CN110785567A

CN110785567A - Air conditioner

Info

Publication number: CN110785567A
Application number: CN201880002132.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 福原启辅; 蔡佳烨
Original assignee: Hitachi Johnson Controls Air Conditioning Inc
Current assignee: Hitachi Johnson Controls Air Conditioning Inc
Priority date: 2018-05-14
Filing date: 2018-05-14
Publication date: 2020-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 2038-05-14
Also published as: ES2731174A1; CN110785567B; TW201947166A; FR3081044B1; WO2019220490A1; ES2731174B2; JP6417077B1; JPWO2019220490A1; MY189640A; TWI655399B; FR3081044A1

Abstract

The air conditioner is provided with an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor fan, a fan cleaning part (51) which is arranged between the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor fan and cleans the indoor fan, and a shaft-shaped supporting part (50) which supports a base end part (51a) of the fan cleaning part (51) in a hollow part (50 b). At least when the operation of the fan cleaning part (51) is stopped, a surface (50f) of the hollow part (50b) of the support part (50) which supports the base end part (51a) of the fan cleaning part (51) at least at the lower side is inclined.

Description

Air conditioner

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

Background

As a background art in this field, there is japanese patent laid-open No. 2007-71210 (japanese patent laid-open No. 4046755) (patent document 1). In this publication, it is described that "a movable fan cleaning device for removing dust attached to a fan is provided in a fan case of a fluid transfer device" (see abstract of the specification).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2007-71210

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The technique of patent document 1 includes a fan cleaning device and a control device for controlling the fan cleaning device. The fan cleaning device includes a fan cleaning unit at a front end of the fan cleaning device, and the fan cleaning unit can be moved to a retracted position in the fan cleaning operation mode.

However, in a configuration in which the fan cleaning device includes a fan cleaning unit (such as a brush) and a support portion thereof, the fan cleaning device is disposed inside the indoor unit, and dew condensation also occurs in the fan cleaning device itself. In particular, when the fan cleaning device is disposed around the indoor heat exchanger, dew condensation is likely to occur. Further, if the fan cleaning device continues to dew condensation for a long period of time, it becomes a factor that mold and rust are generated in the fan cleaning device. In particular, it is difficult to ventilate a portion of the fan cleaning portion in contact with the support portion, and thus to dry the portion. As a countermeasure against this, a mold inhibitor or the like may be used, but this causes an increase in the manufacturing cost and the running cost.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner capable of suppressing the generation of mold, rust, and the like in a fan cleaning device.

Means for solving the problems

In order to solve the above problem, an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention includes: an indoor heat exchanger; an indoor fan; a fan cleaning part for cleaning the indoor fan; and a support portion that supports a base end portion of the fan cleaning portion inside, wherein a surface of the support portion that supports the base end portion of the fan cleaning portion on a lower side is inclined when operation of the fan cleaning portion is stopped.

The effects of the invention are as follows.

According to the present invention, an air conditioner can be provided that can suppress the occurrence of mold, rust, and the like in a fan cleaning device.

Problems, structures, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a system diagram of a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a partially cut-away perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a control system of an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of an air conditioner fan cleaning device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, taken along a radial direction.

Fig. 5B is a front view of the fan cleaning device of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention, cut in a radial direction.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a fan cleaning device of an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a fan cleaning device of an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a contact state between the fan cleaning device and the indoor fan of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart of a process executed by the control unit of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 10A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an indoor fan of an air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention is being cleaned.

Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view showing a state during defrosting of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a fan cleaning device of an air conditioner according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor fan and a fan cleaning device provided in an air conditioner according to another modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Example 1

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, when referred to as the up-down direction, it is based on arrows appropriately shown in the drawings. Also, when the front-rear direction is shown by an arrow, the front-rear direction is a horizontal direction.

Fig. 1 is a system diagram of a refrigerant circuit Q of an air conditioner 100 according to the present embodiment. Note that solid arrows in fig. 1 show the flow of the refrigerant during the heating operation. The dashed arrows in fig. 1 show the flow of the refrigerant during the cooling operation.

As shown in fig. 1, the air conditioner 100 includes a compressor 11, an outdoor heat exchanger 12, an outdoor fan 13, and an expansion valve 14. The air conditioner 100 includes an indoor heat exchanger 15, an indoor fan 16, and a four-way valve 17 in addition to the above-described configuration.

The compressor 11 is driven by a compressor motor 11a to compress a low-temperature low-pressure gas refrigerant and discharge the compressed gas refrigerant as a high-temperature high-pressure gas refrigerant.

The outdoor heat exchanger 12 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the heat transfer pipe (not shown) and the outside air sent from the outdoor fan 13.

The outdoor fan 13 is a fan that sends outside air to the outdoor heat exchanger 12 by driving the outdoor fan motor 13a, and is provided in the vicinity of the outdoor heat exchanger 12.

The expansion valve 14 is a valve that decompresses the refrigerant condensed by the "condenser" (one of the outdoor heat exchanger 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 15 is selected according to the type of air-conditioning operation). The refrigerant decompressed by the expansion valve 14 is guided to the "evaporator" (the other of the outdoor heat exchanger 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 15 is selected according to the type of air-conditioning operation).

