JPH0441250B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an air conditioner that is attached to an indoor wall, for example, and particularly relates to a wireless remote control that can remotely control the air conditioner. This invention relates to an improvement in a remote control storage device.

(Prior Art) For example, an air conditioner body is provided with a remote control storage device, and a wireless remote control (hereinafter simply referred to as a remote control) is stored in this device in a manner that allows it to be freely inserted and removed.
Air conditioners that enable remote operation control of the air conditioner itself by taking out the remote control from a remote control storage device and operating it at hand are becoming more popular.

5 and 6 show a conventionally used air conditioner with a remote control storage device, 1 is the air conditioner main body, and the front part of the air conditioner main body 1 is formed with an air intake port. A front panel 2 is provided, and an air outlet grille 3 forming an air outlet is provided on the lower surface. A remote control storage device 4, which will be described later, is provided on the side of the front panel 2.
That is, this remote control storage device 4 has a remote control storage chamber 5 which is a recess with an opening at the front, an upper end thereof is rotatably supported in this remote control storage chamber 5 via a pivot shaft 6, and a lower end thereof is a remote control storage chamber 5. It consists of a receiving plate 5a forming the lower wall of the storage chamber 5 and a remote control case 7 with a gap therebetween. And remote control case 7
has a rectangular box shape with only its lower end open, and the remote control 8 can be inserted into and removed from the box and stored in the remote control storage chamber 5. Further, by rotating the remote control case 7 to cause the lower end opening to protrude from the remote control storage chamber 5, the remote control 8 can be freely inserted into and removed from the inside. The receiving plate 5a has a front end rotatably supported and a rear end biased by a spring (not shown) to stand upright. The lower end gap of the case 7 is closed. The remote control case 7 is elastically biased by a spring (not shown) in such a direction that its lower end protrudes forward, and has a striker 9 integrated on its back surface.
This striker 9 engages with a latch 10 provided on the rear surface of the remote controller storage chamber 5 to be held in the stored state. The lower part of the remote control 8 is exposed from the remote control case 7, and the operation switches 11 can be operated in the stored state. Furthermore, a main body operation section (not shown) is provided on the rear wall of the remote control storage chamber 5, so that when the removed remote control 8 is not found or the batteries housed in the remote control 8 become unusable, the remote control 8 can be directly operated. You will have to operate the control section. However, at this time, while rotating the remote control case 7, the receiving plate 5a
It is necessary to hold the remote controller by tilting it backwards, and to operate the main unit by looking through the gap between the lower end of the remote control case 7 and the front end of the receiving plate 5a.

In this way, the remote control 8 is placed in the remote control storage device 4.
There were no problems with the operation when the remote control 8 was housed in the case or with the operation of removing the remote control 8 from there, but there was a problem when using the main body operation section without using the remote control 8. That is, the operator must push down and hold the receiving plate 5a, which stands upright due to the elastic force of the spring, against the elastic force of the spring, and operate the main body operation part from the gap between the remote control case and the main body 1. Must be.

However, even when the receiving plate 5a is pushed down, the gap between the remote control case 7 and the front end of the receiving plate 5a is still narrow, resulting in poor operability.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention eliminates the problem with the operability of the main body operation part when the remote control is lost or the remote control battery becomes unusable as described above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control storage device for an air conditioner, etc., which facilitates control operations.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) That is, the present invention has an opening in the main body of the air conditioner, and a remote control storage chamber in which a remote control can be stored, and a main body operation section is mounted on one side wall of the remote control storage chamber. A remote control case capable of storing the remote control therein is provided in the opening of the remote control storage chamber so that the remote control case can be opened and closed, and the remote control case can store the remote control in the remote control storage chamber with the opening of the remote control storage chamber closed. two positions: a closed position where the remote control is stored; a first motion position where the remote control is slightly protruded from the opening of the remote control storage chamber so that the remote control can be taken in and taken out; and a second motion position where the main body operation section is opened wide so that the main body operation section can be operated. This is a remote control storage device for an air conditioner, etc., characterized in that it is held in a remote controller.

(Function) In this way, during normal use when putting the remote control in and out of the remote control storage compartment, the remote control case is held in the first motion position, and when you lose the remote control or the remote control battery becomes unusable. Sometimes, the remote control case is opened wide and the main body operating section is held in the second motion position where it can be easily operated.

