JP7625677B2 - Air conditioner indoor unit - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner.

Generally, the indoor unit of an air conditioner is equipped with an air inlet and an outlet, a heat exchanger, and a fan that generates an airflow that runs from the inlet through the heat exchanger to the outlet.

The indoor space to be air-conditioned is adjusted to an optimal temperature by the temperature-controlled airflow (hereinafter referred to as blown air) blown out from the air outlet. In order to comfortably air-condition the indoor space, it is preferable to blow the blown air as strongly as possible in the desired direction. For example, a structure is known in which a movable louver is provided at the air outlet to change the blowing direction of the air, but the larger the inclination angle of the louver, the narrower the opening area of the air outlet becomes, and the more likely it is that the volume of the blown air will decrease.

International Publication No. 2019/078067

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide an indoor unit that can suppress a decrease in the volume of the blown air and blow the air in a desired direction.

According to an embodiment, an indoor unit of an air conditioner includes a housing, a fan, and an air outlet unit. The housing has a heat exchanger, an inlet through which air that is heat exchanged in the heat exchanger is sucked in, and an opening through which the air that has been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger is blown out. The fan generates an airflow of the air that has been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger. The air outlet unit has a first inlet into which the airflow generated by the fan flows in, a first air outlet through which the airflow is blown out into an indoor space, and a first air passage through which the airflow passes from the first inlet to the first air outlet. In the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction that are orthogonal to each other, the heat exchanger is disposed along an X-Z plane defined by the X direction and the Z direction, facing the inlet and the opening, and the rotation axis of the fan is inclined with respect to the X-Z plane and is inclined with respect to the X-Y plane defined by the X direction and the Y direction. The fan is built into the air outlet unit. The air outlet unit has a first cylindrical member coaxial with a rotation axis of the fan, and a second cylindrical member that rotates concentrically with the rotation axis of the fan relative to the first cylindrical member. The fan is disposed inside the first cylindrical member.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor unit according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of an indoor unit according to one embodiment, as viewed from the front. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the indoor unit according to one embodiment, viewed from the right. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic state in which the indoor unit according to one embodiment is disassembled into its main components. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the indoor unit taken along line A5-A5 in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor unit 1 according to this embodiment. The indoor unit 1 is connected to an outdoor unit including a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and an outdoor heat exchanger through refrigerant piping. The indoor unit 1, the outdoor unit, the refrigerant piping, and the like constitute an air conditioner equipped with a refrigeration cycle. The air conditioner is capable of switching between cooling operation and heating operation, for example. However, the air conditioner may be capable of only performing cooling operation or heating operation.

In this embodiment, the X, Y, and Z directions are defined as shown in FIG. 1. These X, Y, and Z directions are mutually perpendicular. In the following description, as an example, the X direction is defined as the right, the opposite direction as the left, the Y direction as the front, the opposite direction as the rear, the Z direction as the up, and the opposite direction as the down. According to this, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the indoor unit 1 as seen from the front. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the indoor unit 1 as seen from the right. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the indoor unit 1 disassembled into its main components. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the indoor unit 1 along the A5-A5 line in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the indoor unit 1 includes a housing 2, an attachment 3, and an air outlet unit 4. The attachment 3 is detachably disposed between the housing 2 and the air outlet unit 4.

The housing 2 includes a front panel 20, a front cover 21 arranged above the front panel 20, a back panel 22 facing the front panel 20 and the front cover 21, a pair of side panels 23, 24 facing each other, a bottom panel 25, and a top panel 26 facing the bottom panel 25. The indoor unit 1 may be installed alone, or may be installed in a state where multiple layers are stacked in the Z direction by connecting the back panel 22 to a frame arranged along a pillar or wall of a building. Furthermore, multiple indoor units 1 may be lined up in the X direction, or may be installed at positions spaced apart from each other in the Z direction or the X direction.

The front panel 20, front cover 21 and rear panel 22 are parallel to the X-Z plane defined by the X and Z directions. The side panels 23 and 24 are parallel to the Y-Z plane defined by the Y and Z directions. The bottom panel 25 and top panel 26 are parallel to the X-Y plane defined by the X and Y directions. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the housing 2 is a flat rectangular parallelepiped whose width in the Y direction is much smaller than its widths in the X and Z directions. However, the shape of the housing 2 is not limited to this example.

As shown primarily in Figures 4 and 5, the housing 2 has an opening 29 at the front. The opening 29 is formed between the front plate 20 and the front cover 21 so as to face the heat exchanger 6 described later in the Y direction. The opening 29 opens parallel to the X-Z plane. The front cover 21 also has a notch 21a with an edge curved at a predetermined curvature. The notch 21a is an opening (wiring port) that is continuous with the opening 29, and is positioned so that a portion of the space above the partition plate 71 described later (space S1 for housing the control unit 8) can be exposed forward.