The indoor heat exchanger 15 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the heat transfer pipe g (see fig. 2) and the indoor air (air of the space to be air-conditioned) sent from the indoor fan 16.

The indoor fan 16 is a fan that sends indoor air to the indoor heat exchanger 15 by driving an indoor fan motor 16c (see fig. 4), and is provided in the vicinity of the indoor heat exchanger 15. More specifically, in the flow of air in the case where the indoor fan 16 is rotated in the normal direction, the indoor fan 16 is provided on the downstream side of the indoor heat exchanger 15.

The four-way valve 17 is a valve for switching the flow path of the refrigerant according to the operation mode of the air conditioner 100. For example, during a cooling operation (see a dotted arrow in fig. 1), a refrigerant circulates through a refrigeration cycle in a refrigerant circuit Q in which a compressor 11, an outdoor heat exchanger 12 (condenser), an expansion valve 14, and an indoor heat exchanger 15 (evaporator) are sequentially connected in a loop shape via a four-way valve 17.

On the other hand, during the heating operation (see the solid arrow in fig. 1), the refrigerant circulates through the refrigeration cycle in the refrigerant circuit Q in which the compressor 11, the indoor heat exchanger 15 (condenser), the expansion valve 14, and the outdoor heat exchanger 12 (evaporator) are sequentially connected in a loop shape via the four-way valve 17.

In the example shown in fig. 1, a compressor 11, an outdoor heat exchanger 12, an outdoor fan 13, an expansion valve 14, and a four-way valve 17 are provided in the outdoor unit Uo. On the other hand, the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16 are provided in the indoor unit Ui.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the indoor unit Ui. Fig. 2 shows a state in which the fan cleaning device 24 does not clean the indoor fan 16. The indoor unit Ui includes, in addition to the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16 described above, a dew condensation pan 18, a casing base 19,

filters

20a and 20b, a front panel 21, a left-right wind direction plate 22, a vertical wind direction plate 23, and a fan cleaning device 24.

The indoor heat exchanger 15 includes a plurality of fins f and a plurality of heat transfer pipes g penetrating the fins f. In addition, when the description is made from another point of view, the indoor heat exchanger 15 includes a front side indoor heat exchanger 15a and a rear side indoor heat exchanger 15 b. The front indoor heat exchanger 15a is disposed on the front side (indoor side) of the indoor fan 16. On the other hand, the rear indoor heat exchanger 15b is disposed on the rear side (wall side) of the indoor fan 16. The upper end of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a is connected to the upper end of the rear indoor heat exchanger 15 b.

The dew receiving pan 18 receives the condensed water of the indoor heat exchanger 15 and is disposed below the indoor heat exchanger 15 (the front-side indoor heat exchanger 15a in the example shown in fig. 2).

The indoor fan 16 is, for example, a cylindrical cross flow fan, and is disposed in the vicinity of the indoor heat exchanger 15. The indoor fan 16 includes a plurality of fan blades 16a, a partition plate 16b on which the fan blades 16a are provided, and an indoor fan motor 16c (see fig. 4) as a drive source.

Further, the indoor fan 16 is preferably coated with a hydrophilic coating agent. As such a coating material, for example, a material in which a binder (a silicon compound having a hydrolyzable group), butanol, tetrahydrofuran, and an antibacterial agent are added to an isopropyl alcohol-dispersed silica sol as a hydrophilic material may be used.

As a result, a hydrophilic film is formed on the surface of the indoor fan 16, and the resistance value of the surface of the indoor fan 16 is low, so that dust is less likely to adhere to the indoor fan 16. That is, during driving of the indoor fan 16, static electricity due to friction with air is less likely to be generated on the surface of the indoor fan 16, and dust can be prevented from adhering to the indoor fan 16. In this way, the coating agent also functions as an antistatic agent for the indoor fan 16.

The casing base 19 shown in fig. 2 is a casing for installing the indoor heat exchanger 15, the indoor fan 16, and the like.

The filter 20a removes dust from the air flowing toward the air inlet h1 on the front side, and is provided on the front side of the indoor heat exchanger 15.

The filter 20b removes dust from the air flowing toward the air inlet h2 on the upper side, and is provided on the upper side of the indoor heat exchanger 15.

The front panel 21 is a panel provided to cover the front filter 20a, and is provided with a rotary shaft (not shown) at a lower end thereof so as to be rotatable forward. The front panel 21 may not rotate.

The horizontal air vanes 22 are plate-like members that regulate the flow of air blown into the room in the horizontal direction in accordance with the rotation of the indoor fan 16. The horizontal air vanes 22 are disposed in the outlet air passage h3, and are rotated in the horizontal direction by the horizontal air vane motor 25 (see fig. 5).

The up-down wind direction plate 23 is a plate-like member that adjusts the flow of air blown into the room in the up-down direction in accordance with the rotation of the indoor fan 16. The up-down wind direction plate 23 is disposed in the vicinity of the air outlet h4, and is rotated in the up-down direction by the up-down wind direction plate motor 26 (see fig. 5).

