JP7754285B2 - air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an air conditioner equipped with a ceiling panel that is removably installed on the indoor unit.

The air conditioner comprises an indoor unit installed in the attic and a ceiling panel attached to the lower end of the indoor unit. The ceiling panel has a square frame and is fixed to the lower end of the indoor unit via panel fixing screws and fixing brackets provided at the four corners of the frame. The corners of the frame are each covered with a removable corner cover (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2018/154765

In conventional air conditioners, when oil or detergent floating in the air in the room being air-conditioned adheres to the ceiling panel, a chemical reaction occurs between the oil or detergent and the resin that makes up the ceiling panel, causing microcracks to form in the resin that makes up the ceiling panel. This phenomenon is called crazing. When stress is applied to resin with such microcracks, the resin becomes more susceptible to cracking.
In conventional structures where ceiling panels are fixed to indoor units with panel fixing screws, if there is a gap between the corner cover and the corner, outside air can enter through the gap, and the oil and detergent contained in the outside air can adhere to the corner, causing crazing in the resin that forms the corner.As a result, cracks and breakage are more likely to occur in the areas of the corner where stress is applied by the panel fixing screws than at the time of manufacturing, causing problems such as a reduced lifespan and design of the ceiling panel.

This disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an air conditioner that can prevent crazing caused by oil and detergent in the air adhering to the area where the screws on the ceiling panel are attached, and can prevent cracking and damage to the ceiling panel.

The air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes an indoor unit having an air inlet and an air outlet, and housing a fan and an indoor heat exchanger. The indoor unit draws air through the air inlet when the fan is operating, passes the air through the indoor heat exchanger, and then blows it out through the air outlet. The indoor unit also includes a ceiling panel attached to the indoor unit and having a panel air inlet at a position at least partially overlapping the air inlet. A mounting portion is provided around the panel air inlet of the ceiling panel and receives screws that secure the ceiling panel to the indoor unit . A wall portion protrudes from the periphery of the mounting portion and has a retaining portion. A lid portion covers the screws and is retained by the wall portion to seal the mounting portion. The lid portion has a retaining portion that engages with the retaining portion to retain the lid portion to the wall portion . This configuration prevents airborne oil, detergent, and other substances that cause crazing from adhering to the mounting portion.

When using the air conditioner disclosed herein, the lid covers the screws at the mounting points where the ceiling panel screws are attached, sealing the mounting points, isolating the mounting points from the outside air. This prevents crazing caused by airborne oils, detergents, etc. adhering to the mounting points, and reduces cracking and damage to the ceiling panel.

1 is a perspective view showing an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a plan view showing an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a panel, a filter, and a filter outer frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a panel and a filter outer frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a panel and a filter outer frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a plan view showing a panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1A and 1B are front and rear perspective views of a filter outer frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 1A and 1B are perspective views of a region D1 and a region D2 of a filter outer frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a plan view of region C of a panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 10 is a perspective view showing a method for attaching a filter outer frame to a panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing region B of a panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with a filter outer frame attached thereto. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing region B of a panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with a filter outer frame attached thereto. FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a panel and a filter outer frame taken along line DD according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The following describes the configuration of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. Here, components with the same reference numerals are identical or equivalent, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. This applies throughout the entire specification. The description in this specification is not limited to the following embodiments, and modifications or omissions are possible without departing from the spirit of the specification. In particular, the configurations of the components shown in this specification are merely examples and are not limited to the configurations described in the specification. The drawings may depict the actual structure in a simplified form. Furthermore, the size of each component and the relative positions of the components in the drawings may differ from the actual configuration.
In addition, in the following description, terms indicating directions (e.g., "front,""frontside,""nearside,""rear,""rearside,""deep,""inside,""outside," etc.) are used as appropriate to facilitate understanding, but these terms refer to the relative positional relationship of each component and do not limit the contents of this disclosure. Furthermore, the "front-to-rear direction" refers to the vertical direction when the air conditioner is installed in a usable state. Within the front-to-rear direction, the direction from the ceiling surface toward the inside of the room is referred to as the front direction. The direction opposite to the front direction is referred to as the rear direction. Furthermore, with regard to terms such as "inside" and "outside," when the air conditioner is installed in a usable state and each component is viewed from the inside of the room, the side closer to the center is referred to as the "inside" and the side closer to the end compared to the center is referred to as the "outside."

Embodiment 1.
1(a) and 1(b) are perspective views showing the overall structure of an air conditioner 100 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1(a) is a perspective view of the air conditioner 100 as seen from above the ceiling.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the air conditioner 100 as seen from the indoor side.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the air conditioner 100 as seen from the indoor side.
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner 100.
The air conditioner 100 according to this embodiment is installed with a portion of it embedded in the ceiling.

