JP7630710B2 - Air conditioners - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an air conditioner whose inside casing can be cleaned.

For example, in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, a heat exchanger and a blower are provided within the housing. The blower is located above the heat exchanger. Air is drawn into the housing by driving the blower. The air is drawn in through an intake port provided in the front panel of the housing and blown out through an outlet port provided in the top panel of the housing.

In addition, in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, the heat exchanger is a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger that is arranged at an angle within the housing. Specifically, the heat exchanger is arranged so that the upper part of the heat exchanger is closer to the front panel of the housing and the lower part of the heat exchanger is closer to the rear panel of the housing.

The reason for placing the heat exchanger at an angle in this way is, first, to reduce the external dimensions of the housing while ensuring a larger effective area for the heat exchanger compared to when the heat exchanger is placed horizontally. Secondly, to make the heat exchanger function as a partition plate to guide the air flow. By placing the heat exchanger at an angle, air cannot pass through any area other than the heat exchanger, and must pass through the heat exchanger.

For the sake of explanation, below, the area on the windward side in the housing in the direction of the flow of air generated by the blower will be referred to as the "primary side of the heat exchanger," and the area on the leeward side in the housing will be referred to as the "secondary side of the heat exchanger." Therefore, air passing through the heat exchanger flows from the "primary side of the heat exchanger" to the "secondary side of the heat exchanger." In addition, the blower is positioned on the "secondary side of the heat exchanger."

In the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, a drain pan is disposed below the heat exchanger within the housing. When heat is exchanged between the refrigerant and the air in the heat exchanger, condensation may occur in the heat exchanger. In that case, the condensation passes through the drain receiver and drain pan, and is discharged from the drain port to the outside of the housing.

Patent No. 6611827

In the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, the heat exchanger also functions as a partition plate that guides the air flow, so the lower part of the heat exchanger is in contact with the rear panel. Furthermore, in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, the lower part of the heat exchanger is arranged so as to be in contact with the drain receiver. In this way, there are no gaps around the heat exchanger on the secondary side of the heat exchanger.

In the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, cleaning with cleaning water is not taken into consideration, but when used in places with hygiene restrictions such as food factories, there is a demand for cleaning the inside of the housing of the air conditioner with cleaning water. Therefore, let us consider the case where cleaning water is used to clean the heat exchanger in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1. As mentioned above, in Patent Document 1, there is no gap around the heat exchanger on the secondary side of the heat exchanger. Therefore, when cleaning water is sprayed onto the heat exchanger from the primary side of the heat exchanger to clean it, the debris pushed out of the heat exchanger by the cleaning water is accumulated on the secondary side of the heat exchanger.

Furthermore, in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, the blower is disposed on the "secondary side of the heat exchanger." The blower is also disposed above the heat exchanger. Therefore, if the blower is cleaned with cleaning water in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, the cleaning water used to clean the blower flows down from the blower toward the heat exchanger. As a result, debris that flows along with the cleaning water ends up being accumulated on the secondary side of the heat exchanger.

Thus, in the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1, when cleaning water is used to clean the blower and heat exchanger, debris carried away with the cleaning water accumulates on the secondary side of the heat exchanger. Because the secondary side of the heat exchanger is closed off by a fixed rear panel of the housing panel, there is an issue in that debris accumulated on the secondary side of the heat exchanger cannot be removed.

The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide an air conditioner that, even when cleaning the blower and heat exchanger with cleaning water, can prevent debris carried away with the cleaning water from accumulating on the secondary side of the heat exchanger, thereby improving maintainability.

The air conditioner according to the present disclosure has a heat exchanger core composed of a blower, a plurality of fins arranged at intervals from one another in a first direction, and a plurality of heat transfer tubes penetrating the plurality of fins and arranged at intervals from one another in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the heat exchanger passes between the fins when driven by the blower, a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, the housing housing the blower and the heat exchanger therein, the internal space being divided into a primary side space and a secondary side space by the heat exchanger, a drain pan disposed below the heat exchanger and receiving condensed water generated in the heat exchanger, and a sub-drain pan disposed between the heat exchanger and the drain pan and guiding the condensed water generated from the heat exchanger and cleaning water used to clean the heat exchanger to the drain pan, and the sub-drain pan The sub-drain pan extends from a secondary side lower part, which is a lower part of the secondary side space side of the heat exchanger core, to a core lower part, which is the bottom of the heat exchanger core, and the sub-drain pan has a water receiving surface part arranged opposite the core lower part of the heat exchanger, a first space is formed between the core lower part of the heat exchanger and the water receiving surface part of the sub-drain pan, and a second space is formed between the secondary side lower part of the heat exchanger and the sub-drain pan, the first space has a primary side opening arranged on the primary side space side and a secondary side opening arranged on the secondary side space side, and the secondary side opening of the first space and the second space are connected, and the sub-drain pan further includes a water guide sheet metal part that is arranged in the lower core of the heat exchanger and guides the condensed water to the drain pan from the secondary side space side of the core lower part toward the primary side space side .

According to the air conditioner of the present disclosure, a first space is formed between the lower core of the heat exchanger and the water receiving surface of the sub-drain pan, and a second space is formed between the lower secondary side of the heat exchanger and the sub-drain pan. The primary side space and secondary side space of the heat exchanger communicate via the first space and the second space. Therefore, even when the blower and heat exchanger are washed with washing water, the debris that flows along with the washing water passes through the first space and the second space and flows out from the secondary side space toward the primary side space. This makes it possible to prevent debris from accumulating on the secondary side of the heat exchanger during washing, improving maintainability.

1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing an example of the configuration of a refrigeration cycle device in which an air conditioner according to a first embodiment is provided. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger provided in an air conditioner according to a first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the schematic configuration of a heat exchanger provided in the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a water guide sheet metal section provided in the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of a housing of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the housing shown in FIG. 7 . FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 8 . FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the configuration of a sub-drain pan provided in the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a cleaning cover provided in the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a method of fastening a cleaning cover and a heat exchanger side plate in the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a shoulder screw used in the fastening method shown in FIG. 12. 4 is a diagram showing the air conditioner according to the first embodiment with the cleaning cover in a closed state. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state during operation of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state during cleaning of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which the cleaning cover is held in an open state due to center of gravity balance in the air conditioner according to the first embodiment during cleaning. FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state during cleaning of the air conditioner according to the modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a comparative example having a typical air conditioner configuration.

The following describes an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The present disclosure also includes all combinations of possible configurations among the configurations shown in the following embodiment and its modified examples. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this is common throughout the entire specification. In each drawing, the relative dimensional relationship or shape of each component may differ from the actual one. In each drawing, the Z direction indicates the height direction of the air conditioner, for example, the vertical direction. The X direction is the width direction of the air conditioner. The X direction is, for example, the horizontal direction. The Y direction is the depth direction of the air conditioner. The Y direction indicates a direction intersecting the X direction and the Z direction, for example, the horizontal direction. The X direction may be called the first direction. The Z direction may be called the second direction. The Y direction may be called the third direction.

