JP3327136B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner in which drain water is discharged by a drain pump.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Drain water is generated inside an air conditioner. In order to discharge the drain water out of the main body, generally, a so-called “natural flow-down type” in which a discharge hose flows naturally at a gradient that becomes lower as going downstream,
As described in JP-A-25059, there is a so-called "drain pump type" in which drain water is forcibly discharged by a drain pump.

[0003] In particular, in the case of the "drain pump type", the drain hose connected to the drain pump does not necessarily have to be lowered toward the downstream side as in the "natural flow down type". That is, the drain hose may be arranged so that the downstream side is higher than the upstream side, and it is possible to reduce the necessity of taking care of the drain hose.

During operation of the air conditioner, the drain water generated in the cooler accumulates in the drain pan receiving the water, so that the drain pump is constantly operated and discharged, and the drain water is discharged to the drain pan due to a failure of the drain pump or other causes. If the amount of stored drain water becomes abnormally large, a detector is provided to detect the amount of drain water stored, the amount of stored water is detected, and the operation of the air conditioner main body is stopped to prevent overflow. For example, a sign urging the user to request an inspection was displayed.

[0005]

However, in the process of detecting that the amount of stored drain water has become abnormally large by the above-described detector, unlike the original purpose, the drain pump has no abnormality in the drain pump and accumulates in the drain pan. Although the amount of drain water is normal, the detector may incorrectly detect the drain water from the cooler to the drain pan due to accidental bouncing water droplets attached to the detector. In some cases, it was determined that the amount of drain water stored was abnormally large. That is, while operating the air conditioner body,
Even if there is no abnormality inside, the operation of the air conditioner is stopped because of the erroneous detection of “abnormal drain water accumulation” and the display of the abnormality is performed. Even if no failure is found in the pump, a request for a service inspection work, such as a "serviceman call", is prompted.

The present invention solves the above problems by improving the detection performance of a drain water detector and reducing the number of requests for service inspection work by air conditioner users. It is intended.

[0007]

An air conditioner according to the present invention includes a cooling device, a drain pan for receiving drain water generated by the cooling device, and a drain water collected in the drain pan. An air conditioner provided with a drain pump for discharging outside the main body, a detector for detecting that drain water flowing into the drain pan has reached a predetermined capacity or more, and the drain pump is provided simultaneously with the start of operation of the main body. When the detector detects that the amount of drain water is equal to or more than a predetermined capacity, the detector performs a second detection operation, and when it is continuously detected that the amount of drain water is equal to or more than a predetermined capacity, it is determined to be abnormal. Is what you do.

Further, an air having a cooler, a drain pan for receiving the drain water generated by the cooler, and a drain pump for discharging the drain water accumulated in the drain pan to the outside of the main body in the main body. In the harmony device, the drain water flowing into the drain pan is provided with a detector for detecting that the volume is equal to or more than a predetermined capacity, and the drain pump is operated at the same time as the operation of the main body is started. This is to start detection.

Further, an air having a cooler, a drain pan for receiving the drain water generated by the cooler, and a drain pump for discharging the drain water accumulated in the drain pan out of the main body in the main body. In the conditioner, the drain water flowing into the drain pan is detected to have a predetermined capacity or more, a detector having a heating means is provided, and the drain pump is operated at the same time as the operation of the main body is started, and the heating means After heating the detector and after a predetermined time,
The detection of the drain water is started.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a main part of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is an air conditioner installed on a ceiling, which is called a “ceiling cassette type”. FIG.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the air conditioner shown in Fig. 1. 1 and 2, the air conditioner includes a main body 1 housed behind a ceiling, and a panel 3 that closes an opening of the main body and is disposed on a ceiling surface 2. In this panel, 4 is a suction grill, and 6 is an outlet provided with a wind direction plate 5.

