JP7648502B2 - Soundproof covers and soundproof units - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a soundproof cover and a soundproof unit equipped with the same.

The operating noise of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner can be a problem. In particular, since central air conditioning systems have been adopted more frequently in recent years than in the past, issues such as nighttime noise are more likely to become apparent. In order to prevent the operating noise of the outdoor unit from being transmitted to neighboring houses, it has already been proposed to install a soundproof wall in front of the outdoor unit (see Patent Document 1, etc.).

JP 2016-200385 A

With the conventional soundproofing measures described above, exhaust air from the outdoor unit would hit the soundproof wall in front and then flow around the wall to the side, resulting in the phenomenon known as a short circuit, in which the exhaust air would be sucked in through the air intake of the outdoor unit. If a short circuit occurs in the outdoor unit, it will result in a decrease in the heat exchange rate of the outdoor unit.

The purpose of this disclosure is to propose a soundproof cover and soundproof unit that can prevent the operating noise of an outdoor unit from being transmitted to neighboring houses and prevent a decrease in the heat exchange rate of the outdoor unit.

A soundproof cover according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a soundproof cover that is installed adjacent to an outdoor unit having an intake port and an exhaust port, and includes a main wall that is installed in front of the exhaust port, and a partition wall that is connected to the main wall. The partition wall is configured to separate a space that the exhaust port faces from a space that the intake port faces.

The soundproofing unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the soundproofing cover and a louver for directing the flow of exhaust air discharged from the exhaust port toward the opening.

This disclosure has the effect of preventing the operating noise of the outdoor unit from being transmitted to neighboring houses and preventing a decrease in the heat exchange rate of the outdoor unit.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a soundproof cover according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is installed on an outdoor unit as specified. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the above state. FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the soundproof cover, FIG. 3B is a front view of the soundproof cover, and FIG. 3C is a side view of the soundproof cover. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the soundproof structure of the soundproof cover. FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway view illustrating the function of the louvers provided in the outdoor unit. FIG. 6A is a partially cutaway view showing a modified example of the main wall of the soundproof cover of the same, and FIG. 6B is a partially cutaway view showing another modified example of the main wall of the soundproof cover of the same. FIG. 7A is a plan view showing a modification in which a part of the soundproof cover is made movable, and FIG. 7B is a plan view showing a modification in which the soundproof cover is made movable. FIG. 8A is a partially cutaway view showing a modified example of the partition wall of the soundproof cover of the same, FIG. 8B is a partially cutaway view showing another modified example of the partition wall of the same, and FIG. 8C is a partially cutaway view showing yet another modified example of the partition wall of the same. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a modification in which the soundproof cover includes an upper partition wall. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another modified example in which the soundproof cover includes an upper partition wall. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing still another modified example in which the soundproof cover includes an upper partition wall.

(1) Embodiment (1-1) Overall Structure As shown in Figures 1, 2, etc., an outdoor unit 9 of an air conditioner is installed adjacent to an exterior wall W of a building. The outdoor unit 9 has a box-shaped housing 90 that forms the outer shell of the outdoor unit 9. The inside of the housing 90 is partitioned into an air blower chamber 91 in which a fan is installed, and a machine room 92 in which a heat exchanger and a compressor, which are components of a refrigeration cycle, are arranged.

In the outdoor unit 9, the blower chamber 91 and the machine chamber 92 are located adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. The left-right direction here is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction in which the exterior wall W and the outdoor unit 9 are adjacent to each other. The side on which the outdoor unit 9 is located relative to the exterior wall W is the front side. When the outdoor unit 9 is installed, the left-right direction, front-rear direction, and up-down direction are perpendicular to each other.

The housing 90 of the outdoor unit 9 has an intake port 94 and an exhaust port 96 formed at a distance from each other in the horizontal direction.

In one embodiment, the outdoor unit 9 has a first air intake 941 and a second air intake 942 as the air intake 94. The first and second air intakes 941 and 942 may each be configured with multiple openings.

The first air intake 941 is formed on the side 901, which is closer to the blower chamber 91, of the left and right side surfaces 901, 902 of the housing 90. Of the left and right side surfaces 901, 902, the side 902, which is closer to the machine chamber 92, does not have an air intake. The left and right side surfaces 901, 902 are a pair of surfaces facing in opposite directions.