The air sucked in through air suction ports h1 and h2 exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through heat transfer pipe g of indoor heat exchanger 15, and is guided to outlet air passage h 3. The air flowing through the outlet air duct h3 is guided in a predetermined direction by the horizontal wind direction plate 22 and the vertical wind direction plate 23, and is blown out into the room through the air outlet h 4.

Most of the dust that tends to the air inlets h1, h2 along with the air flow is collected by the

filters

20a, 20 b. However, sometimes minute dust passes through the

filters

20a and 20b and adheres to the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16. Therefore, it is desirable to periodically clean the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16. Therefore, in the present embodiment, after the indoor fan 16 is cleaned using the fan cleaning device 24 described below, the indoor heat exchanger 15 is flushed with water.

The fan cleaning device 24 shown in fig. 2 cleans the indoor fan 16, and is disposed between the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16. More specifically, the fan cleaning device 24 is disposed on the indoor fan 16 side of the recess r of the front-side indoor heat exchanger 15a having a "<" shape in longitudinal section. In the example shown in fig. 2, the indoor heat exchanger 15 (the lower portion of the front-side indoor heat exchanger 15a) is located below the fan cleaning device 24, and the leak receiver 18 is located.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the indoor unit Ui, partially cut away. The fan cleaning device 24 includes a fan cleaning motor 24c (see fig. 4) in addition to the support portion 50 and the fan cleaning portion 51 shown in fig. 3. The support portion 50 is a shaft-like member parallel to the axial direction of the indoor fan 16, and both ends thereof are pivotally supported by the casing base 19 (not shown).

Fan cleaning unit 51 removes dust adhering to fan blades 16a, and has a base end supported by support unit 50. The fan cleaning unit 51 may be formed of a brush, a rubber blade having flexibility, or the like. That is, the fan cleaning unit 51 may be a member capable of scraping off dust adhering to the fan blades 16a, and various members may be used.

The fan cleaning motor 24c (see fig. 4) is, for example, a stepping motor, and has a function of rotating the support 50 by a predetermined angle.

When the indoor fan 16 is cleaned by the fan cleaning device 24, the fan cleaning motor 24c (see fig. 4) is driven so that the fan cleaning portion 51 is in contact with the indoor fan 16 (see fig. 10A), and the indoor fan 16 is reversed. When the indoor fan 16 is cleaned by the fan cleaning device 24, the fan cleaning motor 24c is driven again to rotate the fan cleaning unit 51, and the fan cleaning unit 51 is separated from the indoor fan 16 (see fig. 2).

Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a control system of the air conditioner 100. The indoor unit Ui shown in fig. 4 includes the remote controller signal transmitting/receiving unit 27 and the indoor control circuit 31 in addition to the above configuration.

The remote controller signal transmitting/receiving unit 27 exchanges predetermined information with the remote controller 40.

Although not shown, the indoor control circuit 31 is configured as an electronic circuit including a cpu (central Processing unit), a rom (read Only memory), a ram (random Access memory), various interfaces, and the like. Further, a program stored in the ROM is read and developed in the RAM, so that the CPU executes various processes.

As shown in fig. 4, the indoor control circuit 31 includes a storage unit 31a and an indoor control unit 31 b.

The storage unit 31a stores, in addition to a predetermined program, data received via the remote controller signal transmission/reception unit 27, detection values of various sensors (not shown), and the like.

The indoor control unit 31b controls the fan cleaning motor 24c, the indoor fan motor 16c, the horizontal air vane motor 25, the vertical air vane motor 26, and the like based on the data stored in the storage unit 31 a.

The outdoor unit Uo includes an outdoor control circuit 32 in addition to the above configuration. Although not shown, the outdoor control circuit 32 is configured as an electronic circuit including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, various interfaces, and the like, and is connected to the indoor control circuit 31 via a communication line. As shown in fig. 4, the outdoor control circuit 32 includes a storage unit 32a and an outdoor control unit 32 b.

The storage unit 32a stores data and the like received from the indoor control circuit 31 in addition to a predetermined program. The outdoor control unit 32b controls the compressor motor 11a, the outdoor fan motor 13a, the expansion valve 14, and the like based on the data stored in the storage unit 32 a. Hereinafter, the indoor control circuit 31 and the outdoor control circuit 32 are collectively referred to as "control unit 30".

However, the technique of patent document 1 includes a fan cleaning device and a control device for controlling the fan cleaning device. The fan cleaning device includes a fan cleaning unit at a front end of the fan cleaning device, and the fan cleaning unit can be moved to a retracted position in the fan cleaning operation mode.

However, in a configuration in which the fan cleaning device includes a fan cleaning unit (such as a brush) and a support portion thereof, the fan cleaning device is disposed inside the indoor unit, and dew condensation also occurs in the fan cleaning device itself. In particular, when the fan cleaning device is disposed around the indoor heat exchanger, dew condensation is likely to occur. Further, if the fan cleaning device continues to dew condensation for a long period of time, it becomes a factor that mold and rust are generated in the fan cleaning device. In particular, it is difficult to ventilate a portion of the fan cleaning portion in contact with the support portion, and thus to dry the portion. As a countermeasure against this, a mold inhibitor or the like may be used, but this causes an increase in the manufacturing cost and the running cost of the air conditioner.

