AU2018245359B2

AU2018245359B2 - Indoor unit for air conditioning device

Info

Publication number: AU2018245359B2
Application number: AU2018245359A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Azusa Kanamori; Hironori Mori; Masashi Takano; Naomichi UNO
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2017-03-31
Filing date: 2018-03-07
Publication date: 2020-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 2038-03-07
Also published as: EP3527907A1; AU2018245359A1; EP3527907A4; JP6847739B2; JP2018173214A; WO2018180321A1

Abstract

Provided is an indoor unit for an air conditioning device, the indoor unit being provided with: a water flow passage (5) for receiving water dripping from an indoor heat exchanger; and a drain pan (7) for receiving water conducted from the water flow passage (5). The entire water flow passage (5) is tilted to one side thereof in a longitudinal direction (D1) and has a bottom surface (5a), the whole of which is tilted (5a) to one side thereof in a width direction (D2) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (D1). The bottom surface (5a) is located below an installation surface (6) on which the lower end of the indoor heat exchanger is mounted. The installation surface (6) has, in the longitudinal direction (D1): a recess (6a), the dimension of which in the width direction (D2) decreases; and a protrusion (6b), the dimension of which in the width direction (D2) increases. An air flow blocking member is provided between the installation surface (6) and the lower surface of the indoor heat exchanger.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Title of Invention

INDOOR UNIT FOR AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE

Technical Field

[0001]

The present invention relates to an indoor unit for

an air conditioning device including a drain pan which

discharges drain water.

Background Art

[0002]

A reference herein to a patent document or any other

matter identified as prior art, is not to be taken as an

admission that the document or other matter was known or that

the information it contains was part of the common general

knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

[0002a]

A drain pan for collecting and discharging drain

water condensed by a heat exchanger at the time of cooling

to the outside is provided in an indoor unit for an air

conditioning device. In the following PTLs 1 and 2,

inventions, in which a drain pan is inclined in one

direction and discharges drain water, are disclosed.

Citation List

Patent Literature

[00031

[PTL 1] International Publication No. 2015/136711

[PTL 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application

Publication No. 2015-102257

Summary of the Invention

[0004]

However, even when water can be smoothly discharged

to the outside by inclining the drain pan, it is difficult

to smoothly lead drain water in some cases from a water

passage, which leads drain water to the drain pan, to the

drain pan. For example, even when the water passage is

provided to be inclined in one direction, there is a

possibility that drain water accumulates or runs over

without the inclination provided for the water passage

functioning effectively in a case where the indoor unit is

inclined and fixed.

[00051

In view of such circumstances, it is desirable to

provide an indoor unit for an air conditioning device that

can smoothly lead water to a drain pan from a water

passage in which the water lead from a heat exchanger

flows.

[00061

In an attempt to address the aforementioned problems, the indoor unit for an air conditioning device of the present invention adopts the following means.

That is, according to an aspect of the present

invention, there is provided an indoor unit for an air

conditioning device comprising: a water passage that

receives water dropping from a heat exchanger; and a drain

pan that receives the water led from the water passage,

wherein the water passage has a bottom surface which is

inclined as a whole toward one direction of a longitudinal

direction and is inclined as a whole toward one direction

of a width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal

direction, the bottom surface is positioned lower than a

heat exchanger mounting surface where a lower end of the

heat exchanger is mounted, the heat exchanger mounting

surface has, in the longitudinal direction, a recessed

portion of which a dimension in the width direction is

small and a protruding portion of which the dimension is

large, a wind shielding member is provided between the

heat exchanger mounting surface and a lower surface of the

heat exchanger, and the wind shielding member has a shape

that substantially matches a shape of the heat exchanger

mounting surface.

[0007]

Water condensed by the heat exchanger is led to the

water passage, and flows into the drain pan. Since the water passage has the bottom surface which is inclined as a whole toward one direction of the longitudinal direction and is inclined as a whole toward one direction of the width direction, water flowed in the water passage is collected in the one direction of the longitudinal direction, and is collected in the one direction of the width direction. Even when the indoor unit is inclined and attached as described above, water can be smoothly led to the drain pan since the bottom surface as a whole is inclined in the longitudinal direction and the width direction and thereby the inclination of the bottom surface is maintained at all times.

[00081

In the indoor unit for an air conditioning device

- 3a - according to the aspect of the present invention, the bottom surface is positioned lower than a heat exchanger mounting surface where a lower end of the heat exchanger is mounted.