Embodiment 1.
Fig. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing an example of the configuration of a refrigeration cycle device in which an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 is provided. In embodiment 1, a case will be described as an example in which the refrigeration cycle device shown in Fig. 1 constitutes an air conditioning system 200. However, the refrigeration cycle device is not limited to this case, and can also be applied to other systems, such as water heaters, water heaters, ventilation devices with temperature control, air cleaning devices with temperature control, refrigerated warehouses, and freezer warehouses.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigeration cycle device constituting the air conditioning system 200 has an outdoor unit 202 and an indoor unit 203. The outdoor unit 202 and the indoor unit 203 are connected via a refrigerant piping 204. The outdoor unit 202 is provided with a compressor 205, a four-way valve 206, an outdoor heat exchanger 207a, and an outdoor blower 208a. The indoor unit 203 is provided with an indoor heat exchanger 207b, an indoor blower 208b, and an expansion valve 209.

The outdoor unit 202 and the indoor unit 203 are sometimes referred to as the air conditioner 100. At least one of the outdoor unit 202 and the indoor unit 203 constitutes the "air conditioner 100" according to embodiment 1. In embodiment 1, a case will be described in which the indoor unit 203 constitutes the "air conditioner 100" according to embodiment 1.

Below, we will explain each of these components that make up the air conditioning system 200 shown in Figure 1.

The compressor 205 draws in the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping 204. The compressor 205 compresses the drawn refrigerant and discharges it into the refrigerant piping 204. The compressor 205 is, for example, an inverter compressor. When the compressor 205 is an inverter compressor, the operating frequency may be changed arbitrarily by an inverter circuit or the like based on the control of a control device (not shown), and the capacity of the compressor 205 discharging the refrigerant per unit time may be changed. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 205 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 207b during heating, and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 207a during cooling.

The outdoor heat exchanger 207a exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing inside the outdoor heat exchanger 207a and the outdoor air. The outdoor heat exchanger 207a functions as a condenser during cooling operation, condensing and liquefying the refrigerant. The outdoor heat exchanger 207a functions as an evaporator during heating operation, evaporating and vaporizing the refrigerant.

The indoor heat exchanger 207b exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing inside the indoor heat exchanger 207b and the indoor air to be air-conditioned. The indoor heat exchanger 207b functions as an evaporator during cooling operation, evaporating the refrigerant to vaporize it. The indoor heat exchanger 207b functions as a condenser during heating operation, condensing the refrigerant to liquefy it.

The outdoor heat exchanger 207a and the indoor heat exchanger 207b are, for example, fin-and-tube type heat exchangers having heat transfer tubes and fins. The outdoor heat exchanger 207a and the indoor heat exchanger 207b are sometimes collectively referred to as heat exchanger 207. In addition, at least one of the outdoor heat exchanger 207a and the indoor heat exchanger 207b constitutes the "heat exchanger 2" of the "air conditioner 100" according to the first embodiment.

The outdoor blower 208a has a motor 281a and a blade portion 282a. The outdoor blower 208a blows outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger 207a.

The indoor blower 208b has a motor 281b and a blade portion 282b. The indoor blower 208b blows indoor air to the indoor heat exchanger 207b.

Motor 281a and motor 281b are sometimes collectively referred to as motor 281. Furthermore, blade portion 282a and blade portion 282b are sometimes collectively referred to as blade portion 282. Furthermore, outdoor blower 208a and indoor blower 208b are sometimes collectively referred to as blower 208. At least one of outdoor blower 208a and indoor blower 208b constitutes "blower 1" of "air conditioner 100" according to embodiment 1.

The four-way valve 206 is configured to switch between a cooling operation for cooling the indoor space in which the indoor unit 203 is installed and a heating operation for heating the indoor space. The four-way valve 206 is a flow path switching device that switches the flow of the refrigerant depending on whether it is in cooling operation or heating operation. In heating operation, the four-way valve 206 is in the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 205 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 207b. At this time, the indoor heat exchanger 207b of the indoor unit 203 functions as a condenser, and the outdoor heat exchanger 207a of the outdoor unit 202 acts as an evaporator. On the other hand, in cooling operation, the four-way valve 206 is in the state shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1, and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 205 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 207a of the outdoor unit 202. At this time, the outdoor heat exchanger 207a of the outdoor unit 202 functions as a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger 207b of the indoor unit 203 functions as an evaporator.

The expansion valve 209 is a pressure reducing device that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant to expand it, and is, for example, an electronic expansion valve. When the expansion valve 209 is an electronic expansion valve, the opening degree is adjusted based on instructions from a control device (not shown). The expansion valve 209 is provided between the outdoor heat exchanger 207a of the outdoor unit 202 and the indoor heat exchanger 207b of the indoor unit 203.

The compressor 205, the four-way valve 206, the indoor heat exchanger 207b, the expansion valve 209, and the outdoor heat exchanger 207a are connected by refrigerant piping 204 to form a refrigerant circuit.

Next, the operation of the air conditioning system 200 will be explained using Figure 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the air conditioning system 200 is in heating operation, the high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 205 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 207b via the four-way valve 206. In the indoor heat exchanger 207b, the refrigerant condenses by exchanging heat with indoor air supplied by the indoor blower 208b. The condensed refrigerant becomes a high-pressure liquid state and flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 207b. The refrigerant is then decompressed by the expansion valve 209 and becomes a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase state. The low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 207a. In the outdoor heat exchanger 207a, the refrigerant evaporates by exchanging heat with outdoor air supplied by the outdoor blower 208a. The evaporated refrigerant becomes a low-pressure gaseous state and is sucked into the compressor 205.

When the air conditioning system 200 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant flows in the opposite direction to that in heating operation. That is, when the air conditioning system 200 is in cooling operation, the high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 205 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 207a through the four-way valve 206. In the outdoor heat exchanger 207a, the refrigerant condenses by exchanging heat with the outdoor air supplied by the outdoor blower 208a. The condensed refrigerant becomes a high-pressure liquid state and flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 207a. The refrigerant is then decompressed by the expansion valve 209 and becomes a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase state. The low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 207b. In the indoor heat exchanger 207b, the refrigerant evaporates by exchanging heat with the indoor air supplied by the indoor blower 208b. The evaporated refrigerant becomes a low-pressure gas and is drawn into the compressor 205 .

Next, the configuration of the air conditioner 100 according to embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1. For the sake of explanation, Figure 2 omits the illustration of the appearance of the front side of the air conditioner 100 or the front panel that forms the air passage. Also, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1.

As shown in Figure 2, the air conditioner 100 includes a blower 1, a heat exchanger 2, a control box 3, a drain pan 4, and a housing 101. The blower 1, the heat exchanger 2, the control box 3, and the drain pan 4 are disposed inside the housing 101, and are not exposed to the outside because the front panel 101d (see Figure 3) of the housing 101 is normally attached.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner 100 further includes a sub-drain pan 21 and a cleaning cover 22, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 101 has a box-like shape. The housing 101 is formed of a top plate 101a, a frame, a front panel 101d, a rear panel 101g (see FIG. 7), and a pair of side panels 101b. The pair of side panels 101b are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides of the housing 101 and face each other. In addition, the bottom surface of the frame has a four-sided frame structure and is open, and the top plate 101a and the housing installation surface are arranged opposite each other. Furthermore, the front panel 101d and the rear panel 101g are arranged opposite each other on the housing 101.