Therefore, the following description will be focused on the fan cleaning device 24 that takes measures against such a problem.

Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of fan cleaning device 24 taken along the radial direction, and fig. 5B is a front view thereof. The states of fig. 5A and 5B show states other than the cleaning of the indoor fan 16. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, the tip of the tip portion 51b of the fan cleaning portion 51 is oriented substantially vertically downward, in addition to the cleaning of the indoor fan 16. Specifically, in cases other than when the indoor fan 16 is cleaning (including during normal air-conditioning operation), the tip of the fan cleaning unit 51 is spaced apart from the indoor fan 16 in a substantially vertically downward direction.

However, in the present invention, the tip of the fan cleaning unit 51 is not limited to the downward direction of the fan except for the cleaning of the indoor fan 16. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the fan cleaning device 24. That is, as illustrated in fig. 6, the fan cleaning unit 51 may be located at a position where the longitudinal direction thereof makes an acute angle with the vertical direction. In this case, the front end of the fan cleaning unit 51 may be located closer to the front indoor heat exchanger 15a or closer to the indoor fan 16. The following description will be made as follows: the tip of the fan cleaning portion 51 is separated from the indoor fan 16 in a state of being substantially vertically downward except when the indoor fan 16 is cleaned.

As shown in fig. 5A and 5B, the fan cleaning device 24 includes a fan cleaning portion 51 and a support portion 50. The support portion 50 is a long shaft-like member (fig. 3), and when the operation of the fan cleaning portion 51 is stopped (the state of fig. 5A and 5B), an elongated hole 50a extending in the axial direction of the support portion 50 is formed at a position that becomes a lower portion of the support portion 50. The long hole 50a reaches the axial center portion of the support portion 50, and a hollow portion 50B that extends in the left-right direction in fig. 5A and 5B and is connected to the long hole 50a is formed in the axial center portion.

The fan cleaning unit 51 may be formed of a brush, a rubber blade having flexibility, or the like. That is, the fan cleaning unit 51 may be a member capable of scraping off dust adhering to the fan blades 16a, and various members may be used. In the state shown in fig. 5A and 5B, the base end 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 extends to the left and right. The base end 51a extending to the left and right is fitted in the hollow portion 50b, and the front end 51b of the fan cleaning portion 51 projects outward from the support portion 50 with the elongated hole 50a as an outlet. In the state of fig. 5, the hollow portion 50b of the support portion 50 is expanded leftward and rightward from the elongated hole 50a, and the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning portion 51 also extends leftward and rightward, so that the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning portion 51 engages with the hollow portion 50b of the support portion 50, and the fan cleaning portion 51 is prevented from coming off the support portion 50.

The proximal end 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 is fitted in the hollow portion 50b of the support portion 50, and the two are not joined by bonding, welding, or the like. The reason is as follows: when the fan cleaning unit 51 needs to be replaced due to aging or the like, only the fan cleaning unit 51 can be detached from the support portion 50. If the fan cleaning unit 51 is joined to the support 50, the fan cleaning unit 51 must be removed from the casing base 19 of the air conditioner 100 together with the support 50 at the time of replacement. Both ends of the support portion 50 are pivotally supported by the case base 19 by a predetermined configuration. Accordingly, it is difficult to replace the fan cleaning part 51 together with the support part 50. Further, if only the fan cleaning unit 51 is replaced and the support unit 50 is left to be used, the cost for replacing the components is saved for the user.

At least when the operation of the fan cleaning unit 51 is stopped (the state shown in fig. 5A and 5B), a surface 50f of the hollow portion 50B in the support portion 50, which supports the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 at least on the lower side, is inclined. More specifically, the surface 51f is inclined downward from the support portion 50 toward the elongated hole 50a serving as the outlet of the fan cleaning portion 51.

At least when the operation of the fan cleaning unit 51 is stopped (the state shown in fig. 5A and 5B), the water is inclined in a direction in which the water flows from the outer surface 51d side of the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 in the support portion 50 toward the elongated hole 50a serving as the outlet of the fan cleaning unit 51. The inner surface 50c of the support portion 50 (inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion 50b) located around the outer surface 51d is also inclined in a direction in which water flows from the inner surface 50c side toward the elongated hole 50a serving as an outlet of the fan cleaning portion 51.

That is, in the outer surface 51d of the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51, the right and left surfaces of the base end portion 51a are substantially vertical surfaces, and the surface inserted into the elongated hole 50a of the fan cleaning unit 51 is also substantially vertical surfaces. The upper surface of the base end portion 51a is also slightly inclined downward from the left side to the right side in the example of fig. 5A and 5B, and is not a horizontal plane (may be inclined downward from the right side to the left side). Similarly, in the inner surface 50c of the support portion 50 (such as the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion 50b), the left and right surfaces of the hollow portion 50b are substantially vertical surfaces, and the inner surface of the elongated hole 50a is also substantially vertical surfaces. The upper surface of the inner surface 50c is also slightly inclined downward from the left side to the right side rather than a horizontal plane (may be inclined downward from the right side to the left side). In the drawings subsequent to fig. 6, the same fan cleaning device 24 as that shown in fig. 5A and 5B is shown in a state of fig. 5A and 5B, with the upper surface of the base end portion 51a and the upper surface of the inner surface 50c being substantially horizontal. That is, the plane may not be a horizontal plane.

