JP2022160092A - Blower units and air conditioning garments - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a blower fan unit for air-conditioning clothes that suppresses the body from getting used to a high air volume mode and allows the wearer to continuously feel coolness. A blower unit 1 for air-conditioned clothes that generates an airflow in clothes, comprising a case 2 having an intake port 31 for taking in air and a blowing port 21 for sending the taken-in air into the clothes. , a fan loaded in the case, a temperature and humidity sensor installed in the clothes and / or in the case, and a control unit for controlling the number of rotations of the fan according to the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, The unit can be set to at least either high or low air volume mode according to the signal from the temperature/humidity sensor, and performs a fluctuating operation in which the air volume temporarily decreases when the air volume mode is high. [Selection drawing] Fig. 1

Description

The present invention can provide air-conditioned clothing that can keep the environment inside the clothing comfortable by suppressing the sensation of heat, and that is comfortable to wear and has excellent design even when worn in the office or at home. Regarding the unit.

As a countermeasure against global warming, raising the set temperature of an air conditioner in summer and lowering the set temperature of an air conditioner in winter is one of effective means for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. However, when the temperature of the air conditioner is changed, comfort in indoor spaces such as offices and residences deteriorates, and particularly in summer, stickiness due to perspiration causes discomfort. Therefore, clothes have been proposed in which a fan is used to send airflow into the clothes to maintain comfort.

For example, Patent Literature 1 proposes a garment in which outside air is blown into the garment by means of blades and a motor that rotates the blades, and sweat generated by the wearer can be efficiently vaporized according to the amount of work performed by the wearer. ing. According to this technology, by evaporating all the generated sweat, the body temperature can be lowered and cooling can be performed with less electric power than in the case of using an air conditioner.

Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, by placing sensors that can detect temperature, humidity, and acceleration inside the blower case, the air volume of the pre-programmed fan can be adjusted based on the temperature outside the clothes, the discomfort index, and the amount of exercise of the wearer. Clothing that enables automatic switching has been proposed. According to this technology, unnecessary power consumption of the motor can be suppressed, and the driving time of the fan can be extended.

Japanese Patent No. 4329118 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-7103

According to the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1, it is possible to efficiently cool the body of the wearer by efficiently evaporating the perspiration perspired by the wearer. However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the air volume of the fan is selected by the wearer, when an excessively strong air volume is set, the battery driving time becomes shorter than when a moderate air volume is set. put away. Furthermore, there is a problem that the deep body temperature of the wearer is lowered, and the wearer may feel tired or become ill.

Further, according to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, a sensor capable of detecting temperature, humidity, and acceleration is arranged in the blower case, and the temperature and discomfort index in the air passage from the air intake to the air discharge are measured. , which automatically sets the air volume of the fan based on the amount of exercise of the wearer, makes it possible to blow air at a relatively optimal fan air volume, reducing power consumption and extending the fan's driving time. However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, even if the program selects a high air volume mode that can obtain the coolest airflow at the start of air blowing, for example, according to the wearer and the surroundings of the wearer detected by the sensor. Even if there is, there is a problem that the wearer's body becomes accustomed to the airflow, and the wearer cannot feel the cooling sensation continuously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art. is to provide

As a result of studies by the present inventors, when an air current is generated in clothes to obtain coolness, the coolest feeling is felt immediately after the fan is driven, and after that, the body gets used to the air current. Although the coolness is lost due to the fact that the air volume is set to the maximum, it was found that if the air volume is temporarily reduced, the wearer can continue to feel cool. was completed.

That is, it is achieved by any of the following means: (1) A blower unit for air-conditioned clothes that generates an airflow in the clothes, comprising an intake port for taking in air and an air inlet for sending the taken-in air into the clothes. A case having an air outlet, a fan loaded in the case, a temperature/humidity sensor installed in the clothes and/or the case, and the number of revolutions of the fan adjusted according to the signal from the temperature/humidity sensor. and a control unit for controlling,
The control unit can be set to at least either high or low air volume mode according to the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, and automatically performs fluctuation operation in which the air volume is temporarily reduced when the air volume mode is high. A blower unit characterized by:
(2) The blower unit according to (1), wherein the waveform of the air volume in the fluctuation operation is any one of a sine wave, a sawtooth wave, and a rectangular wave.
(3) An air-conditioned garment comprising the blower unit according to (1) or (2) above.

