JP7756322B2 - Drain socket and indoor unit - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a drain socket for discharging drain water from an indoor unit of an air conditioner.

Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner in which an internal hose and an external hose for discharging drain water generated in the heat exchanger are connected by a drain socket. The drain socket is composed of a small cylindrical portion on the internal side and a large cylindrical portion on the external side, and the central axis of the small cylindrical portion is offset above the central axis of the large cylindrical portion when the socket is in communication with the other.

Patent No. 6539899

This disclosure provides a drain socket that suppresses backflow of drain water and ensures the discharge flow rate of the drain pump.

The drain socket according to the present disclosure is a drain socket for discharging drain water from an indoor unit having a housing inside which is provided a blower, an indoor heat exchanger surrounding the blower, and a drain pan covering the indoor heat exchanger from below, the drain socket comprising: a support plate attached to the housing; an interior discharge pipe located on the interior side of the support plate and connected to a drain pump; and an exterior discharge pipe located on the exterior side of the support plate, the interior discharge pipe comprising a large diameter portion on the support plate side and a small diameter portion on the drain pump side, the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion being connected via a flat portion, the flat portion being in contact with an upper edge of the large diameter portion. a wall portion is formed below the connection point between the large diameter portion and the flat portion, the cross-sectional shape of the connection portion between the flat portion and the small diameter portion is formed to be approximately circular, the cross-sectional shape of the connection portion between the flat portion and the large diameter portion is formed to be approximately semicircular flat, the cross-sectional area of the connection portion between the flat portion and the small diameter portion and the cross-sectional area of the connection portion between the flat portion and the large diameter portion are approximately the same, the flat portion is formed so as to gradually change from the small diameter portion, which has a circular cross-sectional shape, to a flattened shape, which has an approximately semicircular cross-sectional shape, on the way from the small diameter portion to the large diameter portion, and the cross-sectional area of the flat portion from the small diameter portion to the large diameter portion is always approximately the same.

This disclosure makes it possible to suppress backflow of drain water and ensure the drain pump's discharge flow rate.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the indoor unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a plan view of an indoor unit according to a first embodiment, viewed from below; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drain socket attached to a housing of an indoor unit according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drain socket in a state where a housing of an indoor unit is removed in the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drain socket according to a first embodiment, viewed from below; FIG. 1 is a side view of a drain socket according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drain socket according to a first embodiment, viewed from above; FIG. 1 is a front view of a drain socket according to a first embodiment, seen from the large diameter portion side; FIG. 1 is a front view of a drain socket according to a first embodiment, seen from the small diameter portion side;

(Findings that formed the basis of this disclosure)
At the time the inventors came up with the idea for the present disclosure, there was a technology in which an internal hose and an external hose for discharging drain water generated in a heat exchanger were connected by a drain socket, and the drain socket was composed of a small cylindrical portion on the internal side and a large cylindrical portion on the external side, and the central axis of the small cylindrical portion was biased above the central axis of the large cylindrical portion when they were connected, thereby reducing the amount of drain water that returned when the drain pump was stopped.

However, in conventional technology, if the amount of return water is to be further reduced, it is necessary to reduce the inner diameter of the small cylindrical portion or to shift the small cylindrical portion further upward to make it communicate. However, the inventors discovered a problem in that this would limit the flow rate, resulting in a decrease in the pump discharge volume, and there are also constraints due to the mold structure when manufacturing the drain socket. In order to solve this problem, the inventors have come up with the subject matter of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure provides a drain socket that can suppress backflow of drain water and ensure the discharge flow rate of a drain pump.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed description of well-known matters or redundant description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.
The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[1-1-1 Configuration of indoor unit]
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a ceiling-mounted indoor unit 10 of an air conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the indoor unit 10. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the indoor unit 10 as seen from below.
In the following description, the terms "upper", "lower", and "inside" and "outside" are used with reference to the indoor unit 10 installed on the ceiling. The space into which conditioned air is blown out is referred to as the conditioned room.

The indoor unit 10 includes an indoor unit body 14 and a decorative panel 30 that covers a lower opening of the indoor unit body 14.
The indoor unit body 14 has a generally box-shaped housing 15 with an opening on almost the entire bottom surface. Inside the housing 15, the indoor unit body 14 has a polystyrene foam insulating member 16, an indoor heat exchanger 17, a blower 18, a drain pan 19 that receives drain water from the indoor heat exchanger 17, and a bell mouth 20 that rectifies the air drawn into the blower 18.