On the other hand, in the main body 1, reference numeral 7 denotes a double suction type sirocco fan (blower), 8 denotes a heat exchanger, 9 denotes a drain pan for receiving the drain water generated in the heat exchanger 8, 10.
Is a drain pump for discharging drain water accumulated in the drain pan 9 to the outside of the main body, and 11 is a drain hose, which is connected to a discharge port 12 of the drain pump 10. Reference numeral 13 denotes a detector that detects drain water accumulated in the drain pan 9 at a certain amount or more. In addition, reference numeral 14 denotes a hanger provided on the outer wall of the main body, and 15 denotes a refrigerant pipe connected to the heat exchanger 8.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a remote controller installed on a wall or the like in the room, and has a display unit 17 for displaying a sign such as "abnormal display" described later. FIG. 3 shows the detector main body 13.
And a holder 18 for attaching to the air conditioner body side.
And a sensor 19. Note that the holder 18 also serves to hold the sensor 19. A heater 20 and a thermistor 21 are provided inside the sensor 19.

The operation of the air conditioner configured as described above will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control by a detector built in the air conditioner shown in FIG. First, the operation of the air conditioner is started. That is, the detector 13
(S1). At this time, since the drain pump 10 has also started operating, the drain water collected in the drain pan 9 is normally pumped up by the drain pump 10 and discharged from the discharge port 12 to the outside via the drain hose 11. Is discharged. That is, the drain pan 9 is in a state where the drain water does not accumulate to a predetermined volume, and the detector 13 determines that the air is in the air (S2).

Here, for example, when the drain water generated in the heat exchanger 8 drops on the drain pan 9, the water drops adhere to the detector 13 for some reason, and the detector determines that the water is underwater (S3). ). Even in this case, since there is still another next-stage determination loop, it is determined that the airdrop is in the air if the above-mentioned water droplets adhere (S4). For this reason, the detector 13 determines that the amount of drain water stored has become abnormally large at the time of (S3) as in the prior art due to the same cause, and the display unit 1 of the remote controller 16
8 rarely shows an abnormal display (S5).

Embodiment 2 FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another example of the control by the detector built in the air conditioner shown in FIG. In addition, when the operation of the air conditioner is started, the drain water returned from the drain hose 11 when the previous operation was stopped and the drain water generated by residual heat in the heat exchanger 8 after that. In some cases, the detector 13 may have landed on the drain water accumulated in the drain pan 9. Here, simultaneously with the start of the operation of the air conditioner, the drain pump 10 is also operated (S1).
1). Then, the drain water accumulated in the drain pan 9 is discharged to the outside by operating the drain pump 10 at the same time as the operation of the air conditioner, so that the surface of the drain water moves away from the detector 13. At this time, for a predetermined time (T1), the detector 1
3 so as not to detect the drain water (S1
2). Here, (T1) changes depending on the room temperature at the start of the operation. As a result, at the time when the detection of the surface of the drain water is started thereafter (S13), since the detector 13 has not landed on the drain water, erroneous detection in such a case is reduced, and the display unit 18 of the remote controller 16 is displayed. Abnormal display (S14) can be accurately shown.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating still another example of control by a detector built in the air conditioner illustrated in FIG. 1. Further, when the operation of the air conditioner is started, the detector 13 may sometimes land on the drain water accumulated in the drain pan 9 for the same reason as described above. Here, simultaneously with the start of the operation of the air conditioner, the drain pump 10 is also operated (S21), and the drain water accumulated in the drain pan 9 is discharged out of the air conditioner. Therefore, the surface of the drain water moves away from the detector 13. next,
Power is supplied only to the heater 20 inside the sensor 19 of the detector 13 (S22), and this state is maintained for a predetermined time (T2) (S23). However, (T2) changes depending on the room temperature at the start of operation. Thereby, the removal of the water droplets attached to the surface of the sensor 19 is further ensured. Therefore, the probability of erroneous detection of underwater in the determination flow (S24) is extremely low, and the abnormal display (S25) can be accurately displayed on the display unit 18 of the remote controller 16.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cooler, the drain pan receiving the drain water generated by the cooler, and the drain water accumulated in the drain pan are provided inside the main body. In an air conditioner equipped with a drain pump for discharging, drain water flowing into a drain pan is
A second detector is provided when the detector detects that the amount of the drain water is equal to or greater than a predetermined capacity, the detector including a detector for detecting that the volume of water exceeds a predetermined capacity. Performs operation and determines that there is an abnormality when continuously detecting that the amount of drain water has exceeded a predetermined volume.There is no abnormality in the drain pump during operation of the air conditioner, and the amount of drain water accumulated in the drain pan Despite the fact that water does not accumulate as much as the specified volume, it is determined that the amount of drain water stored has become abnormally large due to factors such as accidental bouncing water droplets when the drain water drips into the drain pan adhered to the detector Even so, the second detection operation is performed, and when it is continuously detected that the amount of drain water has exceeded the predetermined capacity, it is determined that there is an abnormality, thereby reducing erroneous recognition by the detector. Therefore, the number of abnormal indications is reduced, so that the cost generated by a request for a service check operation or the like by a user is also reduced.