According to the blower unit of the present invention, according to the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor installed in the clothes or in the blower unit case, when the high air volume mode that can obtain the coolest air blowing is set at the start of blowing, Since the air volume is intentionally lowered temporarily during driving, it is possible to suppress the body's habituation and allow the wearer to feel a continuous cooling sensation. That is, for example, the air volume of the fan is automatically set based on the signal such as the discomfort index calculated from the data detected by the temperature sensor and humidity sensor installed in the clothes, and the discomfort index is determined to be "hot". Even when the high air volume mode is set, the air volume is temporarily reduced by decreasing the rotational speed of the fan at a set cycle instead of setting the air volume to a constant high air volume. By performing such fluctuation driving, it is possible for the wearer to feel coolness continuously. Furthermore, since the air volume of the fan is not set by the wearer but is automatically set by the control unit, an unnecessarily strong air volume is not set, and an appropriate air volume can be set. Furthermore, since it is possible to control the rotation speed to lower and to select a small fan, the power consumption of the fan can be suppressed, and when using a battery, the driving time is shorter than that of the conventional blower unit. It is possible to make it longer. For this reason, when assuming that the product will be worn in the office or at home, it is possible to select and design a small, quiet fan with lower air blowing performance than conventional fans.

Schematic perspective view of a blower unit according to one embodiment of the present invention 1 is a front view of a blower unit according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 cut along the two-dot chain line AA 1 is a side view of a blower unit according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 cut along the two-dot chain line BB FIG. 1 is a rear view of air-conditioning clothes equipped with a blower unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Flowchart concerning the operation of the blower unit of the present invention Annoyance index calculated from temperature and humidity data and standard fan setting threshold Discomfort index calculated from temperature and humidity data and setting threshold for fans who are sensitive to heat Discomfort index calculated from temperature and humidity data and fan setting threshold for people who have difficulty feeling heat Airflow pattern in low airflow mode Blow pattern in medium air volume mode Blow pattern in high air volume mode

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below.

[Blower unit]
The blower unit of the present invention is intended to generate an air current inside the clothes and efficiently discharge the hot air and the highly humid air remaining inside the clothes to the outside of the clothes to obtain comfort. Secondly, it is used by fixing it, for example, around the scapula of the back portion inside the clothes by means of a fixture provided in the air-conditioning clothes. Specifically, for example, when the blower unit of the present invention is used for a jacket and air is sucked, the blower unit of the present invention has an air intake port for taking in hot air from the back to the waist and a blower port for sending the taken air into the clothes. Therefore, the air stagnating in the vicinity of the waist is exhausted from the blower port, and finally discharged from the collar of the clothing and/or the vicinity of the collar to the outside of the clothing. Therefore, it becomes possible to obtain comfort. The blower unit obtains data on the temperature and humidity inside the garment, and the discomfort index calculated based on this data controls the airflow emitted from the blower unit, enabling the wearer to maintain comfort without being conscious of it. It becomes possible. Details will be described below.

The blower unit of the present invention must have a case and at least one fan housed in the case in order to generate an airflow inside the garment. In addition, it has a temperature/humidity sensor inside the clothes and/or the case for acquiring temperature/humidity data inside the clothes, and electrically controls and changes the number of revolutions of the fan based on data from the temperature/humidity sensor. It also has a control unit. In the present invention, the temperature/humidity sensor includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor configured separately and integrated, and any configuration may be adopted. Moreover, it is preferable that the cables connecting the fan, the controller, and the sensor are housed in the case so as not to be exposed. Furthermore, it is preferable that a battery for supplying power to the fan is housed in the case so that it can be operated without supplying power from outside the case.

The case used for the blower unit of the present invention has, on its outer wall, an intake port for taking in air and a blower port for sending the taken-in air into clothes. In the blower unit of the present invention, the number of intake ports and blower ports is not limited, and at least one each is sufficient. At least one air intake is opened at the bottom of the case when the blower unit is installed between the clothes and the body, for example, when the blower unit is arranged at the back of the upper garment, the air in the waist can be sucked in on the back. It is preferable to In this case, the case has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional ventilation passage extending from the air inlet opening at the bottom toward the fan, that is, in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis direction of the fan. is preferred. As a result, it is possible to efficiently inhale the air stagnant in the waist from the back.

Note that the term "substantially rectangular cross section" as used herein includes not only a perfect rectangle, but also a shape in which the corners of a rectangle are chamfered or R-chamfered. For example, when the edges of the outer wall of the case are chamfered or R-chamfered, it is preferable that the inner wall of the case is also deformed according to the shape of the outer wall of the case so that the thickness of the case is constant. included. By doing so, it is possible to effectively utilize the cross-sectional area of the ventilation flow passage to a greater extent without creating a wasteful thick portion in the case. Further, chamfering or R-chamfering may be applied to facilitate the edge processing of the inner wall of the airflow passage during manufacturing, and such aspects are also included.