The second air supply port 942 is formed on the rear surface 903 of the housing 90. The rear surface 903 and the front surface 904 of the housing 90 are a pair of surfaces facing in opposite directions. The rear surface 903 and the front surface 904 of the housing 90 each have a larger area than each of the left and right side surfaces 901, 902. The second air intake port 942 has a larger opening area than the first air intake port 941.

The exhaust port 96 is formed in a portion of the front surface 904 of the housing 90 that is closer to the blower chamber 91 in the left-right direction (in other words, closer to the first intake port 941). In the outdoor unit 9, the first intake port 941 opens outward in the left-right direction, the second intake port 942 opens toward the rear, and the exhaust port 96 opens toward the front.

A louver 7 is further provided on the front surface 904 of the outdoor unit 9. The louver 7 is a mechanism for changing the direction of the exhaust air discharged from the exhaust port 96 of the outdoor unit 9. The louver 7 is a so-called upward louver, and is configured to change the direction of the exhaust air discharged forward from the exhaust port 96 of the outdoor unit 9 diagonally upward toward the front (see FIG. 5).

In one embodiment, the soundproofing unit 8 for the outdoor unit is made up of a louver 7 attached to the outdoor unit 9 and a soundproofing cover 1 described below. The louver 7 makes it possible to intentionally shift the direction in which the operating sound is transmitted from the exhaust port 96 of the outdoor unit 9 and the direction in which the exhaust air is discharged from the exhaust port 96.

In one embodiment, the soundproof cover 1 is installed adjacent to the outdoor unit 9. The soundproof cover 1 is located in front of the exterior wall W, and the outdoor unit 9 is located between the exterior wall W and the soundproof cover 1.

The soundproof cover 1 comprises a main wall 2 that is installed in front of the exhaust port 96 of the outdoor unit 9 (i.e., in front of the exhaust port 96), and a partition wall 3 that is connected to the main wall 2. Both the soundproof main wall 2 and the partition wall 3 have sound-insulating and sound-absorbing properties. It is preferable that both the main wall 2 and the partition wall 3 have a structure in which sound-absorbing material 63 is arranged on the inside of a metal outer skin 61, as exemplified in FIG. 4.

The sound-absorbing material 63 is not covered by the outer skin 61 in the portion facing the outdoor unit 9, and is exposed toward the outdoor unit 9. The portion of the sound-absorbing material 63 opposite the side where the outdoor unit 9 is located is covered by the outer skin 61. Therefore, the operating noise generated by the outdoor unit 9 is absorbed by the sound-absorbing material 63, and then part of it is reflected by the outer skin 61, and the reflected operating noise is further absorbed by the sound-absorbing material 63.

The soundproofing performance of the main wall 2 and partition wall 3 having the above structure can be adjusted appropriately by changing the weight, etc. of the metal forming the outer skin 61 and/or by changing the type, thickness, etc. of the sound-absorbing material 63.

The following describes in more detail the structure of the main wall 2 and partition wall 3, which are components of the soundproof cover 1.

1, 2 and 3, the main wall 2 is installed so as to face and spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction from the front surface 904 of the outdoor unit 9. In a state in which the outdoor unit 9 and the soundproof cover 1 are installed as specified (hereinafter referred to as the "installed state"), the main wall 2 is positioned parallel to the front surface 904 of the outdoor unit 9.

The main wall 2 is a wall having an overall flat plate-like outer shape, and has a vertical direction, a thickness direction, and a length direction that are perpendicular to one another. The thickness direction of the main wall 2 coincides with the front-to-rear direction of the outdoor unit 9, and the length direction of the main wall 2 coincides with the left-to-right direction of the outdoor unit 9.

In the longitudinal direction of the main wall 2, the main wall 2 is longer than the outdoor unit 9. The main wall 2 has a first end 21 and a second end 22 located on opposite sides in the longitudinal direction of the main wall 2. The first end 21 is the end closer to the air intake 94 of the outdoor unit 9 in the longitudinal direction of the main wall 2 (the end closer to the first air intake 941), and the second end 22 is the end farther from the air intake 94 in the longitudinal direction of the main wall 2 (the end farther from the first air intake 941).

An exhaust opening 51 is provided at the top of the main wall 2. The opening 51 is a rectangular opening cut downward from part of the upper edge of the main wall 2.

(1-3) Partition Wall The partition wall 3 includes a first partition wall 31 and a second partition wall 32 provided to extend from the main wall 2 .

First, we will explain the first partition wall 31.