2 and 3 indicate the direction of air flow. Air is supplied to the inside of the housing 101 by driving the blower 1, which generates an air flow. The front panel 101d of the housing 101 is provided with an intake port 101e for drawing in air. The top plate 101a of the housing 101 is provided with an outlet port 101c for blowing out air.

Air supplied to the inside of the housing 101 by driving the blower 1 is sent to the heat exchanger 2. The air sent to the heat exchanger 2 is conditioned by passing through the heat exchanger 2, and is blown out from the air outlet 101c provided on the top plate 101a of the air conditioner 100.

The air conditioner 100 is also designed so that the inside of the housing 101 can be washed, allowing the blower 1, heat exchanger 2, etc. to be washed. The washing water used when washing the inside of the housing 101 is collected in the drain pan 4.

2, the blower 1 is disposed at the top inside the housing 101. In the first embodiment, two blowers 1 are provided, but the number of blowers 1 is not particularly limited. When multiple blowers 1 are disposed, they are disposed, for example, lined up in the X direction as shown in FIG. 2.

The control box 3 is disposed at the top inside the housing 101. The control box 3 is disposed next to the blower 1 in the X direction. In the example of FIG. 2, the control box 3 is disposed to the left of the blower 1. A control board for controlling the operation of the blower 1 etc. is provided inside the control box 3.

The heat exchanger 2 is disposed at the bottom inside the housing 101. That is, the heat exchanger 2 is disposed below the blower 1 and the control box 3. The heat exchanger 2 is, for example, a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger having a heat transfer tube 2c (see FIG. 4) and a fin 2d (see FIG. 4). In this case, the heat exchanger 2 harmonizes the air by exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing inside the heat transfer tube 2c and the air flowing along the fin 2d. The heat exchanger 2 is disposed at an angle inside the housing 101. Specifically, the heat exchanger 2 is extended in a direction intersecting the XZ plane and the XY plane so that the upper part of the heat exchanger 2 is closer to the front panel and the lower part of the heat exchanger 2 is closer to the rear panel. The reason for disposing the heat exchanger 2 at an angle is, firstly, to reduce the external dimensions of the housing 101 while ensuring a larger effective area of the heat exchanger 2 compared to the case where the heat exchanger 2 is disposed parallel to the XY plane. Secondly, by disposing the heat exchanger 2 at an angle, the heat exchanger 2 also functions as a partition plate that guides the air so that the air always passes through the heat exchanger 2 .

2, a drain pan 4 is disposed below the heat exchanger 2. The drain pan 4 is inclined with respect to the XY plane and the XZ plane in order to efficiently discharge the condensed water generated in the heat exchanger 2 and the washing water during washing. The drain pan 4 has a V-shape when viewed from the side, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 described later. The condensed water and washing water are discharged to the outside of the housing 101 through a drain outlet (not shown) connected to the drain pan 4 via the drain pan 4. In the first embodiment, the drain connection port of the drain pan 4 is located in the center of the drain pan 4 facing downward, and the condensed water and washing water are discharged to the outside from the left and right side surfaces or the bottom surface of the housing 101 by connecting a drain hose to the drain connection port. However, this is not limited to this case, and the drain connection port may be disposed, for example, on the side panel 101b or the back panel of the housing 101, and the position of the drain connection port is not particularly limited. The inclination direction of the drain pan 4 may be determined appropriately according to the positional relationship with the drain outlet. Condensed water is also called dew water or drain water.

Next, the configuration of the heat exchanger 2 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the schematic configuration of a heat exchanger provided in an air conditioner according to embodiment 1. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the schematic configuration of a heat exchanger provided in an air conditioner according to embodiment 1. Figures 4 and 5 show the heat exchanger 2 as viewed from the rear panel 101g side of the housing 101. Therefore, please note that the direction of air flow in Figures 4 and 5 is opposite to that in Figure 2. Note that Figures 4 and 5 are merely examples shown in a simplified manner for the purpose of explanation, and the configuration of the heat exchanger according to embodiment 1 is not limited to these. That is, the number of stages and the number of rows of the heat transfer tubes 2c may be different from the examples in Figures 4 and 5 and may be changed as appropriate. In addition, the arrangement of the U-shaped tubes connecting the heat transfer tubes 2c of each stage or row may also be different from the examples in Figures 4 and 5 and may be changed as appropriate. 4 and 5 show the case where the heat transfer tubes 2c are circular tubes, but the present invention is not limited to this case and may be heat transfer tubes of other shapes, such as flat tubes. The fins 2d are also not limited to plate-like fins and may have other shapes, or may be corrugated fins. Although not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a header (for gas) and a distributor (for liquid) are connected to the end of the heat exchanger, and the refrigerant is distributed to each heat transfer tube 2c via the header or distributor.

For example, as shown in the examples of Figures 4 and 5, the heat exchanger 2 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes 2c and a plurality of fins 2d. The fins 2d are vertically elongated rectangular plate-shaped members whose longitudinal direction extends in the Z direction. The fins 2d are arranged at intervals from each other in the X direction. The heat transfer tubes 2c extend in the X direction, penetrating the fins 2d. The heat transfer tubes 2c are arranged at intervals from each other in the Z direction. The heat transfer tubes 2c may be arranged in a single row in the Z direction as shown in Figure 4, but may be arranged in two or more rows as shown in Figure 5. In Figure 5, a total of two rows of heat transfer tubes 2c are arranged, the first row on the windward side and the second row on the leeward side in the air flow direction. The number of heat transfer tubes 2c arranged in the Z direction is called the number of stages. In the example of Figure 4, the number of stages of the heat transfer tubes 2c is 12. The number of rows and stages of the heat transfer tubes 2c are not particularly limited and may be set arbitrarily. 4 and 5, the arrow D indicates the direction of refrigerant flow, but as described above, the direction of refrigerant flow is switched to the opposite direction during heating and cooling.

In addition, heat exchanger side plates 2a are provided at both ends of the heat exchanger 2 in the X direction. The area between these two heat exchanger side plates 2a will be referred to as the "heat exchanger core 2b" below. Therefore, the heat exchanger core 2b is composed of a plurality of heat transfer tubes 2c and a plurality of fins 2d.

As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5, the bottom of the "heat exchanger core 2b", that is, the lower end of the multiple fins 2d, is referred to as the "lower core 2e". Therefore, the "lower core 2e" is composed of the lower end of the multiple fins 2d included in the "heat exchanger core 2b". Furthermore, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5, the lower part of the "heat exchanger core 2b" on the secondary space 103 side, that is, the lower part of the fins 2d on the secondary space 103 side, is referred to as the "secondary side lower part 2f of the heat exchanger 2". Therefore, the "secondary side lower part 2f of the heat exchanger 2" is composed of the lower part of the multiple fins 2d included in the "heat exchanger core 2b" on the secondary space 103 side. The definitions of "heat exchanger core 2b", "lower core 2e", and "secondary side lower part 2f of the heat exchanger 2" have been explained using FIG. 5, but the same definitions are used in the case of FIG. 4. These definitions are also used in other heat exchangers other than the heat exchangers shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a water guide sheet metal section provided in an air conditioner according to embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 6, the water guide sheet metal section 23 is provided in the lower core portion 2e of the heat exchanger 2. The water guide sheet metal section 23 is arranged for all fins 2d included in the heat exchanger core 2b. The water guide sheet metal section 23 is a rectangular plate-shaped member whose longitudinal direction extends in the X direction. The width in the Y direction of the water guide sheet metal section 23 is equal to the width in the Y direction of the heat exchanger core 2b. In other words, the width in the Y direction of the water guide sheet metal section 23 is equal to the width in the Y direction of the fins 2d. Therefore, the water guide sheet metal section 23 is arranged to cover the bottom surface of the core of the heat exchanger core 2b.