A frame body 300 is attached to the front of the opening 29 for removably attaching the attachment 3 described below to the housing 2. The front cover 21 is attached to a first frame body 310 of the frame body 300 by screws 211. At this time, the screw fastening points of the first frame body 310 are overlapped with the rear side (back side) of the front cover 21. Also, at this time, the claw portions 318 and 319 provided on the first frame body 310 are hooked onto the locking portion 20a of the front plate 20 of the housing 2 and the locking portion (not shown) of the partition plate 71. As a result, by removing the screws 211, the front cover 21 can be attached and detached to other parts of the housing 2 (details will be described later).

As shown in FIG. 5, a heat exchanger 6 is disposed inside the housing 2. The heat exchanger 6 includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes 60 extending in the X direction, and a plurality of fins 61 connected to the heat transfer tubes 60. As shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of fins 61 have an elongated shape in the Z direction, and are arranged at intervals in the X direction.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the rear panel 22 is provided with refrigerant piping connection ports 62, 63 for connecting to the outdoor unit, and an intake port 27 facing the heat exchanger 6. For example, the inlet of a flow path formed by each heat transfer tube 60 is connected to the connection port 62, and the outlet of the flow path is connected to the connection port 63. In addition, an expansion valve (not shown) is connected to the heat exchanger 6, and functions to adjust the pressure inside the heat exchanger 6.

A drain pan 64 is disposed below the heat exchanger 6 to receive condensation water generated in the heat exchanger 6. The condensation water that accumulates in the drain pan 64 is drained to the outside of the housing 2 through a drain pipe 65.

A mounting plate 70 parallel to the X-Z plane is disposed above the heat exchanger 6. The mounting plate 70 faces the front cover 21 and the back panel 22. A partition plate 71 parallel to the X-Y plane is connected to the lower end of the mounting plate 70. A heat insulating material 66 is disposed between the partition plate 71 and the heat exchanger 6. The mounting plate 70 and the partition plate 71 may be integrally formed by bending a single plate material into an L-shape, or may be separate plates. The mounting plate 70, the partition plate 71, the front cover 21, and the top panel 26 form a space S1 for housing the control unit 8.

The control unit 8 includes a control board 80 and various electronic components 81. The control board 80 is attached to the mounting plate 70. Each electronic component 81 is mounted on one side of the control board 80 that faces the front cover 21. The control unit 8 is connected to a remote controller installed outside the indoor unit 1, an outdoor unit, communication lines and power lines for communicating with other indoor units, and lead wires 11a and 11b for a fan motor 90 for the fan 9 and a drive motor for the louvers 5, which will be described later.

As shown primarily in Figures 4 and 5, the air outlet unit 4 is a component for blowing out the airflow that has been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger 6 in the indoor unit 1 into the indoor space, and corresponds to the front part of the indoor unit 1. The air outlet unit 4 has a first inlet 4a into which the airflow flows, a first outlet 4b that blows out the airflow that has flowed in from the first inlet 4a into the indoor space, and a first air passage 4c through which the airflow passes from the first inlet 4a to the first outlet 4b. The indoor space is adjusted to an optimal temperature by the air (airflow) blown out from the first outlet 4b of the air outlet unit 4.

The air outlet unit 4 is provided with a cylindrical cover (hereinafter referred to as the air outlet cover) 40 that tapers from the first inlet 4a side to the first air outlet 4b side. The air outlet cover 40 covers the outer peripheral surface side of the first tubular member 92 and the second tubular member 72 described later, protects the components of the air outlet unit 4 (such as the straightening plate 94, the first tubular member 92, and the second tubular member 72 described later) and improves the design of the appearance. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the air outlet cover 40 is attached to the plate-shaped panel portion 44 of the first tubular member 92 described later by a screw 41. In the example shown in Figure 1, a recess 42 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the air outlet cover 40, and the screw 41 is inserted into a through hole in the end face of the recess 42 on the panel portion 44 side.

The air outlet unit 4 further includes a louver 5 provided at the first air outlet 4b. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the louver 5 is composed of four rotatable air direction vanes 51, 52, 53, and 54. The number of air direction vanes is not limited to four, and the louver 5 may be composed of three or less or five or more air direction vanes. The air direction vanes 51, 52, 53, and 54 adjust the inclination of the airflow blown out from the first air outlet 4b.

The air outlet unit 4 has a built-in fan 9. As shown in FIG. 5, the fan 9 is disposed inside the air outlet cover 40. The fan 9 generates an airflow whose temperature has been adjusted by heat exchange in the heat exchanger 6. The fan 9 is, for example, an axial fan, and includes a fan motor 90 and a number of blades 91 that rotate around an axis AS by the fan motor 90. However, the fan need not be an axial fan as in the illustrated example, and may be any other type of fan, such as a sirocco fan.

