JPH10185228A - Air conditioner with deodorizing and antibacterial function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use no aromatic and require no troublesome replacing operation by providing a light source generating ultraviolet ray and a heat exchanger having a photocatalyst formed on a surface as a film, which receives light from the light source to be excited in an indoor unit. SOLUTION: When the air in a room is taken into an indoor unit 10, the air passes through a photocatalyst 32 on the surface of a heat exchanger 30 and is discharged again to the room by a fan motor 20. At this time, when bacteria suspended in air such as fungi suspended in the air comes into contact with the photocatalyst 32 excited by exciting light such as the ultraviolet ray of a light source 40, it loses its activity and is killed due to the oxidizing action of the photocatalyst 32. Further, the ultraviolet ray itself emitted from the light source 40 has also sterilizing action. Both the sterilizing actions produce a synergetic effect. Thus, the offensive odor of the fungi can be canceled. Besides, since the increase of bacteria adhering to the heat exchanger 30 can be suppressed by the antibacterial action of a titanium oxide film, the generation of offensive odor can be prevented under the antibacterial action.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner having a deodorizing and antibacterial function, and more particularly to an air conditioner suitable for keeping indoor air clean.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an air conditioner has been proposed which has a deodorizing function on the assumption that air discharged from an air outlet contains a bad odor. It is considered that this bad smell is caused by molds and fungi that have propagated in the heat exchanger and the like contained in the air to be discharged. In the past, the use of fragrances offset such bad smells,
Performs sensory deodorization.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in such a deodorizing means, since the confirmation of the deodorizing effect largely depends on the sense of the human, the judgment as to whether or not the deodorizing has actually been performed differs from person to person. In addition, in the deodorization by the above-mentioned means, it is necessary to periodically replace or replenish the fragrance to maintain the effect, and it is complicated to perform the deodorization continuously from the viewpoint of labor and cost. ing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that does not use a fragrance and has a deodorizing and antibacterial function without complicated replacement work.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a light source that emits ultraviolet light and a heat exchanger having a film formed on its surface with a photocatalyst that receives and excites light from the light source. An air conditioner with a deodorant and antibacterial function equipped with an indoor unit.

[0006]

1 is a side sectional view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner having a deodorizing and antibacterial function according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1, the indoor unit 10 includes a fan motor 20 for taking in and circulating room air and a heat exchanger 30 for exchanging heat with the taken room air, as is well known.

Further, in the present invention, the heat exchanger 30
Is covered with a photocatalyst 32, and a light source 40 for emitting ultraviolet light is provided so that the photocatalyst 32 is irradiated with ultraviolet light. The photocatalyst 32 is produced by forming a thin film of titanium oxide, which is applied to the heat exchanger 30.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When indoor air is taken into the indoor unit 10, this air passes through the photocatalyst 32 on the surface of the heat exchanger 30 and is discharged again into the room by the fan motor 20. . At this time, when airborne bacteria such as mold contained in the air come into contact with the photocatalyst 32 that has been excited by the excitation light such as ultraviolet light from the light source 40, the bacteria lose their activity due to the oxidizing action of the photocatalyst 32 and die. Further, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light source 40 itself has a bactericidal action, and the germicidal action of the two has a synergistic effect.

[0009]

As described above, by exciting the surface of the photocatalyst 32 with the excitation light from the light source 40, bacteria such as mold in the circulating air of the indoor unit 10 can be oxidized and decomposed.
The odor caused by fungi such as mold, which has been a problem in the past, can be eliminated.

Also, due to the antibacterial action of titanium oxide,
Since the propagation of bacteria attached to the heat exchanger 30 is suppressed, it is possible to prevent the generation of offensive odor together with the antibacterial.

The configuration of the present invention does not require any special separate parts except for attaching a light source to the indoor unit, and can be formed in almost the same size as a conventional air conditioner. , And can be designed with the same dimensions as before.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. Reference Signs List 10 indoor unit 20 fan motor 30 heat exchanger 32 photocatalyst 40 light source

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An indoor unit comprising a light source that emits ultraviolet light and a heat exchanger having a film formed on its surface with a photocatalyst that receives and excites the light from the light source, with an anti-deodorant antibacterial function. Air conditioning.