JP3322507B2 - Automatic cleaning equipment for air conditioners - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ceiling-mounted air conditioner in which an indoor unit is installed above or below a ceiling, and a heat exchanger contaminated with oil smoke or the like is cleaned using a detergent liquid. The present invention relates to an automatic cleaning device of an air conditioner for cleaning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A ventilation panel of an indoor unit of an air conditioner is
The ceiling-mounted air conditioner provided on the ceiling surface is particularly suitable for offices, restaurants, and the like, from the viewpoint of improving heat exchange efficiency and effectively utilizing the indoor floor surface. However, in these places,
Oil fumes generated considerably during smoking and cooking adhere to the heat exchanger, and the heat exchange function is rapidly deteriorated. This oily stain cannot be removed without using a detergent solution. However, using a scourer or a rag to wipe off dirt would be a high-altitude operation and would not be very efficient. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, a method of spraying a detergent liquid to a heat exchanger using an injection nozzle has been used for an air conditioner of a ceiling embedded type. In this method, a ventilation panel, a ventilation fan, and the like (not shown) provided on the ceiling surface are removed, and a funnel-shaped washing liquid receiving vessel 102 made of a transparent vinyl sheet is formed so as to surround the outer periphery of the indoor unit casing 101. And a spray nozzle 1 for washing the detergent and the washing water through a hollow 103 provided on the side surface of the washing solution receiver 102.
04 is inserted. In the figure, 105 is a detergent liquid reservoir, 106 is a suction pump, 107 is an injection nozzle 1 at the tip.
This is a suction hose with 04 attached. The washing liquid dripping from the heat exchanger is collected in a washing liquid reservoir 109 via a washing liquid receiver 102 and a drain hose 108. Also, “Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-30649”
6 ”is a technology that reciprocates left and right along the heat exchanger while holding the cleaning unit, which combines the discharge nozzle and the suction nozzle of the cleaning liquid (and air) with the heat exchanger in between. It has been disclosed. On the other hand, the indoor unit 200 of the ceiling-suspended air conditioner illustrated in FIG. 8 was once removed from the ceiling surface, washed, and then attached again.

[0003]

However, the method of spraying the detergent liquid from the spray nozzle inserted into the bore of the above-mentioned washing liquid receiver is far better than the method of wiping with a rag, There is a danger of work and considerable effort is required.
Such difficulties are common to the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-306496, in which the cleaning unit is reciprocated while the operator holds the cleaning unit in his hand. On the other hand, the method of once removing the indoor unit at the time of cleaning requires a considerable amount of time for the attaching and detaching work, and is a very irrational cleaning method. Therefore, the applicant of the present application has developed a heat exchanger in which a completely automatic cleaning can be performed by turning an injection nozzle temporarily installed at a location where a ventilation fan is removed while facing the inner peripheral surface of the heat exchanger. A cleaning apparatus has been developed, and patent applications have been filed as "Japanese Patent Application No. 5-269699" and "Japanese Patent Application No. 5-269699". The device of the invention of the prior application was created for an air conditioner having a structure in which a heat exchanger is arranged so as to surround a ventilation fan. However, the method of disposing the heat exchanger is not limited to the above, and two rectangular plate-shaped heat exchangers are opposed to each other with a fan interposed therebetween. Some of them are opposed in an appropriate arrangement. With respect to this type of air conditioner, the above-mentioned prior-art invention device cannot satisfactorily achieve its excellent cleaning performance. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic cleaning device for an air conditioner, which is suitable for a structure in which one or more heat exchangers of a rectangular plate shape are opposed to a ventilation fan.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an automatic air conditioner cleaning apparatus according to the present invention is provided.
A guide rail B detachably attached to the casing of the indoor unit so as to be opposed to the heat exchanger 50 at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 50, and a cleaning nozzle 13 for jetting a cleaning liquid toward the heat exchanger 50. And a device main body A reciprocally mounted on the guide rail B, and reciprocating means C thereof.
And a cleaning liquid supply device E for supplying a pressurized cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle 13. The reciprocating means C includes a driving roller 4 and a pressing means pressed against the guide rail B, a moving motor 2 for rotating the driving roller 4, and a moving direction switching means G of the apparatus main body A.
It is preferable to provide a configuration including: Further, the pressing means comprises a driven roller 7 opposed to the driving roller 4 with the guide rail B interposed therebetween, and the driven roller 7
And a spring 10 for urging so as to approach the position.

