if the initial temperature is, for example, 30 ° C., the temperature is within the range of the first reference temperature, so that it is determined that the current season is summer. Then, the indoor cooling operation is started.
If a temperature difference occurs between the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors provided in the vertical direction, the reversible blower 6 is operated to circulate the indoor air. At this time, the reversible blower 6
The direction of the air flow is the summer direction, that is, the room air is sucked from the lower ventilation hole 4 and
Is controlled so as to be blown into the room from below, whereby the cold air staying in the lower part is transferred to the upper part. At this time, the indoor air sucked into the main body casing 2 passes through the air cleaner 7 to remove dust and dirt.

On the other hand, if the initial temperature is, for example, 10 ° C., it is within the range of the second reference temperature.
It is currently determined to be winter. Then, the indoor heating operation is started, and if a temperature difference is generated between the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors provided in the vertical direction of the main body casing 2, the reversible blower 6 is operated to activate the indoor air. Circulation takes place. At this time, the flow direction of the air by the reversible blower 6 is controlled in the flow direction for winter, that is, the direction in which the room air is sucked in from the upper ventilation hole 3 and blown out from the lower ventilation hole 4 into the room. The warm air staying in the upper part is transferred to the lower part.
At this time, the room air sucked into the main body casing 2 passes through the air cleaner 7 to remove dust and dirt, as in the above case.

The air volume of the reversible blower 6 is changed according to the temperature difference between the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors provided in the vertical direction, and is adjusted so that the human body is not blown directly. That is, when the temperature difference is large, the airflow is increased, and when the temperature difference is small, the airflow is adjusted to be reduced. When the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors become equal, the operation of the reversible blower 6 is stopped.

The above initial temperature is 15 ° C., for example, in spring or autumn.
When the circulator 1 is used when the temperature is within the range of 25 ° C. to 25 ° C., the switching control of the reversible blower 6 is not performed,
It is configured to operate in the current distribution direction. That is, if the current distribution direction setting is lower suction upper blowing, the operation is performed with the lower suction upper blowing, and if the setting is upper suction lower blowing, the operation is performed in this state. It is configured as follows.

As described above, according to the above-described circulator, the indoor air can be sucked or blown out between the vicinity of the floor where the cool air tends to stay and the vicinity of the ceiling where the warm air tends to stay. It is possible to improve the circulation efficiency of the air conditioner and to suppress uneven distribution of the temperature distribution in the room. In addition, since the direction of distribution can be switched by using the reversible blower 6, in the summer,
Can be used throughout the year regardless of the winter season. Further, by providing the temperature sensors near the ceiling surface and the floor surface, it is possible to automatically control the direction of air flow and the amount of air flow, thereby improving the comfort of the indoor environment. Further, in the above embodiment, since the air purifier 7 is built in, in the process of circulating the air, dust and the like contained in the room air can be removed, and the air can be purified. Furthermore, since the upper casing 2a and the lower casing 2b are slidably formed in the main casing 2, if the upper casing 2a is slid to lower the height, the portable casing and the installation at the time of relocation are easy. In addition to the above, the user can also move it. Also, the upper end of the main casing 2 is brought into contact with the ceiling surface, and the reversible blower 6 and the air purifier 7 are provided below to lower the center of gravity, so that the main casing 2 can be stabilized. , Can be prevented from falling. Furthermore, since the illumination lamp 8 is provided on the surface of the main body casing 2, this circulator can be used as a lighting fixture.

Although the embodiment of the circulator 1 of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. That is, in the above-described embodiment, the temperature sensor is provided on the main body casing 2 to detect the initial temperature in the room to determine the current season. However, a separate temperature sensor is provided outside to detect the external temperature. By doing so, it is also possible to determine the season.
Further, any device other than the temperature sensor may be used as long as it can detect the temperature. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the reversible blower 6 is used, but other blowers can be used as long as air can be circulated. Further, in the above description, the slide-type main body casing 2 is used. Further, the air cleaner 7 having an air filter built therein is provided in the main body casing 2, but other devices such as an electric dust collector may be used as long as they can remove dust and dirt in the air. . In addition, by providing an ionization unit such as a water filter capable of releasing negative ions into the air instead of the air purifier 7, it is possible to improve indoor comfort. Further, the main body casing 2
If an air heating unit is provided inside the air heater, the sucked air can be heated, so that a heating operation can be performed. Further, the air purifier 7 in the above embodiment is used.
It is also possible to use the circulator 1 without the illumination lamp 8.

[0035]

As described above, according to the circulator of the first aspect, the indoor air is sucked or blown out between the vicinity of the floor where cold air is likely to stay and the vicinity of the ceiling where warm air is likely to stay. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of circulating air by the blowing means and to suppress uneven distribution of the temperature distribution in the room.

According to the circulator of the second aspect,
The direction in which the indoor air is suctioned or blown out from each ventilation hole can be switched according to the season and the indoor environment, so that it can be used throughout the year.

Further, according to the circulator of the third aspect, not only the circulation of the room air but also the removal of dust and the like contained in the room air in the process of circulating the inside of the main body casing, thereby purifying the air. Can be planned.

According to the circulator of the fourth aspect, it is possible to perform not only the circulation of the indoor air but also the heating operation by heating the indoor air in the process of circulating in the main casing.

According to the circulator of the fifth aspect,
Since the total length of the main body casing 2 is shortened and made compact, it is easy to carry and install when relocating, and it is also possible for the user to move the main casing 2 to a desired place. Further, since the height of the main body casing can be adjusted according to the height of the ceiling in each room, if the upper end of the main body casing is brought into contact with the ceiling surface, it is possible to prevent overturning.

Further, according to the circulator of the sixth aspect, the circulator can be used as a lighting fixture.

According to the circulator of the seventh aspect, the direction of air flow can be automatically switched according to the seasons such as summer and winter.

According to the circulator of the eighth aspect,
Since the air volume can be automatically adjusted according to the situation, the comfort of the indoor environment can be improved.

Further, according to the circulator of the ninth aspect, the body casing can be stabilized by lowering the center of gravity to the lower part, so that the fall can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a circulator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Circulator 2 Main casing 2a Upper casing 2b Lower casing 3 Upper ventilation hole 4 Lower ventilation hole 6 Reversible blower 7 Air purifier 8 Lighting lamp

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A circulator provided with a blowing means (6) for circulating room air in a main body casing (2), wherein the main body casing (2) is configured to extend from a floor surface to near a ceiling surface, A circulator characterized in that ventilation holes (3) and (4) are provided at positions near the ceiling surface and near the floor surface of the main casing (2), respectively. 2. A circulator according to claim 1, wherein said blower means is a reversible blower capable of switching the direction of air flow. 3. The circulator according to claim 1, wherein an air purifying section or an ionizing section is provided in the main body casing (2). 4. The circulator according to claim 1, wherein an air heating section is provided in the main body casing (2). 5. The circulator according to claim 1, wherein said main body casing (2) is configured to be extendable and contractible in a height direction thereof. 6. The circulator according to claim 1, wherein an illumination means (8) is provided on the main body casing (2). 7. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of: controlling the switching of the direction of air flow using said reversible blower based on a detection signal from said temperature detecting means. The circulator according to any one of claims 6 to 6. 8. The air flow rate of the air blowing means (6) is provided by providing the temperature detecting means near the ceiling surface and the floor surface of the main body casing (2) based on a difference between the room temperatures detected by the temperature detecting means. The circulator according to claim 7, wherein the circulator is adjusted. 9. A body according to claim 1, wherein a heavy object such as an air blowing means, an air purifying section or an ionizing section is arranged in a lower portion inside said main body casing. That circulator.