In the case used for the blower unit of the present invention, it is preferable that at least one blower port is open on a different surface from the air intake port, and furthermore, it is preferable that the case is opened on the upper surface when installed inside the clothes. . As a result, air can be blown along the skin surface, the collar, and the fabric around the collar.

The air outlet may have a simple open shape, but it is preferable to provide a louver in order to allow the airflow to flow over a wide area along the skin surface at the collar or the like. In that case, it is effective to open the case so as to include the upper surface of the case and the side between the surfaces in contact with the upper surface, and to provide a blade or the like. By doing so, the air flow from the blower unit can be directly applied to the skin surface, and it becomes possible to feel cooler.

The case used for the blower unit of the present invention preferably has a thickness of 5 to 40 mm. This thickness refers to the maximum distance between opposing surfaces that extend in a direction parallel to the skin surface when the blower unit is installed inside the clothing. By setting the thickness of the case to 5 mm or more, the strength of the case can be increased to prevent breakage, and a fan with a large air flow can be mounted. The thickness is more preferably 6 mm or more, still more preferably 7 mm or more. On the other hand, by setting the thickness of the case to 40 mm or less, it is possible to prevent the case from becoming an obstacle when the user is seated, thereby making it possible to further improve the comfort of wearing the case. The thickness is more preferably 30 mm or less, still more preferably 20 mm or less.

The case used for the blower unit of the present invention preferably has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. Note that the term “substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape” includes not only a perfect rectangular parallelepiped but also a rectangular parallelepiped with chamfered or R-chamfered corners, or a shape with partially gently curved surfaces or irregularities. Since the outer shape of the case is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, it is easier to fix when attaching it to the storage part of clothes compared to a hemispherical or spherical case. It becomes hard to shift. In addition, when the blower unit is placed at the back of the jacket, the outer wall of the case can be placed substantially parallel to the skin surface, so the air that tends to get stuck in the waist area can be efficiently inhaled, and the wearer can wear it. Comfort can be further enhanced. It should be noted that it is preferable to round the corners of the outer shape of the case in order to prevent the blower unit from being caught on clothes or the body.

The longest side of the case used for the blower unit of the present invention preferably has a length of 200 mm or less. By setting the length of the longest side to preferably 200 mm or less, more preferably 180 mm or less, and even more preferably 150 mm or less, the air blowing unit itself becomes compact, so that it is comfortable to wear. Also, the lower limit of the length of the longest side is not particularly limited, but is about 50 mm.

The case used for the blower unit of the present invention has a role of protecting the device housed inside the case from external shocks and the like. Materials for the case include metal materials such as aluminum alloy and stainless steel, resin materials such as polyolefin, polycarbonate, nylon, and ABS resin, and FRP materials such as glass fiber reinforced resin and carbon fiber reinforced resin. It is not limited to these. Among them, it is preferable to use ABS resin, which is lightweight and has high impact resistance.

The fan used in the blower unit of the present invention is preferably a centrifugal fan or a cross-flow fan that has a device for obtaining rotational energy such as a motor and blows air in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the fan. By using a centrifugal fan or a cross-flow fan, it becomes easy to blow air having directivity in a direction substantially parallel to the body, and local cooling becomes possible. Furthermore, by blowing air in a direction substantially parallel to the body, the clothes are less likely to swell compared to when air is blown in a direction substantially perpendicular to the body, so it is possible to provide air-conditioned clothes with excellent design. becomes.

The fan used in the blower unit of the present invention preferably has a diameter of 10 to 60 mm in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the fan. By setting the diameter to preferably 10 mm or more, more preferably 15 mm or more, and even more preferably 20 mm or more, it is possible to obtain a sufficient amount of air to send outside air into the clothes. In addition, by setting the diameter to preferably 60 mm or less, more preferably 55 mm or less, and even more preferably 50 mm or less, the noise when the fan is driven can be reduced, and the blower unit main body can be made smaller, which results in discomfort when worn. becomes a small blower unit.