[0005]

The cleaning device of the present invention is used by being detachably attached to a casing of an indoor unit. Prior to this installation, parts that prevent cleaning of the heat exchanger 50, such as a ventilation panel and a fan, are removed and placed. Then, in a state in which the apparatus main body A having the cleaning nozzle 13 is mounted on the guide rail B, the guide rail B is opposed to the indoor unit at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 50. When the cleaning device is detachably fixed to the casing, the installation of the cleaning device is completed. The cleaning nozzle 13 is connected to a liquid supply hose extending from a cleaning liquid supply device E attached to the apparatus main body A. When the cleaning device is started, the device main body A is moved by the reciprocating means C.
While being reciprocated between both ends of the guide rail B, the heat exchanger 5
0 is automatically cleaned.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a ceiling-mounted air conditioner will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 and FIG.
2 shows a state in which it is attached to a casing 201. The box-shaped casing 201 having the open lower surface is suspended from the ceiling back beam by a suspension bolt 202, and the open lower surface faces the ventilation hole 301 provided in the ceiling surface 300. . The drawing shows a state in which a ventilation panel, a ventilation fan, etc., which hinder the cleaning operation, have been removed.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the rectangular casing 201, heat exchangers 50 in the form of rectangular panels are vertically arranged along opposing side walls in the longitudinal direction.
A ventilation fan is installed between the set of heat exchangers.

The schematic configuration of the cleaning apparatus 100 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, a guide rail B for reciprocating the apparatus main body A along the longitudinal direction thereof while facing the heat exchanger 50 at a predetermined interval, and a reciprocating means C for the apparatus main body A.
A cleaning nozzle unit D that is attached to the apparatus main body A and sprays a cleaning liquid toward the heat exchanger 50; and a cleaning liquid supply device E that supplies a pressurized cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle unit D.

The details of each of these components will be sequentially described below. The guide rail B of this embodiment is made of a long rectangular cylinder made of stainless steel, and is detachably straddled between the lower edges of the opposing side walls 201a in the longitudinal direction of the casing 201 as shown in FIG. Is established. In this straddling,
A pair of straddling members F, F described later are used. The rectangular cylindrical guide rail B is laid so that the diagonal direction of the rectangular cylinder is oriented vertically and horizontally.

The apparatus main body A has the structure shown in FIGS. Numeral 1 is a disk-shaped base arranged in a vertical direction. A moving motor 2 for reciprocating the apparatus main body A is disposed in the center of the upper part of the back of the base 1 (right side in FIG. 3 as a side view). It is attached to.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the front side of the base 1, two rotating shafts 3 and 3 are protrudingly provided at equal intervals on both left and right sides of the motor shaft 2a. A drive roller 4 for reciprocating movement of the apparatus main body A is fitted on each of the rotating shafts 3. As shown in FIG. 3, a V-shaped groove 4 pressed against the upper edge of the guide rail B is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber driving roller 4.
a is provided around. The plane gears 5, 6 and 6 meshing with each other are fitted on the motor shaft 2a and the rotating shafts 3 and 3, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, a driven roller 7 serving to pinch the guide rail B in cooperation with a pair of drive rollers 4 and 4 is provided at the lower portion on the front side of the base 1. And a pair of fixed shafts 8, 8 rotatably mounted, respectively, protruding in a cantilever support manner. 9 is a bracket for supporting the rotating shaft 3. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a coil spring 10 for urging the driven roller 7 so as to approach the driving roller 4 is provided between both ends of the rotating shaft 3 and the fixed shaft 8 which are vertically opposed to each other. It is stretched. The driven roller 7 and the coil spring 10 constitute a pressing means for pressing the driving roller 4 against the guide rail B. Also, each of the above members 2-1
Reference numeral 0 denotes a reciprocating means C of the apparatus main body A. still,
The driven roller 7 made of plastic protects the device by idling at the time of abnormality.