The axis AS, that is, the central axis of rotation of the fan motor 90, is inclined at a predetermined angle (inclination angle θ1) with respect to the X-Y plane (reference line AB shown by a dashed line in FIG. 5). The inclination angle θ1 is the angle between the axis AS and the reference line AB. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the X-Y plane is a plane parallel to the horizontal plane, and the reference line AB is an arbitrary imaginary line on the X-Y plane, which is an imaginary line parallel to the axial direction of the central axis of the opening 29 of the housing 2. The inclination angle θ1 may be set to an angle suitable for adjusting the indoor space to a desired temperature by the airflow blown out from the first air outlet 4b. The inclination angle θ1 is within a range of about 10° to 50°, and in the example shown in FIG. 5, the inclination angle θ1 is set to 40°. If the X-Y plane is taken as the horizontal plane, the axis AS, or more specifically, the air outlet unit 4, is disposed at a downward inclination of 40° with respect to the horizontal plane. Therefore, in the air outlet unit 4, the temperature-controlled airflow passes through the first air passage 4c in this direction.

The fan 9 is disposed inside a first cylindrical member 92 that is coaxial with the axis AS. The first cylindrical member 92 has an opening that defines the first inlet 4a inside the air outlet cover 40, and has a cylindrical portion that defines the upstream portion of the first air passage 4c. At least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical member 92 is covered with a heat insulating material 93.

The second tubular member 72 has a tubular portion that defines the downstream portion of the first air passage 4c and an opening that defines the first air outlet 4b, and is disposed coaxially with the axis AS inside the air outlet cover 40. At least a portion of the outer peripheral surface 72a of the second tubular member 72 is covered with a heat insulating material 73. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the centers of the first tubular member 92 and the second tubular member 72, in other words, the first air inlet 4a, the first air passage 4c, and the first air outlet 4b, all exist on the axis AS (each central axis coincides with the axis AS).

A straightening plate 94 is disposed between the first cylindrical member 92 and the second cylindrical member 72. The straightening plate 94 is supported by the first cylindrical member 92, and straightens out the turbulent airflow generated by the fan 9 so that it is approximately parallel to the axis AS. The straightening plate 94 has, for example, a honeycomb structure in which a large number of hexagonal openings are arranged, but is not limited to this example. The first cylindrical member 92, the second cylindrical member 72, and the straightening plate 94 are included as components of the air outlet unit 4.

As shown primarily in Figures 4 and 5, the louver 5 is disposed at the end of the second tubular member 72, specifically at the first air outlet 4b. The air deflectors 51, 52, 53, and 54 of the louver 5 are rotated by a louver drive mechanism (hereinafter referred to as the louver drive mechanism) 74, which includes, for example, a drive motor. However, the air deflectors 51, 52, 53, and 54 may also be manually rotatable.

A louver drive mechanism 74 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 72a of the second cylindrical member 72. The louver drive mechanism 74 includes gears for changing the angle of the vanes 51, 52, 53, and 54 using the driving force of a drive motor (not shown), and rotates the vanes 51, 52, 53, and 54 to a predetermined inclination.

The louver 5, the second tubular member 72, the insulating material 73, and the louver drive mechanism 74 constitute the rotating unit 7. The rotating unit 7 is a part of the air outlet unit 4 that can rotate relative to the first tubular member 92 around the axis AS, and is held to the first tubular member 92 by the holding mechanism 10.

Specifically, the holding mechanism 10 connects the second cylindrical member 72 to the first cylindrical member 92 so that the second cylindrical member 72 can rotate relative to the first cylindrical member 92. The holding mechanism 10 includes, for example, an annular gear provided on the first inlet 4a side of the second cylindrical member 72, and the second cylindrical member 72 is rotated relative to the first cylindrical member 92 by moving this gear in a circumferential direction centered on the axis AS by a motor. However, the second cylindrical member 72 may also be manually rotatable. In this case, for example, three gears may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction centered on the axis AS and meshed with the gears to support the second cylindrical member 72 rotatably relative to the first cylindrical member 92.

The control unit 8 controls the rotation speed of the fan 9 based on information input from the outside and the intake temperature of the outside air and the outlet temperature of the airflow detected by a temperature sensor provided in the indoor unit 1. The control unit 8 also controls the operation of the holding mechanism 10 and the louvers 5 based on wind direction setting information input from the outside. By rotating the rotating unit 7 with the holding mechanism 10 and changing the angle of the wind direction vanes 51, 52, 53, and 54 of the louvers 5, it is possible to blow air in various directions.

In addition to changing the airflow direction in this way, in this embodiment, the airflow direction (airflow direction) can be changed by interposing an attachment 3 between the housing 2 and the air outlet unit 4. The structure of the attachment 3 is described below.

As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the attachment 3 is a component that is interposed between the housing 2 and the air outlet unit 4 in the indoor unit 1, and corresponds to the middle part of the indoor unit 1. As a result, the attachment 3 changes the direction of the airflow that has been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger 6 in the housing 2 and guides it to the air outlet unit 4.