The fan used in the blower unit of the present invention preferably has a thickness of 3 to 18 mm in the axial direction of the fan. By setting the thickness in the axial direction of the fan to preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 4 mm or more, and even more preferably 5 mm or more, it is possible to obtain a sufficient amount of air to send outside air into the clothes. Further, by setting the thickness in the axial direction of the fan to preferably 18 mm or less, more preferably 16 mm or less, and further preferably 14 mm or less, the blower unit body can be made thin, so that the blower unit feels less uncomfortable when worn.

A single fan or a plurality of fans may be used in the blower unit of the present invention. When a plurality of fans are used, for example, counter-rotating fans in which fans with different rotation directions are stacked may be used, or a centrifugal fan and an axial fan may be used in combination.

The motor used for the fan is preferably a DC motor. By using a DC motor as the motor, stable operation is possible even at a low voltage.

The blower unit of the invention preferably has a battery for powering the fan. By incorporating the battery into the blower unit, the power cable that connects the blower unit and the battery is not exposed, making the blower unit more comfortable to wear.

The battery used in the blower unit of the present invention is preferably a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. Examples of such batteries include, but are not limited to, lead-acid, alkaline, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, and lithium-ion batteries. Among them, it is preferable to use a lithium ion battery because it is possible to reduce the size and increase the capacity.

It is also preferable that the blower unit of the present invention has a charging terminal for charging the battery, and that the power cable connecting portion of the charging terminal is arranged on the case exterior. By equipping the blower unit with the charging terminal, it is possible to charge the battery without removing the battery from the blower unit, which greatly improves the practicality of the blower unit.

It is also preferable that the blower unit of the present invention has a power switch for operating and stopping the blower unit, and that an operation part of the power switch is arranged on the exterior of the case. By equipping the blower unit with the power switch, the blower unit can be activated or stopped at any timing. It should be noted that turning on/off the power during regular use may be performed by a switch other than the power switch, such as a radio signal from an external device.

In the blower unit of the present invention, a temperature sensor for obtaining temperature data and a humidity sensor for obtaining humidity data are used, and a discomfort index is calculated based on the temperature and humidity data to determine the number of revolutions of the fan. You need a controller to control. The air volume mode of the fan is set by these signal processings.

The temperature sensor and humidity sensor used in the blower unit of the present invention may be located in a position where the temperature and humidity inside the clothes can be measured accurately. This is preferable because the cable can be prevented from being exposed outside the case. In that case, it is preferable to arrange the sensor in the ventilation flow path from the viewpoint of securing space.

Any of IC sensors, thermocouples, resistors, and thermistors may be used as the temperature sensor. The humidity sensor may be of either a variable resistance type or a variable capacitance type, but the variable capacitance type is more preferable because the response speed is increased. Since a sensor in which a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor are integrated into one package is commonly used, it is possible to use such a sensor.

The control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention is preferably arranged in the case so that the cable is not exposed, and the microcomputer can perform processing for calculating the discomfort index and changing the air volume. It is preferable to use a processor such as By using such a control unit, it is possible to perform PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control that can continuously change the air volume of the fan, which is preferable because the rotation speed can be easily changed.

The air volume mode used in the blower unit of the present invention can basically be switched between at least two levels of strong and weak (strong air volume and weak air volume), preferably between strong, medium and weak (strong air volume, medium air volume, and weak air volume). Switching is possible in three or more steps. An appropriate air volume mode is set based on the signal from the aforementioned temperature and humidity sensor. When the maximum air volume mode, ie, "strong air volume," is set, "fluctuation operation" is performed in which the air volume is intentionally controlled to temporarily decrease. Specifically, for example, by gradually decreasing the duty ratio of the PWM that controls the air volume of the fan, the rotational speed of the fan is decelerated, and as a result, the airflow is continuously decreased. In a situation where the temperature and humidity are set to the maximum air volume mode, by temporarily reducing the air volume in this way, the body will be restrained from getting used to the maximum air volume mode, and the wearer will continue to feel refreshed. It is possible to feel In addition, since the air volume mode of the fan is not set by the wearer but is automatically set based on the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, unnecessary strong air volume is not set. It is possible to set an appropriate air volume based on the effect of "operation". Furthermore, since it is possible to control the rotation speed to lower and to select a small fan, the power consumption of the fan can be suppressed, and when using a battery, the driving time is shorter than that of the conventional blower unit. It is possible to make it longer. For this reason, when assuming that the product will be worn in the office or at home, it is possible to select and design a small, quiet fan with lower air blowing performance than conventional fans.