Next, the cleaning liquid nozzle unit D shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 has, as a main body, a nozzle mounting tube 11 that rises so as to be bent in an L-shape on the front surface of the lower end of the base 1. A rotatable pipe joint 12 for connecting an end of a liquid feed hose 65 extending from a cleaning liquid supply device E to be described later is attached to the horizontal portion 11a of the nozzle mounting pipe 11. In addition, rising part 11b
, A set of front and rear washing nozzles 13 is attached to a plurality of locations vertically spaced apart from each other.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a pressure-sensitive switch that opens and closes in accordance with the presence or absence of the supply of the pressurized liquid into the nozzle mounting pipe 11 is provided at the base end (the right end in the figure) of the horizontal portion 11a. So that the movement motor 2 is energized only when the pressurized liquid is supplied. This pressure-sensitive switch is composed of a piston 14 incorporated in the base end, a spring 15 for normally urging the piston 14 backward, and a microswitch 16 mounted on the back side of the base 1. . Then, the piston 14 pressed by the hydraulic pressure of the pressurized liquid is applied to the spring 15
When the robot moves forward against the urging force, the tip of the microswitch 16 presses the actuator of the microswitch 16 to turn it on.

Next, in FIGS. 3 and 5, reference numeral G indicates a moving direction switching means of the apparatus main body A. The moving direction switching means G is movably mounted in a switch 20 mounted on the back side of the base 1 and in a guide hole 21 provided to penetrate the base 1 horizontally in the radial direction. The switching rod 22 and, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of contact members 23, 23 which are provided near both ends of the guide rail B and respectively contact both ends of the switching rod 22. It is configured. The contact member 23 is configured to be movable along the guide rail B so that the reciprocating stroke of the apparatus main body A can be arbitrarily set.

As shown in FIG. 5, an intermediate portion of the switching rod 22 is provided with a protruding portion 22a for pressing the actuator 20a of the changeover switch 20 to turn it on. Further, stoppers 22b for restricting the movement range of the switching rod 22 are attached near both ends. 24
Is an operation control device of the moving motor 2, and the changeover switch 2
In response to the ON signal of 0, the rotation direction of the moving motor 2 is switched. Reference numeral 25 denotes a power cord, and reference numeral 26 denotes a liquid-proof cover for protecting electric components and the like, which is fitted on the back side of the base 1.

In order to attach the guide rail B to the casing 201 in the above-described state, a pair of straddling members F, F shown in FIGS. The straddling member F has, as a main body, a mounting bar 30 formed of a stainless steel square tube having a length equal to or longer than the width of the casing 201. As shown in FIG. 2, opposing side walls 20 are provided on both left and right sides of the mounting bar 30.
Screw-type fixing clamp 31 for holding the lower edge of 1a
Is slidably mounted to the left and right. In the middle of the mounting bar 30, gripping clamps 32 for gripping both ends of the rectangular tubular guide rail B are also slidably mounted to the left and right.

The cleaning liquid supply device E of this embodiment has the configuration shown in FIG. That is, a detergent liquid tank 61, a cleaning liquid (water) tank 62,
Liquid sending pump 63, both tanks 61 and 62 and liquid sending pump 63
And a control unit 64 for automatically controlling the operation of the apparatus main body A and the cleaning liquid supply apparatus E in accordance with an arbitrarily set program. The end of the liquid sending hose 65 extending from the liquid sending pump 63 is connected to the pipe joint 12 of the apparatus main body A.

Next, in FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 70 denotes a washing liquid receiver.
The end of a drain hose 72, which is vertically provided below the ventilation hole 301 on the ceiling surface 300 using a hanging fitting 71 and is connected to a drain port 70 a at the lower end thereof, is inserted into the drain reservoir 73. 74
Reference numeral denotes a liquid-proof curtain, which plays a role of closing a gap generated between the ventilation hole 301 and the upper edge of the washing liquid receiver 70. The upper end of the liquid-proof curtain 74 is covered with a rubber band or the like around the skirt of the casing 201 of the indoor unit, and the lower end is provided with a washing receiver 70.
Hanging inside.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. In order to clean oily dirt adhering to the heat exchanger 50 using the cleaning device 100, first, a ventilation panel on the ceiling surface 300, a drain pan of the indoor unit 200, a ventilation fan, etc. (all not shown) are cleaned. Remove the parts that interfere with the work. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the bridging member F of the guide rail B is screwed onto each lower edge portion of the longitudinal side wall 201a of the casing 201 of the indoor unit by the fixing clamp 31 as described above. Stop and fix. Then, the gripping clamp 32 slidably mounted on the mounting bar 30 is set and placed at a substantially intermediate position between a pair of heat exchangers 50 opposed to each other in the casing 201.

