JPH0461804A - Dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable control of output suitable for usage under normal operation to thereby restrain unnecessary power consumption by providing a control means for controlling at least one of an air blower means and a heater means according to an acceleration sensor. CONSTITUTION:The outputs of acceleration sensor 100 is graded in level with a level meter composed of a plurality of comparators 34 to 37. According to the level of the sensor output by a data selector in an integrated circuit 50, a signal to be sent to a pulse generator circuit 41 is varied. According to the output to the circuit 41, an arc angle of a photo-TRIAC 44 is controlled, and thereby the current level to a fan motor is varied. As the level of sensor output becomes large, the rotation speed, that is, the air blowing amount is controlled to be increased. It is thus possible to enable automatic switching of output required by a user according to the sensor out put level.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a dryer used for drying hair, for example.

(Prior Art) Conventional hair dryers used for drying hair, etc., have three types of operating modes, for example, as follows in general models.

That is, the modes are: (1) heater 0FF - strong wind, (2) heater low - weak wind, and (2) heater strong - strong wind. These three types of operation modes can be switched and set using a slide switch or the like, and in one set operation mode, the output (air volume, heat amount) is constant regardless of the usage state. For this reason, especially when set to the operation mode (3), unnecessary power is often consumed while moving the dryer to the area to be dried. In addition, the dryer can be used for shoes,
In some cases, it is used for purposes other than its original purpose, such as drying futons.

If the user forgets to turn off the switch under such operating conditions, continuous operation will occur beyond the rated operating time.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In a conventional dryer, the output remains constant regardless of the usage state while the dryer is set to a certain operating mode by switching a switch. For this reason, in practice, there are aspects that do not necessarily meet the wishes of the user, resulting in wasteful power consumption. Furthermore, if the device is used for purposes other than its original purpose for a period exceeding the rated operating time, there is a risk that component parts may be damaged due to heating by the heater or the like.

Therefore, the present invention is capable of controlling the output to a more suitable level for practical use under normal usage conditions, suppressing unnecessary power consumption, and exceeding the rated time in applications other than the original purpose of use. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a dryer that can prevent excessive operation.

[Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a dryer equipped with an air blowing means and a heater for heating the air blown from the air blowing means. The gist of the dryer is to include an acceleration sensor that detects movement of the dryer body, and a control means that controls at least one of the blowing means and the heater in accordance with the output of the acceleration sensor.

Furthermore, in order to better achieve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention includes:
Furthermore, it is desirable to have the following configuration.

That is, secondly, the control means for controlling the output of at least one of the blowing means and the heater is configured to be able to select any variable output other than the output determined by the sensor output of the acceleration sensor. .

Thirdly, the control means for controlling the output of at least one of the blowing means and the heater is configured to control the output of the blowing means and the heater when there is no change in the sensor output of the acceleration sensor for an arbitrarily determined first certain period of time. is configured to stop the output of

Fourthly, the control means for controlling the output of at least one of the blowing means and the heater is configured to control the output of the acceleration sensor, regardless of the change in the sensor output of the acceleration sensor, when the continuous energization time has passed an arbitrarily determined second fixed time. First, it is configured to stop the output of the air blowing means and the heater.

Fifth, the first and second fixed times are measured by a timer, and the second fixed time is configured to be longer than the first fixed time.

(Function) For example, when drying hair, the user of a hair dryer has different ways of moving the hair dryer depending on the time elapsed from the start of operation to the end of operation. At first, the hair dryer body is frequently shaken from side to side, and as the hair dries, the motion gradually slows down.

The way the dryer body is moved during use is detected by an acceleration sensor. That is, at the beginning of operation, the sensor output is large and its changes are significant. In such a state, the control means controls the output (air volume, heat amount) to be large.

When the sensor output decreases over time, the output of the dryer is controlled to decrease accordingly. Therefore, in normal use, the output state is appropriately controlled to the user's needs, and unnecessary power consumption is suppressed. Also, if the change in sensor output remains within a certain set value for a given period of time,
The operation is controlled to be stopped, thereby preventing damage caused by heating.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 10.

First, the overall structure of the dryer will be explained using FIG. 1.

In the figure, 2 is a fan and fan motor constituting the ventilation means, 3 is a heater, 4 is a temperature fuse,
The heater 3 consists of first to third heaters as described later. 5 is a power cord, 6 is a cord reel, 7 is a switch, 8 is a switch knob, 9 is a storage area for an arithmetic circuit, etc., which will be described later, which will be a control means, ], Oa, 10b, -10e, etc. are a case body that will be the main body of the dryer. The structural member 11 is an air outlet, and a part of the dryer body near the hot air outlet 11, where the amount of operation is the largest during use, is
An acceleration sensor 100 is attached to detect the movement of the dryer body.

The acceleration sensor 100 is a sensor that extracts pressure changes inside the sensor due to vibrations of the dryer main body as a voltage change, or a simple sensor that detects light by moving a small ball left and right across the optical axis of an infrared photointerrupter. A device that counts intervals across an axis is used. The sensor output is a voltage, current, oscillation frequency, etc. that is proportional to the magnitude of acceleration or the amount of change in acceleration. In addition, since the output voltage etc. as a sensor output is generally weak,
It is amplified by a buffer or the like.