The attachment 3 has a second inlet 3a that communicates with the opening 29 of the housing 2, a second outlet 3b that communicates with the first inlet 4a of the outlet unit 4, and a second air passage 3c that changes the direction of the airflow flowing in from the second inlet 3a and guides it to the second outlet 3b.

The second inlet 3a opens parallel to the X-Z plane like the opening 29, and is connected to the opening 29. In contrast, the second outlet 3b opens at a forward incline with respect to the X-Z plane, in other words at a downward incline with respect to the X-Y plane. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the second outlet 3b is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle θ2 with respect to the X-Z plane. The inclination angle θ2 coincides with the inclination angle θ1 of the axis AS (the central axis of rotation of the fan motor 90) with respect to the X-Y plane (reference line AB shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5). As described above, the inclination angle θ1 is set within a range of about 10° to 50°, and in the example shown in FIG. 5, it is set to 40°, and the inclination angle θ2 is also set accordingly. That is, the second air outlet 3b causes the airflow guided by the second air passage 3c to flow into the first inlet 4a of the air outlet unit 4 at an inclination angle θ1 downward with respect to the X-Y plane (reference line AB).

The centers of the first inlet 4a and the first outlet 4b are both on the axis AS, and their central axes coincide with the axis AS. Therefore, the attachment 3 is interposed between the housing 2 and the outlet unit 4 such that the axial direction of the first outlet 4b is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the opening 29 of the housing 2 (reference line AB).

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the attachment 3 is configured to have a main body 31 and a cover 32. The main body 31 and the cover 32 are formed by processing a non-flammable material, for example, a metal plate such as iron. However, the material is not limited to this.

As shown primarily in Figures 4 and 5, the main body 31 is the main body portion that contributes to changing the direction of the airflow in the attachment 3, and is configured to include the second inlet 3a, the second outlet 3b, and the second air passage 3c. The main body 31 has first to sixth main body wall portions 31a to 31f, which together form the second inlet 3a, the second outlet 3b, and the second air passage 3c.

The first body wall 31a and the second body wall 31b are portions parallel to the XY plane, that is, surfaces extending parallel to the top plate 26 and bottom plate 25 of the housing 2. The third body wall 31c and the fourth body wall 31d are portions parallel to the YZ plane, that is, surfaces extending parallel to the side plates 23, 24 of the housing 2. The first body wall 31a and the second body wall 31b are connected to the third body wall 31c and the fourth body wall 31d at approximately right angles, respectively, and form sides 31g, 31h along the Y direction.

The fifth body wall 31e is a surface portion that extends continuously from the first body wall 31a, the third body wall 31c, and the fourth body wall 31d. The fifth body wall 31e is inclined downward with respect to the first body wall 31a. In this embodiment, the fifth body wall 31e is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle θ3 with respect to the first body wall 31a. The inclination angle θ3 is the same as the inclination angle θ2 of the second air outlet 3b with respect to the X-Z plane (i.e., the second inlet 3a), in other words, the inclination angle θ1 of the axis AS with respect to the X-Y plane. As described above, the inclination angles θ1 and θ2 are set within a range of about 10° to 50°, and in the example shown in FIG. 5, 40°, and the inclination angle θ3 is also set accordingly. Additionally, the fifth body wall 31e is continuous with the third body wall 31c and the fourth body wall 31d at approximately right angles, and forms a side 31i that is inclined at an inclination angle θ3 with respect to the first body wall 31a.

The sixth body wall 31f is a surface portion that extends continuously with the second body wall 31b, the third body wall 31c, and the fourth body wall 31d. The sixth body wall 31f is inclined forward with respect to the X-Z plane. In this embodiment, the sixth body wall 31f is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle θ2 with respect to the X-Z plane, i.e., the second inlet 3a. The sixth body wall 31f is also continuous with the third body wall 31c and the fourth body wall 31d at approximately right angles, and forms a side portion 31j that is inclined at an inclination angle θ2 with respect to the second inlet 3a.

As a result, the opening portion defined by the ends of the first body wall portion 31a, the second body wall portion 31b, the third body wall portion 31c, and the fourth body wall portion 31d forms the second inlet 3a. The opening portion defined by the ends of the third body wall portion 31c, the fourth body wall portion 31d, the fifth body wall portion 31e, and the sixth body wall portion 31f forms the second outlet 3b. The sixth body wall portion 31f is parallel to the second outlet 3b. The space defined by the first to sixth body walls portion 31a to 31f forms the second air passage 3c. Therefore, the second air passage 3c guides the airflow that has flowed into the second inlet 3a along the reference line AB, and then changes its direction to follow the axis AS and guides it to the second outlet 3b.