The outer surface 50d of the support portion 50 is inclined at least when the operation of the fan cleaning device 24 is stopped (the state of fig. 5). Specifically, in the example of fig. 5A and 5B, the outer shape of the radial cross section of the outer surface 50d of the support portion 50 is substantially circular. Therefore, there is no horizontal plane at the outer surface 50 d.

The support portion 50 includes a through hole 50e for communicating a hollow portion 50b inside the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning portion 51 with the outside, in addition to an elongated hole 50a serving as an outlet of the fan cleaning portion 51. The through hole 50e may penetrate through the support portion 50 at any position. In the example of fig. 5A and 5B, two rows of the plurality of through holes 50e are provided on both sides of the long hole 50a, and the two rows of the plurality of through holes 50e are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the support portion 50 with a predetermined interval. In the state shown in fig. 5A and 5B, the through hole 50e is inclined downward from the hollow portion 50B supporting the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 toward the outside. In this case, the lower inner surface of the hollow portion 50b is preferably inclined downward toward the through holes 50 e.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the fan cleaning device 24. In the fan cleaning device 24, the length b of the portion of the fan cleaning unit 51 not housed in the support 50 is longer than the length a of the portion housed in the support 50.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of contact between the fan cleaning device 24 and the indoor fan 16, fig. 8 shows a state when the indoor fan 16 is cleaned by the fan cleaning section 51, in this case, a length α of a portion of the front end side 51b of the fan cleaning section 51 overlapping the indoor fan 16 is longer than a gap length β between the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning section 51 at the hollow portion 50b of the support section 50 and the long hole 50a side of the hollow portion 50 b.

Next, the operation and effect of the air conditioner 100 will be described.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart of processing executed by the control section 30 (refer to fig. 2 as appropriate). In addition, at the time of "START (START)" in fig. 9, the air conditioning operation is not performed, and the distal end side 51b of the fan cleaning unit 51 is in a state of being substantially directed vertically downward (the state shown in fig. 5, 2, and 3).

In step S101 of fig. 9, the control unit 30 cleans the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning device 24. The trigger for starting the cleaning of the indoor fan 16 may be, for example, a condition that the cumulative time of the air conditioning operation from the previous cleaning reaches a predetermined time.

Fig. 10A is a cross-sectional view showing a state during cleaning of the indoor fan 16. In fig. 10A, the indoor heat exchanger 15, the indoor fan 16, and the leak receiver 18 are shown, and the illustration of other components is omitted.

Control unit 30 brings fan cleaning unit 51 into contact with indoor fan 16, and rotates indoor fan 16 in the opposite direction (reverse direction) to that in the normal air-conditioning operation.

That is, the control unit 30 rotates about 90 ° around the support portion 50 from a state where the front end of the fan cleaning unit 51 faces vertically downward (see fig. 5, 2, and 3), and the front end of the fan cleaning unit 51 faces the indoor fan 16 (see fig. 10A). Thereby, fan cleaning unit 51 comes into contact with fan blades 16a of indoor fan 16.

In the example of fig. 10A, as indicated by the chain line L, the indoor heat exchanger 15 (front-side indoor heat exchanger 15a) is located below the contact position K where the fan cleaning unit 51 is in contact with the indoor fan 16, and the leak receiver 18 is also located.

Since indoor fan 16 rotates in the reverse direction, the tip of fan cleaning unit 51 bends as fan blade 16a moves, and fan cleaning unit 51 is pressed so as to be pushed against the back surface of fan blade 16 a. Dust accumulated on the outer end (radial end) of fan blades 16a is removed by fan cleaning unit 51.

In the present embodiment, as described above, fan cleaning unit 51 is brought into contact with fan blades 16a, and indoor fan 16 is reversed. Thus, the fan cleaning portion 51 comes into contact with the outer end of the rear surface of the fan blade 16a, and integrally removes dust accumulated on the outer ends of both the front and rear surfaces of the fan blade 16 a.