The decorative panel 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape in a plan view so as to cover the opening on the bottom surface of the indoor unit body 14 .
A panel-side intake port 31 that communicates with the bell mouth 20 is formed in the center of the decorative panel 30. An intake grille 32 that covers the panel-side intake port 31 is removably attached to the decorative panel 30. A filter (not shown) is provided on the indoor unit body 14 side of the intake grille 32 to remove dust and other particles from the air.

Panel-side outlets 34 that send conditioned air to the conditioned room are formed at positions outside the panel-side intake 31 of the decorative panel 30 and along each side of the outer periphery of the decorative panel 30. That is, the panel-side outlets 34 are provided along each side of the decorative panel 30, which is substantially rectangular in plan view, and air is blown out from the panel-side outlets 34 in four directions.
Each panel-side air outlet 34 is provided with a flap 35 (FIG. 1) that can adjust the air outlet direction.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the insulating members 16 are provided on the inner surfaces of the side plates 15a and top plate 15b of the housing 15 to prevent condensation from forming on the housing 15.

The blower 18 is configured to include a fan motor 23 and a centrifugal fan 24. The fan motor 23 has a rotating shaft 23a extending downward, and the centrifugal fan 24 is fixed to the rotating shaft 23a. The fan motor 23 is disposed approximately in the center of the indoor unit 10 in a plan view, and is fixed to the top plate 15b of the housing 15.
The centrifugal fan 24 includes a disk-shaped main plate 24a fixed to the rotary shaft 23a, an annular shroud 24b arranged below the main plate 24a and substantially coaxially with the main plate 24a, and a plurality of blades 24c connecting the shroud 24b and the main plate 24a. The blades 24c are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the main plate 24a.

The indoor heat exchanger 17 is formed by bending a plate-like heat exchanger into a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view so as to surround substantially the entire blower 18 from the side.
The indoor heat exchanger 17 functions as a refrigerant evaporator during cooling operation and as a refrigerant evaporator during heating operation. The indoor heat exchanger 17 is configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air drawn into the indoor unit body 14, thereby cooling the air in the air-conditioned room during cooling operation and heating the air in the room during heating operation.

The drain pan 19 is disposed below the indoor heat exchanger 17 so as to receive drain water generated in the indoor heat exchanger 17. The drain pan 19 is made of polystyrene foam.
The drain pan 19 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape so as to cover substantially the entire opening on the bottom surface of the housing 15. The drain pan 19 has a drain pan side suction port 25 (suction passage) in the center in a plan view, through which air drawn into the blower 18 passes. The drain pan 19 also has drain pan side outlets 26, located outside the drain pan side suction port 25 and overlapping with each panel side outlet 34, through which air blown out to the conditioned room passes. The drain pan side outlets 26 are formed in a rectangular shape extending along the side plate 15a of the housing 15.

Furthermore, the drain pan 19 includes a recessed heat exchanger housing 27 that houses the lower end of the indoor heat exchanger 17. The heat exchanger housing 27 is formed between the drain pan side outlet 26 and the drain pan side inlet 25, and is formed in the shape of a waterway that runs around the outer periphery of the drain pan 19.
The heat exchanger housing 27 includes a receiving surface 27a that contacts the lower surface of the inner periphery of the indoor heat exchanger 17, and a drain water passage 27b that is formed outside the receiving surface 27a and one step lower than the receiving surface 27a. The drain water passage 27b is located below the lower surface of the outer periphery of the indoor heat exchanger 17.
The indoor unit 10 is provided with a drain pump 28 on the drain water passage 27b for discharging drain water.

In a plan view, the drain water passage 27b is formed in a rectangular shape that follows the underside of the indoor heat exchanger 17. The drain water passage 27b has a highest point 29H, where the drain water passage 27b is positioned, at one of its four corners. The drain water passage 27b also has a lowest point 29L, where the drain water passage 27b is positioned, at a corner adjacent to the corner with the highest point 29h. The suction port of the drain pump 28 is located at the lowest point 29L.