The air conditioner 100 comprises an indoor unit 1 that houses devices for circulating air, adjusting temperature, etc., and a panel 2 that is a ceiling panel that is detachably attached to the indoor unit 1.
The indoor unit 1 includes a housing 110, with hanging brackets 3 attached to each corner of the housing 110. The indoor unit 1 is secured to the ceiling by passing hanging bolts 4 (not shown) attached to beams or the like in the ceiling space through the hanging brackets 3 and then attaching nuts 5 (not shown) to the hanging bolts 4. When the indoor unit 1 is secured to the ceiling space, the underside 6 (shown in FIG. 2 ) of the housing 110 faces the room. The indoor unit 1 has an air intake port 7, which is a substantially rectangular opening, on the underside 6 of the housing 110. The indoor unit 1 has an air outlet 8, which is a substantially rectangular opening, spaced apart from the air intake port 7, on the underside 6 of the housing 110. The indoor unit 1 includes a heat exchanger chamber 111 inside the housing 110, connected to the air intake port 7 and the air outlet 8, and an indoor heat exchanger 112 inside the heat exchanger chamber 111 for exchanging heat with air and adjusting the air to a set temperature. The indoor unit 1 is provided with a fan 113 in the heat exchanger chamber 111. The fan 113 draws air from the target space (room) into the heat exchanger chamber 111 through the air inlet 7, passes the drawn air through the indoor heat exchanger 112, and blows out the air whose temperature has been adjusted by the indoor heat exchanger 112 from the air outlet 8.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the front side of the panel 2 in the front-to-rear direction is the front side of the panel 2. The panel 2 is generally rectangular in front view. The panel 2 is attached to the front of the indoor unit 1 so as to cover the underside 6 of the indoor unit 1. In FIG. 2 , the area within the dashed line, which is slightly smaller than the panel 2, is the underside 6. When viewing the panel 2 in the orientation shown in FIG. 2 , a grill 10 is attached to the underside of the panel 2. The grill 10 has a rectangular frame shape and includes a grill air intake 11, which is a generally rectangular opening. The grill 10 includes a lattice-shaped grill lattice portion 11a at the grill air intake 11. The panel 2 includes a panel air intake 13, which is a generally rectangular opening, inside the grill air intake 11. The panel air intake 13 and the air intake 7 are generally aligned. In FIG. 2 , the panel air intake 13 and the air intake 7 are indicated by a common dashed line inside the grill air intake 11. However, the positional relationship between the air inlet 7, panel air inlet 13, and grille air inlet 11 is not limited to this. The panel air inlet 13 is located in a position corresponding to the air inlet 7 of the indoor unit 1, and overlaps at least a portion of them in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, the grille air inlet 11 is located in a position corresponding to the panel air inlet 13 and the air inlet 7, and overlaps at least a portion of them in the front-to-back direction.
When the panel 2 is viewed in the orientation shown in Figure 2, the panel 2 is provided with a panel air outlet 12, which is a substantially rectangular opening, spaced apart from and above the grill 10. An air direction vane 9 is attached to the panel air outlet 12 to adjust the direction in which the air is blown out. The panel air outlet 12 is located in a position corresponding to the air outlet 8 of the indoor unit 1, and they overlap at least partially in the front-to-back direction. The indoor unit 1 has the air outlet 8 closer to the center of the lower surface 6 than the panel air outlet 12.

Indoor air to be conditioned is taken into the indoor unit 1 through the grill air intake 11, panel air intake 13, and air intake 7. Air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted by the indoor unit 1 is blown out into the room through the air outlet 8 and panel air outlet 12.

Figure 3 shows the panel 2 in the same orientation as Figure 2, with the grill 10 removed from the panel 2. In Figure 3, the air inlet 7 and the panel air inlet 13 are indicated by a common dashed line. A filter outer frame 15 is removably attached to the panel 2 so as to surround the panel air inlet 13. The filter outer frame 15 has an outer frame mounting portion 18, side portions 16 (shown in Figures 5, 7(a) and 7(b)), and a plurality of support claws 17 extending inwardly and approximately horizontally from the side portions 16. A filter 20 is removably supported on the filter outer frame 15 by the support claws 17, and the air inlet 7 and the panel air inlet 13 are covered by the filter 20.

Figure 4 shows the panel 2 and the filter outer frame 15 in the same orientation as in Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 4, the grill 10 and the filter 20 have been removed from the panel 2.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the panel 2 and the filter outer frame 15 with the same configuration as Fig. 4. The filter outer frame 15 has lid portions 30 (first lid portion 31, second lid portion 32, and third lid portion 33) for covering mounting portions 40 (first mounting portion 41, second mounting portion 42, and third mounting portion 43) of the panel 2, which will be described later.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the panel 2 in the same orientation as Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 6, the grill 10, the filter outer frame 15, and the filter 20 have been removed from the panel 2.
The panel 2 has a panel air inlet 13 and includes an inlet edge 25 that surrounds the panel air inlet 13. The inlet edge 25 is a rectangular frame-shaped member with a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction. The inlet edge 25 includes an upper inlet edge 25a, a lower inlet edge 25b, a right inlet edge 25c, and a left inlet edge 25d that extend linearly along the panel air inlet 13. The terms upper, lower, right, and left used here refer to the relative positions of the components that make up the inlet edge 25 when the panel 2 is viewed in the orientation shown in FIG. 6. Each of the inlet edge components 25a, 25b, 25c, and 25d has a predetermined width in the direction of its shortest edge when the panel 2 is viewed from the front. The upper inlet edge 25a is provided on the panel air outlet 12 side. The lower air inlet edge 25b is located opposite the upper air inlet edge 25a across the panel air inlet 13. The right air inlet edge 25c is located between the right end of the upper air inlet edge 25a and the right end of the lower air inlet edge 25b. The left air inlet edge 25d is located between the left end of the upper air inlet edge 25a and the left end of the lower air inlet edge 25b.
The panel 2 has a first mounting portion 41, a second mounting portion 42, and a third mounting portion 43 around the panel air intake 13, which are mounting portions 40 to which fasteners 23 for fixing the panel 2 to the indoor unit 1 are attached.

FIG. 7A is a front perspective view of the filter outer frame 15. FIG.
FIG. 7B is a rear perspective view of the filter outer frame 15. FIG.
The filter outer frame 15 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b).
The filter outer frame 15 includes a rectangular outer frame mounting portion 18. The outer frame mounting portion 18 is attached to the air inlet edge portion 25 of the panel 2 so as to surround the panel air inlet 13. The outer frame mounting portion 18 includes an upper outer frame mounting portion 18a, a lower outer frame mounting portion 18b, a right outer frame mounting portion 18c, and a left outer frame mounting portion 18d. The terms upper, lower, right, and left as used here refer to the relative positions of the components constituting the outer frame mounting portion 18 when viewed in the orientation shown in FIG. 4. The upper outer frame mounting portion 18a is located on the panel air outlet 12 side of the outer frame mounting portion 18. The lower outer frame mounting portion 18b is located opposite the upper outer frame mounting portion 18a across the panel air inlet 13. The right outer frame mounting portion 18c is provided between the right end of the upper outer frame mounting portion 18a and the right end of the lower outer frame mounting portion 18b. The left outer frame mounting portion 18d is provided between the left end of the upper outer frame mounting portion 18a and the left end of the lower outer frame mounting portion 18b. Each of the portions 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d of the outer frame mounting portion 18 extends substantially horizontally and is formed so that each has a predetermined width in the short direction.