Further, an air having a cooler, a drain pan for receiving the drain water generated by the cooler, and a drain pump for discharging the drain water accumulated in the drain pan to the outside of the main body in the main body. The conditioner is equipped with a detector that detects that the amount of drain water flowing into the drain pan has reached a predetermined capacity or more.The drain pump is operated at the same time as the operation of the main unit is started, and the detection of drain water is started after a predetermined time has elapsed. By doing so, the drain water is not detected by the detector only for a predetermined time after the start of operation of the air conditioner main body, so that when drain water is accumulated in the drain pan at the start of operation of the air conditioner main body. However, it is possible to prevent the storage amount of the drain water from being detected as being abnormally large. Therefore, since the abnormality display can be performed accurately, there is an effect that the cost incurred by the request of the service inspection work or the like by the user is reduced.

Further, an air having a cooler, a drain pan for receiving the drain water generated by the cooler, and a drain pump for discharging the drain water accumulated in the drain pan to the outside of the main body in the main body. In the conditioner, the drain water flowing into the drain pan is detected to have a predetermined capacity or more, a detector having a heating means is provided, and the drain pump is operated at the same time as the operation of the main body is started. Heating is performed, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, detection of the drain water is started, so that for a predetermined time after the operation of the air conditioner main body is started, the heating means of the detector main body is heated and drain water detection is not determined. Therefore, even with the same factors as described above, erroneous recognition by the detector is further reduced. Therefore, since the abnormality display can be performed accurately, there is an effect that the cost incurred by the request of the service inspection work or the like by the user is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a main part of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the air conditioner shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a detector built in the air conditioner shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart showing an example of control by a detector built in the air conditioner shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another example of control by a detector built in the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating yet another example of control by a detector built in the air conditioner illustrated in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 body, 2 ceilings, 3 panels, 4 inlets, 5
Wind direction board, 6 outlet, 7 blower, 8 heat exchanger, 9
Drain pan, 10 drain pump, 11 drain hose, 12 discharge port, 13 detector, 14 hanging bracket, 15
Refrigerant tube, 16 remote control, 17 display, 18 holder, 19 sensor, 20 heater, 21 thermistor.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tetsuo Yamashita 2-6-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-6-221596 (JP, A) JP JP-A-5-245046 (JP, A) JP-A-1-127845 (JP, A) JP-A-3-25059 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24F 11 / 02 102

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An air having a cooler, a drain pan for receiving drain water generated by the cooler, and a drain pump for discharging drain water accumulated in the drain pan out of the main body. in conditioner, drain water flowing into the drain pan is provided with a detector for detecting that becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined volume, body simultaneously the drain operation start and the
The pump operates, and the detector detects that the drain water has a predetermined capacity.
If the above is detected, the second detection operation is performed,
Continuously detects that the drain water has exceeded the specified capacity.
An air conditioner characterized by determining that an abnormality has occurred when 2. An air having a cooler, a drain pan for receiving drain water generated by the cooler, and a drain pump for discharging drain water accumulated in the drain pan out of the main body. In the harmony device, the drain water flowing into the drain pan is provided with a detector for detecting that the volume is equal to or more than a predetermined capacity, and the drain pump is operated at the same time as the operation of the main body is started. An air conditioner characterized by starting detection. 3. An air having a cooler, a drain pan for receiving drain water generated by the cooler, and a drain pump for discharging drain water accumulated in the drain pan out of the main body. In the conditioner, the drain water flowing into the drain pan is detected to have a predetermined capacity or more, a detector having a heating means is provided, and the drain pump is operated at the same time as the operation of the main body is started, and the heating means An air conditioner characterized by heating a detector and starting the drain water detection after a lapse of a predetermined time.