The drain water passage 27b has a first passage 41 that descends from the highest point 29H to the adjacent corner, which is the lowest point 29L, and a second passage 42 that descends from the highest point 29H to the lowest point 29L via the other two corners.
The second passage 42 descends from the highest point 29H to the lowest point 29L at a gentler incline than the first passage 41 and over a longer route than the first passage 41.
As shown by the dashed arrows in Figure 3, the drain water flows from a high position through the first passage 41 and the second passage 42 to the drain pump 28 at the lowest point 29L, and is sucked out by the drain pump 28 and discharged to the outside.

The bell mouth 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape that allows air to pass through it. The bell mouth 20 comprises a horizontal section 20a that is formed in a frame shape and extends approximately horizontally so as to fit along the upper surface of the drain pan-side suction port 25 of the drain pan 19, and a cylindrical central suction port 20b that rises upward in a curved shape from the inner periphery of the horizontal section 20a. The bell mouth 20 is formed from a resin that is stronger than the drain pan 19.
The bell mouth 20 is supported by the drain pan 19 with the horizontal portion 20 a fitted into the drain pan side suction port 25 in the center of the drain pan 19 .
A support plate 70 made of resin or the like is attached to the underside of the drain pan 19 around the drain pan suction port.

A blower chamber 43 that houses the blower 18 is formed inside the housing 15 by being surrounded by the indoor heat exchanger 17, the drain pan 19, and the bell mouth 20. In addition, an air passage 44 through which the air that has been heat exchanged in the indoor heat exchanger 17 passes is formed between the outer surface of the indoor heat exchanger 17 and the insulating member 16 of the side plate 15a of the housing 15.
When the indoor unit 10 is operating, the rotation of the blower 18 draws air from the room to be conditioned through the panel-side inlet 31 (FIG. 1) and the bell mouth 20 into the blower chamber 43. The air in the blower chamber 43 is then blown outside by the blower 18, undergoes heat exchange as it passes through the indoor heat exchanger 17, flows into the air flow path 44, and is blown out into the room to be conditioned through the panel-side outlet 34 (FIG. 1). The drain pan-side outlet 26 forms part of the air flow path 44.

The indoor unit 10 is equipped with an electrical box 46 that houses the indoor unit 10's electronic circuit board 45.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the indoor unit main body 14 includes an electrostatic atomizer 60 below the drain pan 19. The electrostatic atomizer 60 generates a mist containing charged atomized water particles, which can suppress viruses, mold, allergy-causing substances, and bacteria in the air and deodorize the air. The charged atomized water particles contain active ingredients such as radicals that exhibit disinfecting and deodorizing effects.
The electrostatic atomizer 60 includes a discharge unit 61 that discharges electricity to supplied moisture to generate a mist containing charged fine water particles, a power supply circuit (not shown) that generates a high voltage to be applied to the discharge unit 61, a box-shaped case 62 that houses the discharge unit 61 and the power supply circuit, etc., and a blow-out unit 63 that expels air sucked into the case 62.

An air suction port 64 for entering the case 62 is provided on the upper surface of the case 62. The suction port 64 is formed in a tubular shape that extends upward, and is connected to the opening 52 in the surface portion 50 of the bell mouth 20.
The electrostatic atomizer 60 is disposed below the drain pan 19 and above the decorative panel 30. That is, the electrostatic atomizer 60 is disposed in the space between the drain pan 19 and the decorative panel 30.
Specifically, the case 62 of the electrostatic atomizer 60 is located in the space K below the bell-mouth support portion 49 and inside the drain pan main body portion 48 .
The blowing section 63 of the electrostatic atomizer 60 is formed in a tubular shape extending outward from the outer surface of the case 62. An outlet 63a that opens into the air passage 44 is formed at the outer end of the blowing section 63.
The outlet 63a opens to the lower part of the drain pan-side outlet 26. The outlet part 63 is arranged so as to extend from the outlet on the case 62 side downward to the outlet 63a in the side view of Fig. 5 .