(Example) Hereinafter, one example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In FIG. 1, 20 is an air conditioner main body equipped with a remote control storage device S. A front panel 21 forming an air suction port is provided on the front surface of the air conditioner main body 20, and a blowout grill 22 forming an air blowout port is provided on the bottom surface. The remote control storage device S is provided on one side of the lower front end of the air conditioner main body 20, and 23 is a remote control case. The remote control case 23 is rotatable as will be described later, and push buttons 24 are provided on the front surface thereof. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the air conditioner main body 20 is provided with a remote control storage chamber 26 which is a recessed portion having an opening 25 on the front surface. The upper part of the opening 25 is covered by the front panel 21, and the remote control case 23 is attached to the back side of the opening 25 with its upper end connected to the support shaft 2.
It is pivoted via 7. This remote control case 23
When in the hanging state, the opening 25 is freely opened and closed. A spring (not shown) is stretched between the remote control case 23 and the remote control storage chamber 26, and the lower end of the remote control case 23 is connected to the opening 2.
It is elastically biased in the direction of protruding outward from 5. A striker 28 is integrally provided at the lower end of the back surface of the remote control case 23, and a latch 29 is provided at the lower end of the back surface of the remote control storage chamber 26 opposite to this. When the opening 25 of the remote control case 23 is closed, the striker 28 is engaged with the latch 29 and held in this state. When the lower end of the remote control case 23 is pressed with a finger, the striker 28 is engaged with the latch 29. It comes off from the opening 25 and rotates naturally due to the elastic restoring force of the spring.
It is becoming more and more open to the public.

The remote control case 23 is a substantially rectangular cylinder whose upper and lower end surfaces are open, and the remote control 30 can be stored in the remote control storage chamber 26 with the opening 25 closed. The remote control 30 has recesses 30a on both sides,
Grooves 23a are provided along the vertical direction on both sides of the inner surface of the remote control case 23 facing the grooves 23a, and are engaged with each other to hold the remote control 30 in the remote control case 23. The pushbuttons 24 provided at the lower front of the remote control case 23
is opposite to the operation buttons 31 of the remote control 30 in the stored state. Therefore, by operating the push buttons 24, these buttons are pushed backward and the operation buttons 31 of the remote controller 30 can be indirectly operated. Further, a deceleration device 32 and an engagement member 33 are provided opposite to each other between the remote control case 23 and the remote control storage chamber 26 . The speed reduction device 32 is integrally provided at the upper end of the back side of the remote control case 23 and is installed in the remote control storage chamber 26.
It consists of an arc-shaped gear part 34 protruding from a notch provided on the back side of the remote controller, and a gear 35 that is pivotally supported on the back side of the remote control storage chamber 26 and meshes with the gear part 34. Due to these meshes, the remote control case 2 is opened by the elastic restoring force of the spring.
This will reduce the rotational speed of 3. However, the rotation of the gear 35 is restricted when the remote control case 23 is opened to the maximum extent, so that the elastic force of the spring is restricted and the remote control case 23 is maintained in that state. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the engaging member 33 has hook hooks 36 and 36 protruding from both sides of the remote control case 23.
and stoppers 37 provided on both sides of the remote control storage chamber 26. These operations occur when the remote control case 23 is rotated by a predetermined angle, that is, when the remote control 30 stored in the remote control storage chamber 26 is in a position where it can be taken out from the lower end opening 23b of the remote control case 23, or when the remote control 30 is inserted into the remote control case 23. When they are in a possible position, they engage with each other to maintain the rotational position of the remote control case 23. Relatively long cuts 38 are provided at the upper and lower portions of the hooking claws 36, 36.
This is to smoothly remove the hook 36 from the stopper 37 when the remote control case 23 is urged to be displaced from the holding position. Therefore, the remote control case 23 rotates to a certain extent and reaches the first motion position (open) held by the engaging member 33, and further rotates more than this first motion position (open) to reach the maximum position. When it is rotated to the limit, it is rotated to a two-stage motion with a second motion position (open) held by the gear 35. Further, a main body operation section 39 is provided on the back wall of the remote control storage chamber 26. The main body operation section 39 is comprised of switches such as a power on/off switch, a temperature setting switch, and an automatic/manual changeover switch for blowing air, and has the same functions as the operation buttons 31 of the remote control 30.