The filter outer frame 15 includes a side portion 16 that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the outer frame mounting portion 18 by a predetermined front-to-rear width and forms the outer surface of the filter outer frame 15, and a plurality of support claws 17 that extend inward from the front end 16a (shown in FIG. 7(a)) of the side portion 16 at a predetermined front-to-rear distance from the outer frame mounting portion 18. The support claws 17 are located further forward (closer when viewed from the indoor side) than the outer frame mounting portion 18. The filter outer frame 15 further includes a lattice-shaped lattice portion 22 that is connected to the outer frame mounting portion 18 and is provided inside the outer frame mounting portion 18 and overlaps with the panel air intake 13 and the air outlet 8 in the front-to-rear direction.
The filter outer frame 15 is provided with a support piece 21 that extends upward from the front end 16a of the side surface portion 16 at a predetermined distance in the front-to-rear direction from the outer frame mounting portion 18. The support piece 21 supports the filter outer frame 15 on the panel 2 and determines the mounting position of the filter outer frame 15 in the front-to-rear direction.

The filter 20 is sandwiched between the outer frame mounting portion 18 and the support claws 17, and the filter 20 is removably attached to the filter outer frame 15. The filter 20 is a component for removing dust, oil, detergent, etc. from the air taken in by the air conditioner 100.

The outer frame mounting portion 18 and side portion 16 of the filter outer frame 15 are covered and hidden from the indoor side by the grill 6 during normal use of the air conditioner 100, enhancing the design of the air conditioner 100.

As shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the filter outer frame 15 has a first lid portion 31 in the lower right corner (area D1) of the outer frame mounting portion 18. The filter outer frame 15 also has a second lid portion 32 in a position symmetrical to the first lid portion 31 about the center line A-A. The configuration of the second lid portion 32 is symmetrical to the first lid portion 31 about the line A-A, so a description of it will be omitted. Furthermore, the filter outer frame 15 has a third lid portion 33, the portion of which protrudes inward, on the line A-A of the upper outer frame mounting portion 18a.

Fig. 8(a) is an enlarged view of the first cover portion 31 and the surrounding area D1 in Fig. 7(a). Fig. 8(a) is a view of area D1 from a different angle than Fig. 7(a), and is a perspective view of the first cover portion 31 viewed from the front and center sides of the filter outer frame 15.
FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of the first lid portion 31 and the surrounding area D2 in FIG. 7B.
The first lid portion 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(b).

The first lid portion 31 includes a cover portion 35 and a cover wall portion 36. The cover portion 35 is a generally rectangular plate-shaped member. The cover wall portion 36 is provided so as to protrude rearward from a rear surface 35a of the cover portion 35. The rear surface 35a of the cover portion 35 is the surface that faces the first wall portion 61 of the first mounting portion 41 when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2.
The cover portion 35 has an upper left corner that protrudes inward beyond the lower outer frame mounting portion 18b and the right outer frame mounting portion 18c. The cover portion 35 has a rounded upper left corner. The cover portion 35 has an upper end that connects to the right outer frame mounting portion 18c and a left end that connects to the lower outer frame mounting portion 18b. The cover portion 35 is molded integrally with the lower outer frame mounting portion 18b and the right outer frame mounting portion 18c, and constitutes a part of the outer frame mounting portion 18. In other words, in this embodiment, a part of the outer frame mounting portion 18 is used as the cover portion 35.
The cover wall 36 includes a first cover wall 36a that protrudes rearward from the upper end of the cover 35 and extends left and right, a second cover wall 36b that protrudes rearward from the left end of the cover 35 and extends up and down, and a third cover wall 36c that has a curved surface and extends rearward from the cover 35 between the first cover wall 36a and the second cover wall 36b. The cover 35 and the cover wall 36 are integrally molded from resin.

Similarly, the second lid portion 32 has a cover portion 38 and a cover wall portion 65. The third lid portion 33 has a cover portion 39 and a cover wall portion 66. The cover portions 38 and 39 are approximately rectangular plate-shaped members. A portion of the cover portion 39 is a common member with the upper outer frame mounting portion 18a. A portion of the cover portion 39 protrudes inward beyond the upper outer frame mounting portion 18a. The cover wall portion 66 is provided along the outer edge of the cover portion 39, protruding rearward in a U-shape with an inward curve.

The first lid portion 31 includes a guide rib 85 that protrudes rearward from the rear surface 35a of the cover portion 35. The guide rib 85 is composed of two ribs that extend in directions that are approximately perpendicular to the first cover wall portion 36a and the second cover wall portion 36b, respectively. The guide rib 85 is provided on the inside of the cover portion 35 with a gap from the cover wall portion 36 that is equal to or greater than the thickness of the first wall portion 61. With this structure, when attaching the filter outer frame 15 to the panel 2, the first wall portion 61 can be positioned between the cover wall portion 36 and the guide rib 85, making it easier to attach the first lid portion 31 to the first mounting portion 41.
The guide rib 85 has a tapered surface 89 at one end of a rear end portion 88 facing the cover wall portion 36, the tapered surface 89 being oriented in a direction such that the front-to-rear width decreases toward the cover wall portion 36. By providing the tapered surface 87 on the guide rib 85, when the tip of the first wall portion 61 abuts against the tapered surface 89 during attachment of the filter outer frame 15 to the panel 2, the tapered surface 89 guides the first wall portion 61 between the cover wall portion 36 and the guide rib 85. With this configuration, the filter outer frame 15 can be smoothly positioned on the panel 2.