As shown in Fig. 9, which will be described later, the water guide sheet metal section 23 allows condensed water 30 to flow from the secondary space 103 side of the core lower section 2e toward the primary space 102 side. The condensed water 30 is generated by heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the heat exchanger 2, and flows down along the fins 2d of the heat exchanger 2. The condensed water 30 then flows along the upper surface 23c of the water guide sheet metal section 23 and flows into the drain pan 4 via the sub-drain pan 21.

Next, the method of mounting the water guide sheet metal section 23 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the heat exchanger side plate 2a has an extension 2aa extending downward in the Z direction Z2. The extension 2aa protrudes a distance L3 to a position below the lower core portion 2e. The water guide sheet metal section 23 also has mounting sections 23b at both ends in the X direction. The mounting sections 23b protrude downward in the Z direction Z2 from both ends of the water guide sheet metal section 23 in the X direction. Therefore, the water guide sheet metal section 23 has a U-shape when viewed from one side in the Y direction. The mounting sections 23b of the water guide sheet metal section 23 are fixed to the extension 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a by means of mounting fixtures 27 such as screws, so that the water guide sheet metal section 23 is mounted to the heat exchanger 2.

In addition, a deflection prevention part 26 is provided in the center of the water guide sheet metal part 23 in the X direction. The deflection prevention part 26 has a U-shape as shown in FIG. 6. The U-shape of the deflection prevention part 26 opens toward one end of the water guide sheet metal part 23 in the X direction. The deflection prevention part 26 has a shape without a surface in the Y direction so that cleaning water flowing through the water receiving surface part 21d of the sub-drain pan 21 does not remain inside the deflection prevention part 26. The upper surface part of the deflection prevention part 26 is fixed to the lower surface part 23d of the water guide sheet metal part 23 by spot welding or adhesive. The lower surface part of the deflection prevention part 26 abuts against the water receiving surface part 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. The deflection prevention part 26 functions as a spacer that maintains the space between the lower surface part 23d of the water guide sheet metal part 23 and the water receiving surface part 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. The deflection prevention parts 26 function to prevent deflection of the water guide sheet metal part 23. The space maintained by the deflection prevention parts 26 and the mounting parts 23b at both ends of the water guide sheet metal part 23 functions as "space A" to be described later.

The water guide sheet metal section 23 also has a eaves-shaped curved portion 23a at the end of the primary side in the Y direction. The curved portion 23a extends in the downward direction Z2 in the Z direction, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 9 described later. The curved portion 23a is provided over the entire length of the end of the primary side of the water guide sheet metal section 23 in the X direction, as shown in FIG. 6. The curved portion 23a protrudes in the downward direction Z2 in the Z direction from the end of the primary side of the water guide sheet metal section 23 in the Y direction, as shown in FIG. 9 described later. Therefore, the curved portion 23a is disposed on the primary side of the core lower portion 2e of the heat exchanger 2, as shown in FIG. 9 described later. The curved portion 23a is formed by bending the end of the primary side of the water guide sheet metal section 23. By providing the curved portion 23a, as shown in FIG. 9 described later, it is possible to prevent the condensed water 30 flowing along the upper surface portion 23c of the water guide sheet metal section 23 from entering the space A. Therefore, the condensed water 30 can be guided to the drain pan 4 by running along the surface of the cleaning cover 22 without being retained in the space A.

Next, the sub-drain pan 21 will be described using Figures 7 to 10. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the housing of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the housing shown in Figure 7. Figure 9 is a partially enlarged view of Figure 8. Figure 10 is a partially enlarged oblique view showing the configuration of the sub-drain pan provided in the air conditioner according to embodiment 1.

7 and 8, the internal space of the housing 101 is divided into a primary space 102 and a secondary space 103, with the heat exchanger 2 as the boundary. As described above, the housing 101 is provided with an air inlet 101e and an air outlet 101c. As described above, the housing 101 contains the blower 1 and the heat exchanger 2 inside. A drain pan 4 is also disposed in the lower part of the housing 101.

7 and 8, the sub-drain pan 21 is disposed between the heat exchanger 2 and the drain pan 4. As shown in FIG. 8, the sub-drain pan 21 extends from the secondary side lower portion 2f of the heat exchanger 2 to the core lower portion 2e of the heat exchanger 2. As shown in FIG. 8 and 9, the sub-drain pan 21 has a secondary side straight portion 21a, an inclined portion 21b, and a primary side straight portion 21c. As shown in FIG. 8 and 9, the inclined portion 21b is disposed at an incline with respect to the rear panel 101g of the housing 101. The upper end of the inclined portion 21b is disposed close to the rear panel 101g. The lower end of the inclined portion 21b is disposed so as to face the drain pan 4 and is disposed within the primary side space 102. The secondary side straight portion 21a extends from the upper end of the inclined portion 21b toward the upward direction Z1 in the Z direction. As shown in FIG. 8, the secondary side straight portion 21a is disposed along the rear panel 101g of the housing 101. The secondary side straight portion 21a may be fixed to the rear panel 101g of the housing 101. The primary side straight portion 21c extends from the lower end of the inclined portion 21b toward the upward direction Z1 in the Z direction. Alternatively, the primary side straight portion 21c may be perpendicular to the inclined portion 21b and extend upward. That is, the primary side straight portion 21c may be inclined with respect to the upward direction Z1 in the Z direction. The primary side straight portion 21c is disposed in the primary side space 102. The upper surface portion of the inclined portion 21b functions as a water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. The water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21 is disposed facing the core lower portion 2e of the heat exchanger 2. More specifically, the water receiving surface portion 21 d of the sub-drain pan 21 is disposed opposite the water guide sheet metal portion 23 provided in the core lower portion 2 e of the heat exchanger 2 .

As shown in Figure 9, a space A is formed between the lower core portion 2e of the heat exchanger 2 and the water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. The width of the space A, i.e., the distance between the lower core portion 2e of the heat exchanger 2 and the water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21, is hereinafter referred to as distance LA, as shown in Figure 8. Space A is sometimes referred to as the "first space."

As shown in Fig. 9, a space B is formed between the secondary side lower portion 2f of the heat exchanger 2 and the sub-drain pan 21. The width of the space B, i.e., the distance between the secondary side lower portion 2f of the heat exchanger 2 and the secondary side straight portion 21a of the sub-drain pan 21, is hereinafter referred to as distance LB, as shown in Fig. 8. Space B is sometimes referred to as the "second space."

As shown in Fig. 9, space A has a secondary side opening Aa arranged on the secondary side space 103 side and a primary side opening Ab arranged on the primary side space 102 side. The secondary side opening Aa of space A is connected to space B. In addition, a cleaning cover 22 is provided at the primary side opening Ab of space A. The cleaning cover 22 is provided rotatably and opens and closes the primary side opening Ab of space A.