[0009]

Since the bottom surface of the water passage is

positioned lower than the heat exchanger mounting surface

where the lower end of the heat exchanger is mounted,

water led from the heat exchanger flows down to the bottom

surface at all times, and thereby the water can be

smoothly flowed.

[0010]

In the indoor unit for an air conditioning device

according to the aspect of the present invention, the heat

exchanger mounting surface has, in the longitudinal

direction, a recessed portion of which a dimension in the

width direction is small and a protruding portion of which

the dimension is large. A wind shielding member is

provided between the heat exchanger mounting surface and a

lower surface of the heat exchanger.

[0011]

The heat exchanger mounting surface is in a shape of

having, in the longitudinal direction, the recessed

portion of which the dimension in the width direction is

small and the protruding portion of which the dimension is large. Accordingly, a space through which the bottom surface is accessed can be secured larger in the recessed portion than in the protruding portion. Accordingly, when attaching the wind shielding member provided on the heat exchanger mounting surface, the bottom surface can be easily accessed. The wind shielding member fills in the gap between the lower surface of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger mounting surface, and minimizes air passing through the gap without heat exchange being performed by the heat exchanger.

[0012]

Since the bottom surface of the water passage is

inclined as a whole in the longitudinal direction and the

width direction, the inclination of the bottom surface is

maintained at all times. Thus, water can be smoothly led

to the drain pan.

[0012a]

Where any or all of the terms "comprise",

"comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this

specification (including the claims) they are to be

interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated

features, integers, steps or components, but not

precluding the presence of one or more other features,

integers, steps or components.

Brief Description of Drawings

[00131

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an indoor

unit for an air conditioning device according to an

embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an inside

of the indoor unit of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a vicinity of

- 5a - a heat exchanger mounting surface of the indoor unit of

Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front view illustrating an indoor heat

exchanger provided inside the indoor unit of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5A is a sectional view which illustrates a

water passage and is taken along cutting plane line A-A of

Fig. 4.

Fig. 5B is a sectional view which illustrates the

water passage and is taken along cutting plane line B-B of

Fig. 4.

Description of Embodiments

[0014]

Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present

invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates an appearance of an indoor unit 1

of an air conditioning device. The indoor unit 1 is a

wall-hanging type, sucks indoor air from above, and blows

air after air conditioning indoors from below. The indoor

unit 1 is connected to an outdoor unit (not illustrated),

receives supply of a refrigerant compressed by the outdoor

unit, and adjusts indoor air so as to have a predetermined

temperature by means of indoor heat exchangers provided

inside the indoor unit 1.

[0015]

Fig. 2 illustrates an inside of the indoor unit 1.

Fig. 2 illustrates a state where the indoor heat

exchangers or a fan is removed. A water passage 5 that

leads drain water condensed by the indoor heat exchangers

is formed in a base plate 3 mounted in an indoor wall

portion. The water passage 5 is a groove portion

extending in a right-and-left direction (horizontal

direction) of the base plate 3. A mounting surface (heat

exchanger mounting surface) 6 that supports lower surfaces

of the indoor heat exchangers is provided above the water

passage 5.

[0016]

The water passage 5 is formed to be bent at a

substantially right angle in a left end of the indoor unit

1 and to face downwards. A drain pan 7 that receives

drain water flowing down from a lower end of the water

passage 5 is provided below the base plate 3. The drain

pan 7 temporarily stores the drain water and discharges

the drain water to the outside of the indoor unit 1.

[0017]

As illustrated in Fig. 3, a bottom surface 5a of the

water passage 5 is inclined as a whole in a longitudinal

direction Dl such that a left side thereof becomes a lower

side, and is inclined as a whole in a width direction D2

such that a front side (indoor unit front side) thereof becomes a lower side. Accordingly, drain water is led to the left and the front side. It is evident that a direction where the water passage 5 is inclined may be the right and the back side (indoor unit back side).

[0018]

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the mounting

surface 6 has recessed portions 6a each of which has a

small dimension in the width direction and protruding

portions 6b each of which has a large dimension in the

width direction. That is, the recessed portions 6a and

the protruding portions 6b are alternately provided on a

front side of the mounting surface 6 in the longitudinal

direction.

[0019]

As illustrated in Fig. 4, indoor heat exchangers 9

are provided inside the indoor unit 1. The indoor heat

exchangers 9 illustrated in Fig. 4 are provided on a back

surface side of the indoor unit 1.

[0020]

Fig. 5A is a sectional view taken along cutting

plane line A-A of Fig. 4, and Fig. 5B is a sectional view

taken along cutting plane line B-B of Fig. 4.