The first lid portion 31 is provided with a packing 95 on the rear surface 35a of the cover portion 35. The packing 95 has a rectangular frame shape and is provided along the four sides of the cover portion 35, between the cover wall portion 36 and the guide rib 85. The packing 95 has a shape corresponding to the front end portion of the first wall portion 61, which will be described later.
Similarly, although not shown, the second lid 32 includes a packing 96 in the shape of a rectangular frame provided on the rear surface 38a of the cover 38. The third lid 33 includes a packing 97 in the shape of a rectangular frame provided on the rear surface 39a of the cover 39.

When the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, the gasket 95 of the first lid portion 31 abuts against the first wall portion 61, forming a hollow portion 80 between the first lid portion 31 and the first mounting portion 41, thereby sealing the first mounting portion 41.
Similarly, when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, the packing 96 of the second lid portion 32 comes into contact with the second wall portion 62, forming a sealed hollow portion 82 between the second lid portion 32 and the second mounting portion 42, thereby sealing the second mounting portion 42. Furthermore, when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, the packing 97 of the third lid portion 33 comes into contact with the third wall portion 63, forming a sealed hollow portion 83 between the third lid portion 33 and the third mounting portion 43, thereby sealing the third mounting portion 43. In the present disclosure, the first wall portion 61, the second wall portion 62, and the third wall portion 63 are collectively referred to as wall portions 60.

The first cover portion 31 includes a first locking member 71 .
The first fastening device 71 is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member provided on the first lid portion 31 such that a portion of the first fastening device 71 is embedded in the outer surface portion 37 formed by the cover portion 35 and the second cover wall portion 36b. The longitudinal direction of the first fastening device 71 substantially coincides with the front-to-rear direction when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2. The first fastening device 71 includes a first handle portion 73 that protrudes forward from the first lid portion 31 and a first fixing portion 75 that protrudes rearward from the cover portion 35. When the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, the first fixing portion 75 extends toward the indoor unit 1 along one side of the wall portion 61. The first fixing portion 75 includes a first fastening portion 77. The first locking portion 77 is provided on a surface 72a of the first fixing portion 75 that faces the first locking portion 53 (shown by the dashed line in FIG. 9(a)) when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2. The first locking portion 77 is locked to the first locking portion 53 of the partition rib 46. In this embodiment, the first locking portion 77 is a claw 79. The first locking portion 53 is a stepped portion 58. The filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2 by locking the claw 79 to the stepped portion 58.

The first fastening device 71 has a convex reinforcing portion 90 on the surface 71 a opposite to the surface on which the claws 79 are provided. The reinforcing portions 90 are provided at two locations on the end of the surface 71 a along the longitudinal direction of the first fastening device 71, from the first handle portion 73 to the first fixing portion 75.
Providing the first locking device 71 with the reinforcing portion 90 improves the durability of the locking device 71 and also makes it less likely for a finger to slip when pressing the first handle portion 73, improving operability. Furthermore, because the first fixing portion 75 is less likely to bend relative to the first handle portion 73, the first fixing portion 75 can be more easily moved by the user operating the handle portion 73, making it easier to release the claw 79 from the stepped portion 58. Furthermore, the front-to-rear width of the outer surface 37 is smaller around the periphery of the first locking device 71 than in other areas, making it easier for the force applied when pressing the first handle portion 73 with a finger to be transmitted to the first fixing portion 75.

9A is a perspective view showing the first mounting portion 41 of the panel 2 and its surroundings (area C in FIG. 6), and shows the state in which the filter outer frame 15 is not attached to the panel 2. FIG.
FIG. 9B is a plan view of FIG.
FIG. 9C is a diagram showing the configuration of FIG. 9B in a state where the screw 24 is not attached to the first mounting portion 41. In FIG.

The first mounting portion 41 of the panel 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9(a), 9(b), and 9(c).
The air inlet edge 25 has a first mounting portion 41 at its lower right corner for mounting the panel 2 to the indoor unit 1. The first mounting portion 41 is located between the lower air inlet edge 25b and the right air inlet edge 25c, and connects to the lower air inlet edge 25b and the right air inlet edge 25c. The first mounting portion 41 is a substantially rectangular member in plan view. The first mounting portion 41 is integrally molded from resin and continuous with the lower air inlet edge 25b and the right air inlet edge 25c. The upper left corner of the first mounting portion 41 protrudes inward beyond the inner edges of the lower air inlet edge 25b and the right air inlet edge 25c.

Also, as shown in Figure 6, the air inlet edge 25 has a second mounting portion 42 at the lower left corner for mounting the panel 2 to the indoor unit 1. The second mounting portion 42 is located between the lower air inlet edge 25b and the left air inlet edge 25d, and connects the lower air inlet edge 25b and the left air inlet edge 25d. The second mounting portion 42 is a substantially rectangular member in plan view. The second mounting portion 42 is integrally molded from resin and is continuous with the lower air inlet edge 25b and the left air inlet edge 25d. The upper right corner of the second mounting portion 42 protrudes inward beyond the inner edges of the lower air inlet edge 25b and the left air inlet edge 25d.

Also, as shown in Figure 6, the suction port edge 25 has a third mounting portion 43 at the center of the left and right sides of the upper suction port edge 25a for mounting the panel 2 to the indoor unit 1. A portion of the third mounting portion 43 is a common member with the upper suction port edge 25a. The third mounting portion 43 has a roughly rectangular shape with a portion protruding inward from the inner edge of the upper suction port edge 25a. The third mounting portion 43 is integrally molded from resin and is continuous with the upper suction port edge 25a.

The first mounting portion 41, the second mounting portion 42, and the third mounting portion 43 each have a screw hole 44, and screws 24, which are fasteners 23 for fixing the panel 2 to the indoor unit 1, are attached to each screw hole 44.
The suction port edge 25 (not shown) comes into contact with the indoor unit 1 when the panel 2 is fixed to the indoor unit 1 by screws 24 attached to the first mounting portion 41, the second mounting portion 42, and the third mounting portion 43, respectively.

