JP3045140B2 - Humidification unit - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a humidifying unit connected to an air conditioner via a duct.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general,
The humidifying unit has a humidifying element disposed in an air passage through which a ventilation flow generated by a blower fan flows.

[0003] In addition to the humidifying element, a water supply tank for supplying water to the humidifying element, and a plumbing component such as a solenoid valve for controlling water supply to the water supply tank are accommodated in the humidifying element. . For this reason, a drain pan that can receive and store water in the event of water leakage is provided below the humidification unit.

Conventionally, since the upper part of the drain pan is open, a ventilation flow blows into the drain pan, and rolls up water accumulated in the drain pan and dust such as dust floating in the water, to the outside of the drain pan. There was a risk of scattering.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to prevent water in a drain pan and dust and the like floating in the water from being taken up by an air flow and scattered outside. It is to provide a humidifying unit capable of performing the following.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems As means for solving the problems to achieve the above object, the aspect of the invention described in claim 1 is as follows.
In a humidifying unit having an inlet and an outlet connected to an indoor unit of an air conditioner via a duct,
A casing for partitioning an air path from the suction port to the air outlet, a humidifying element housed in the casing, and humidifying an airflow flowing through the air path; A blower for generating an airflow flowing to the drain pan, which is disposed at a lower portion in the casing and is opened upward, and a blowing suppression plate which is disposed at an upper portion of the drain pan and suppresses blowing of a ventilation flow into the drain pan. , This blowing suppression plate is the inner dimension of the drain pan
Smaller than the periphery of the drain pan and the blowing suppression plate
Drain the water received by the blowing suppression plate between the
An annular groove for dropping into the pan is formed .

[0007] In this embodiment, since the ventilation flow can be prevented from being blown into the drain pan, the water accumulated in the drain pan and dust and the like floating in the water are wound up by the ventilation flow and scattered outside the drain pan. Nothing to do.

[0008]

Further, blowing moisture received by suppressing plate reaches the peripheral flow over the surface of the blowing suppression plate,
It falls into the drain pan through a groove formed between the drain pan and the periphery.

[0010] Embodiments of the invention described in claim 2, in claim 1, said groove, which is characterized by having a width capable of blocking the passage of screws of the head for securing the blowing suppression plate to the drain pan It is.

According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent a screw for fixing the blow-in suppressing plate from dropping into the drain pan through the groove at the installation site.

[0012] The aspect of the invention described in claim 3 is the first or second aspect.
In 2 , the blow-in suppressing plate is provided separately from the drain pan and screwed to an L-shaped stay fixed to the drain pan, and the L-shaped stay is
It is characterized by including a first portion welded to the outer surface of the drain pan and a second portion extending above the drain pan and having a screw hole through which a screw for fixing the blow-in suppressing plate is inserted.

This embodiment has the following operations. Generally, the drain pan is coated to prevent rust. If this coating is applied after the processing of the screw holes, the screw hole diameter is reduced by the coating, and there is a possibility that the screws cannot be fastened. Therefore, the screw holes of the stay are usually processed after the coating, but the coating in the screw holes is peeled off during the screw processing, so that rust is easily generated from the inner surface of the screw holes. If the fixing stay is formed integrally with the drain pan, rust generated in the screw hole easily spreads in the drain pan.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the drain pan and the stay are provided separately, even if rust is generated in the screw hole of the stay, it is difficult to spread to the inside of the drain pan. Also,
Although there is a possibility that the coating may not be applied between the first portion of the stay and the outer surface of the drain pan, there is no particular problem because the outer surface of the drain pan is used.

[0015] The aspect of the invention described in claim 4 is the first aspect of the present invention .
In 2 or 3 , the blow-in suppressing plate also serves as a fixing plate for fixing at least one of a humidifying element, a water supply tank for supplying water to the humidifying element, and an electromagnetic valve for controlling water supply to the water supply tank. It is characterized by the following.