A heat insulating material 33 is arranged in the internal space of the main body 31, i.e., the second air passage 3c. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the heat insulating material 33 is arranged along the inner walls of the first to sixth main body walls 31a to 31f. This suppresses heat transfer between the internal space of the main body 31 (the second air passage 3c) and its vicinity, for example, the internal space of the cover 32 (the wiring space 34 described later). A receiving portion 31k for the heat insulating material 33 is provided at each end of the third main body wall 31c, the fourth main body wall 31d, and the fifth main body wall 31e so as to protrude into the second air outlet 3b.

The cover part 32 is a part of the attachment 3 that forms the wiring space 34 for wiring the lead wires 11a, 11b. The cover part 32 is disposed away from the second air passage 3c and covers the wiring space 34. The lead wires 11a, 11b that connect the fan motor 90 of the fan 9 and the drive motor of the louver 5 to the control unit 8 are wired in the wiring space 34. In other words, the lead wires 11a, 11b can be wired without passing through the second air passage 3c and without being exposed to the air current (cold air current or warm air current) guided by the second air passage 3c. There is no particular limit to the number of lead wires 11a, 11b that are wired.

The cover portion 32 has first to sixth cover wall portions 32a to 32f, which together form the wiring space 34.

The first cover wall 32a is a portion parallel to the XY plane, that is, a surface portion extending parallel to the first main body wall 31a and the top plate 26 of the housing 2. The second cover wall 32b is a portion parallel to the XZ plane, that is, a surface portion extending parallel to the second inlet 3a and the front cover 21 of the housing 2. The third cover wall 32c and the fourth cover wall 32d are portions parallel to the YZ plane, that is, a surface portion extending parallel to the third main body wall 31c, the fourth main body wall 31d, and the side plates 23, 24 of the housing 2. The first cover wall 32a, the third cover wall 32c, and the fourth cover wall 32d are each continuous at approximately right angles, and form a side portion 32g along the Y direction.

The fifth cover wall 32e is a surface portion that extends continuously from the first cover wall 32a, the third cover wall 32c, and the fourth cover wall 32d. The fifth cover wall 32e is inclined downward with respect to the first cover wall 32a. In this embodiment, the fifth cover wall 32e is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle θ4 with respect to the first cover wall 32a. The inclination angle θ4 is equal to the inclination angle θ3, that is, both of the inclination angles θ1 and θ2. As described above, the inclination angles θ1, θ2, and θ3 are set within a range of about 10° to 50°, and in the example shown in FIG. 5, 40°, and the inclination angle θ4 is also set accordingly. That is, the fifth cover wall 32e is a surface portion that extends parallel to the fifth main body wall 31e. Additionally, the fifth cover wall portion 32e is continuous with the third cover wall portion 32c and the fourth cover wall portion 32d at approximately right angles, and forms a side portion 32h that is inclined at an inclination angle θ3 with respect to the first cover wall portion 31a.

The sixth cover wall 32f is a surface portion that extends continuously with the third cover wall 32c, the fourth cover wall 32d, and the fifth cover wall 32e. The sixth cover wall 32f is inclined downward with respect to the fifth cover wall 32e. In this embodiment, the sixth cover wall 32f is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle θ2 with respect to the X-Z plane, that is, the second inlet 3a. That is, the sixth cover wall 32f is a surface portion that extends parallel to the sixth main body wall 31f and the second outlet 3b. In addition, the sixth cover wall 32f is continuous with the third cover wall 32c, the fourth cover wall 32d, and the fifth cover wall 32e at approximately right angles, and forms a side portion 32i that is inclined at an inclination angle θ2 with respect to the second inlet 3a. The sixth cover wall portion 32f has a notch 32j with an edge that is curved with a curvature that follows the outer periphery of the air outlet cover 40. The lead wires 11a and 11b are drawn out from the notch 32j into the wiring space 34.

The cover section 32 is disposed on the upper part of the main body section 31 so that the first cover wall section 32a faces the first main body wall section 31a, and the fifth cover wall section 32e faces the fifth main body wall section 31e at a predetermined interval. In this state, the lower part of the third cover wall section 32c is covered by the third main body wall section 31c, and the lower part of the fourth cover wall section 32d is covered by the fourth main body wall section 31d. As a result, the space portion formed between the first cover wall section 32a, the third cover wall section 32c, the fourth cover wall section 32d, the fifth cover wall section 32e, and the sixth cover wall section 32f and the first main body wall section 31a and the fifth cover wall section 32e of the main body section 31 forms a wiring space 34 separated from the second air passage 3c. In other words, the cover 32 is a structure that is entirely open at the bottom and rear, and has a space at the front that is opened by the notch 32j. The first body wall 31a and the fifth body wall 31e form a partition that separates the second air passage 3c from the wiring space 34. The lead wires 11a and 11b drawn out from the notch 32j are wired in the wiring space 34 so as to crawl over the first body wall 31a and the fifth body wall 31e.