As illustrated in Figs. 5A and 5B, a wind shielding

member 8 is provided as an insulator, between the lower

surfaces of the indoor heat exchangers 9 and the mounting surface 6. The wind shielding member 8 has a shape that substantially matches a shape of the mounting surface 6 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The wind shielding member 8 is a member having flexibility to fill in a gap between the lower surfaces of the indoor heat exchangers 9 and the mounting surface 6, and is used in order to minimize air passing through the gap without heat exchange being performed by the indoor heat exchangers 9.

[0021]

A width W1 of the wind shielding member 8, that is,

the mounting surface 6 in Fig. 5A is larger than a width

W2 of the wind shielding member 8, that is, the mounting

surface 6 in Fig. 5B. The widths W1 and W2 correspond to

the recessed portion 6a and the protruding portion 6b

provided on the mounting surface 6 illustrated in Figs. 2

and 3. That is, a width which is open to the water

passage 5 (for example, 20 mm to 30mm) is large in each of

the recessed portions 6a of the mounting surface 6 as

illustrated in Fig. 5B, and a width which is open to the

water passage 5 (for example, approximately 15 mm) is

small in each of the protruding portions 6b of the

mounting surface 6 as illustrated in Fig. 5A. Therefore,

it is easy for an operator to access from above the water

passage 5 at a position where the width of the mounting

surface 6 is small and the width which is open to the water passage 5 is large as illustrated in Fig. 5A.

[0022]

As can be seen from Figs. 5A and 5B, the bottom

surface 5a of the water passage 5 is provided below the

mounting surface 6, and the mounting surface 6 and the

bottom surface 5a are inclined such that the front side

(the left in Figs. 5A and 5B) of the indoor unit 1 becomes

the lower side.

Although two indoor heat exchangers 9 are provided

in an overlapping manner in Figs. 5A and 5B, there may be

one heat exchanger.

[0023]

In the aforementioned indoor unit 1, the following

operation effects can be achieved.

Water condensed by the indoor heat exchangers 9 is

led to the water passage 5, and flows into the drain pan 7.

Since the water passage 5 has the bottom surface 5a which

is inclined as a whole toward one direction of the

longitudinal direction Dl and is inclined as a whole

toward one direction of the width direction D2, water

flowed in the water passage 5 is collected in the one

direction of the longitudinal direction Dl, and is

collected in the one direction of the width direction D2.

Even when the indoor unit 1 is inclined and attached as

described above, water can be smoothly led to the drain pan 7 since the bottom surface 5a as a whole is inclined in the longitudinal direction Dl and the width direction

D2 and thereby the inclination of the bottom surface 5a is

maintained at all times.

[00241

Since the bottom surface 5a of the water passage 5

is positioned lower than the mounting surface 6 where

lower ends of the indoor heat exchangers 9 are mounted as

illustrated in Figs. 5A and 5B, drain water led from the

indoor heat exchangers 9 flows down to the bottom surface

5a at all times, and thereby the drain water can be

smoothly flowed.

[0025]

The mounting surface 6 is in a shape of having, in

the longitudinal direction, the recessed portions 6a each

of which has a small dimension in the width direction and

the protruding portions 6b each of which has a large

dimension in the width direction. Accordingly, a space

through which the bottom surface 5a is accessed can be

secured larger in the recessed portions 6a than in the

protruding portions 6b. Accordingly, when attaching the

wind shielding member 8 provided on the mounting surface 6,

the bottom surface can be easily accessed.

Reference Signs List

[0026]

1: indoor unit

3: base plate

5: water passage

5a: bottom surface

6: mounting surface (heat exchanger mounting

surface)

7: drain pan

8: wind shielding member

9: indoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger)

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

[Claim 1]

An indoor unit for an air conditioning device,

comprising:

a water passage that receives water dropping from a

heat exchanger; and

a drain pan that receives the water led from the

water passage,

wherein the water passage has a bottom surface which

is inclined as a whole toward one direction of a

longitudinal direction and is inclined as a whole toward

one direction of a width direction orthogonal to the

longitudinal direction,

the bottom surface is positioned lower than a heat

exchanger mounting surface where a lower end of the heat

exchanger is mounted,

the heat exchanger mounting surface has, in the

longitudinal direction, a recessed portion of which a

dimension in the width direction is small and a protruding

portion of which the dimension is large,

a wind shielding member is provided between the heat

exchanger mounting surface and a lower surface of the heat

exchanger, and the wind shielding member has a shape that substantially matches a shape of the heat exchanger mounting surface.