FIGS. 2 to 7 each show examples of applicable acceleration sensors. FIG. 2 is a first example, showing a servo type acceleration sensor 101. In the figure, 12 is a seismic system (movable part) consisting of a spring, a weight, and an attenuator, 13 is a displacement detection unit that detects the displacement of the weight from the equilibrium position, and 14 is a servo amplifier that amplifies the electrical output. It also includes a phase circuit, etc. 15 is a coil attached to the weight, 16 is a magnetic circuit, and this coil 1
5 and the magnetic circuit 16 constitute a driving section that generates a force to return the weight to its original position. When vibrational acceleration is applied to the weight of the seismo system, the weight shifts from its equilibrium position. This deviation is detected by the displacement detection section 13, and a current is passed through the servo amplifier 14 to the coil 15 of the drive section to generate a restoring force proportional to the deviation, returning the weight to the equilibrium position.

Since the restoring force is proportional to the vibration acceleration when moving the weight,
Acceleration is measured by measuring the current flowing from the servo amplifier 14 to the coil 15 of the drive section.

FIG. 3 is a second example of an acceleration sensor, and shows a strain gauge type acceleration sensor 102. Strain gauge type acceleration sensors include a bonded type using a metal resistor, a non-bonded type, and a semiconductor type using a semiconductor having a piezo effect. In each case, four strain gauges 19 are usually attached to a seismic spring portion consisting of a spring 17 and a weight 18, and these four strain gauges 19 are incorporated in the four sides of the bridge circuit. When the strain gauge 19 receives strain due to vibration acceleration, the electrical resistance changes and the balance of the bridge circuit is thrown off. If a voltage is applied to the bridge circuit, the unbalanced component can be detected as a voltage, and the vibration acceleration can be measured.

FIG. 4 is a third example of the acceleration sensor, and shows a compression type acceleration sensor 103. In the case 20, a piezoelectric element 21 in the form of a flat plate or a disc is sandwiched between a base 22 and a weight 23, and is fixed using screws 24 or the like. When acceleration in the compression direction is applied to the piezoelectric element 21, a voltage output proportional to the acceleration is obtained from the piezoelectric element 21.

FIG. 5 is a fourth example of the acceleration sensor, and shows a new type acceleration sensor 104. A flat or cylindrical piezoelectric element 25 is used, and has a structure in which a weight 26 is fixed to one electrode surface and a base 27 is fixed to the other electrode surface with an adhesive or the like. When acceleration is applied to the piezoelectric element 25 to cause a shift (shear), the piezoelectric element 2
5, a voltage output proportional to acceleration can be obtained.

FIG. 6 is a fifth example of the acceleration sensor, and shows a bending type acceleration sensor 105. One end of the rectangular or flat bimorph piezoelectric element 28 is fixed to the base 29 and a weight 30 is placed on the other end, or the center part is fixed to the base 29 and the weight 30 is installed around the periphery. It has a structure. When bending stress is applied to the bimorph piezoelectric element 28 due to acceleration, a voltage output proportional to the acceleration is obtained.

FIG. 7 is a sixth example of the acceleration sensor, and shows a simple photo-interrupter type acceleration sensor 106. The small sphere 32 moves across the optical axis of the infrared photo ink clubter 31, and the magnitude of the vibrational acceleration is measured by counting the interval at which it crosses the optical axis.

8 and 9 illustrate an acceleration sensor 100 as described above.
Fan 1 and heater 3 as ventilation means according to the output of
The circuit configuration of an arithmetic circuit 40 and the like as a control means for controlling at least one of the above is shown.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram, and FIG. 9 is a diagram specifically showing the internal configuration of the arithmetic circuit 40 in detail.

8 and 9, 40 is an arithmetic circuit, and the arithmetic circuit 40 first has an acceleration sensor 10 at its input stage.
For example, when the sensor output of 0 is a voltage output, a plurality of comparators 34 to 37 are arranged in parallel for dividing the voltage output into levels, and a standard for setting a reference voltage to each of the comparators 34 to 37. A voltage source 38 and a resistance ladder 39 are provided. Comparator 34~
37, a reference voltage source 38 and a resistance ladder 39 constitute a level meter that divides the sensor output into levels. Furthermore, the arithmetic circuit 40 is provided with an integrated circuit 50 .

The integrated circuit 50 includes a pulse generator 41, a timer 42 including a first timer and a second timer, and an analog switch 43.
, a phototriac 44, a triac 45, etc. are built-in. Further, the integrated circuit 50 has a built-in data selector (not shown) that changes the signal sent to the pulse generation circuit 41 depending on whether the sensor output is at the above level.

46 is a commercial power supply connected to power cord 5, 47.48
is the current limiting resistor, 49 is the rectifier bridge, SWI is the power switch, SW2 is the turbo switch, 38~3C is the first
~Third heater 51 is a limiter.