The air outlet unit 4 is attached to the attachment 3 so as to communicate the second air outlet 3b with the first inlet 4a. For example, the air outlet unit 4 is fixed to the sixth cover wall 32f of the cover 32 by a screw 45 (see Figs. 1 and 2) with the claw portion 43 provided on the air outlet unit 4 hooked on the fifth main body wall 31e of the main body 31 and the locking portion 31l of the receiving portion 31k. The claw portion 43 is provided on the panel portion 44 extending from the periphery of the first inlet 4a of the first tubular member 92. The panel portion 44 and the sixth cover wall portion 32f have holes 44a, 32k for screwing the screw 45. The hole 44a is formed on the edge of the panel portion 44 curved with a curvature that fits along the edge of the notch 32j of the sixth cover wall portion 32f.

In this embodiment, the attachment 3 is detachably attached to the housing 2 via an attachment frame 300. The frame 300 is configured to include a first frame 310 and a second frame 320. In FIG. 5, the first frame 310 and the second frame 320 are separate, but these frames 310 and 320 may be integrated in advance, for example, by welding.

The first frame 310 is a member that constitutes the rear of the frame 300, and has a frame portion 311 that is arranged to surround the opening 29 of the housing 2, four upright portions 312 that stand forward from the edge of the frame portion 311, and a fixed portion 313 provided at the top of the frame portion 311. The frame portion 311 is a portion that is parallel to the X-Z plane, and is a surface portion that extends parallel to the front plate 20 and the front cover 21. The upright portions 312 are a portion that is parallel to the X-Y plane and the Y-Z plane, and is a surface portion that extends parallel to the bottom plate 25, the top plate 26, and the side plates 23 and 24. The fixed portion 313 is a portion that is parallel to the X-Z plane, and is a surface portion that extends parallel to the front cover 21. The fixed portion 313 protrudes upward from the upper portion of the frame portion 311 so as to have an edge that is curved with a curvature that fits along the edge of the cutout 21a of the front cover 21. The fixed portion 313 has a wiring port 314 for wiring the lead wires 11a and 11b. The wiring port 314 is a through hole formed at a position that can communicate with the notch 21a. A ring member 330 is provided around the wiring port 314 to suppress flapping of the lead wires 11a and 11b wired to the wiring port 314. The ring member 330 appropriately narrows the diameter of the wiring port 314 according to the outer diameter of the lead wires 11a and 11b or the outer diameter of a bundle of multiple wires. The number of wiring ports 314 is not particularly limited, and may be one or three or more. In the example shown in FIG. 4, two wiring ports 314 are provided, and the lead wires 11a and 11b can be wired separately to different wiring ports 314.

The second frame 320 is a member that constitutes the front part of the frame 300, and is integrated with the first frame 310 by being inserted inside the four upright parts 312 of the first frame 310. The second frame 320 is provided with a heat insulating material 321 and a sealant 322. The heat insulating material 321 is arranged along the inside part of the second frame 320. The sealant 322 is arranged in front of the heat insulating material 321 that is arranged near the connecting part between the second main body wall part 31b and the sixth main body wall part 31f, and ensures airtightness of the second air passage 3c.

The attachment 3 is attached to the first frame 310 of the frame 300. Specifically, the main body 31 is attached to the frame 311, and the cover 32 is attached to the fixing portion 313. For example, the main body 31 is positioned so that the peripheral portions of the second inlet 3a in the first body wall 31a, the second body wall 31b, the third body wall 31c, and the fourth body wall 31d are covered by the upright portion 312, and fixed by the screw 35. The first to fourth body walls 31a to 31d and the upright portion 312 have holes 36, 315 for screwing the screw 35. Note that, although FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 show a state where only one portion is screwed, all or some of the other holes 36, 315 are also screwed. The cover 32 is positioned so that the second cover wall 32b overlaps the front side of the fixing part 313, and is fixed by the screw 37. The second cover wall 32b and the fixing part 313 have holes 38, 316 for fastening the screw 37. As a result, the main body 31 and the cover 32 are assembled together, and the attachment 3 (main body 31, cover 32) and the frame 300 (first frame 310, second frame 320) are assembled together.

4 and 5, the attachment 3 and the frame 300 are attached to the housing 2. For example, the attachment 3 and the frame 300 are positioned so as to cover the opening 29 of the housing 2 and are fixed by the screw 211. At that time, the fixing part 313 is positioned on the rear side (back side) of the front cover 21 so as to cover the notch 21a. The fixing part 313 and the front cover 21 have holes 317, 21b for screwing the screw 211. The hole 317 of the fixing part 313 is overlapped with the rear side (back side) of the hole 21b of the front cover 21. Also, when screwed in this way, the claw parts 318, 319 provided on the first frame 310 are hooked on the locking part 20a of the front plate 20 of the housing 2 and the locking part (not shown) of the partition plate 71. This temporarily fixes the attachment 3 and the frame 300 to the housing 2, improving workability.