9, space B has an upper opening Ba arranged on the secondary space 103 side and a lower opening Bb arranged on the space A side. The lower opening Bb of space B is in communication with the secondary opening Aa of space A. The upper opening Ba of space B is in communication with the secondary space 103 of the housing 101.

As shown in Fig. 8, when cleaning water 40 is sprayed onto the heat exchanger 2 from the primary side of the heat exchanger 2 to clean the heat exchanger 2, the cleaning water 40 passes through space B and space A and flows down the water receiving surface 21d of the sub-drain pan 21 as shown by the arrows in Fig. 9. The cleaning water 40 then flows down from the sub-drain pan 21 into the drain pan 4.

The primary side straight section 21c of the sub-drain pan 21 does not necessarily have to be provided. In addition, when the primary side straight section 21c is provided in the sub-drain pan 21, it is necessary to provide a drain outlet 21e in the sub-drain pan 21 as shown in FIG. 10. When the primary side straight section 21c is provided in the sub-drain pan 21 as shown in FIG. 10, the condensed water 30 and the cleaning water 40 accumulated in the sub-drain pan 21 flow along the inner wall of the primary side straight section 21c. Then, the condensed water 30 and the cleaning water 40 flow down from the drain outlet 21e of the sub-drain pan 21 toward the drain pan 4. The drain outlet 21e is disposed, for example, in the center of the primary side straight section 21c. In this case, the primary side straight sections 21c at both ends of the drain outlet 21e are each inclined with respect to the X direction. Specifically, the primary side straight portions 21c at both ends of the drain outlet 21e are each inclined in a direction away from the heat exchanger 2 toward the drain outlet 21e so as to form a V-shape overall.

Next, the configuration of the cleaning cover 22 will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the cleaning cover provided in the air conditioner according to embodiment 1. Figure 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the method of fastening the cleaning cover and the heat exchanger side plate in the air conditioner according to embodiment 1. Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the shoulder screw used in the fastening method shown in Figure 12.

As shown in Fig. 11, the cleaning cover 22 has a cover plate 22a, a handle portion 22b, a magnet 22c, an attachment 22d, and a mounting portion 22f. The cleaning cover 22 is rotatably provided on the primary side opening Ab of the space A shown in Fig. 9, and is a cover that opens and closes the primary side opening Ab.

The blocking plate 22a of the cleaning cover 22 is a plate-like member that blocks the primary side opening Ab of the space A shown in FIG. 9. The blocking plate 22a is disposed between the water guide sheet metal part 23 and the sub-drain pan 21. The blocking plate 22a has a main surface part 22aa that extends from the lower surface part 23d of the water guide sheet metal part 23 to the water receiving surface part 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. As shown in FIG. 9, the main surface part 22aa of the blocking plate 22a extends in a direction intersecting the water guide sheet metal part 23 and the sub-drain pan 21. The main surface part 22aa of the blocking plate 22a is a flat, plate-like member that blocks the primary side opening Ab of the space A when the cleaning cover 22 is in a closed state. The closing plate 22a is provided rotatably with respect to the extension portion 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a via a handle portion 22b, and opens and closes the primary side opening Ab of the space A. A curved surface portion 22e is provided at the lower end of the main surface portion 22aa of the closing plate 22a. The curved surface portion 22e extends from the lower end of the main surface portion 22aa of the closing plate 22a toward the primary side. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, the curved surface portion 22e protrudes from the lower end of the main surface portion 22aa of the closing plate 22a in a direction away from the space A. The closing plate 22a is composed of the main surface portion 22aa and the curved surface portion 22e, and has an L-shape when viewed from one side in the X direction as shown in Fig. 11. As shown in Figures 9 and 12, the bent surface portion 22e abuts and comes into surface contact with at least a portion of the water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21 when the cleaning cover 22 is in the closed state.

The blocking plate 22a is basically provided along the entire length (i.e., width) of the heat exchanger core 2b in the X direction. However, the entire length of the blocking plate 22a in the X direction is about 2 to 4 mm shorter than the entire length of the heat exchanger core 2b in the X direction. Therefore, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, a clearance (gap) of distance L1 is formed between the extension 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a and the blocking plate 22a. Distance L1 is 1/2 of 2 to 4 mm, that is, about 1 to 2 mm. By providing this clearance, the blocking plate 22a can rotate smoothly without interfering with the extension 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a.

The handle portion 22b is provided on the primary side main surface portion 22aa of the blocking plate 22a. The handle portion 22b is fixed to the primary side main surface portion 22aa of the blocking plate 22a, for example, by spot welding. The handle portion 22b protrudes from the primary side main surface portion 22aa of the blocking plate 22a toward the primary side. As shown in FIG. 11, the handle portion 22b has a base portion 22b-1 and a grip portion 22b-2. The base portion 22b-1 of the handle portion 22b is fixed to the primary side main surface portion 22aa of the blocking plate 22a, for example, by spot welding. In addition, the grip portion 22b-2 of the handle portion 22b protrudes from the base portion 22b-1 of the handle portion 22b toward the primary side. 9, the handle portion 22b is disposed at an angle inclined toward the drain pan 4 when the cleaning cover 22 is closed so that the condensed water 30 generated in the heat exchanger 6 does not accumulate on the upper surface of the handle portion 22b. That is, when the cleaning cover 22 is closed, the tip portion 22bb of the handle portion 22b is inclined toward the downward direction Z2 in the Z direction rather than the horizontal direction so as to face the direction of the drain pan 4. Therefore, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 11, the condensed water 30 does not accumulate on the upper surface of the handle portion 22b but flows down toward the drain pan 4.

Attachment portions 22f are provided at both ends of the handle portion 22b. Specifically, the attachment portions 22f are provided at both ends of the base portion 22b-1 of the handle portion 22b. The attachment portions 22f are integrally molded with the handle portion 22b. The attachment portions 22f are formed, for example, by bending both ends of the handle portion 22b. The attachment portions 22f are formed with through holes 22ff. For example, shoulder screws 24 are inserted into the through holes 22ff. As shown in FIG. 12, the attachment portions 22f are attached to the extension portion 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a by the shoulder screws 24. This allows the handle portion 22b to rotate around the shoulder screws 24. In addition, since the handle portion 22b is fixed to the closing plate 22a by spot welding or the like, when an operator grasps the gripping portion 22b-2 of the handle portion 22b and rotates the handle portion 22b, the closing plate 22a rotates in synchronization with the gripping portion 22b-2. In addition, the attachment portions 22f may be provided on both ends of the closing plate 22a instead of both ends of the handle portion 22b.

Attachment 22d is attached to cleaning cover 22. Attachment 22d is attached to blocking plate 22a, for example. Attachment 22d is fixed to blocking plate 22a, for example, by spot welding. Attachment 22d is arranged, for example, in the center of curved surface portion 22e of blocking plate 22a. Magnet 22c is housed in attachment 22d. Magnet 22c is screwed to attachment 22d. In addition, a notch is provided in the center of curved surface portion 22e of blocking plate 22a to expose the magnetically attached surface of magnet 22c. The magnetically attached surface of magnet 22c is exposed through the notch toward the downward direction Z2 in the Z direction. When blocking plate 22a is in the closed state, magnet 22c is magnetically attached to at least a portion of water receiving surface portion 21d of sub-drain pan 21. Therefore, the sub-drain pan 21 is made of a ferromagnetic material so that the magnet 22c is magnetically attracted to the sub-drain pan 21. The sub-drain pan 21 is made of, for example, a steel plate. In this case, the surface of the sub-drain pan 21 is painted for waterproofing and rust prevention. The magnet 22c is made of a resin-coated magnet.