[1-1-2 Drain socket configuration]
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the drain socket attached to the housing 15 of the indoor unit. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the drain socket with the housing 15 of the indoor unit removed. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the drain socket as seen from below. Fig. 7 is a side view of the drain socket. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the drain socket as seen from above. Fig. 9 is a front view of the drain socket as seen from the large diameter side. Fig. 10 is a front view of the drain socket as seen from the small diameter side.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in this embodiment, a drain socket 80 is attached to the side surface of the housing 15 at the location where the drain pump 28 is installed.
The drain socket 80 includes a flat support plate 81 that is attached to the housing 15 .
A drain discharge pipe 82 that is inclined at a predetermined angle in a plan view is provided to pass through the support plate 81 .
The drain discharge pipe 82 has an inboard discharge pipe 83 on the inside of the support plate 81 , and an outboard discharge pipe 84 on the outside of the support plate 81 .
The inside discharge pipe 83 and the outside discharge pipe 84 are formed to have substantially the same diameter at the connection point with the support plate 81 .

The inside discharge pipe 83 is connected to the discharge port of the drain pump 28 via an inside connection pipe 90 .
The external discharge pipe 84 is connected to a drain pipe (not shown) via an external connection pipe 91 .

A flat portion 85 is formed in the middle of the inside discharge pipe 83 .
The diameter of the inside discharge pipe 83 on the drain pump 28 side is a small diameter portion 86 formed smaller than the diameter of the inside discharge pipe 83 on the support plate 81 side.
In the following description, the support plate 81 side of the inside discharge pipe 83 is referred to as a large diameter portion 87 .
The flat portion 85 is a portion that continuously connects the large diameter portion 87 and the small diameter portion 86 of the inside discharge pipe 83. That is, the drain water sent from the drain pump 28 is sent to the outside connection pipe 91 via the inside connection pipe 90, the small diameter portion 86, the flat portion 85, and the large diameter portion 87.

9 and 10 , the flat portion 85 has a circular cross section at the connection portion with the small diameter portion 86. The flat portion 85 has a substantially semicircular cross section at the connection portion with the large diameter portion 87. The flat portion 85 and the large diameter portion 87 are connected to each other along the upper edge of the large diameter portion 87.
A flat wall portion 88 is formed below the flat portion 85 at the connection point between the flat portion 85 and the large diameter portion 87 .

The flat portion 85 is formed so as to gradually change from the small diameter portion 86 having a circular cross section to a flattened shape having a substantially semicircular cross section from the small diameter portion 86 to the large diameter portion 87 .
The cross-sectional area of the flat portion 85 extending from the small diameter portion 86 to the large diameter portion 87 is formed to be constant even when the shape changes from a circular shape to a flat shape.

[1-2. Operation]
By driving the blower 18, most of the air drawn into the blower chamber 43 passes through the indoor heat exchanger 17, undergoes heat exchange in the indoor heat exchanger 17, and is blown out into the room to be conditioned through the air flow path 44 and the panel-side outlet 34.
A portion of the air in the blower chamber 43 flows into the opening 52 of the bell mouth 20 as if pushed by the blower 18, enters the case 62 of the electrostatic atomization device 60 through the suction port 64, and mixes with the mist containing charged fine particle water inside the case 62. The air mixed with this mist is blown to the outlet portion 63 by the blowing force of the blower 18 and merges with the air flowing through the air passage 44 from the outlet port 63a. In this way, the air mixed with the mist can be mixed with the air flowing through the air passage 44 by the blowing force of the blower 18, so that the air containing the mist can be efficiently distributed throughout the conditioned room.

Furthermore, when condensation occurs in the indoor heat exchanger 17 due to heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 17 and the indoor air, the condensation becomes drain water and is stored in the drain pan 19 .
When a predetermined amount of drain water is accumulated in the drain pan 19, the drain pump 28 is operated to discharge the drain water accumulated in the drain pan 19.
The drain water passes through the internal connecting pipe 90, the small diameter portion 86, the flat portion 85, and the large diameter portion 87, and is sent to the drain pipe, and is then discharged to the outside.

In this embodiment, the inside discharge pipe 83 is formed so that the cross-sectional shape gradually changes from a circular small diameter portion 86 to a flattened, substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape from the small diameter portion 86 to the large diameter portion 87. Moreover, the cross-sectional area of the flattened portion 85 extending from the small diameter portion 86 to the large diameter portion 87 is formed so as to remain constant even when the cross-sectional area changes from a circular shape to a flattened shape.
Therefore, when drain water flows from the small diameter portion 86 to the large diameter portion 87 of the inside discharge pipe 83, resistance to flow can be reduced, and the drain water can be sent smoothly.