The first partition wall 31 is provided so as to extend from the first end 21 of the main wall 2 toward the outdoor unit 9. The first partition wall 31 is an L-shaped partition wall including a flat side wall 312 that extends straight from the first end 21 of the main wall 2 toward the rear, and a rear wall 314 that extends straight from the rear end of the side wall 312 toward the side closer to the outdoor unit 9 in the left-right direction.

The side wall 312 and the rear wall 314 are joined together to form an L-shape as a whole. The side wall 312 is perpendicular to the main wall 2, and the rear wall 314 is perpendicular to the side wall 312. The rear wall 314 is positioned at a distance from the main wall 2 in the front-to-rear direction and is parallel to the main wall 2.

A fixing portion 313 that can be used to bolt the first partition wall 31 to an installation surface such as the ground is integrally provided at the lower end of the side wall 312. The fixing portion 313 has a metal piece 318 that extends from the lower end of the side wall 312 in the left-right direction toward the side away from the outdoor unit 9, and a through hole 319 that passes through the metal piece 318 from top to bottom. A plurality of fixing portions 313 are provided at intervals from each other in the front-rear direction.

Next, we will explain the second partition wall 32.

The second partition wall 32 is provided to extend from the second end 22 of the main wall 2 toward the outdoor unit 9. The second partition wall 32 is a T-shaped partition wall including a flat side wall 322 extending straight from the second end 22 of the main wall 2 toward the rear, a rear wall 324 extending straight from the rear end of the side wall 322 toward the side approaching the outdoor unit 9 in the left-right direction, and an extended side wall 325 extending further rearward from the end of the side wall 322.

The side wall 322, rear wall 324, and extended side wall 325 are joined together to form a T-shape as a whole. The side wall 322 is perpendicular to the main wall 2, and the rear wall 324 is perpendicular to the side wall 322. The rear wall 324 is positioned at a distance from the main wall 2 in the front-to-rear direction and is parallel to the main wall 2. The side wall 322 and extended side wall 325 are continuous in a straight line in the front-to-rear direction.

A fixing portion 323 that can be used to bolt the second partition wall 32 to the installation surface is integrally provided at the lower end of the side wall 322. The fixing portion 323 has a metal piece 328 that extends from the lower end of the side wall 322 in the left-right direction toward the side away from the outdoor unit 9, and a through hole 329 that passes through the metal piece 328 from top to bottom. A plurality of fixing portions 323 are provided at intervals from each other in the front-rear direction.

The second partition wall 32, which is generally T-shaped, is detachably attached to the main wall 2. Specifically, the side wall 322 of the second partition wall 32 and the second end 22 of the main wall 2 are detachably fixed. In contrast, the first partition wall 31 and the main wall 2 may not be detachable, but may be detachably fixed to each other.

The first partition wall 31 and the second partition wall 32 are positioned at a distance from each other in the left-right direction. The second partition wall 32 is separate from the first partition wall 31 and is connected to the first partition wall 31 via the main wall 2.

The side wall 312 of the first partition wall 31 and the side wall 322 of the second partition wall 32 are positioned parallel to each other with a distance in the left-right direction. The rear wall 314 of the first partition wall 31 and the rear wall 324 of the second partition wall 32 extend in a direction approaching each other. The overall front-to-rear length of the second partition wall 32 is longer than the overall front-to-rear length of the first partition wall 31 by the amount including the extended side wall 325.

(1-4) Installation state As shown in Figure 1 etc., in an installation state in which the outdoor unit 9 and the soundproof cover 1 are installed as specified, the first partition wall 31 constituting part of the partition wall 3 is configured to separate a space S1 facing the exhaust port 96 of the outdoor unit 9 from a space S2 facing the intake port 94 (first and second intake ports 941, 942) of the outdoor unit 9.

Space S1 is the space between the outdoor unit 9 and the main wall 2 located in front of it. Exhaust air from the exhaust port 96 is discharged into space S1. Space S1 is open upward.

The space S2 is adjacent to the air intake 94 (first and second air intakes 941, 942) of the outdoor unit 9, and includes a space S21 adjacent to the first air intake 941 and a space S22 adjacent to the second air intake 942. The space S21 is a space located on one side of the outdoor unit 9 in the left-right direction, and the space S22 is a space located on the rear side of the outdoor unit 9. In the installed state, the space S22 is formed between the outdoor unit 9 and the exterior wall W. The spaces S21 and S22 communicate with each other in the horizontal direction. The air in the space S2 (spaces S21, S22) is sucked into the blower chamber 91 of the outdoor unit 9 through the air intake 94 (first and second air intakes 941, 942).