On the other hand, the drive roller 4
The guide rail B is placed between the driven roller 7 and the driven roller 7 against the urging force of the coil spring 10 as shown in FIG. In this state, both ends of the guide rail B are clamped by the respective clamps 3 of the pair of mounting bars 30, 30.
2 and 32 are gripped as described above. by this,
The guide rail B to which the apparatus main body A is attached is
01 is in a state of being erected at the longitudinal center of the open lower end. Then, the facing distance between the pair of contact members 23, 23 is adjusted and set so as to match the length of the heat exchanger 50.

Next, the pipe joint 12 at the lower end of the apparatus main body A
Is connected to the end of a liquid supply hose 65 extending from the cleaning liquid supply device E. Then, the operation program of the cleaning device 100 is set by the control unit 64. That is, the injection pressure of the cleaning liquid, the moving speed of the apparatus main body A, the number of reciprocations, and the like are appropriately set according to the size of the heat exchanger 50 and the degree of contamination. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the washing liquid receiver 70 is provided directly below the ventilation hole 301 on the ceiling surface, and the ceiling surface 300 and the washing liquid receiver 70 are provided.
When the gap between the cleaning device 100 and the upper edge of the cleaning device 100 is closed with the liquidproof curtain 74, the operation preparation of the cleaning device 100 is completed. In the operation standby state, the cleaning liquid supply device E is switched to the side where the liquid supply pump 63 sucks the detergent liquid.

Therefore, when the cleaning device 100 is started, the liquid supply pump 63 is started, and the nozzle mounting pipe 11 is started.
With the increase of the hydraulic pressure in the inside, the piston 14 constituting the pressure-sensitive switch moves forward against the force of the spring 15 and pushes the micro switch 16 to start the moving motor 2, and from each washing nozzle 13, The detergent liquid is sprayed toward the heat exchanger 50.

The rotation of the moving motor 2 is transmitted to the drive roller 4 after being decelerated, and the drive roller 4 is driven by the driven roller 7 and the coil spring 10 as described above.
Since the apparatus main body A is pressed against the guide rail B,
It starts to move on the guide rail B in the outward direction as if it were a self-propelled vehicle running on the rail.

When the apparatus main body A reaches one end of the guide rail B, one end of the built-in switching rod 22 comes into contact with a contact member 23 provided on one end of the guide rail B, and the rotation of the moving motor 2 is started. Changeover switch 2 for changing direction
0 is switched as described above. As a result, the moving direction of the apparatus main body A is changed, and the apparatus main body A moves while continuously spraying the detergent liquid toward the return direction. Then, when reaching the other end of the guide rail B, the other end of the switching rod 22 hits the stopper 23 provided on the other end of the guide rail B, and returns to the forward direction again.

When the main body A repeats the reciprocating motion a predetermined number of times as described above, and the oily dirt of the heat exchanger 50 is completely removed, the control unit 64 changes the supply liquid to the cleaning nozzle 13 from the cleaning liquid to the cleaning liquid. The switching valve provided in the liquid piping system is operated so as to switch to (in this case, water). However, the switching valve may be manually operated while observing the cleaning state of the heat exchanger 50. Then, after continuing the cleaning liquid injection step according to the above-described detergent liquid injection step for a predetermined time, the liquid feeding pump 63 is stopped. Along with this, the moving motor 2 is also stopped by itself, and a series of automatic cleaning steps of the heat exchanger 50 is completed.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a ceiling suspended air conditioner. The indoor unit 200 of this air conditioner
Is not a vertical heat exchanger 50 as shown,
It is housed in the casing 201 in an inclined state to reduce its height. Therefore, the guide rail B is also
1 is biased to one side. In addition, the rising portion 11b of the cleaning nozzle unit D is replaced with one that matches the structure of the indoor unit 200. The configuration and operation method of the cleaning device 100 are in accordance with the above embodiment.