The panel 2 has a panel peripheral wall 27 that extends forward from the outer periphery of the suction port edge 25. The panel peripheral wall 27 is provided in a rectangular cylindrical shape on the outer periphery of the suction port edge 25. The panel peripheral wall 27 has a shape that widens forward. The suction port edge 25 is located between the panel peripheral wall 27 and the panel air suction port 13. The panel peripheral wall 27 is composed of an upper panel peripheral wall 27a (shown in FIG. 10(a)) provided on the outer edge of the upper suction port edge 25a, a lower panel peripheral wall 27b provided on the outer edge of the lower suction port edge 25b, a right panel peripheral wall 27c provided on the outer edge of the right suction port edge 25c, and a left panel peripheral wall 27d (shown in FIG. 10(a)) provided on the outer edge of the left suction port edge 25a. The panel 2 has insertion openings 28 (shown in Figure 10(a)) in the upper panel peripheral wall 27a, one on each side of the center line A-A, into which the protrusion 19 (not shown) of the filter outer frame 15 is inserted.
The panel 2 has a grill mounting surface 26 surrounding the panel peripheral wall 27. The grill mounting surface 26 is a surface that is covered by the grill 10 when the grill 10 is mounted on the panel 2. The panel 2 has a pair of grill mounting portions 95 on one side of the grill mounting surface 26 that pivotally support and rotate the grill 10 so that it can be opened and closed.

The panel 2 has a plurality of flat support ribs 29 extending forward from the front surface 25e of the suction port edge 25. The support ribs 29 are provided with a predetermined front-to-rear width relative to the front surface 25e. The support ribs 29 are oriented approximately perpendicular to the panel peripheral wall 27 and are also connected to the panel peripheral wall 27. The suction port edge 25, the panel peripheral wall 27, and the support ribs 29 are continuously molded integrally from resin. The front end of the panel peripheral wall 27 is located further forward than the front ends of the support ribs 29. The rear surface 15a of the filter outer frame 15 (not shown, corresponding to the rear surface of the outer frame mounting portion 18) abuts against the front ends of the support ribs 29, thereby determining the front-to-rear position of the filter outer frame 15 relative to the panel 2. The filter outer frame 15 is attached to the inside of the panel peripheral wall 27.

The first mounting portion 41 has a screw hole 44, and the panel 2 is attached to the indoor unit 1 by screwing the screw 24 into the screw hole 44 and a screw opening (not shown) formed in the indoor unit 1. The screw 24 has a washer-shaped screw head 24a. When the screw 24 is attached to the screw hole 44, the area of the first mounting portion 41 covered by the screw 24 when the panel 2 is viewed from the front is called the screw mounting area 45. A partition rib 46 protrudes forward and is provided on the periphery 41c of the first mounting portion 41 so as to surround the screw mounting area 45. In other words, the partition rib 46 protrudes forward and is provided on the periphery of the first mounting portion 41 so as to surround the screw 24.

The partition rib 46 includes a first partition rib 46a oriented left-right at the upper end 41a of the first mounting portion 41, a second partition rib 46b oriented up-down at the left end 41b of the first mounting portion 41, and a third partition rib 46c connected to the first partition rib 46a and the second partition rib 46b and having a curved surface. Furthermore, the lower panel peripheral wall 27b, which contacts the first mounting portion 41, includes a first panel wall portion 50 that protrudes inward along the first mounting portion 41 in the thickness direction of the lower panel peripheral wall 27b. The right-side panel peripheral wall 27c in contact with the first mounting portion 41 has a second panel wall portion 51 (the portion of the panel peripheral wall 27 to the left of the dashed line in Figures 13(a) and 13(b)) that protrudes inward in the thickness direction of the right-side panel peripheral wall 27c along the first mounting portion 41. The front-to-rear widths of the partition rib 46, the first panel wall portion 50, and the second panel wall portion 51 are substantially the same.

The first mounting portion 41 has a notch 47 cut out on the inside, extending from a point on the upper end 41a of the first mounting portion to a point on the left end 41b of the first mounting portion. The partition rib 46 has a recess 48 that is provided on the first mounting portion 41 along the notch 47 and protrudes forward with a predetermined front-to-rear width. The connection between the upper end of the recess 48 and the first partition rib 46a is chamfered. The partition rib 46 has a support surface portion 56 that extends approximately horizontally from the front end of the recess 48 to the outside of the first mounting portion 41 (on the left side, opposite the screw mounting area 45). The shape of the support surface portion 56 approximately matches the area cut out by the notch 47. The outer edge of the support surface portion 56 contacts the first partition rib 46a, the second partition rib 46a, and the third partition rib 46c.

The partition rib 46, recess 48, support surface 56, first panel wall 50, and second panel wall 51 form a cylindrical first wall 61. The first wall 61 surrounds the first mounting portion 41 and protrudes forward from the periphery. The first mounting portion 41 and first wall 61 are integrally molded from resin.

A step portion 58 is formed by the support surface portion 56 and the second partition rib 46b connected to the support surface portion 56 and located on the front side. The step portion 58 is a receiving portion 55 for engaging the claw 79, which is the first engaging portion 77 of the filter outer frame 15. The front-to-rear width of the step portion 58 and the gasket 95 is approximately the same as the distance from the claw 79 to the cover portion 35.

The panel 2 also has a second mounting portion 42 and a second wall portion 62 at a position symmetrical to the first mounting portion 41 about the center line A-A. The second wall portion 62 surrounds the second mounting portion 42 and protrudes forward from the periphery. The configuration of the second mounting portion 42 and the second wall portion 62 is symmetrical to that of the first mounting portion 41 and the first wall portion 61 about the line A-A, so a description thereof will be omitted. The panel 2 also has a third mounting portion 43 and a third wall portion 63, a portion of which protrudes inward, on the line A-A of the upper air inlet edge portion 25a. A portion of the third mounting portion 43 protrudes inward from the air inlet edge portion 25a. The third wall portion 63 is cylindrical, surrounds the third mounting portion 43, and protrudes forward from the periphery.