The minimum airflow in the fluctuation operation in the high air volume mode is preferably approximately 50 to 90% of the maximum airflow, more preferably 70 to 90%. If the airflow is suddenly reduced, the change in the airflow will make the wearer feel hot, so it is preferable to reach the minimum airflow in 1 to 20 minutes. In addition, after reaching the minimum airflow, the airflow is rapidly increased, thereby making it possible for the wearer to feel cool. In this way, even at a high air volume, it is possible to feel cooler by giving fluctuations in strength to the air current in a set sawtooth-like cycle instead of a uniform air current.

In addition, in the present invention, an operation in which the air volume is varied may also be performed in the medium air volume mode and the low air volume mode. The maximum airflow and minimum airflow in the medium air volume mode are preferably about 30 to 90% and 10 to 60% of the maximum airflow in the high air volume mode, respectively. It may have a sawtooth-like period, but it may have a sine wave or rectangular wave period. In this way, by giving fluctuations in strength to the airflow in the medium air volume mode, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the body temperature of the wearer's core body, thereby preventing the wearer from feeling tired and feeling unwell.

The maximum airflow and minimum airflow in the low air volume mode are preferably about 10 to 60% and 0 to 40% of the maximum airflow in the high air volume mode, respectively. Similar to , a sawtooth-like period, a sine wave, or a rectangular wave period may be used. In this way, by giving fluctuations in strength to the airflow in the low air volume mode, as in the case of the medium air volume mode, it is possible to suppress the wearer's core body temperature from decreasing, thereby preventing the wearer from feeling tired and losing physical condition. becomes possible.

An operation program of the control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7 for an example in which the air volume mode is switched in three stages of low air volume, medium air volume, and high air volume. First, the user of the blower unit starts rotating the fan (S1 in FIG. 7). The controller reads the threshold value (THA) for the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode and the threshold value (THB) for the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode stored in the memory (S2 in FIG. 7). After that, temperature sensor data is acquired (S3 in FIG. 7) and humidity sensor data is acquired (S4 in FIG. 7), and based on both data, the discomfort index (THI) is calculated using, for example, the following formula 1, The air volume mode is set by comparing the threshold value (THA) for the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode and the threshold value (THB) for the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode read in advance in S2 of FIG. 7 (S5 in FIG. 7). When THI is equal to or less than THA, the low air volume mode is selected (S6 in FIG. 7). When THI is greater than THA and equal to or less than THB, the medium air volume mode is selected (S7 in FIG. 7), and when THI is greater than THB, the high air volume mode is selected (S8 in FIG. 7).
THI = 0.81 Td + 0.01 H (0.99 Td - 14.3) + 46.3 (Formula 1)

Regarding the control unit used in the blower unit of the present invention, the temperature/humidity data and air volume when the threshold value (THA) for the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode is set to 75, and the threshold value (THB) for the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode is set to 79. is shown in FIG. In this figure, the horizontal axis is temperature and the vertical axis is humidity, and the discomfort index calculated by Equation 1 from each temperature and humidity is described in each cell. For example, when the temperature is 28° C. and the humidity is 40%, the fan is driven so as to enter the low air volume mode because the area S6 is lightly filled. Similarly, when the temperature is 30° C. and the humidity is 40%, the area is S7, so the fan is driven so as to enter the medium air volume mode. In addition, when the temperature is 35°C and the humidity is 40%, the S8 area is filled with a dark color. Become.

Regarding the controller used in the blower unit of the present invention, it is preferable that the threshold value (THA) for low air volume mode and medium air volume mode and the threshold value (THB) for medium air volume mode and high air volume mode can be changed by the user. For example, if the wearer tends to feel hot, the threshold value (THA) for low air volume mode and medium air volume mode should be set to 73, and the threshold value (THB) for medium air volume mode and high air volume mode should be set to 77 as shown in FIG. Therefore, it is possible to increase the air volume even with a low discomfort index compared to the case of FIG. If the wearer does not feel hot, set the threshold value (THA) for the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode to 77, and the threshold value (THB) for the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode to 81 as shown in FIG. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the air volume from increasing unless the discomfort index becomes higher than in the case of FIG.

In the blower unit of the present invention, devices such as a fan, a motor, a battery, a charging terminal, a power switch, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a controller are preferably housed in one case. By storing the above device in a single case, it is easy to attach and remove from clothing, and the wiring cable is not exposed outside the case during use, so it is comfortable to wear. Air-conditioned clothing can be provided.

[Air conditioning clothes]
The air-conditioning garment of the present invention preferably has one or more fixtures for fixing the blower unit. The attachment may be safety pins, sewing, hooks, buttons, hook-and-loop fasteners, or the like, and may be air-conditioned clothing by being attached to clothing when the wearer uses the blower unit.

