Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Nara Women's University

Miwa Kamii

Takashi Kishimoto

Hiroyuki Iida

Yasutaka Kataoka

Yoshiharu Shinobu

Michiaki Oshikane

Eiji Wakizaka

Youko Inoue

Masako Nishihashi

Akira Ohtsuki

In a memory of a lighting device, correspondence relations among an initial output, a target output and time required for reducing brightness from the initial output to the target output are stored in advance. When the initial output and the target output are designated (YES at S), the time necessary for brightness reduction is specified from the correspondence relation (S), and the light emission output is reduced at such a change rate that the light emission output has a linear relation with respect to elapsed time from the initial output to the target output in a specified time, on a semi logarithmic graph in which the ordinate is a logarithmic axis representing light emission output and the abscissa is a linear axis representing time (S).

Lighting device

The disclosed lighting device gradually adjusts from an incandescent bulb color having a 30% dimming rate to a daylight color having a 100% dimming rate. The overall dimming rate is changed to a linear shape, and the ratio of the dimming rates of the incandescent bulb color and the daylight color is adjusted. When changing from the incandescent bulb color to the daylight color, the color is changed to an intermediate color that mixes the incandescent bulb color and the daylight color, and then ultimately is changed to the daylight color, and so it is possible to change the dimming rate without causing discomfort or annoyance in humans, and a comfortable and natural light environment is achieved.

In an ion generating unit configured to control driving of a plurality of ion generating elements for generating ions by a controller, the controller drives the ion generating elements upon start up, and is configured to keep driving for a predetermined time period; thereby, the ion concentration of a space upon start up is quickly raised to a predetermined concentration. Further, the controller is configured to drive the ion generating elements intermittently and one after another in order after the predetermined time period has elapsed; the product life is elongated while maintaining the predetermined ion concentration and shortening the driving time of the ion generating elements.

Ion generating unit and lighting apparatus

An air conditioner having an improved humidifying portion to humidify air in a room is provided. The humidifying portion includes a humidifying member having hygroscopicity and gas permeability, a first air flow passage for taking in air from the outdoors, passing the air through the humidifying member, allowing the humidifying member to absorb moisture included in the air for drying, and letting out the air outdoors, and a second air flow passage for taking in air from the room, passing the air through the humidifying member while heating the air, allowing the moisture absorbed by the humidifying member to evaporate and humidify the air and letting out the air into the room. Thus, only a single air intake opening for humidifying indoor air is necessary on the indoor side, the structure of the air conditioner can be simplified and compact, which makes easier the attachment. If the air conditioner is apart from the outdoors, outdoor air does not have to be taken in, the blowing load and the noise level can be reduced, and reduced power consumption is required compared to a conventional device.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Miwa Kamii