When the attachment 3 is attached to the housing 2 together with the frame body 300, the second inlet 3a of the attachment 3 is in communication with the opening 29, and the wiring space 34 is in communication with the space S1 for housing the control unit 8 through the wiring port 314. At that time, the cover part 32 is positioned in a state in which it covers the wiring space 34, the wiring port 314, and the cutout 21a. In other words, the cover part 32 is assembled to the main body part 31 so that it can be separated from the main body part 31 to open the wiring space 34, the wiring port 314, and the cutout 21a to the outside.

In this way, with the indoor unit 1 of this embodiment, by interposing the attachment 3 between the housing 2 and the air outlet unit 4, the direction of the airflow blown out from the first air outlet 4b of the air outlet unit 4 can be changed by the attachment 3.

In the attachment 3, the second air outlet 3b that communicates with the first inlet 4a of the air outlet unit 4 is inclined forward with respect to the second inlet 3a that communicates with the opening 29 of the housing 2, in other words, inclined downward at an inclination angle θ1 with respect to the X-Y plane (reference line AB shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5). Therefore, the second air outlet 3b can cause the airflow guided by the second air passage 3c to flow into the first inlet 4a by inclining it downward at an inclination angle θ1 with respect to the X-Y plane (reference line AB).

In this embodiment, the direction of the airflow blown out from the first air outlet 4b can be changed according to the angle of the airflow direction plates 51, 52, 53, and 54 of the louver 5 as in the conventional case. However, the larger the inclination angle of the airflow direction plates 51, 52, 53, and 54, the narrower the opening area of the first air outlet 4b, and the easier it is to reduce the volume of the airflow (blowout wind). On the other hand, in this embodiment, in addition to being able to change the direction of the airflow by the inclination of the airflow direction plates 51, 52, 53, and 54, the direction of the airflow can also be changed by the attachment 3 as described above. According to the second air duct 3c of the attachment 3, the airflow that has flowed into the second inlet 3a can be guided along the reference line AB, and then changed in direction along the axis AS to be guided to the second air outlet 3b. That is, the second air duct 3c itself toward the second air outlet 3b can be tilted downward by an inclination angle θ1 with respect to the reference line AB. Therefore, the airflow with a tilted direction can be made to flow from the second air outlet 3b into the first inlet 4a, pass through the first air passage 4c in the same direction, and be blown out from the first air outlet 4b. Therefore, it is possible to change the direction of the airflow without narrowing the opening area of the first air outlet 4b by the air direction vanes 51, 52, 53, and 54. This allows the blown air to be blown more strongly in the desired direction without reducing the volume of the temperature-adjusted airflow (blowout air) blown out from the first air outlet 4b. As a result, it becomes easier to adjust the temperature of the indoor space to be air-conditioned to the optimum temperature.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fan 9 is built into the air outlet unit 4, which simplifies the structure of the attachment 3 and allows the fan 9 to be positioned closer to the first air outlet 4b. This allows the air to be blown more strongly in the desired direction without reducing the volume of the airflow.

For example, when conditioning an indoor space where many users are present, such as a train station where an unspecified number of passengers pass through, the indoor unit 1 may be installed at a high location where these users cannot reach it in order to prevent accidental operation. According to this embodiment, even when the indoor unit 1 is installed at a high location like this, it is possible to blow the outlet air more strongly (downward) toward passengers and other users without reducing the air volume. Therefore, the temperature in a space such as a train station can be efficiently adjusted to a comfortable state.

The attachment 3 is configured to have a main body 31 that contributes to changing the direction of the airflow, and a cover 32 that forms a wiring space 34 for wiring the lead wires 11a and 11b. The cover 32 is disposed away from the second air passage 3c and covers the wiring space 34. Therefore, the lead wires 11a and 11b can be wired in the wiring space 34 covered by the cover 32 without passing through the second air passage 3c. Therefore, the lead wires 11a and 11b can be wired without being exposed to the airflow (cold airflow or warm airflow) guided by the second air passage 3c. This makes it easier to maintain the appropriate atmospheric state of the lead wires 11a and 11b, for example, and suppresses damage to the lead wires 11a and 11b.

In addition, the areas where the lead wires 11a, 11b are wired, specifically, the wiring space 34, the wiring port 314, and the cutout 21a, are all covered by the cover portion 32 and cannot be seen from the outside. Therefore, the lead wires 11a, 11b are not exposed to the outside under normal conditions, which protects the lead wires 11a, 11b and improves the design of the exterior of the indoor unit 1.
In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ3 of the fifth main body wall portion 31e and the inclination angle θ4 of the fifth cover portion 32e are the same, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the inclination angles θ3 and θ4 may be appropriately made different in consideration of the design of the exterior, the volume of the wiring space 34, the thickness and shape of the heat insulating material 33, the state of air flow formation, etc. Also, instead of providing an inclination angle by bending, the inclination angle θ3 may be formed into an arc shape by bending.