In this aspect, since the blow-in suppressing plate also serves as, for example, the fixing plate of the humidifying element, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case where these are separately provided.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the blow-in suppressing plate is provided with a relatively lower region below the humidifying element. .

In this embodiment, even if water leaks from the humidifying element, it is received in the lower region of the blow-in suppressing plate below, and smoothly moves to the periphery along the lower region,
Fall into the drain pan.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the air path is a first air path connected to a suction port and a second air path connected to an air outlet. Are connected in a folded shape to form a U-shape, wherein the drain pan is disposed in the first air path, and the air blowing means is disposed in the second air path. It is assumed that.

In this embodiment, the water supply components are collectively arranged in the first air path of the U-shaped air path, so that the space can be effectively used and the size can be reduced.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a humidifying unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to FIG. 1, the present humidifying unit 1 is of a cassette type connected to a so-called ceiling-mounted indoor unit 2 of an air conditioner via a suction duct 3 and a blowing duct 4.

The above-mentioned intake duct 3 and outlet duct 4
Are connected to a suction port 7 and an air outlet 8 formed on a rear surface 6 as an opposite side surface of the casing 5 of the humidifying unit 1. Inside the casing 5, a first air passage 9 connected to the suction port 7 and a second air passage 10 connected to the outlet 8 are provided.
Is connected in a folded shape to form a substantially U-shaped air path 1
1 is formed.

In the first air passage 9, a pair of humidifying elements 13, a water supply tank 14 for supplying water to the humidification elements 13, and a water supply to the water supply tank 14 are provided on the drain pan 12. An electromagnetic valve 15 to be controlled is provided.

The second air path 10 has an air path 11,
A blower fan 16 for generating a ventilation flow from the inlet 7 to the outlet 8 is arranged. A motor 17 drives the blower fan 16. 18 is the first air path 9 and the second air path 1
0 and a communication member 19 formed with a communication opening 19 connecting the two air passages 9 and 10.

In the humidifying unit 1, the air flow introduced from the indoor unit 2 of the air conditioner via the suction duct 3 is humidified by the humidifying element 13, and then returned to the indoor unit 2 via the blowing duct 4. I have.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are exploded perspective views of the humidifying unit 1 showing a maintenance operation of the plumbing parts. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, casing 5 has a maintenance opening 21 formed on front surface 20 as one side surface facing rear surface 6 on which suction port 7 and blowout port 8 are formed. ing. This maintenance opening 2
1, a humidifying element 13 and a solenoid valve 15 fixed to a drain pan 12, and a water supply tank 14 connected to the drain pan 12 by a pipe, as shown in FIG.
This is for taking in and out together with the drain pan 12 along the pull-out direction X and the insertion direction Y, and is normally closed by an L-shaped maintenance lid 23 having a flange 22. The maintenance lid 23 is
It is detachably fixed by using a plurality of screw holes 24 and screws 25 provided along the periphery of the maintenance opening 21.

As will be described later in detail, most of the upper surface of the drain pan 12 is covered with a blow-in suppressing plate 37 for suppressing the blow of air into the drain pan 12, and the humidifying elements 13, 13 and the solenoid valve 15 are controlled to blow in. The water tank 14 is fixed to the plate 37 and the water tank 14 is
Are held by the blow-in suppressing plate 37 via piping connected to the blow-in device. For this reason, by pulling out the drain pan 12, the humidifying elements 13, 13, the water supply tank 14, and the solenoid valve 15 are drawn out at once.

From the side surface of the drain pan 12, a drain pipe 26 and a water supply pipe connection port 27 protrude in a direction Z perpendicular to the drawing direction X. With the drain pan 12 housed in the casing 5, these drain pipes 26
The water supply pipe connection port 27 is led out of the casing 5 through lead-out grooves 29 and 30 formed in a right side face 28 as an adjacent side face of the casing 5. These lead-out grooves 29 and 30 are formed of cutout grooves that open in the lead-out direction X to allow the drain pipe 26 and the water supply pipe connection port 27 to be drawn out. The flange 22 of the maintenance lid 23 has semicircular cutout recesses 35 and 36 for introducing the drain pipe 26 and the water supply pipe connection port 27 when the maintenance 23 is attached.