Here, since the indoor fan 16 is generally provided on the downstream side of the indoor heat exchanger 15, the inside of the indoor unit Ui has a structure in which it is difficult for the user to put his or her hand from the air outlet h4 (fig. 2). In the cooling operation and the dehumidifying operation, a high humidity state continues around the indoor fan 16, and the surface temperature of the indoor fan 16 may be lower than the dew point temperature of the ambient air depending on the conditions. Thus, dew condensation occurs on the surface of the indoor fan 16, dust around the surface adheres due to the dew condensation, and if mold is present in the accumulated dust, the growth of mold is promoted, which may reduce the cleanliness of the indoor fan 16 and promote the adhesion of dust by mold hyphae. Further, dew condensation may occur in the supporting portion 50 and the fan cleaning portion 51 located around the indoor fan 16, and mold and rust may occur.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 5 and the like, at least the surface 50f supporting the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 on the lower side is an inclined surface in the hollow portion 50b in the support portion 50. More specifically, the surface 51f is inclined downward from the support portion 50 toward the elongated hole 50a serving as the outlet of the fan cleaning portion 51. Therefore, the discharge of the moisture accumulated in the hollow portion 50b from the elongated hole 50a is promoted, and the moisture adhering to the hollow portion 50b, the base end portion 51a, and the like is reduced, thereby suppressing the generation of mold and the adhesion of dust. Also, the generation of rust in the case where the support portion 50 is formed of metal can be suppressed.

The outer surface 51d of the base end 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 in the support 50 and the inner surface 50c of the support 50 (inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion 50b) positioned around the outer surface 51d are inclined in a direction in which water flows from the support 50 toward the elongated hole 50a serving as an outlet of the fan cleaning unit 51. This state is achieved at least when the operation of the fan cleaning unit 51 is stopped (the state of fig. 5). Therefore, moisture adhering to the hollow portion 50b, the long hole 50a, and the base end portion 51a is reduced, and problems of mold generation and dust adhesion can be suppressed. Also, the generation of rust in the case where the support portion 50 is formed of metal can be suppressed.

The outer surface 50d of the support portion 50 is inclined at least when the operation of the fan cleaning device 24 is stopped (the state of fig. 5A and 5B). Specifically, in the example of fig. 5A and 5B, the outer shape of the radial cross section of the outer surface 50d of the support portion 50 is substantially circular. Therefore, dew condensation adhering to the outer surface 50d of the support portion 50 can be easily made to flow out. Therefore, the problems of mold generation and dust adhesion in the fan cleaning device 24 can be suppressed. Also, the generation of rust in the case where the support portion 50 is formed of metal can be suppressed. Further, if the outer shape of the radial cross section is substantially circular, the support portion 50 can be less likely to obstruct the flow of air generated by the indoor fan 16 than if the outer shape is complicated.

The support portion 50 includes a through hole 50e that communicates a hollow portion 50b inside the base end portion 51a supporting the fan cleaning portion 51 with the outside of the support portion 50, in addition to the elongated hole 50a serving as the outlet of the fan cleaning portion 51. Therefore, the moisture in the hollow portion 50b can be easily discharged from the through hole 50 e.

In this case, the through hole 50e may be opened upward in the horizontal plane at least when the operation of the fan cleaning device 24 is stopped (the state of fig. 5). This is because, in this case, it is also expected that the moisture in the hollow portion 50b is discharged as steam.

However, in the state of fig. 5, the through hole 50e is preferably inclined downward from the hollow portion 50b supporting the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 toward the outside of the support portion 50. This is because, in this case, the moisture in the hollow portion 50b is easily discharged in a liquid state through the through hole 50e, and the moisture discharging performance is high. In this case, the lower inner surface of the hollow portion 50b is preferably inclined downward toward the through holes 50 e. This is because, in this case, the moisture in the hollow portion 50b easily flows toward the through holes 50e, and the moisture discharge performance can be further improved.

In the case where the state of fig. 6 is achieved at least when the operation of the fan cleaning device 24 is stopped, the configuration of each part needs to be different from that of fig. 5A as needed in order to exhibit the operational effect of the configuration of fig. 5A. For example, as shown in fig. 6, the right side face 50f of the two faces 50f is shown to be inclined more steeply than the example of fig. a 5. In addition, when compared with the example of fig. 5A, the inclination angles of the two through holes 50e shown in fig. 6 are also changed so as to be closer to the longitudinal direction of the fan cleaning unit 51.

As shown in fig. 7, the length b of the portion of the fan cleaning unit 51 not housed in the support portion 50 is longer than the length a of the portion housed in the support portion 50. This is because, even if the above measures are taken, the moisture entering into fan cleaning device 24 cannot be completely prevented. That is, the moisture is retained in the support portion 50, and the length a of the portion where the problem such as mold is likely to occur is shorter than the length b of the portion where the problem is unlikely to occur, so that the problem such as mold is unlikely to occur in the fan cleaning device 24.

As shown in fig. 8, the length α of the portion of the front end side 51b of the fan cleaning unit 51 that overlaps the indoor fan 16 is longer than the gap length β between the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 in the hollow portion 50b of the support portion 50 and the long hole 50a side of the hollow portion 50b, that is, the fan cleaning unit 51 is pressed by the indoor fan 16 and is retracted into the support portion 50 by the gap length β during cleaning of the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning device 24, and if the gap length β is too long, the length α of the portion of the front end side 51b of the fan cleaning unit 51 that overlaps the indoor fan 16 becomes 0 and cleaning becomes impossible, and therefore, the length α of the portion of the front end side 51b of the fan cleaning unit 51 that overlaps the indoor fan 16 is longer than the gap length β between the base end portion 51a of the fan cleaning unit 51 in the hollow portion 50b of the support portion 50 and the long hole 50a side of the hollow portion 50b of the support portion 50.