In this way, the magnet 22c is provided on the cleaning cover 22 and constitutes a "locking portion" that fixes the cleaning cover 22 to the sub-drain pan 21 when the cleaning cover 22 is in the closed state. The "locking portion" is not limited to the magnet 22c and may be composed of other members. Specifically, the "locking portion" may be composed of a key member or a claw member, and an engagement portion that engages with the key member or claw member may be provided on the sub-drain pan 21 side.

As shown in FIG. 13, the stepped screw 24 has a screw head 24a, a screw tip 24c, a screw portion 24b, and a spacer portion 24d. As shown in FIG. 13(b), the screw head 24a has a hexagonal shape in a plan view, but may have a circular shape. The screw portion 24b is disposed between the screw head 24a and the screw tip 24c. The screw portion 24b has a thread. The spacer portion 24d is disposed between the screw head 24a and the screw tip 24c. The spacer portion 24d does not have a thread. Therefore, the side surface of the spacer portion 24d is smooth. The spacer portion 24d has a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the spacer portion 24d is smaller than the outer diameter of the screw head 24a. In the stepped screw 24, the screw head 24a, the screw tip 24c, the screw portion 24b, and the spacer portion 24d may be integrally molded. Alternatively, the shoulder screw 24 may be a general non-step screw into which a ring-shaped member constituting the spacer portion 24d is inserted, and the screw and said member are connected by adhesive or welding.

As described above with reference to FIG. 6, the lower end of each heat exchanger side plate 2a is provided with an extension 2aa extending downward Z2 in the Z direction beyond the heat exchanger core 2b. The mounting portion 22f of the cleaning cover 22 is attached to the extension 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a by a stepped screw 24. At this time, as shown in FIG. 13, the threaded portion 24b of the stepped screw 24 is screwed into the threaded hole 28 formed in the extension 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a and fastened. On the other hand, the spacer portion 24d of the stepped screw 24 is not screwed into the threaded hole 28 formed in the extension 2aa, and is arranged outside the extension 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a, as shown in FIG. 13. The cleaning cover 22 can be rotated smoothly by passing the spacer portion 24d of the stepped screw 24 through the through hole 22ff formed in the mounting portion 22f. The inner diameter of the through hole 22ff of the attachment portion 22f is smaller than the outer diameter of the screw head 24a, so that the attachment portion 22f abuts against the screw head 24a and does not fall off the screw head 24a and the extension portion 2aa.

The position of the axis C1 of the stepped screw 24 is higher than the center C2 of the cleaning cover 22 in the Z direction, as shown in Figure 13. That is, when the length of the cleaning cover 22 in the Z direction is H1, the position of the center C2 of the cleaning cover 22 in the Z direction is 1/2 x H1. At this time, the position of the axis C1 of the stepped screw 24 is a distance L2 higher than the center C2 of the cleaning cover 22 in the Z direction, as shown in Figure 13. In this way, by arranging the axis C1 of the stepped screw 24 at a position higher than half the height of the cleaning cover 22, it is possible to prevent interference between the cleaning cover 22 and the sub-drain pan 21 when the cleaning cover 22 rotates.

Next, the flow of condensed water 30 and cleaning water 40 will be explained using Figures 14 to 16. Figure 14 is a diagram showing the state in which the cleaning cover is closed in the air conditioner of embodiment 1. Figure 15 is a diagram showing the state in which the air conditioner of embodiment 1 is in operation. Figure 16 is a diagram showing the state in which the air conditioner of embodiment 1 is being cleaned.

As shown in Figure 14, the cleaning cover 22 is normally in a closed state. When the cleaning cover 22 is in a closed state, as shown in Figure 14, the magnet 22c of the cleaning cover 22 is magnetically attached to the water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. Also, the curved surface portion 22e of the cleaning cover 22 is in surface contact with the water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. The cleaning cover 22 is rotatably attached to the extension portion 2aa of the heat exchanger side plate 2a. The cleaning cover 22 is opened when an operator grasps the handle portion 22b of the cleaning cover 22 and lifts it up. The cleaning cover 22 is opened when the inside of the air conditioner 100 is cleaned.

As shown in Figure 14, space A is formed between the lower core portion 2e (see Figure 5) of the heat exchanger 2 and the water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. Space B is formed between the lower secondary side portion 2f (see Figure 5) of the heat exchanger 2 and the sub-drain pan 21. Space A and space B are connected. The width of space A is distance LA, and the width of space B is distance LB.

Figure 15 shows the state when the air conditioner 100 is in operation. As shown in Figure 15, when the air conditioner 100 is in operation, the cleaning cover 22 is in a closed state. Condensed water 30 generated by heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the heat exchanger 2 flows along the upper surface 23c of the water guide sheet metal section 23, as shown by the dashed arrow E in Figure 15. A curved portion 23a is provided at the tip of the primary side of the water guide sheet metal section 23. When the cleaning cover 22 is in a closed state, the curved portion 23a of the water guide sheet metal section 23 covers the upper end portion 22g of the cleaning cover 22. Therefore, the upper end portion 22g of the cleaning cover 22 is arranged so as to overlap the inside of the curved portion 23a of the water guide sheet metal section 23. As a result, the condensed water 30 from the heat exchanger 2 generated during cooling operation of the air conditioner 100 does not accumulate in the space A, but flows along the upper surface 23c of the water guide sheet metal part 23 and the upper surface of the cleaning cover 22, and is guided to the drain pan 4. The upper end 22g of the cleaning cover 22 is the upper end extending in the X direction over the entire length of the cleaning cover 22 in the X direction, as shown in FIG. 11. Furthermore, since the cleaning cover 22 is closed when the air conditioner 100 is in operation, the primary space 102 and the secondary space 103 in the housing 101 of the air conditioner 100 are not in communication with each other. That is, the primary space 102 and the secondary space 103 are not bypassed by the space A and the space B. If the primary space 102 and the secondary space 103 are bypassed during operation of the air conditioner 100, condensation occurs in the blower 1, or the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 2 decreases. Therefore, in the first embodiment, when the air conditioner 100 is in operation, the cleaning cover 22 is closed to prevent bypass between the primary space 102 and the secondary space 103. This makes it possible to prevent condensation from occurring in the blower 1 and a decrease in the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 2.

Figure 16 shows the state of the air conditioner 100 during cleaning. As shown in Figure 16, when the air conditioner 100 is being cleaned, the worker rotates the cleaning cover 22 in the direction of the arrow G in Figure 16 around the shoulder screw 24 to open the cleaning cover 22. As a result, the primary space 102 and the secondary space 103 in the housing 101 of the air conditioner 100 are in communication with each other through the space A and the space B. As shown in Figure 8 above, cleaning water 40 is sprayed from the primary space 102 of the housing 101 to clean the heat exchanger 2. The cleaning water 40 that has cleaned the heat exchanger 2 flows through the space B and the space A and through the water receiving surface 21d of the sub-drain pan 21 as shown by the solid arrow F in Figure 16. The cleaning water 40 then passes under the open cleaning cover 22 and is guided to the drain pan 4.