A screw 31 fixes a stay at one end of a front surface 12a which is an end surface on the drawer side of the drain pan 12, and a screw 3
Numeral 2 fixes the right side surface 12b of the drain pan 12 near the drain opening 26 to the right side surface 28 of the casing 5. A pair of screws 33 connects the water supply tank 14 to the casing 5.
For fixing to the upper surface 34 of Drain pan 1
When taking out the plumbing parts including 2 collectively, these screws 31 to 33 are removed.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 38 denotes the communication opening 19 described above.
Is a guide member that constitutes a part of the partition member 18 below the guide member, and guides the taking in and out of the drain pan 12.

Next, the drain pan 12 and components fixed or held therein will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The drain pan 12 is a box-shaped container that opens upward, and its bottom surface 39 is inclined so as to become lower toward the right side surface 12b on the side where the drain pipe 26 is provided, and the depth gradually increases. I have.

The drain pan 12 has a blowing suppression plate 37.
Three stays 39, 40, 41 to screw
Has been fixed. Each of the stays 39 to 41 is fixed to the outer surface of the drain pan 12 by welding. The reason why welding is performed on the outer surface is that rust and the like hardly occur even when the coating after welding of the stays 39 to 41 is not perfect. Each of the stays 39 to 41 receives the blow-in suppressing plate 37 inside the drain pan 12 while being fixed to the outer surface of the drain pan 12 in this manner. Therefore, in order to enable this, the basic shape is formed into an L-shape. I have.

Specifically, the first stay 39 includes a first portion 42 fixed along the front end of the left side surface 12 c of the drain pan 12 by welding, and one end of the upper end of the first portion 42. An L-shape is formed by the second portion 43 extending from the portion via a bent portion that straddles the upper edge of the left side surface 12c of the drain pan 12. The second portion 43 includes the blowing suppression plate 3.
7, and has a screw hole 45 into which a screw 44 for fixing the blowing suppression plate 37 is screwed.
At the front end of the first portion 42, a third portion 46 that is flush with the front surface 12a of the drain pan 12 extends.
The third portion 46 has a screw hole 47 through which the fixing screw 31 is inserted. Further, a fourth portion 48 protruding in a direction opposite to the second portion 43 extends from a lower edge portion on the rear end side of the first portion 42.

The second stay 40 includes a first portion 49 that is fixed along the right side surface 12b of the drain pan 12 by welding and a drain pan 1 from the upper end of the first portion 49.
The second portion 50 extending through a bent portion straddling the upper edge of the right side surface 12b of the second 2 has an L-shape. A screw hole 51 through which the fixing screw 32 is inserted is formed in a lower portion of the first portion 49, and the second portion 50 receives the lower surface of the blowing suppression plate 38 and the blowing suppression plate 37. Has a screw hole 53 into which a screw 52 for fixing the screw is screwed.

The third stay 41 is provided with a first portion 55 fixed along the rear surface 12d of the drain pan 12 by welding and a portion of the upper end of the first portion 55 from above the rear surface 12d of the drain pan 12. An L-shape is formed by the second portion 55 extending through the bent portion extending over the edge. The second portion 55 receives the lower surface of the blowing suppression plate 38 and
A screw hole 57 for screwing a screw 56 for fixing the blow-in suppressing plate 37 is provided.