Next, the operation of the dryer configured as described above will be explained as follows.
This will be explained using the timing chart shown in the figure.

When the hair of a user trying to dry is wet, the user usually requires a high output from the hair dryer, and also rotates the hair dryer from side to side to blow hot air all over the hair. It will work in a big way. When the hair dries, a large output is no longer required and the hair dryer is shaken less frequently because the hair dryer is trying to style the hair at a certain point.

Taking this situation into consideration, the dryer of this embodiment uses an acceleration sensor 100 to detect how the dryer body is moved, and calculates the output (air volume, heat amount) that the user may need based on the sensor output. The primary purpose is to automatically switch to

Then, the sensor output of the acceleration sensor 100 (Fig. 10 (
a)) is divided into levels by a level meter composed of a plurality of comparators 34 to 37 (FIG. 10(b)).

A data selector in the integrated circuit 50 changes the signal sent to the pulse generating circuit 4 depending on the level of the sensor output. The pulse generating circuit 41 generates, for example, a rectangular wave based on the sent signal, and the frequency thereof decreases as the level of the sensor output increases. Alternatively, the frequency may be kept constant and the pulses may be varied such that the on-time duty becomes large, such as in PWM control (see Fig. 10).
C)). The output of the pulse generating circuit 41 causes the photodiode of the phototriac coupler 44 to blink, and the firing angle of the phototriac 44 is controlled. By controlling the firing angle of the main triac 45, the amount of current applied to the fan motor 2 changes, and as the level of the sensor output increases, its rotation speed, that is, the air volume of the dryer increases. controlled by. When the sensor output is at the maximum level, the analog switch 43 is closed and the third
The heater 3c is also turned on and the output of the heater is controlled to be large (FIG. 10(d)).

In the above, the number of heaters 3a to 3C that are turned on and off may be set to an arbitrary number by subdividing the level classification of the sensor output. By doing this, the air volume,
Temperature can be more precisely controlled.

Furthermore, even under normal usage conditions, the user may
There are cases where a zero output is required, that is, an output (air volume, amount of heat) that is not determined by the way the dryer is operated. At this time, the turbo switch SW2 is used. When the turbo switch SW2 is closed, the control based on the sensor output is stopped, and the resistor 48 that limits the current to the fan motor 2 is short-circuited, and the output of the fan motor 2 increases. In addition, the analog switch 43 is closed to increase the volume of hot air (in the timing chart of FIG. 10, after the changeover switch is turned on). In this case, the limiting resistor 48 may be a variable resistor, and the switch SW2 may be switched in multiple stages accordingly.

The above-mentioned operation is a control mode when the dryer is used approximately normally. However, users cannot always guarantee that they will use the hair dryer for its intended purpose; for example, it may require longer operation than drying hair, such as drying clothes or shoes, or may forget to turn it off. You may just leave it alone. A second purpose of the dryer of this embodiment is to automatically prevent operation beyond the rated time in applications other than the original purpose of use.

Then, the first timer is started from the start of operation, and when the sensor output remains at the same level, the count-up continues as long as there is no change in level. If the count-up continues for an arbitrarily set first fixed time T1,
It is determined that the usage status is abnormal, and the power supply is controlled to be stopped. Furthermore, the second timer simultaneously counts the cumulative energization time, and the energization time is determined to be a second constant time T.
2 and the rated time of the motor 2 and heater 3 is reached, the power supply is also controlled to be unconditionally stopped. In this way, damage caused by heating is prevented.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, there is provided an acceleration sensor that uses the movement of the dryer main body during use, and at least one of the blowing means and the heater in accordance with the sensor output of this acceleration sensor. Since the dryer is equipped with a control means, in normal usage conditions such as hair drying, the output (air volume, heat amount) is increased at the beginning of operation when the dryer body is frequently shaken, and the output (air volume, heat amount) is increased as the hair dries. When the operation becomes slow, the output can be controlled to a small value, and the output can be appropriately controlled to the output state required by the user. Additionally, unnecessary power consumption can be suppressed. Further, when the change in the sensor output remains within a certain set value for a certain period of time or more, the operation can be controlled to be stopped, thereby preventing damage caused by heating.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 10 show an embodiment of the dryer according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first example of an applied acceleration sensor, and FIG. 3 is an acceleration sensor. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second example of the sensor, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the third example of the acceleration sensor, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the fourth example of the acceleration sensor, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the fifth example of the acceleration sensor. , FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a sixth example of the acceleration sensor, FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration, FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing the internal configuration of the arithmetic circuit in FIG. 8 in detail, and FIG. The figure is a timing chart for explaining the operation. 1: Fan, 2: Fan motor that constitutes air blowing means together with the fan, 3a to 3c: First to third heaters, 10a to 10e: Case body constituent members that become the dryer main body, 40: Arithmetic circuit that becomes control means, 100.101-106: Acceleration sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A dryer comprising an air blowing means and a heater for heating the air blown from the air blowing means, comprising: an acceleration sensor for detecting movement of the dryer body during use; A dryer comprising: a control means for controlling at least one of the blowing means and the heater.