Also, FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a case where the cleaning cover is held in the open state by the center of gravity balance when the air conditioner according to embodiment 1 is being cleaned. FIG. 17 shows a state in which the cleaning cover 22 is held in the open state. The cleaning cover 22 can be held in the open state by considering the mass of each part such as the handle portion 22b and the position of the rotation axis so that the center of gravity is in a position where the moment is balanced in the open state with the stepped screw 24, which is the rotation axis, as the fulcrum. For example, the entire cleaning cover 22 including the blocking plate 22a, the handle portion 22b, the magnet 22c, and the attachment 22d is divided into a first part arranged on the primary space side and a second part arranged on the secondary space side, with the stepped screw 24, which is the rotation axis, as the boundary. At this time, the masses of the first and second parts and the position of the axis C1 (center axis) of the stepped screw 24 are set so that the first and second parts are balanced in the center of gravity balance with the stepped screw 24 as the rotation axis as the fulcrum when the cleaning cover 22 is in the open state. In other words, the masses of each part and the position of the stepped screw 24 are determined so that, when the stepped screw 24 is used as the fulcrum, the clockwise rotation moment due to the mass of each part (i.e., the second part) of the cleaning cover 22 on the secondary side of the stepped screw 24 and the counterclockwise rotation moment due to the mass of each part (i.e., the first part) of the cleaning cover 22 on the primary side of the stepped screw 24 are balanced when the cleaning cover 22 is in the open state. In addition, since the cleaning cover 22 is held in the open state by the balance of the center of gravity, even if the cleaning cover 22 is forgotten to be closed during operation, the cleaning cover 22 is automatically closed by the negative pressure of the air flow during operation.

When the air conditioner 100 is cleaned, the cleaning cover 22 is open, so that the primary space 102 and the secondary space 103 in the housing 101 of the air conditioner 100 are in communication with each other via space A and space B. Therefore, when the heat exchanger 2 is cleaned, the debris 50 pushed out to the secondary side through the heat exchanger 2 is discharged to the primary side together with the cleaning water 40 through space B and space A.

As shown in FIG. 8 above, the blower 1 is disposed on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2. The blower 1 is disposed above the heat exchanger 2. Therefore, when the blower 1 is cleaned using cleaning water 40, the cleaning water used to clean the blower 1 flows down from the blower 1 towards the heat exchanger 2. At this time, the debris 50 that had accumulated on the blower 1 flows out of the blower 1 together with the cleaning water 40. The debris 50 that flows out of the blower 1 is discharged to the primary side together with the cleaning water 40 through space B and space A.

The distance LA, which is the width of the space A, and the distance LB, which is the width of the space B, are 10 mm or more so that the dust 50 pushed out from the heat exchanger 2 and the blower 1 can pass through. Thus, in the first embodiment, by providing the space A and the space B, the dust 50 can be prevented from accumulating on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2, and the maintainability is improved. In addition, in the first embodiment, as can be seen by comparing FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the flow path through which the water flows is switched between the operation and cleaning of the air conditioner 100. That is, when the air conditioner 100 is operated, as shown in FIG. 15, the water passes through the upper side of the water guide sheet metal part 23, and when the air conditioner 100 is cleaned, as shown in FIG. 16, the water passes through the lower side of the water guide sheet metal part 23. In this way, by switching the flow path through which the water flows between the operation and cleaning of the air conditioner 100, the operating capacity of the air conditioner 100 is maintained while improving the maintainability. In other words, during operation, spaces A and B are closed to maintain the operating capacity of the air conditioner 100, while during cleaning, spaces A and B are opened to prevent debris 50 from accumulating on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2, thereby improving maintainability.

<Modification of the First Embodiment>
Fig. 18 is a diagram showing a state during cleaning of an air conditioner according to a modification of embodiment 1. In Fig. 18, a magnet holder 25 that holds a magnet 22c when the cleaning cover 22 is in an open state is added. The other configurations are the same as those of embodiment 1, and therefore description thereof will be omitted here.

In the above-mentioned embodiment 1, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, when the cleaning cover 22 is in the open state, the magnet 22c is not magnetically attached to any particular location. When the cleaning cover 22 is in the open state, it is rotated in the direction of the arrow G in Figure 16. Therefore, the weight of the magnet 22c etc. balances the center of gravity, and the state in Figure 17 is maintained. Therefore, the cleaning cover 22 will not close while the worker is performing cleaning work.

However, it is conceivable that the cleaning cover 22 may close for some reason, or that large debris may get caught in the cleaning cover 22 when it is washed away. Therefore, in a modified example, as shown in FIG. 18, a magnet holding portion 25 is provided to hold the magnet 22c when the cleaning cover 22 is in the open state. The magnet holding portion 25 is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron so that the magnet 22c is magnetically attached. The magnet holding portion 25 is, for example, a plate-shaped member. The magnet holding portion 25 is also attached, for example, to the heat exchanger core 2b of the heat exchanger 2.

In this way, in the modified example shown in Fig. 18, a magnet holder 25 is provided that holds the magnet 22c when the cleaning cover 22 is in the open state, as shown in Fig. 18. This allows the opening to be held in a wider open state, and further prevents the cleaning cover 22 from closing for some reason while the worker is performing cleaning work.

<Effects of First Embodiment>
Before describing the effects of the first embodiment, a comparative example will be described.

Figure 19 is a diagram showing a comparative example having the configuration of a typical air conditioner. The air conditioner 100R of the comparative example does not have space A and space B. Therefore, in the comparative example, when cleaning water 40 is sprayed onto the heat exchanger 2R from the primary side of the heat exchanger 2R to clean it, the debris 50 pushed out of the heat exchanger 2R by the cleaning water 40 ends up being accumulated on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2R between the rear panel 101gR and the heat exchanger 2R.

In the comparative example, the blower 1R is disposed on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2R. The blower 1R is disposed above the heat exchanger 2R. Therefore, in the air conditioner 100R of the comparative example, when the blower 1R is cleaned with cleaning water 40, the cleaning water 40 that has cleaned the blower 1R flows down from the blower 1R toward the heat exchanger 2r. As a result, the debris 50 that flows along with the cleaning water 40 is accumulated on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2R.

Thus, in the comparative air conditioner 100R, when cleaning the blower 1R and heat exchanger 2R with cleaning water 40, the debris 50 that flows along with the cleaning water 40 accumulates on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2R. Because the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2R is closed by the fixed rear panel 101g of the housing 101R, the debris 50 that has accumulated on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2R cannot be removed.