The blowing suppression plate 37 is provided with the humidifying element 1.
A lower region 58 for mounting the third and third regions 13 and a pair of higher regions 59 sandwiching the lower region 58 forward and backward are provided. Each humidifying element 13 is fixed by fixing a pair of legs of the channel-shaped mounting member 60 over the humidifying element 13 to the left and right edges of the lower region 58 with screws 61, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 5, the humidifying element 13 includes a rectangular parallelepiped shell 62 and the shell 6.
And a humidifying pipe 63 made of a moisture-permeable membrane and bundled and housed in the casing 2. Both ends of the humidifying pipe 63 penetrate through opposing wall surfaces 65, 65 of the shell 62, and a space in the humidifying pipe 63 passes through both ends of the shell 62.
And a communication passage 64 is formed. Also,
A communication passage 64 inside the humidification pipe 63 and a water storage space V outside the humidification pipe 63 are partitioned by the peripheral wall of the humidification pipe 63 inside the shell 62. The humidifying element 13 is a spontaneous evaporation type using a moisture permeable membrane, and the humidifying capacity can be adjusted by adjusting the air volume.

Referring to FIG. 4 again, blow-in suppressing plate 37
A screw hole 67 for screwing a screw 66 for fixing the electromagnetic valve 15 is formed in a high region 59 on the front side of
Screw insertion holes 68 for inserting screws 44 and 52, respectively
69 is formed, and further, an opening 71 through which a drain pipe 70 for flowing water overflowing from the water supply tank 14 into the drain pan 12 is formed. Also,
A screw insertion hole 72 through which the screw 56 is inserted is formed in the high region 59 on the rear side of the blow-in suppressing plate 37.

Numeral 73 denotes a water supply tank 14 via a solenoid valve 15 with water supplied from a water supply pipe connection port 27 interposed therebetween.
And 74 is a water supply pipe for supplying water from the water supply tank 14 to the humidifying element 13. Although not shown, the water storage spaces of the humidifying elements 13 and 13 are also connected to each other via a water supply pipe.

Each of the humidifying elements 13 and 13 is positioned along a step formed between the lower region 58 and the higher region 59 of the blowing suppression plate 37. The front edge 82 of the blow-in suppressing plate 37 is bent downward like a flange so that there is no unnecessary protrusion in the drawing direction X (toward the maintenance side).

The blow-in suppressing plate 37 has a similar shape slightly smaller than the inner dimension of the drain pan 12, and as shown in FIG. 6, the peripheral edge 75 of the blow-in suppressing plate 37 and the peripheral edge 76 of the drain pan 12 opposed thereto. Between them, an annular groove 77 is formed for dropping water received by the blowing suppression plate 37 into the drain pan 12. This groove 7
7 is smaller than the diameter B of the head of each of the screws 44, 52, 56 (only the screw 44 is shown in FIG. 6) for fixing the blowing suppression plate 37 (A <B ) Is set.

The drain pan 12 which enters and exits the casing 5 is guided by the stays 39 to 41 while being supported by the stays 39 to 41. For example, when the fourth portion 48 of the first stay 39 is received by the receiving surface 78 formed of the upper surface of the guide member 38, the first stay 39 is positioned in the height direction. In addition, the first stay 39 located on the front side of the fourth portion 48 of the first stay 39.
Is positioned along the side surface 79 of the guide member 38 so that the first stay 39 can be positioned in the left-right direction. The front surface 8 of the guide member 38
Reference numeral 0 denotes a mounting surface to be fastened to the third portion 46 of the first stay 39 with the screw 31, and has a screw hole 81 into which the screw 31 is screwed.

The embodiment described above has the following advantages. That is, since the blow-in suppressing plate 37 can suppress the ventilation flow generated by the blower fan 16 from being blown into the drain pan 12, the water accumulated in the drain pan 12 and the dust floating in the water can flow. There is no possibility of being wound up by the air current and flying out of the drain pan 12.

Further, since the groove 77 is formed between the peripheral edge 77 of the drain pan 12 and the peripheral edge 75 of the blow-in suppressing plate 37, water received by the blow-in suppressing plate 37 is formed by the groove 77.
Through the drain pan 12. In particular, since the ventilation flow serves to carry the moisture on the blowing suppression plate 37 to the periphery, the moisture can be more smoothly dropped into the drain pan 12.