By rotating the indoor fan 16 in the reverse direction, a slow air flow in the opposite direction to the normal rotation direction (see fig. 4) is generated in the indoor unit Ui (see fig. 2). Therefore, the dust j (fig. 10A) removed from the indoor fan 16 is guided to the dew condensation pan 18 through the gap between the front side indoor heat exchanger 15a and the indoor fan 16 as shown in fig. 10A, and does not face the air outlet h4 (see fig. 2).

More specifically, the dust j (fig. 10A) removed from the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning unit 51 is lightly pressed against the front indoor heat exchanger 15a by wind pressure. The dust j falls down toward the drain pan 18 along the inclined surface (edge of the fin f) of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a (see the arrow in fig. 10A). Therefore, there is substantially no dust j adhering to the rear surface of the up-down wind direction plate 23 (see fig. 2) through a minute gap between the indoor fan 16 and the dew condensation receiving tray 18. This prevents the dust j from being blown out into the room in the next air-conditioning operation.

Further, a part of the dust j removed from the indoor fan 16 may be attached to the front indoor heat exchanger 15a without dropping on the dew condensation receiving pan 18. In this way, the dust j adhering to the front indoor heat exchanger 15a is washed away in the process of step S103 described later.

After the process of step S101 in fig. 9 is completed, the control unit 30 moves the fan cleaning device 24 in step S102. That is, control unit 30 rotates fan cleaning unit 51 by 90 ° about support unit 50 from the state where the distal end surface of fan cleaning unit 51 faces indoor fan 16 (see fig. 10A), and the distal end of fan cleaning unit 51 faces substantially vertically downward (see fig. 10B).

Next, in step S103, the control unit 30 sequentially freezes and unfreezes the indoor heat exchanger 15. First, the control unit 30 causes the indoor heat exchanger 15 to function as an evaporator, and causes the indoor heat exchanger 15 to frost and freeze moisture contained in the air sucked into the indoor unit Ui.

When freezing the indoor heat exchanger 15, the control unit 30 preferably lowers the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 15. That is, when the control unit 30 causes the indoor heat exchanger 15 to function as an evaporator and freezes (adheres to condensed water) the indoor heat exchanger 15, the pressure of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 15 is adjusted so that the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant is lower than that during normal air-conditioning operation.

For example, the controller 30 reduces the opening degree of the expansion valve 14 (see fig. 1) to cause the refrigerant having a low pressure and a low evaporation temperature to flow into the indoor heat exchanger 15. This makes it easy to form frost or ice (symbol i shown in fig. 14B) in the indoor heat exchanger 15, and thus the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be flushed with a large amount of water during later defrosting.

It is preferable that the area of the indoor heat exchanger 15 located below the fan cleaning device 24 is not a downstream area (i.e., an upstream area or a middle flow area) of the flow of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 15. As a result, the low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows at least below (under) the fan cleaning device 24, and the thickness of frost and ice adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be increased. Therefore, in the later defrosting, the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be flushed with a large amount of water.

In addition, dust scraped off from the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning device 24 is likely to adhere to a region of the indoor heat exchanger 15 located below the fan cleaning device 24. Therefore, the low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows through the area of the indoor heat exchanger 15 located below the fan cleaning device 24, and frost and ice are easily formed, and the frost and ice are melted, so that dust in the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be appropriately washed away.

When the indoor heat exchanger 15 is caused to function as an evaporator and the indoor heat exchanger 15 is frozen (condensed water adheres), the control unit 30 preferably closes the up-down wind direction plate 23 (see fig. 2) or raises the angle of the up-down wind direction plate 23 above the horizontal plane. This can suppress leakage of low-temperature air cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 15 into the room, and can freeze or the like the indoor heat exchanger 15 in a comfortable state for the user.

After freezing the indoor heat exchanger 15 in this manner (S103 in fig. 9), the control unit 30 unfreezes the indoor heat exchanger 15 (S103). For example, the control unit 30 maintains the stopped state of each device to naturally thaw the indoor heat exchanger 15 at room temperature. The control unit 30 may melt frost or ice adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 by performing a heating operation or a blowing operation.

Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in defrosting of the indoor heat exchanger 15. By thawing the indoor heat exchanger 15, frost and ice adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 are melted, and a large amount of water w flows down the fin f toward the dew receiving pan 18. This enables the dust j adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 to be washed away during air-conditioning operation.

Along with the cleaning of the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning unit 51, the dust j adhering to the front indoor heat exchanger 15a is also washed away and flows down toward the drain pan 18 (see the arrow in fig. 10B). The water w flowing down to the drain pan 18 in this manner is discharged to the outside through a drain pipe (not shown) together with dust j (see fig. 10A) directly falling to the drain pan 18 during cleaning of the indoor fan 16. During defrosting, a large amount of water flows down from the indoor heat exchanger 15, and thus there is almost no possibility that a drain pipe or the like (not shown) is clogged with dust j.

Note that, although not shown in fig. 9, the control unit 30 may dry the inside of the indoor unit Ui by performing a heating operation or a blowing operation after freezing and thawing the indoor heat exchanger 15 (S103). This can suppress the propagation of bacteria in the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the like.