Furthermore, when drain water discharge is complete and the drain pump 28 is stopped, the drain water will flow back. However, in this embodiment, a wall portion 88 is formed below the connection between the large diameter portion 87 and the flat portion 85, preventing the backflowing drain water from flowing into the flat portion 85.

[1-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, this embodiment comprises a support plate 81 attached to the housing 15, an inboard discharge pipe 83 located on the inboard side of the support plate 81 and connected to the drain pump 28, and an outboard discharge pipe 84 located on the outboard side of the support plate 81, and the inboard discharge pipe 83 comprises a large diameter portion 87 on the support plate 81 side and a small diameter portion 86 on the drain pump 28 side, and the large diameter portion 87 and the small diameter portion 86 are connected via a flat portion 85.
Thus, by providing the flat portion 85, it is possible to ensure the discharge flow rate by the drain pump 28 and also to suppress backflow of drain water.

In addition, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the connection portion between the flat portion 85 and the small diameter portion 86 is formed in a circular shape, and the cross-sectional shape of the connection portion between the flat portion 85 and the large diameter portion 87 is formed in a flat shape that is approximately semicircular.
This makes it possible to reduce the flow resistance of drain water when the drain water flows through the flat portion 85 .

In this embodiment, the flat portion 85 is connected to the upper edge of the large diameter portion 87 , and a wall portion 88 is formed below the connection point between the large diameter portion 87 and the flat portion 85 .
As a result, by connecting the flat portion 85 to the upper edge of the large diameter portion 87 and forming a wall portion 88 below it, the discharge flow rate of the drain water can be ensured and the wall portion 88 can suppress the backflow of the drain water.

In addition, in this embodiment, the flattened portion 85 is formed so that it gradually changes from a circular cross-sectional shape at the small diameter portion 86 to a flattened cross-sectional shape that is approximately semicircular on the way from the small diameter portion 86 to the large diameter portion 87, and the cross-sectional area of the flattened portion 85 from the small diameter portion 86 to the large diameter portion 87 is formed so that it remains the same even when it changes from a circular shape to a flattened shape.
As a result, the cross-sectional area remains the same when the drain water flows from the small diameter portion 86 through the inside of the flat portion 85, so the amount of drain water discharged can be ensured and the flow resistance of the drain water can be reduced.

Note that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology disclosed herein, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

This disclosure is suitable for use in drain sockets that can discharge drain water and prevent backflow of drain water.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Indoor unit 15 Housing 17 Indoor heat exchanger 18 Blower 19 Drain pan 20 Bell mouth 24 Centrifugal fan 28 Drain pump 48 Drain pan main body 60 Electrostatic atomizer 80 Drain socket 81 Support plate 82 Drain discharge pipe 83 Inner discharge pipe 84 Outer discharge pipe 85 Flat portion 86 Small diameter portion 87 Large diameter portion 88 Wall portion 90 Inner connection pipe 91 Outer connection pipe

Claims (2)

A drain socket for discharging drain water from an indoor unit that includes a housing, a blower, an indoor heat exchanger that surrounds the blower, and a drain pan that covers the indoor heat exchanger from below.
a support plate attached to the housing; an inboard discharge pipe located on the inboard side of the support plate and connected to a drain pump; and an outboard discharge pipe located on the outboard side of the support plate,
the inside discharge pipe includes a large diameter portion on the support plate side and a small diameter portion on the drain pump side,
the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion are connected via a flat portion,
the flat portion is connected to an upper edge portion of the large diameter portion, and a wall portion is formed below a connection point between the large diameter portion and the flat portion,
a cross-sectional shape of a connection portion between the flat portion and the small diameter portion is formed into a substantially circular shape,
a cross-sectional shape of a connection portion between the flat portion and the large diameter portion is formed into a substantially semicircular flat shape,
a cross-sectional area of a connection portion between the flat portion and the small diameter portion is substantially the same as a cross-sectional area of a connection portion between the flat portion and the large diameter portion,
the flat portion is formed so as to gradually change from a circular cross-sectional shape of the small diameter portion to a flattened cross-sectional shape of a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape midway from the small diameter portion to the large diameter portion,
The cross-sectional area of the flat portion extending from the small diameter portion to the large diameter portion is always substantially constant.
Drain socket. A drain socket according to claim 1,
Indoor unit.