Further, since the width A of the groove 77 is smaller than the diameter B of the heads of the screws 44, 52, 56 for fixing the blow-in suppressing plate 37, the fixing screws are used at the installation site. It can be reliably prevented from dropping into the drain pan 12 through the groove 77.

Since the drain pan 12 and the fixing stays 39 to 41 are separately provided, the stays 39 to 41 are temporarily provided.
Even if rust is generated in the first screw holes 45, 53, 57, the rust hardly spreads to the inside of the drain pan 12. In addition, each stay 39-4
When the coating is performed after the welding of No. 1, each stay 39 to 41
There is a possibility that no coating is applied between the first portions 42, 49, and 54 and the outer surface of the drain pan 12, but there is no particular problem because the outer surface of the drain pan 12 is used.

Further, since the blow-in suppressing plate 37 also serves as a fixing plate for the humidifying element 13 and the solenoid valve 15, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case where these are separately provided.

Further, since the blow-in suppressing plate 37 is provided with a relatively low region 58 below the humidifying element 13, even if the water leaks from the humidifying element 13, the water leakage will be low. It travels smoothly along the area 58 to the periphery of the blowing suppression plate 37, and falls into the drain pan 12. In addition, the step between the lower region 58 and the higher region 59 can be used for positioning the humidifying element 13, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case where a separate positioning member is provided.

Further, the first air path 9 of the U-shaped air path 11
By disposing a drain pan 12 in the first air path 11, the water supply parts 12 and 1 including the drain pan 12
3, 14, 15 etc. are arranged collectively, and as a result, space can be used effectively and downsizing can be achieved.

Further, it has the following advantages. That is, the humidifying element 13, the water supply tank 14, and the solenoid valve 15 can be pulled out together with the drain pan 12 through the maintenance opening 21. Since the plumbing components can be pulled out at a time, maintenance work on the plumbing components can be performed very easily. The drain pan 12 has a humidifying element 13,
It is sufficient that at least one of the water supply components of the water supply tank 14 and the electromagnetic valve 15 is held and can be pulled out collectively.

Further, since the suction port 7 and the air outlet 8 are collectively arranged on the rear face 6 of the casing 5, it is possible to form a large maintenance opening 21 on the front face 20 of the casing 5. In particular, by forming the air passage 11 in the casing 5 as a U-shaped air passage having the first and second air passages 9 and 10, the inlet 7 and the outlet 8 are concentrated on the rear surface 6 as described above. A layout that is arranged in a practical manner becomes possible.

Further, by arranging the drain pan 12 in the first air passage 9, the water supply parts 12 to 15 including the drain pan 12 are collectively arranged in the first air passage 9. As a result, it is possible to realize that the water components 12 to 15 are collectively removed from the maintenance opening 21.

The guide member 3 provided in the casing 5
The pull-out and insertion of the drain pan 12 are guided by 8, so that the drain pan 12 is pulled out smoothly,
It can also be inserted.

Further, a direction Z that intersects the drawing direction X
The outlet groove 29 for leading out the drain pipe 26 projecting from the drain pan 12 is formed by a cutout groove opened in the drawing direction X of the drain pan 12, so that even if the drain pan 12 integrally provided with the drain pipe 16 is provided with the maintenance opening 21 as it is. Can be withdrawn from.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the humidifying element is not limited to a moisture-permeable membrane type, but may be another known spontaneous evaporation type. In addition, various changes can be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0057]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the ventilation flow can be prevented from being blown into the drain pan, the water stored in the drain pan and the dust and the like floating in the water are wound up by the ventilation flow. It will not be scattered outside the drain pan.