In the installed state, the exhaust air from the exhaust port 96 is discharged toward the space S1, but most of the exhaust air is redirected diagonally upwards and forwards through the louvers 7, and then discharged through the opening 51 in the main wall 2 to the external space in front of the main wall 2 (see FIG. 5). At this time, some of the exhaust air may remain in the space S1, but the presence of the first partition wall 31 between the two spaces S1 and S2 prevents the remaining exhaust air from reaching the space S2. The tip of the first partition wall 31 (i.e., the tip of the rear wall 314) and the outdoor unit 9 are located close to each other with a small gap between them, but it is also possible for the two to come into contact.

In addition, in the installed state of the soundproof cover 1 of one embodiment, the presence of the second partition wall 32 constituting another part of the partition wall 3 more effectively separates the space S1 from the space S2. The exhaust path blocked by the second partition wall 32 is not the path that goes directly from the space S1 to the space S21 (i.e. the path blocked by the first partition wall 31), but the reverse path that goes from the space S1 to the space S22 without passing through the space S21. The tip of the second partition wall 32 (i.e. the tip of the rear wall 324) and the outdoor unit 9 are located close to each other with a small gap between them, but it is also possible for the two to come into contact.

As described above, by installing the soundproof cover 1 of one embodiment, the occurrence of a short circuit in the outdoor unit 9 is suppressed, and as a result, a decrease in the heat exchange rate of the outdoor unit is effectively suppressed.

The installation of the soundproof cover 1 of one embodiment effectively prevents the operating noise of the outdoor unit 9 from being transmitted to neighboring houses. In particular, in the soundproof cover 1 of one embodiment, the second partition wall 32 is formed to be sufficiently longer in the front-to-rear direction than the first partition wall 31 so as to cover the sides of the outdoor unit 9, so that the operating noise of the outdoor unit 9 is even more effectively prevented from being transmitted to neighboring houses.

The reason is that the machine room 92 in which the compressor, which is prone to generating operating noise, is located is the part of the outdoor unit 9 closest to the second partition wall 32, and the second partition wall 32 is positioned to cover the side of this part (in other words, the extended side wall 325 is positioned), which further effectively prevents the operating noise of the outdoor unit 9 from being transmitted to neighboring houses.

The machine room 92 is a part where workers may need to enter during maintenance, but in one embodiment of the soundproof cover 1, the second partition wall 32 can be removed from the main wall 2 as needed, making it easy to maintain.

(2) Modifications The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. The above-mentioned embodiments can be modified in various ways depending on the design and the like as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. Below, modifications of the above-mentioned embodiments will be described, but the same reference numerals will be used to designate the same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiments, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The modifications listed below can be applied in appropriate combination.

Figures 6A and 6B each show modified examples of the structure of the main wall 2 of the soundproof cover 1.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 6A, instead of providing an opening 51 in the main wall 2, the main wall 2 is inclined so that the upper part is positioned further forward. In this modified example, most of the exhaust air that is redirected diagonally upward and forward through the louvers 7 is smoothly discharged beyond the upper edge of the main wall 2 to the external space in front of the main wall 2. Note that in addition to providing an opening 51 in the main wall 2, it is also possible to incline the main wall 2 so that the upper part is positioned further forward.

In this modified example, the entire main wall 2 is inclined so that the upper portion is positioned further forward, but it is sufficient that at least a portion of the main wall 2 (e.g., the upper half of the main wall 2) is inclined so that the upper portion is positioned further forward. It is not essential that the inclination angle of each portion of the main wall 2 in the vertical direction be uniform, and the inclination angle of each portion of the main wall 2 in the vertical direction may change gradually or in stages depending on its vertical position.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 6B, another opening 53 for introducing air is provided in a portion of the main wall 2 below the opening 51. The opening 53 is preferably, for example, slit-shaped. It is also preferable to install a small fan in the main wall 2 or in a position adjacent thereto to create an air flow through the opening 53. In this modified example, air is introduced into the space S1 through the opening 53 that penetrates the lower part of the main wall 2 from front to back, thereby promoting the flow of exhaust air toward the opening 51 in the upper part of the main wall 2. In this modified example, it is possible to reduce the opening area of the opening 51 in the upper part of the main wall 2, and it is also possible not to provide the opening 51 in the upper part of the main wall 2.