The air-conditioning garment of the present invention preferably has a storage portion for the blower unit, and at least part of the material forming the storage portion is preferably made of a stretchable material. Elastic materials include, but are not limited to, woven and knitted fabrics made of spandex or crimped fibers, and rubber materials. Among them, woven fabrics made of spandex or crimped fibers are preferable because they are excellent in durability and holdability.

Fiber materials used in the air-conditioning clothing of the present invention include polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, polyacrylic fibers, rayon fibers, acetate fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyurethane fibers, cotton, hemp, silk, and wool. etc., but not limited to these. Among them, polyester fibers and polyamide fibers are preferable because they are excellent in mechanical properties and durability.

The fiber used in the air-conditioning garment of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of form, and may be any of monofilament, multifilament, staple, spun yarn, etc., and may be subjected to processing such as false twisting and twisting. .

The total fineness of the multifilament fiber used in the air-conditioning garment of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the application and required properties, but is preferably 10 to 500 dtex. By setting the total fineness to preferably 10 dtex or more, more preferably 30 dtex or more, and even more preferably 50 dtex or more, yarn breakage is reduced, process passability is improved, fuzz generation is reduced during use, and durability is improved. It becomes air-conditioning clothes superior in air conditioning. In addition, by setting the total fineness to preferably 500 dtex or less, more preferably 400 dtex or less, and even more preferably 300 dtex or less, the flexibility of the clothes is increased and the air-conditioning clothes are excellent in comfort when worn.

The single fiber fineness of the fibers used in the air-conditioning clothing of the present invention is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected according to the application and required properties, but is preferably 0.5 to 4.0 dtex. The single fiber fineness in the present invention refers to a value obtained by dividing the total fineness by the number of single fibers. By setting the single fiber fineness to preferably 0.5 dtex or more, more preferably 0.6 dtex or more, and even more preferably 0.8 dtex or more, yarn breakage is reduced, processability is improved, and fluff is reduced during use. The air-conditioning garment has less occurrence of air-conditioning and has excellent durability. In addition, by setting the single fiber fineness to preferably 4.0 dtex or less, more preferably 2.0 dtex or less, and even more preferably 1.5 dtex or less, the flexibility of the clothes is increased, and the air-conditioning fabric is excellent in comfort when worn. Become clothes.

The breaking strength of the fibers used in the air-conditioning clothing of the present invention is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected according to the application and required properties. Preferably. By setting the breaking strength to preferably 2.0 cN/dtex or more, more preferably 3.0 cN/dtex or more, the air-conditioning garment has less fuzz during use and is excellent in durability. Further, by setting the breaking strength to preferably 5.0 cN/dtex or less, the flexibility of the clothes is increased, and the air-conditioning clothes are excellent in comfort when worn.

The breaking elongation of the fibers used in the air-conditioning garment of the present invention is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected depending on the application and required properties, but from the viewpoint of durability, it is preferably 10 to 60%. By setting the elongation at break to preferably 10% or more, more preferably 15% or more, and even more preferably 20% or more, the wear resistance of the clothes is improved, less fuzz is generated during use, and the air conditioner is excellent in durability. Become clothes. In addition, by setting the elongation at break to preferably 60% or less, more preferably 55% or less, and even more preferably 50% or less, the dimensional stability of the clothing is improved, resulting in air-conditioning clothing with excellent durability.

The cross-sectional shape of the fibers used in the air-conditioning clothing of the present invention is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected according to the application and required properties. may Specific examples of non-circular cross-sections include, but are not limited to, multilobed, polygonal, flattened, elliptical, and the like.

The fabric used for the air-conditioning garment of the present invention preferably has an air permeability of 50 to 500 cm ³ /cm ² ·s. By setting the air permeability of the fabric to preferably 50 cm ³ /cm ² s or more, more preferably 70 cm ³ /cm ² s or more, and even more preferably 90 cm ³ /cm ² s or more, sweat transpiration is excellent. Therefore, even when used as air-conditioning clothing, it is possible to reduce stuffiness, stickiness, and hotness when perspiring. In addition, by setting the air permeability of the fabric to preferably 500 cm ³ /cm ² s or less, more preferably 400 cm ³ /cm ² s or less, and even more preferably 350 cm ³ /cm ² s or less, the mechanical Since the properties are improved, the air-conditioning clothing is not only improved in processability and handleability during manufacturing of the fabric or clothing, but also excellent in durability during use. In addition, the fabric does not become too thin, and it is possible to wear it comfortably.