[0058] Furthermore, blowing moisture received by suppressing plate reaches the peripheral flow over the surface of the blowing suppression plate,
It falls into the drain pan through an annular groove formed between the drain pan and the periphery.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the screw for fixing the blow-in suppressing plate from dropping into the drain pan through the groove at the installation site.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the drain pan and the stay are provided separately, even if rust is generated in the screw hole of the stay, the rust does not easily spread to the inside of the drain pan. Further, there is a possibility that no coating is applied between the first portion of the stay and the outer surface of the drain pan, but there is no particular problem because the outer surface of the drain pan is used.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the blow-in suppressing plate also serves as, for example, the fixing plate of the humidifying element, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case where these are separately provided.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, even if water leaks from the humidifying element, it is received in the lower region of the blow-in suppressing plate below, and smoothly moves to the periphery along the lower region, and Fall inside.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the water supply components are collectively arranged in the first air path of the U-shaped air path, so that downsizing can be achieved while effectively utilizing space. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of a humidifying unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the humidifying unit in a state where a maintenance lid is removed.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the humidifying unit showing a state in which a water supply part including a drain pan is drawn out from a maintenance opening.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a water component including a drain pan.

FIG. 5 is a partially broken schematic perspective view of a humidifying element.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a main part of a blowing suppression plate and a drain pan.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a drain pan and a main part of the guide member, showing a state in which a stay fixed to the drain pan is guided by a guide member in a casing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Humidification unit 2 Indoor unit 3 Suction duct 4 Blow-off duct 5 Casing 7 Suction port 8 Blow-out port 9 1st air path 10 2nd air path 11 Air path 12 Drain pan 13 Humidifying element 14 Water supply tank 15 Electromagnetic valve 16 Blow fan ( Blower means) 39, 40, 41 stays 42, 49, 54 first portion 43, 50, 55 second portion 45, 53, 57 screw hole 58 lower region

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A duct for an indoor unit (2) of an air conditioner.
(3) Inlet (7) and outlet connected via (4)
In the humidifying unit (1) having (8), a casing (5) for partitioning an air passage (11) from the suction port (7) to the outlet (8), and the casing (5) is housed in the casing (5). A humidifying element (13) for humidifying the airflow flowing through the air passage (11),
A blower means (16) for generating an airflow flowing to a drain pan (12) disposed at a lower portion in the casing (5) and opening upward, and a drain pan (12) disposed at an upper portion of the drain pan (12).
Blowing suppression plate (37) that suppresses ventilation flow into the inside
With the door, this blowing control plates (37) are inner dimension of the drain pan (12)
And the periphery (76) of the drain pan (12) and the blowing suppression plate (37)
The water received by the blowing suppression plate (37) between the periphery (75)
An annular groove (77) for dropping into the drain pan (12)
A humidifying unit characterized by being formed . The annular groove (77) is provided with a blowing suppression plate (37).
Of the screws (44, 52, 56) for fixing the screws to the drain pan (12)
2. A humidifying unit according to claim 1, wherein said humidifying unit has a width (A) capable of preventing the passage of said part . 3. The blow-in suppressing plate (37) is provided with a drain pan (1).
L provided separately from 2) and fixed to the drain pan (12)
The L-shaped stays (39, 40, 41) are screwed to the L-shaped stays (39, 40, 41).
A first part (42,49,54) welded to the drain pan (12)
To extend upward and secure the blowing suppression plate (37).
Has screw holes (45, 53, 57) through which female screws (44, 52, 56) are inserted
The humidifying unit according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a second portion (43, 50, 55) . 4. The humidifying element according to claim 1, wherein said blow-in suppressing plate is provided with a humidifying element.
(13), a water supply tank for supplying water to this humidifying element (13)
(14), a solenoid valve (1) for controlling water supply to the water supply tank (14).
5) also as a fixing plate for fixing at least one of
Humidifying unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that there. 5. The humidifying element according to claim 5, wherein said blow-in suppressing plate is provided with a humidifying element.
A relatively lower area (58) corresponding to the area below
Humidifying unit according to claim 4, wherein the are. 6. The first air passage (11) is connected to a first air inlet (7).
Fold the air path (9) and the second air path (10) connected to the outlet (8).
It is connected in a reverse shape and the whole is U-shaped.
The pump (12) is disposed in the first air passage (9), and
The humidifying unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein (16) is disposed in the second air path (10) .