9( c ) is a diagram showing the configuration in which the screw 24 has been removed from the first mounting portion 41 of FIG. A support structure 49 that protrudes forward and supports the screw 24 is provided in the screw mounting area 45. The support structure 49 is composed of a plurality of circular ribs 49 a of different radii that are arranged concentrically around the screw hole 44, and connecting ribs 49 b that connect the circular ribs 49 a to each other. By providing the support structure 49 in the first mounting portion 41, stress generated in the portion of the support structure 49 that contacts the screw head 24 a when the screw 24 is mounted in the first mounting portion 41 is dispersed by the support structure 49, thereby suppressing cracking of the first mounting portion 41 due to contact with the screw 24.
When the first wall portion 61 is attached to the first mounting portion 41, the screw mounting area 45 and the screws 24 are covered by the first wall portion 61. When the first wall portion 61 is attached to the first mounting portion 41, the screw mounting area 45 and the screws 24 are sealed by the first wall portion 61. The same is true for the screw mounting areas 45 and the screws 24 provided on the second mounting portion 42 and the third mounting portion 43.

The shapes of the mounting portion 40 and the lid portion 30 in this embodiment are not limited to this, and shapes such as oval, circle, and polygons other than approximately rectangular can be used as appropriate.

The procedure for attaching the filter outer frame 15 to the panel 2 will now be described.
The user faces the panel 2 in the orientation shown in FIG. 4 and holds the right and left ends of the filter outer frame 15 with their right and left hands, respectively, in the orientation shown in FIG. 4. Then, tilt the support pieces 21 of the filter outer frame 15 toward the panel 2 and move the filter outer frame 15 in the direction indicated by the arrow on the right side of FIG. 10( a) to insert the protrusions 19 into the insertion openings 28 of the panel 2. Next, move the filter outer frame 15 in the direction indicated by the arrow on the left side of FIG. 10( a) so that the filter outer frame 15 fits inside the panel peripheral wall 27. At this time, the claws 79 serving as the first locking portions 77 of the first locking devices 71 provided on the first cover portion 31 of the filter outer frame 15 lock into the stepped portions 58 serving as the first locking portions 53, and the first cover portion 31 is attached to the first wall portion 61 and the first mounting portion 41. Similarly, the claw 80 serving as the second locking portion of the second locking device 72 provided on the second lid portion 32 is locked into the stepped portion 59 serving as the second locking portion 54, and the second lid portion 32 is attached to the second wall portion 62 and the second mounting portion 42. In this manner, the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2.

When removing the filter outer frame 15 from the panel 2, the user faces the panel 2 and filter outer frame 15 in the orientation shown in Figure 4 and places the fingers of their right hand on the inner left-right surface (left side surface 71a) of the first handle portion 73 of the first fastening device 71 of the filter outer frame 15. They also place the fingers of their left hand on the inner left-right surface (right side surface 72a) of the second handle portion 74 of the second fastening device 72. Next, the user simultaneously pushes the first handle portion 73 and the second handle portion 74 outward (to the right for the first handle portion 73 and to the left for the second handle portion 74). 13( a), the first fixing device 71 moves to the position indicated by the dashed line 71' in FIG. 13( a), the first fixing portion 75 and the second fixing portion 76 move in the direction opposite to the direction in which they were pressed with the fingers, the claw 79 disengages from the stepped portion 58 of the first mounting portion 41, and the claw 80 disengages from the stepped portion 59 of the second mounting portion 42. In other words, by moving the first handle portion 73 toward the first mounting portion 41, the first fixing portion 77 is released from the first receiving portion 53. The same applies to the second handle portion 74. After the claws 79 and 80 disengage from the stepped portions 58 and 59, respectively, the user holds the lower left and right corners of the filter outer frame 15 while pressing the first handle portion 73 and the second handle portion 74 with their fingers, and moves the filter outer frame 15 forward. At this time, because the protruding portion 19 of the filter outer frame 15 is inserted into the insertion opening 28 of the panel 2, the bottom side of the filter outer frame 15 tilts forward. Finally, the user pulls out the protruding portion 19 of the filter outer frame 15 from the insertion opening 28 of the panel 2. With the above operations, the filter outer frame 15 is removed from the panel 2.

The operations of attaching the filter outer frame 15 to the panel 2 and removing the filter outer frame 15 from the panel 2 described above do not require any additional parts such as screws to attach the filter outer frame 15 to the panel 2. Therefore, there is no need for tools to fasten screws or the work of fastening screws, and the filter outer frame 15 can be easily attached to the panel 2 when assembling the air conditioner 100. Alternatively, the filter outer frame 15 can be easily removed from and attached to the panel 2 from the indoor unit 1 when performing maintenance on the filter outer frame 15.

11 is a perspective view (corresponding to area B in FIG. 4 ) showing the first mounting portion 41 and the first lid portion 31 with the filter outer frame 15 attached to the panel 2. When the panel 2 is viewed from the front, the partition rib 46 is located inside the cover portion 35 relative to the cover wall portion 36. The claw 79 is engaged with the stepped portion 58.
FIG. 12 is a plan view of FIG.
Figures 13(a) and 13(b) are cross-sectional views in the front-to-rear direction taken along line E-E in Figure 12. Line E-E is a cross-sectional line in the left-to-right direction passing through the screw 24 and the screw hole 44. In Figure 13(a), the filter 20 has been removed from the filter outer frame 15. In Figure 13(b), the filter 20 has been attached to the filter outer frame 15.

The step portion 58 and the claw 79 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13(a) and 13(b).
13(a) and 13(b), the portion of the panel 2 behind the line F corresponds to the first mounting portion 41. A recess 48 is provided along a notch 47 formed in the first mounting portion 41. The front end of the recess 48 connects to a support surface portion 56, which extends to the opposite side (left side) of the screw mounting area 45. A second partition rib 46b extending forward is provided from the left end of the support surface portion 56. A step portion 58 is formed by the support surface portion 56 and the second partition rib 46b. A screw 24 is threaded into the screw hole 44 to secure the first mounting portion 41 to the indoor unit 1 (housing 110). The first mounting portion 41, the screw 24, and the screw hole 44 are covered by a lid portion 31. 13(a) and 13(b) show a structure in which the tip of the screw 24 is contained within the indoor unit 1 (housing 110), but this is not limiting and the screw 24 may be configured to penetrate the indoor unit 1. Even in this case, the indoor unit 1 (housing 110) is made of metal, so cracks or damage due to cleansing on the indoor unit 1 side will not occur.