In contrast, in the first embodiment, a sub-drain pan 21 is provided extending from the secondary side lower portion 2f of the heat exchanger 2 to the core lower portion 2e of the heat exchanger. In addition, a space A is provided as a "first space" between the core lower portion 2e of the heat exchanger 2 and the water receiving surface portion 21d of the sub-drain pan 21. In addition, a space B is provided as a "second space" between the secondary side lower portion 2f of the heat exchanger 2 and the sub-drain pan 21. When the air conditioner 100 is in operation, the primary side opening Ab of the space A is closed with the cleaning cover 22, so that the primary side space 102 and the secondary side space 103 of the heat exchanger 2 are not in communication. Therefore, it is possible to prevent condensation in the blower 1 and a decrease in the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 2. On the other hand, when the air conditioner 100 is being cleaned, the cleaning cover 22 provided on the primary side opening Ab of space A is opened, so that the primary side space 102 and secondary side space 103 of the heat exchanger 2 communicate with each other via space A and space B. As a result, even when the blower 1 and heat exchanger 2 are cleaned with cleaning water 40, debris 50 flows out to the primary side through space A and space B together with the cleaning water 40. This makes it possible to prevent debris 50 from accumulating on the secondary side of the heat exchanger 2, improving maintainability.

1 Blower, 1R Blower, 2 Heat exchanger, 2R Heat exchanger, 2a Heat exchanger side plate, 2aa Extension, 2b Heat exchanger core, 2c Heat transfer tube, 2d Fin, 2e Core lower part, 2f Secondary side lower part, 2r Heat exchanger, 3 Control box, 4 Drain pan, 6 Heat exchanger, 21 Sub-drain pan, 21a Secondary side straight part, 21b Slope part, 21c Primary side straight part, 21d Water receiving surface part, 21e Drain port, 22 Cleaning cover, 22a Closing plate, 22aa Main surface part, 22b Handle part, 22b-1 Base part, 22b-2 Grip part, 22bb Tip part, 22c Magnet, 22d Attachment, 22e Bent surface part, 22f Mounting part, 22ff Through hole, 22g upper end, 23 water guide sheet metal part, 23a curved part, 23b mounting part, 23c upper surface part, 23d lower surface part, 24 stepped screw, 24a screw head, 24b screw part, 24c screw tip part, 24d spacer part, 25 magnet holding part, 26 deflection prevention part, 27 mounting fixture, 28 screw hole, 30 condensed water, 40 cleaning water, 50 dirt, 100 air conditioner, 100R air conditioner, 101 housing, 101R housing, 101a top plate, 101b side panel, 101c blowing port, 101d front panel, 101e suction port, 101g rear panel, 101gR rear panel, 102 primary side space, 103 secondary side space, 200 air conditioning system, 202 Outdoor unit, 203 Indoor unit, 204 Refrigerant piping, 205 Compressor, 206 Four-way valve, 207 Heat exchanger, 207a Outdoor heat exchanger, 207b Indoor heat exchanger, 208 Blower, 208a Outdoor blower, 208b Indoor blower, 209 Expansion valve, 281 Motor, 281a Motor, 281b Motor, 282 Blade portion, 282a Blade portion, 282b Blade portion, A Space, Aa Secondary side opening, Ab Primary side opening, B Space, Ba Upper opening, Bb Lower opening, C White arrow, C1 Shaft, C2 Center, D Arrow, E Arrow, F Arrow, G Arrow, L1 Distance, L2 Distance, L3 Distance, LA Distance, LB Distance, Z1 Upward, Z2 Downward.

Claims (8)

A blower and
a heat exchanger having a heat exchanger core including a plurality of fins arranged at intervals in a first direction and a plurality of heat transfer tubes penetrating the plurality of fins and arranged at intervals in a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein air passes between the fins by driving the blower;
a housing provided with the air inlet and outlet, housing the blower and the heat exchanger therein, and dividing the internal space into a primary space and a secondary space with the heat exchanger as a boundary;
A drain pan disposed below the heat exchanger for receiving condensed water generated in the heat exchanger;
a sub-drain pan disposed between the heat exchanger and the drain pan, for conducting the condensed water generated from the heat exchanger and washing water used to wash the heat exchanger to the drain pan,
The sub-drain pan extends from a secondary side lower portion, which is a lower portion of the secondary side space side of the heat exchanger core, to a core lower portion, which is a bottom portion of the heat exchanger core,
the sub-drain pan has a water receiving surface portion disposed opposite to the lower portion of the core of the heat exchanger,
A first space is formed between the core lower part of the heat exchanger and the water receiving surface part of the sub-drain pan,
A second space is formed between the secondary side lower part of the heat exchanger and the sub-drain pan,
The first space has a primary side opening arranged on the primary side space side and a secondary side opening arranged on the secondary side space side,
The secondary side opening of the first space and the second space are in communication with each other,
The heat exchanger further includes a water guide sheet metal portion that is disposed in a lower portion of the core of the heat exchanger and guides the condensed water from the secondary space side of the lower portion of the core toward the primary space side to the drain pan.
Air conditioner. A cleaning cover is rotatably disposed on the primary side opening of the first space and opens and closes the primary side opening of the first space.
Preparation,
The cleaning cover is
Normally, it is closed.
The heat exchanger is opened when the heat exchanger is cleaned.
The air conditioner according to claim 1. The water guide sheet metal portion is
a bent portion disposed on the primary side of the lower core of the heat exchanger and extending downward;
When the cleaning cover is in a closed state, an upper end portion of the cleaning cover is arranged to overlap the inside of the curved portion of the water guide sheet metal portion.
The air conditioner according to claim 2 . The cleaning cover is
a cover plate for covering the primary side opening of the first space when the cleaning cover is in a closed state;
The blocking plate is
A main surface portion covering the primary side opening of the first space;
a bent surface portion protruding from a lower end of the main surface portion in a direction away from the first space;
having
When the cleaning cover is in a closed state, the bent surface portion of the closing plate is in surface contact with a portion of the water receiving surface portion of the sub-drain pan.
An air conditioner according to claim 2 or claim 3 dependent on claim 2. The cleaning cover is
a handle portion that is provided to protrude from the main surface portion of the closing plate in a direction away from the first space and is inclined toward the drain pan when the cleaning cover is in a closed state;
The air conditioner according to claim 4 . The cleaning cover is
a locking portion provided on the cleaning cover for fixing the cleaning cover to the sub-drain pan when the cleaning cover is in a closed state;
An air conditioner according to claim 2 or any one of claims 4 to 5 dependent on claim 2. The heat exchanger has side plates provided at both ends thereof, and the side plates have an extension portion at a lower end thereof that extends downward from a lower portion of the core of the heat exchanger,
The cleaning cover has attachment portions at both ends,
The mounting portion of the cleaning cover is attached to the extension portion of the heat exchanger side plate by a shoulder screw,
The shoulder screw is
The screw head and
A screw portion provided between the screw head and the screw tip portion and having a screw thread formed thereon;
A cylindrical spacer portion provided between the screw head and the screw portion and having no threads;
having
The spacer portion of the shoulder screw passes through a through hole formed in the mounting portion of the cleaning cover, and the threaded portion of the shoulder screw is fastened to a threaded hole formed in the extension portion of the heat exchanger.
An air conditioner according to claim 2 or any one of claims 4 to 6 dependent on claim 2. The cleaning cover is provided at the primary side opening of the first space so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis,
When the entire cleaning cover is divided, with the rotation axis as a boundary, into a first portion arranged on the primary side space side and a second portion arranged on the secondary side space side,
the masses of the first portion and the second portion and the position of the rotation shaft are set so that the first portion and the second portion are balanced at the center of gravity with the rotation shaft as a fulcrum when the cleaning cover is in an open state;
An air conditioner according to claim 2 or any one of claims 4 to 7 dependent on claim 2.

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