Next, the operation of the air conditioner remote control storage device S constructed in this way will be explained.
Figures 1 and 2 show the remote control storage state;
Push buttons 24 provided on the remote control case 23 are used to operate the air conditioner body 20.
All you have to do is operate on it. The operation buttons 31 of the remote control 30 are operated indirectly, and ultrasonic waves, for example, reach a receiving element provided in the air conditioner main body 20 from an oscillating element provided here, thereby enabling operation control.

In order to take out the remote control 30 from the remote control storage device S and use it, the lower end of the remote control case 23 can be pushed. When the striker 28 and the latch 29 are disengaged, the remote control case 23 automatically rotates due to the elastic restoring force of the spring, and the lower end opening 23b projects from the remote control storage chamber 26. At this time, the reduction gear 32 reduces the rotational speed of the remote control case 23, and the engaging member 33 reduces the rotation speed of the remote control case 23.
is held when it reaches the first motion position (open) as shown by the two-dot chain lines in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. Therefore, at this position, take out the remote control 30 from the remote control case 23,
It becomes possible to remotely control the air conditioner main body 20 at hand. At this time, the remote control case 23 may be left in the first motion position (open), or may be returned to the position where the opening 25 is completely closed by pressing the lower end.

If the remote controller 30 is taken out from the remote controller storage device S but cannot be found, or if the battery housed in the remote controller 30 becomes unusable, the main body operation section 39 is operated directly. At this time, all you have to do is hook your finger on the lower end of the remote control case 23 in the first motion position (open) and pull it toward you. The engagement state of the engagement member 33 is released by a predetermined biasing force, and the remote control case 23 is rotated in a direction to further open the opening 25 by the elastic restoring force of the spring. As shown in FIG. 3, the remote control case 23 rotates to the second motion position (open) and stops. Therefore, the opening 25 is wide open, and the main body operation section 39 can be operated very easily.

In this way, the remote control case 23 is rotated in a two-step motion, and the remote control case 23 is rotated in the first motion position (open) when putting in and taking out the remote control 30, and in the second motion position (open) when operating the main body operation section 39. ), the remote control case 23 is held in each case, making it easier to operate in either case.

In the above embodiment, the remote control storage device S is provided in the air conditioner main body 20, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any device that can be remotely operated with a remote control may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the remote control case 2
Although the remote control case 23 is rotatably supported so that its lower end protrudes to the front, the remote control case 23 is not limited to this, and the entire remote control case 23 may be made to protrude in parallel to the front, or only the upper part may protrude. You can do it like this. In short, the remote control case only needs to be able to open the opening 25 in a two-step motion. Further, although the opening 25 of the remote control storage chamber 26 is provided on the front side of the main body 20, there is no problem even if the opening 25 is provided on this side.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, when the remote control is lost or the battery of the remote control becomes unusable, the remote control case is held in the second motion position where the main body operation section is opened wide to allow operation. This has the effect of improving the operability of the main body operation section and facilitating operation control operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioner equipped with a remote control storage device, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are views of the remote control storage device in different states. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view thereof, FIGS. 5 and 6 show a conventional example of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an air conditioner equipped with a remote control storage device, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the remote control storage device. 20... Air conditioner body, 25... Opening, 3
0...Remote control, 26...Remote control storage room, 39
...Main unit operation section, 23...Remote control case.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A remote control storage chamber provided in the air conditioner main body and having an opening and capable of storing a remote control inside; a main body operating section provided on one side wall of the remote control storage chamber; The remote control storage is provided in an opening of the remote control storage chamber so as to be openable and closable, and has a closed position in which the remote control is stored in the remote control storage chamber with the opening of the remote control storage chamber closed, and a closed position in which the remote control can be taken in and out of the remote control storage chamber. An air conditioner, etc., characterized in that it is provided with a remote control case that is held in a first motion position that slightly protrudes from an opening of a room and a second motion position that opens widely so that the main body operation part can be operated. Remote control storage device.