When the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, the claw 79 engages with the step portion 58. In addition, the gasket 95 provided on the rear surface 35a of the cover portion 35 abuts against the first wall portion 61.

The claw 79 has an inclined surface 84 at its lower end, facing the first engaging portion 53, that slopes upward as it approaches the first engaging portion 53. Because the claw 79 has the inclined surface 84, when the tip of the first wall portion 61 abuts against the inclined surface 84 during attachment of the filter outer frame 15 to the panel 2, the inclined surface 84 guides the claw 79 to the outside of the first wall portion 61 (in a direction away from the first mounting portion 41), thereby allowing the filter outer frame 15 to be attached smoothly to the panel 2.

When the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, the overlap between the claw 79 and the support surface portion 56 in the front-to-rear direction is, for example, between 2 mm and 3 mm. This configuration ensures the ability of the claw 79 to engage with the step portion 58, while allowing the first handle portion 73 to be operated to move the first locking device 71 to the position indicated by the dashed line 71' in Figure 13(a), thereby easily removing the claw 79 from the step portion 58. Furthermore, the recess 48 and the claw 79 are spaced apart in the left-to-right direction. This configuration prevents the claw 79 from disengaging from the support surface portion 56 when the recess 48 and the claw 79 come into contact, preventing a decrease in the ability of the claw 79 to engage with the first wall portion 61.

In this embodiment, the screws 24 and first mounting portions 41 are covered by and sealed by the first lid portion 31. This prevents cleansing of the first mounting portions 41, to which the screws 24 that secure the panel 2 to the indoor unit 1 are attached, thereby preventing cracking and damage to the panel 2 at the first mounting portions 41. Therefore, in the panel 2 of the present disclosure, the first mounting portions 41, to which the screws 24 are attached, can be located near the panel air inlet 13, where the flow of indoor air is strong. Furthermore, in the past, fixing brackets were sandwiched between the screws 24 and the first mounting portions 41 to prevent cracking and damage to the panel 2, but this eliminates the need for such metal plates, leading to a reduction in the number of parts.

In this embodiment, the first mounting portion 41, the second mounting portion 42, and the third mounting portion 43 are covered and sealed by the first lid portion 31, the second lid portion 32, and the third lid portion 33, respectively. Cleansing of the first mounting portion 41, the second mounting portion 42, and the third mounting portion 43, where the screws 24 are attached, is suppressed, and cracking of the panel 2 in those areas can be suppressed. Therefore, in the panel 2 of the present disclosure, multiple mounting portions where the screws 24 are attached can be provided around the panel air inlet 13, where the flow of indoor air is strong. Furthermore, even if multiple mounting portions are provided around the panel air inlet 13, crazing prevention measures can be implemented by attaching a cover to each mounting portion.

In this embodiment, a portion of the suction port edge 25 of the panel 2 is used as the first mounting portion 41. This allows for fewer components to be used to provide the first mounting portion 41 than would be possible if this were not the case.

In this embodiment, a portion of the panel peripheral wall 27 is used as the first wall portion 61 provided in the first mounting portion 41. Therefore, compared to when the first wall portion 61 is constructed from an independent member, the number of members required to seal the first mounting portion 41 can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the first lid portion 31 is provided on the filter outer frame 15. Therefore, the number of components used in the air conditioner 100 can be reduced compared to when the first lid portion 31 is constructed as an independent component. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2 and the first lid portion 31 is attached to the first mounting portion 41, improving the assembly ease of the air conditioner 100 compared to when the first lid portion 31 is constructed as an independent component. The same effect as above can be obtained when multiple lid portions are attached to multiple mounting portions.

In this embodiment, the first lid portion 31 is equipped with a first fastening device 71 which is an approximately rectangular plate-shaped member, and by operating the first handle portion 73 of the first fastening device 71 which protrudes forward from the cover portion 35, the claw 79 provided on the first fastening device 71 can be released from the step portion 58 provided on the panel 2, thereby improving the workability of removing the filter outer frame 15.

In this embodiment, the first locking device 71 and the second locking device 72 are provided at both ends of one longitudinal side of the filter outer frame 15. This allows the user to operate the first locking device 71 and the second locking device 72 while holding both left and right ends of the filter outer frame 15, making it easier to remove the filter outer frame 15 from the panel 2 than if this were not the case.

The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the first wall portion 61 of the first mounting portion 41 is composed of the partition rib 46, the lower panel peripheral wall 27b, and the right panel peripheral wall 27c. However, the shape of the first wall portion 61 is not limited thereto, and other shapes are possible as long as the gasket 95 provided on the first lid portion 31 abuts against the first wall portion 61 when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, and a substantially sealed hollow portion 80 isolated from the outside is formed by the first mounting portion 41, the first wall portion 61, and the first lid portion 31. The same applies to the shapes of the second wall portion 62 and the third wall portion 63.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first mounting portion 41 and cover portion 35 have a generally rectangular shape, but are not limited to this. Other shapes are possible, as long as the first lid portion 31 and the first wall portion 61 abut when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, and a generally sealed hollow portion 80 isolated from the outside is formed by the first mounting portion 41, the first wall portion 61, and the first lid portion 31. The same applies to the second mounting portion 42, the third mounting portion 43, the second lid portion 32, and the third lid portion 33.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the mounting portions 40 are provided in three locations: the left and right corners of the suction port edge 25 of the panel 2 and the left and right central portions of the upper suction port edge 25a, and the filter outer frame 15 is configured to have three lid portions 60 at locations corresponding to the mounting portions 40. However, this embodiment is not limited to this, and the air conditioner 100 may have four or more mounting portions on the panel 2, and the filter outer frame 15 may have four or more lid portions corresponding to the mounting portions, either as separate components from the filter outer frame 15. Alternatively, the number of mounting portions and lid portions may be two or one, as long as the panel 2 can be stably fixed to the indoor unit 1.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first cover 31 is attached to the first mounting portion 41 by hooking and engaging the claw 79 of the first fastening device 71 with the step 58 of the first wall 61, but this is not limiting. The claw 79 and the step 58 can be changed to other shapes as long as the packing 95 provided on the first cover 31 abuts against the first wall 61 when the filter outer frame 15 is attached to the panel 2, and a substantially sealed hollow portion 80 isolated from the outside is formed by the first mounting portion 41, the first wall 61, the packing 95, and the first cover 31.
For example, the first wall portion 61 may have a flat side surface instead of the step portion 58, and the side surface may have a recessed portion into which a protrusion such as a convex portion provided on the first locking device 71 is fitted.