Figures 7A and 7B each show a modified example in which the second partition wall 32 is movable.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 7A, the second partition wall 32 is provided rotatably relative to the main wall 2. In this modified example, the second partition wall 32, which is generally T-shaped, is connected to the second end 22 of the main wall 2 via a hinge 34 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. During maintenance, the second partition wall 32 is rotated clockwise in a plan view around the hinge 34 to open the side of the outdoor unit 9 facing the machine room 92. In other words, the second partition wall 32 is provided so that the side of the outdoor unit 9 can be opened and closed. When the second partition wall 32 is moved to open the side of the outdoor unit 9, the worker can easily reach into the machine room 92 of the outdoor unit 9 from the side.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 7B, the entire soundproof cover 1, including the second partition wall 32, is provided to be movable. In this modified example, the entire soundproof cover 1 can slide forward and backward via a rail mechanism 36 laid on the installation surface, such as the ground.

The rail mechanism 36 includes a first rail 361 and a second rail 362. The first rail 361 is a straight rail in the front-rear direction that is interposed between the first partition wall 31 and the installation surface. The second rail 362 is a straight rail in the front-rear direction that is interposed between the second partition wall 32 and the installation surface.

The first rail 361 and the second rail 362 are parallel to each other, and the second rail 362 is formed to be longer in the front-rear direction than the first rail 361. The front ends of the first rail 361 and the second rail 362 are at the same position in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the second rail 362 is located further rearward than the rear end of the first rail 361.

As another example, a fin-shaped sheet can be provided on the bottom of the soundproof cover 1 and inserted between the outdoor unit 9 and the installation surface to secure the soundproof cover 1. In this case, the soundproof cover 1 can be secured by the weight of the outdoor unit 9, eliminating the need for bolts to secure the soundproof cover 1, and the soundproof cover 1 can be moved by pulling out the sheet from under the outdoor unit 9.

In order to improve the maintainability of the outdoor unit 9, at least a portion of the second partition wall 32 may be provided so as to be removable or movable relative to the main wall 2. For example, the extended side wall 325 constituting a portion of the second partition wall 32 may be provided so as to be removable or movable relative to the side wall 322 constituting another portion of the second partition wall 32.

Figures 8A, 8B, and 8C each show modified examples of the structure of the partition wall 3 of the soundproof cover 1.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 8A, the first partition wall 31 and the second partition wall 32, which are components of the partition wall 3, are both arranged in a straight line in the front-rear direction. In other words, the first partition wall 31 is composed of a flat side wall 316 extending from the first end 21 of the main wall 2 toward the outdoor unit 9. The side wall 316 is perpendicular to the main wall 2. The second partition wall 32 is composed of a flat side wall 326 extending from the second end 22 of the main wall 2 toward the outdoor unit 9. The side wall 326 is perpendicular to the main wall 2. In this modified example, the rear end portion of the side wall 326 is configured to cover the side of the machine room 92 of the outdoor unit 9 to enhance soundproofing.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 8B, the first partition wall 31 is L-shaped as in the first embodiment, whereas the second partition wall 32 is arranged in a straight line in the front-rear direction. In other words, the second partition wall 32 is composed of a flat side wall 326 as in the modified example shown in FIG. 8A. Note that the first partition wall 31 may be arranged in a straight line in the front-rear direction, and the second partition wall 32 may be arranged in a T-shape as in the first embodiment.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 8C, the first partition wall 31 and the second partition wall 32 are both arranged in an arc shape in a plan view. That is, the first partition wall 31 is composed of a side wall 317 that is arc-shaped in a plan view and extends from the first end 21 of the main wall 2 toward the outdoor unit 9. The second partition wall 32 is composed of a side wall 327 that is arc-shaped in a plan view and extends from the second end 22 of the main wall 2 toward the outdoor unit 9. In this modified example, the rear end portion of the side wall 327 is configured to cover the side of the machine room 92 of the outdoor unit 9 to enhance soundproofing.