The cover part 32 can be removed from the main body part 31 by removing the screws 45 and 37. That is, it is possible to remove only the cover part 32 from the indoor unit 1. Also, by removing the cover part 32, the front cover 21 of the housing 2 can be removed from the indoor unit 1. Therefore, by removing the cover part 32 and the front cover 21, the space S1 for accommodating the control part 8 can be opened to the outside, or to the front in this embodiment. For this reason, for example, when performing work such as installation or maintenance of the indoor unit 1, the space S1 can be easily accessed from the front, and the workability of setting, repairing, and replacing the control board 80 and various electronic components 81 can be improved. Also, after installation or maintenance, the front cover 21 and the cover part 32 can be easily attached by screwing them in the reverse order of removal.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Such novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.

In this embodiment, the attachment 3 is configured and positioned so that the temperature-controlled airflow (exhaust air) is blown downward from the first air outlet 4b, or more specifically, the second air outlet 3b. The direction in which the exhaust air is blown out, that is, the direction in which the second air passage 3c guides the airflow, is not limited to downward, and can be any direction (direction), such as upward or horizontal (left/right).

In addition, in this embodiment, the fan 9 and the baffle plate 94 are arranged in the air outlet unit 4, but they may also be arranged, for example, in the second air passage 3c of the main body 31 of the attachment 3 or in the housing 2.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main body 31 of the attachment 3 is configured as a separate part (separate unit) from the air outlet unit 4, but these may be the same part (same unit) and have an integrated structure.

1... indoor unit, 2... housing, 3... attachment, 3a... second inlet, 3b... second outlet, 3c... second air passage, 4... outlet unit, 4a... first inlet, 4b... first outlet, 4c... first air passage, 5... louver, 6... heat exchanger, 7... rotating unit, 72... second tubular member, 74... louver drive mechanism, 8... control unit, 9... fan, Reference Signs List 10: holding mechanism, 11a, 11b: lead wires, 21: front cover, 21a: notch, 29: opening, 211: screw, 31: main body, 31a: first main body wall, 31b: second main body wall, 31c: third main body wall, 31d: fourth main body wall, 31e: fifth main body wall, 31f: sixth main body wall, 31g, 31h, 31i, 31j: sides , 31k... receiving portion, 31l... engaging portion, 32... cover portion, 32a... first cover wall portion, 32b... second cover wall portion, 32c... third cover wall portion, 32d... fourth cover wall portion, 32e... fifth cover wall portion, 32f... sixth cover wall portion, 32g, 32h, 32i... sides, 32j... notch, 32k... hole, 34... wiring space, 40... air outlet cover , 71...partition plate, 80...control board, 81...electronic components, 90...fan motor, 300...frame, 310...first frame, 311...frame section, 312...standing section, 313...fixed section, 314...wiring port, 320...second frame, 330...ring member, AS...axis, AB...reference line, S1...space (space for accommodating control section), θ1, θ2, θ3, θ4...tilt angles.

Claims (7)

a housing having a heat exchanger, an intake port through which air to be heat exchanged in the heat exchanger is drawn, and an opening through which the air having been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger is blown out;
A fan that generates an air flow of the air that has been heat exchanged in the heat exchanger;
a first air inlet into which the airflow generated by the fan flows, a first air outlet from which the airflow is blown out into an indoor space, and a first air passage through which the airflow passes from the first air inlet to the first air outlet;
In the mutually orthogonal X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction,
The heat exchanger is disposed along an X-Z plane defined by the X direction and the Z direction, facing the suction port and the opening,
a rotation axis of the fan is inclined with respect to the X-Z plane and is also inclined with respect to an X-Y plane defined by the X direction and the Y direction ;
The fan is built into the air outlet unit,
the air outlet unit includes a first cylindrical member coaxial with a rotation axis of the fan, and a second cylindrical member that rotates coaxially with the rotation axis of the fan relative to the first cylindrical member,
The fan is disposed inside the first cylindrical member.
Air conditioner indoor unit. 2. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle of the rotation axis of the fan with respect to the XY plane is within a range of 10 degrees to 50 degrees. The air conditioner further includes an attachment interposed between the housing and the air outlet unit,
The indoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the housing and the attachment have substantially the same length in the X direction. The indoor unit of an air conditioner as described in claim 3, wherein the attachment has a second inlet communicating with the opening, a second outlet communicating with the first inlet, and a second air path that changes the direction of the airflow flowing in from the second inlet and guides it to the second outlet. The attachment comprises:
a main body including the second inlet, the second outlet, and the second air passage;
The indoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 4 , further comprising: a cover portion that is disposed apart from the second air passage to form a wiring space in which lead wires are wired, and that covers the wiring space. The indoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 5 , wherein the cover portion is attached to the main body portion so as to be separable from the main body portion to expose the wiring space to the outside. the housing has a wiring port for connecting the lead wire wired in the wiring space to a control unit disposed in the housing,
The indoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 5 , wherein the cover portion covers the wiring space as well as the wiring port.

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