1...indoor unit, 2...panel, 3...hanging bracket, 6...underside, 7...air intake, 8...air outlet, 9...wind direction vane, 10...grill, 11...grill air intake, 12...panel air outlet, 13...panel air intake, 15...filter outer frame, 16...side, 17...support claw, 18...outer frame mounting portion, 18a...upper outer frame mounting portion, 18b...lower outer frame mounting portion, 18c...right outer frame mounting portion, 18d...left outer frame mounting portion, 19...protrusion, 20...filter, 21...support piece, 22...grating portion, 23...fixing device, 24...screw, 24a...screw head, 25 ...Intake port edge, 25a...upper intake port edge, 25b...lower intake port edge, 25c...right side intake port edge, 25d...left side intake port edge, 26...grill mounting surface, 27...panel peripheral wall, 27a...upper panel peripheral wall, 27b...lower panel peripheral wall, 27c...right side panel peripheral wall, 27d...left side panel peripheral wall, 28...insertion opening, 29...support rib, 30...lid portion, 31...first cover portion, 32...second cover portion, 33...third cover portion, 35...cover portion, 36...cover wall portion, 37...outer surface portion, 38...cover portion, 39...cover portion, 40...mounting portion, 41...first mounting portion, 41a...upper end, 41b...left end, 41c...periphery, 42...second mounting portion, 43...third mounting portion, 44...screw hole, 45...screw mounting area, 46...partition rib, 46a...first partition rib, 46b...second partition rib, 46c...third partition rib, 47...notch, 48...recess, 49...support structure, 50...panel wall portion, 51...panel wall portion, 53...first engaging portion, 54...second engaging portion, 56...support surface portion, 58...step portion, 59...step portion, 60...wall portion, 61...first wall portion, 62...second wall portion, 63...third wall portion, 65...cover wall portion, 66...Cover wall portion, 70...Latching device, 71...First latching device, 72...Second latching device, 73...First handle portion, 74...Second handle portion, 75...First fixing portion, 76...Second fixing portion, 77...First latching portion, 78...Second latching portion, 79...Claw, 80...Claw, 81...Hollow portion, 82...Hollow portion, 83...Hollow portion, 84...Inclined surface, 85...First guide rib, 86...Second guide rib, 87...Third guide rib, 88...Rear end portion, 89...Tapered surface, 90...Reinforcing structure, 95...Gasket, 96...Gasket, 97...Gasket, 100...Ceiling-mounted air conditioner

Claims (10)

an indoor unit having an air intake port and an air outlet port, housing a fan and an indoor heat exchanger therein, and sucking air through the air intake port by operating the fan, passing the sucked air through the indoor heat exchanger, and blowing the air out of the air outlet port;
a panel attached to the indoor unit and having a panel air intake port at a position at least partially overlapping with the air intake port;
a mounting portion provided around the panel air inlet of the panel, to which a screw for fixing the panel to the indoor unit is attached;
a wall portion provided on a peripheral edge of the mounting portion and having an engaging portion;
a lid portion that covers the screw and is engaged with the wall portion to seal the mounting portion,
The cover portion includes a locking portion that engages with the locking portion to lock the cover portion to the wall portion.
Air conditioner. the lid portion includes a substantially rectangular cover portion and a packing provided on a surface of the cover portion that faces the wall portion when the lid portion is attached to the panel,
When the lid portion is attached to the panel, the wall portion abuts against the packing, and the attachment portion is sealed by the lid portion, the wall portion, and the packing.
The air conditioner according to claim 1. a filter outer frame that is detachably attached to the panel so as to surround the panel air inlet, and to which a filter is detachably attached;
The filter outer frame includes the lid portion.
The air conditioner according to claim 1. the panel includes an inlet edge that surrounds the panel air inlet and to which the filter outer frame is attached;
At least a portion of the mounting portion is formed by the inlet rim portion.
The air conditioner according to claim 3. the panel includes a panel peripheral wall that surrounds the suction port edge portion, extends to the opposite side from the indoor unit, and has the filter outer frame attached to its inside;
At least a portion of the wall portion is formed by the panel peripheral wall.
The air conditioner according to claim 4. The lid portion is provided with a locking device,
The fastening tool includes a fixing portion that extends toward the indoor unit along one side surface of the wall portion when the filter outer frame is attached to the panel, and a handle portion that extends to the opposite side from the fixing portion and protrudes from the lid portion,
The locking portion is a claw provided on a surface of the fixing portion facing the wall portion.
The air conditioner according to claim 3 . the engagement portion is a stepped portion provided on the wall portion, to which the claw is engaged when the filter outer frame is attached to the panel;
The air conditioner according to claim 6 . By moving the handle portion toward the attachment portion, the engagement of the engagement portion with the engagement receiving portion is released.
The air conditioner according to claim 6. The panel air inlet is generally rectangular,
The suction port edge portion has a rectangular frame shape,
The attachment portion is provided at both ends of one longitudinal side of the suction port edge portion,
the filter outer frame includes the lid portion at a position that overlaps the mounting portion when the filter outer frame is attached to the panel;
The air conditioner according to claim 4. An air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the indoor unit is installed above the ceiling and has the air intake and the air outlet on one side facing the room.