Figures 9, 10, and 11 each show a modified example in which the soundproof cover 1 further includes an upper partition wall 4.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 9, the partition wall 3 includes a third partition wall 33 connecting the first and second partition walls 31, 32. Furthermore, the soundproof cover 1 includes an upper partition wall 4 configured to cover the upper part of the outdoor unit 9 in addition to the main wall 2 and the partition wall 3. It is preferable that the third partition wall 33 and the upper partition wall 4 also have a soundproof structure as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The third partition wall 33 is provided integrally with the first partition wall 31 and the second partition wall 32 so as to connect an upper portion of the rear wall 314 of the first partition wall 31 that is located higher than the outdoor unit 9 and an upper portion of the rear wall 324 of the second partition wall 32 that is located higher than the outdoor unit 9. The rear wall 314 of the first partition wall 31, the rear wall 324 of the second partition wall 32, and the third partition wall 33 are connected as a whole in a U-shape.

The upper partition wall 4 is integral with the main wall 2 and the partition wall 3. The upper partition wall 4 is a rectangular, flat partition wall with its thickness direction in the vertical direction, and is connected to the upper edge of the main wall 2, the upper edge of the first partition wall 31, the upper edge of the second partition wall 32, and the upper edge of the third partition wall 33. The rear half of the upper partition wall 4 is configured to be located directly above the outdoor unit 9.

In this modified example, it is also preferable that at least a portion of the second partition wall 32 is provided so as to be removable or movable. In this case, at least a portion of the second partition wall 32 may be configured so as to be removable integrally with the upper partition wall 4, or may be configured so as to be removable separately from the upper partition wall 4. Also, at least a portion of the second partition wall 32 may be configured so as to be movable integrally with the upper partition wall 4, or may be configured so as to be movable separately from the upper partition wall 4.

In addition, the exhaust opening 51 in this modified example does not have a shape that is cut downward from the upper edge of the main wall 2. An opening edge 511 is formed on the main wall 2 around the entire periphery of the opening 51.

The modified example shown in FIG. 10 differs from the modified example shown in FIG. 9 in the location where the exhaust opening 51 is provided, and in the direction in which the louver 7 changes the exhaust flow. In this modified example, the exhaust opening 51 is provided in a part of the partition wall 3, not in the main wall 2. Specifically, the part of the partition wall 3 is the side wall 322 of the second partition wall 32. The louver 7 is a so-called horizontal louver, and is configured to change the direction of the exhaust flow from the exhaust port 96 of the outdoor unit 9 to the side. The exhaust air from the outdoor unit 9 flows through the louver 7 toward the opening 51 of the second partition wall 32.

The modified example shown in FIG. 11 differs from the modified examples shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 in the location where the exhaust opening 51 is provided, and in the direction in which the louvers 7 change the exhaust flow. Also, in this modified example, the outdoor unit 9 is installed at a higher position than in the modified examples shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

The exhaust opening 51 is provided at the bottom of the main wall 2, not at the top as in the modified example shown in FIG. 9. The louvers 7 are so-called downward louvers, and are configured to redirect the flow of exhaust air from the exhaust port 96 of the outdoor unit 9 diagonally downward and forward. The exhaust air from the outdoor unit 9 flows through the louvers 7 toward the opening 51 at the bottom of the main wall 2.

As in the modified examples shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11, the soundproof cover 1 includes an upper partition wall 4, which not only improves soundproofing but also provides protection against rain and snow. In particular, in the modified example shown in Figure 11, the outdoor unit 9 is located in a high position and the upper partition wall 4 covers the outdoor unit 9 from above, making it advantageous for installation in areas with heavy snowfall.

(3) Aspects As is apparent from the above embodiment and modified examples, the present disclosure includes the following aspects. In the following, reference symbols are given in parentheses only to clarify the correspondence with the embodiment.

The soundproof cover (1) according to the first aspect is a soundproof cover (1) that is installed adjacent to an outdoor unit (9) having an air intake (94) and an exhaust port (96), and includes a main wall (2) installed in front of the exhaust port (96) and a partition wall (3) connected to the main wall (2). The partition wall (3) is configured to separate a space (S1) facing the exhaust port (96) from a space (S2) facing the air intake (94).

The soundproof cover (1) according to the first aspect can prevent the operating sound of the outdoor unit (9) from being transmitted to neighboring houses. Moreover, the soundproof cover (1) according to the first aspect can prevent a short circuit from occurring in the outdoor unit (9). Therefore, a decrease in the heat exchange rate of the outdoor unit (9) can be prevented.

In the soundproof cover (1) according to the second aspect, in the first aspect, the main wall (2) has a first end (21) which is the end closer to the air intake (94) in the longitudinal direction of the main wall (2) and a second end (22) which is the end farther from the air intake (94) in the longitudinal direction. The partition wall (3) includes a first partition wall (31) which is provided so as to extend from the first end (21) of the main wall (2) toward the outdoor unit (9).