The fabric used for the air-conditioning garment of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of the form of the fabric, and can be made into woven fabric, knitted fabric, pile fabric, non-woven fabric, etc. according to known methods. In addition, the fabric may be of any woven or knitted structure, such as plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, double weave, or variations thereof, warp knitting, weft knitting, circular knitting, lace knitting, or variations thereof. Knitting and the like can be suitably employed.

The fabric used for the air-conditioning garment of the present invention may be dyed if necessary. The dyeing method is not particularly limited, and cheese dyeing machines, jet dyeing machines, drum dyeing machines, beam dyeing machines, jiggers, high-pressure jiggers, and the like can be suitably employed in accordance with known methods. Moreover, in the present invention, there are no particular restrictions on dye concentration and dyeing temperature, and known methods can be suitably employed.

The form of the air-conditioning garment of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be either an upper garment or a lower garment. A jacket is preferred for cooling the body. In the present invention, the upper garment may be long-sleeved, short-sleeved, or sleeveless, and the lower garment may be long-hemmed or short-hemmed. In the present invention, the upper garment means clothing worn on the upper body, and the lower garment means clothing worn on the lower body. Specific examples of upper garments include underwear such as inner shirts, tank tops, camisoles, general clothing such as T-shirts, polo shirts, cut and sewn pajamas, blouses, blouson, work clothes, sports inner shirts, sports shirts, etc. Examples include, but are not limited to, clothing and the like. Specific examples of the lower garment include, but are not limited to, underwear such as inner pants, general clothing such as slacks, pants, skirts, pajamas, and work clothes, and sports clothing such as sports pants. . Moreover, in the case of both the upper garment and the lower garment, it may be worn for the purpose of attaching the blower unit, such as a holster.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

<Example 1>
A blower unit having the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 was manufactured. That is, first, a case (2) was produced with a 3D printer. As for the design of the case, a 75 mm piece of an approximately rectangular parallelepiped measuring 15 mm x 75 mm x 130 mm has an opening that communicates with the inside of the case, and a wing plate ( 22) was attached to form a blower port (21). An intake port (31) of 3 mm x 60 mm is provided on a surface of 15 mm x 75 mm facing the surface on which the air blow port (21) is provided, and a 3 mm thick wall is provided so as to communicate from the intake port (31) to the mounting position of the fan. A ventilation channel (33) of rectangular cross section was provided. Furthermore, in the ventilation channel (33), a 1 mm thick partition wall (32) is provided to divide the ventilation channel (33) into five in the same direction as the flowing air, and the cross section of each divided channel The aspect ratio was set to 3.73. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the end face of the partition wall (32) on the side opposite to the intake port was designed to converge at the fan mounting position. Subsequently, a small blower fan (51) is installed so that the outlet of the fan is connected to the air blowing port and the inlet of the fan is connected to the ventilation flow path, and as a control unit (52) for controlling the fan, Wi-Fi , a temperature/humidity sensor (54), and a battery (53) for supplying power to the fan and control unit were installed in the case. Moreover, the power switch (41) was installed so that the operation part was exposed from the case, and wiring was performed.

Next, a program was created in which the rotation of the fan can be started and stopped by operation from the smartphone, and the air volume of the fan is changed according to the flow chart of FIG. 7, and written in the microprocessor. The threshold value (THA) for the low air volume mode and the medium air volume mode was set to 75, and the threshold value (THB) for the medium air volume mode and the high air volume mode was set to 79 (the relationship between the temperature/humidity data and the air volume is shown in FIG. 8). Further, the fluctuation of the airflow in the low air volume mode was set so as to repeat a duty ratio of 30 to 50% (wind speed of 1.7 to 2.9 m/s) at a cycle of 10 minutes as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, the fluctuation of the airflow in the medium air volume mode was set to repeat a duty ratio of 50 to 70% (wind speed of 2.9 to 3.8 m/s) in a cycle of 10 minutes. As shown in Fig. 13, the airflow fluctuation in the high air volume mode is such that after holding the duty ratio of 100% (wind speed of 4.9 m/s) for 1 minute, the final duty ratio is 83% (wind speed of 4.2 m/s) for 9 minutes. After the duty ratio is smoothly decreased by 2% per minute, the duty ratio is set to 100% again in a cycle of 10 minutes.

A rubber cord (attachment) was sewn on the skin side of a commercially available polyester shirt, and an air blower unit was attached at the position shown in FIG. 6 to prepare an air-conditioning garment.