It should be noted that the object of the present invention is achieved even if the detailed structure of the above configuration is changed as appropriate. For example, a pinion may be used instead of the drive roller 4 constituting the reciprocating means C, and the pinion may be engaged with a rack provided on the guide rail B. Further, for the moving motor 2, various known switching mechanisms can be used as the rotating direction switching means, and its power supply battery may be mounted on the apparatus main body A. And so on.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, the automatic cleaning apparatus for an air conditioner according to the present invention has various excellent effects as listed below. (A) Since it is of an automatic cleaning type, it is free from conventional dangerous and difficult cleaning work at a high place. (B) Even an inexperienced person in the washing operation can quickly and surely wash. (C) The apparatus main body is made extremely compact, and the member for laying the guide rail can be attached to and detached from the casing of the indoor unit by almost one-touch operation. (D) Accordingly, the operation of attaching and detaching the cleaning device to and from the casing can be performed easily and quickly. (E) Since one type of apparatus main body and a member for bridging the same can be shared for indoor units of various types and capacities, the operation rate of the cleaning apparatus can be sufficiently increased, and the economy is excellent. (F) Since the cleaning nozzle unit can be easily replaced with one suitable for the type of the indoor unit, one type of cleaning device can be shared by various indoor units having different structures, which is convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an entire apparatus showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a ceiling-mounted air conditioner.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the cleaning device is attached to a casing of the indoor unit, with a part of the casing cut away.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the apparatus main body;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a partial cross section of the above.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view in the XX line direction of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 7 is a sketch drawing of the entire apparatus, showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a ceiling suspended air conditioner.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an indoor unit of the ceiling-suspended air conditioner.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Cleaning device 200 Indoor unit 201 Casing 201a Opposite side wall 300 Ceiling surface 301 Ventilation hole 50 Heat exchanger A Device body B Guide rail C Reciprocating means D Cleaning nozzle unit E Cleaning liquid supply device F Bridge member G Moving direction switching means 1 Base 2 Moving motor 2a Motor shaft 3 Rotary shaft 4 Drive roller 4a V-shaped groove 5,6 Flat gear 7 Follower roller (pressing means) 8 Fixed shaft 9 Bracket 10 Coil spring (pressing means) 11 Nozzle mounting pipe 11a Horizontal part 11b Vertical part 12 Fitting 13 Cleaning nozzle 14 Piston 15 Spring 16 Micro switch 20 Switching switch 20a Switching knob 21 Guide hole 22 Switching rod 22a Projecting part 22b Stopper 23 Contact member 24 Control device 25 Power cord 30 Mounting bar 31 Fixed Clamp 32 Clamp for gripping 60 Dolly 61 Detergent liquid tank 62 Cleaning liquid tank 63 Liquid supply pump 64 Control unit 70 Cleaning liquid receiver 70a Drain outlet 71 Suspension fitting 72 Drain hose 73 Drain reservoir 74 Liquid curtain

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Futa Kawamura 390 Muramatsu, Shimizu-shi, Shizuoka Prefecture Inside Air Conditioning Systems Division, Hitachi, Ltd. Inventor Minoru Sugino 1 Aichi-cho, Kasugai-shi, Aichi Prefecture Aichi Electric Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-63-315894 (JP, A) JP-A-63-247504 (JP, A) JP-A 64-70179 (JP, A) JP-A-59-142398 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F28G 15/04 F28G 1/16 F28G 9/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cleaning liquid which is detachably mounted on a casing 201 of an indoor unit and is opposed to the heat exchanger 50 at a predetermined interval along a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger 50; A cleaning nozzle 13 for injecting the cleaning nozzle 13 and a device main body A reciprocally mounted on the guide rail B, and a reciprocating means C thereof; and a cleaning liquid supply device E for supplying a pressurized cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle 13. An automatic cleaning device for an air conditioner, comprising: 2. The reciprocating means C includes a driving roller 4 and a pressing means pressed against the guide rail B, a moving motor 2 for rotating the driving roller 4, and a moving direction switching means for the apparatus main body A. The automatic cleaning device for an air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising: G. 3. The driven roller 7 is disposed opposite to the drive roller 4 with the guide rail B interposed therebetween.
A spring (10) for urging the driven roller (7) so as to approach the driving roller (4).
Or the automatic cleaning device for an air conditioner according to 2.