According to the soundproof cover (1) of the second aspect, the occurrence of a short circuit in the outdoor unit (9) is effectively suppressed by the presence of the first partition wall (31).

In the soundproof cover (1) according to the third aspect, in the second aspect, the partition wall (3) further includes a second partition wall (32) extending from the second end (22) of the main wall (2) toward the outdoor unit (9).

According to the soundproof cover (1) of the third aspect, the occurrence of short circuits in the outdoor unit (9) is more effectively prevented by the presence of the first partition wall (31) and the second partition wall (32).

The soundproof cover (1) according to the fourth aspect is the third aspect, in which the second partition wall (32) is configured to cover the side of the outdoor unit (9).

According to the soundproof cover (1) of the fourth aspect, the soundproofing effect of the second partition wall (32) more effectively prevents the operating sound of the outdoor unit (9) from being transmitted to neighboring houses.

The soundproof cover (1) according to the fifth aspect is the third or fourth aspect in which at least a portion of the second partition wall (32) is removable or movable.

According to the soundproof cover (1) of the fifth aspect, the maintainability of the outdoor unit (9) can be improved by removing or moving at least a portion of the second partition wall (32) as necessary.

The soundproof cover (1) according to the sixth aspect is any one of the first to fifth aspects, and further includes an upper partition wall (4) configured to cover the upper part of the outdoor unit (9).

According to the sixth aspect of the soundproof cover (1), the presence of the upper partition wall (4) enhances soundproofing and also provides protection against rain and snow.

The soundproof cover (1) according to the seventh aspect is any one of the first to sixth aspects, and the main wall (2) or the partition wall (3) is provided with an exhaust opening (51).

The soundproof cover (1) according to the seventh aspect prevents the operating sound of the outdoor unit (9) from being transmitted to neighboring houses, and allows the exhaust air from the outdoor unit (9) to be smoothly discharged through the opening (51), preventing a decrease in the heat exchange rate of the outdoor unit (9).

The soundproofing unit (8) of the eighth aspect includes the soundproofing cover (1) of the seventh aspect and a louver (7) for directing the flow of exhaust air discharged from the exhaust port (96) toward the opening (51).

According to the soundproofing unit (8) of the eighth aspect, the louvers (7) are arranged so that the exhaust air from the outdoor unit (9) is smoothly discharged through the opening (51), and the decrease in the heat exchange rate of the outdoor unit (9) can be effectively prevented.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Soundproof cover 2 Main wall 21 First end 22 Second end 3 Partition wall 31 First partition wall 32 Second partition wall 4 Upper partition wall 51 Opening 7 Louver 8 Soundproof unit 9 Outdoor unit 94 Air intake 96 Air exhaust S1 Space S2 Space

Claims (6)

A soundproof cover that is installed adjacent to an outdoor unit having a first air intake port on one of left and right side surfaces , a second air intake port on a rear surface, and an exhaust port on a front surface ,
A main wall disposed in front of the exhaust port;
a partition wall connected to the main wall,
The main wall is
a first end portion that is an end portion of the main wall that is closer to the first intake port in a longitudinal direction of the main wall;
a second end portion that is an end portion farther from the first air intake port in the longitudinal direction;
The partition wall is
a first partition wall including a side wall extending from the first end of the main wall toward the outdoor unit, and a rear wall extending from a tip portion of the side wall toward a side approaching the outdoor unit in the left-right direction;
a second partition wall including a side wall extending from the second end of the main wall toward the outdoor unit, a rear wall extending from a tip portion of the side wall toward a side approaching the outdoor unit in the left-right direction, and an extended side wall extending rearward from the side wall,
The first partition wall and the second partition wall are configured to separate a space facing the exhaust port from a space facing the first and second intake ports.
Soundproof cover. The second partition wall is configured to cover a side of the outdoor unit.
The soundproof cover of claim 1. At least a portion of the second partition wall is provided so as to be removable or movable.
The soundproof cover according to claim 1 or 2. The air conditioner further includes an upper partition wall configured to cover the upper part of the outdoor unit.
The soundproof cover according to claim 1 or 2. The main wall or the partition wall is provided with an exhaust opening.
The soundproof cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The soundproof cover of claim 5;
and a louver for directing the flow of exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust port toward the opening.
Soundproof unit.

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