In a room controlled to a room temperature of 28° C. and a humidity of 60%, after turning on the power switch (41) of the air blowing unit, the air blowing unit was attached to the shirt to form air-conditioned clothes. rice field. The fan did not start rotating for 29 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothes, and after 30 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothes, the fan started rotating by operating the smartphone, and all the subjects selected the high air volume mode. The high air volume mode was set based on the temperature and humidity data inside the clothes for the subjects who had evaluated the sensory evaluation just before the fan as "just right", "somewhat cold", and "cold". Table 1 shows the sensory evaluation results obtained immediately before the rotation of the fan, 10 minutes after the start of rotation of the fan, 30 minutes and 50 minutes after the start of rotation of the fan. During this time, the air volume of the fan was maintained in the high air volume mode.

<Comparative Example 1>
A blower unit and air-conditioning garments were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. However, for each air volume, the weak air volume was set to uniformly blow an air current with a duty ratio of 40% (wind speed of 2.2 m/s). The medium air volume was set to uniformly blow an airflow with a duty ratio of 60% (wind speed of 3.4 m/s). The strong air volume was set so as to uniformly blow an airflow with a duty ratio of 100% (wind speed of 4.9 m/s).

In a room controlled to a room temperature of 28° C. and a humidity of 60%, after turning on the power switch (41) of the blower unit, the blower unit was attached to the shirt to form air-conditioned clothes, and 10 subjects were made to wear such air-conditioned clothes. . The fan did not start rotating for 29 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothes, and after 30 minutes after wearing the air-conditioned clothes, the fan started rotating by operating the smartphone, and all the subjects selected the high air volume mode. The high air volume mode was set based on the temperature and humidity data inside the clothes for the subjects who had evaluated the sensory evaluation just before the fan as "just right", "somewhat cold", and "cold". Table 1 shows the sensory evaluation results obtained immediately before the rotation of the fan, 10 minutes after the start of rotation of the fan, 30 minutes and 50 minutes after the start of rotation of the fan.

Table 1 shows the sensory evaluation results of 10 subjects in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. Twenty-nine minutes after wearing the air-conditioning clothes before turning the fan, 50% of the subjects felt hot, such as "hot" or "slightly hot". 1 and Example 1 reduced the number of subjects who felt the heat to 10%. After that, 30 minutes and 50 minutes after the start of rotation of the fan, 40% of the subjects felt the heat in Comparative Example 1, whereas 10% in Example 1. As compared with Example 1, it was confirmed that the refreshing feeling could be maintained. As a result, even in situations where the fan's air volume is set to the strongest "strong air volume mode", the air volume is temporarily reduced instead of the uniform air flow, giving a uniform air flow. It can be seen that it is possible to make the wearer of the air-conditioned clothes feel cooler continuously in spite of the lower power consumption than the case.

For subjects whose sensory evaluations just before fan rotation were "just right," "slightly cold," and "cold," the thresholds for low and medium air volume modes (THA) and for medium and high air volume modes ( THB) can be appropriately changed/adjusted to make the blower unit/air-conditioning clothes more suitable for the subject.

According to the blower unit of the present invention, when the high air volume mode is set, the air volume is temporarily reduced, so the body can be prevented from getting used to the strong air volume, and the wearer can maintain a cool feeling. It is possible to feel Therefore, it is possible to select a small fan with high quietness without requiring a large fan as compared with the conventional one, which is suitable for wearing in the office or at home.

1: Blower unit 2: Case 21: Blower port 22: Blades
31: Intake port 32: Partition wall 33: Ventilation channel 41: Power switch 51: Fan 52: Control unit 53: Battery 54: Temperature and humidity sensor

Claims (3)

A blower unit for air-conditioned clothes that generates an airflow in the clothes, comprising a case having an intake port for taking in air and a blower port for sending the taken-in air into the clothes, and a fan loaded in the case. and a temperature and humidity sensor installed in the clothes and/or the case, and a control unit for controlling the number of rotations of the fan according to the signal from the temperature and humidity sensor,
The control unit can be set to at least either a strong or weak air volume mode according to a signal from the temperature and humidity sensor, and performs a fluctuating operation in which the air volume temporarily decreases when the air volume mode is high. A blower unit characterized by: 2. The blower unit according to claim 1, wherein the waveform of the air volume in said fluctuation operation is a sawtooth wave. An air-conditioning garment comprising the blower unit according to claim 1 or 2.

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