Ultraviolet irradiation unit and air conditioner

Abstract

An ultraviolet irradiation unit is attachable to an air conditioner including an indoor unit having an indoor fan and an air conditioning control unit that controls an operation of the indoor unit, and the ultraviolet irradiation unit includes a light source that irradiates the indoor unit with an ultraviolet ray, and a light source control unit that is capable of communicating with the air conditioning control unit and controls an operation of the light source, in which the light source control unit turns on a power source of the light source when receiving a first signal transmitted from the air conditioning control unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultraviolet irradiation unit attachable to an air conditioner including an indoor unit having an indoor fan and an air conditioning control unit that controls an operation of the indoor unit, the ultraviolet irradiation unit comprising:
 a light source that irradiates the indoor unit with an ultraviolet ray; and   a light source control unit that is capable of communicating with the air conditioning control unit and controls an operation of the light source, wherein   the light source control unit turns on a power source of the light source when receiving a first signal transmitted from the air conditioning control unit.   
     
     
         2 . The ultraviolet irradiation unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source control unit turns off the power source of the light source when a predetermined period has elapsed after reception of the first signal. 
     
     
         3 . The ultraviolet irradiation unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source control unit turns off the power source of the light source upon reception of a second signal transmitted from the air conditioning control unit when the air conditioner stops operating or when the indoor fan stops operating. 
     
     
         4 . An air conditioner comprising:
 an indoor unit including a casing having a suction port through which indoor air is sucked, an indoor fan accommodated in the casing, and a collecting member accommodated in the casing;   an air conditioning control unit that controls an operation of the indoor uni; and   an ultraviolet irradiation unit including a light source that irradiates the collecting member with an ultraviolet ray and a light source control unit that is capable of communicating with the air conditioning control unit and controls an operation of the light source, wherein   the light source control unit turns on a power source of the light source when receiving a first signal transmitted from the air conditioning control unit.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein
 when the air conditioner starts operating or when the indoor fan starts operating,   the air conditioning control unit transmits the first signal.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the light source control unit turns off the power source of the light source after a predetermined period elapses following reception of the first signal). 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the air conditioning control unit transmits a second signal when the air conditioner stops operating or when the indoor fan stops operating, and   the light source control unit turns off the power source of the light source when receiving the second signal.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , further comprising a notification unit, wherein
 the light source control unit transmits a third signal to the air conditioning control unit when detecting an abnormality of the light source, and   the air conditioning control unit causes the notification unit to notify when receiving the third signal.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the light source control unit receives first information related to an indoor temperature from the air conditioning control unit, and   the light source control unit turns on and off the power source of the light source based on the first information.