According to the present embodiment, since the indoor fan 16 is cleaned by the fan cleaning device 24 (S101 in fig. 9), blowing of dust j into the room can be suppressed. Further, since the fan cleaning device 24 is disposed between the front side indoor heat exchanger 15a and the indoor fan 16, the dust j scraped off from the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning unit 51 can be guided to the catch tray 18.

During cleaning of indoor fan 16, controller 30 causes indoor fan 16 to rotate in reverse. This prevents the dust j from traveling toward the air outlet h 4.

That is, if a large amount of dust adheres to the indoor fan 16, the blowing temperature of the air may be lowered during the cooling operation to compensate for the performance degradation of the indoor fan 16, and dew may drop into the room. In contrast, in the present embodiment, as described above, in order to appropriately clean the indoor fan 16, the reduction in the air volume of the indoor fan 16 caused by the adhesion of dust is suppressed. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, dew condensation caused by dust of the indoor fan 16 can be prevented from dropping.

Then, the control unit 30 sequentially freezes and unfreezes the indoor heat exchanger 15 (S103 in fig. 9), thereby flushing the dust j adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 with water w and flowing down the drain pan 18. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the indoor fan 16 can be brought into a clean state, and the indoor heat exchanger 15 can also be brought into a clean state. Therefore, comfortable air conditioning can be performed by the air conditioner 100. Further, the labor and time of the user required to clean the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16, and the cost for maintenance can be reduced.

Example 2

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the fan cleaning device 24A of the air conditioner 100 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 11 also shows the state of the fan cleaning device 24A at least when the operation of the fan cleaning device 24A is stopped, similarly to fig. 5A.

The present embodiment 2 is different from the above embodiment 1 in that the shape of the support portion 50A is different from that of the above support portion 50. Otherwise, the air conditioner 100 of the present embodiment is the same as that of embodiment 1, and common parts and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

The outer shape of the radial cross section of the support portion 50 of embodiment 1 is substantially circular. In contrast, the outer shape of the radial cross section of the support portion 50A of example 2 is formed so as to protrude in the left-right direction and also protrude upward. The lower side also extends vertically downward. In embodiment 2, the outer shape of the radial cross section of the support portion 50A is also inclined when the operation of the fan cleaning unit is stopped.

In embodiment 2 as well, in the state of fig. 11, the base end portion 51a is extended to the left and right. Therefore, in example 2, the wall of the left and right portions of the support portion 50A facing the left and right extensions of the base end portion 51a can be made thick. Therefore, the strength of the support portion 50A that supports the fan cleaning portion 51 can be increased. Further, the wall of the lower portion of the support portion 50A that supports the base end portion 51a and receives the lower force from the fan cleaning portion 51 during cleaning or the like can be made thick. Therefore, in this regard, the strength of the support portion 50A that supports the fan cleaning portion 51 can also be increased.

In embodiment 2, similarly, at least when the operation of the fan cleaning device 24 is stopped, the longitudinal direction of the fan cleaning unit 51 may be inclined as shown in fig. 6. In this case, as in the example of fig. 6, the inclination of the surface 50f and the inclination in the longitudinal direction of the through hole 50e can be made different from those of fig. 11 as needed.

The air conditioner 100 of the present invention has been described above in the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above description, and various modifications are possible.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an indoor unit UAi of an air conditioner according to a modification of the present embodiment. In the modification shown in fig. 16, a groove member M having a concave shape in a vertical sectional view is provided below the front indoor heat exchanger 15 a. Further, a rib 28 extending upward from the bottom surface of the groove member M is provided in the groove member M. In addition, other aspects are the same as the embodiments.

In the groove member M shown in fig. 12, the front portion of the rib 28 functions as a receiving portion 18A for receiving the condensed water of the indoor heat exchanger 15. In the groove member M, the rear portion of the rib 28 functions as a dust receiving portion 29 that receives dust falling from the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16. The dust receiver 29 is disposed below the indoor heat exchanger 15.

Further, below the fan cleaning unit 51, there is the indoor heat exchanger 15 (the lower portion of the front-side indoor heat exchanger 15a) and also the dust receiver 29. More specifically, although not shown, the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the dust receiver 29 are also present below the contact position of the fan cleaning unit 51 and the indoor fan 16 in a state of contact. Such a configuration also provides the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment.

During defrosting of the indoor heat exchanger 15, water flows down to the exposure portion 18A and also flows down to the dust receiving portion 29. Therefore, there is no possibility that discharge of dust accumulated in the dust receiver 29 is hindered.

In the example shown in fig. 12, the upper ends of the ribs 28 do not contact the front side indoor heat exchanger 15a, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the upper end of the rib 28 may contact the front side indoor heat exchanger 15 a.

Fig. 13 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor fan 16 and a fan cleaning device 24B provided in an air conditioner according to another modification of the present embodiment. In the modification shown in fig. 13, the length of the fan cleaning unit 51 in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the indoor fan 16 is shorter than the axial length of the indoor fan 16 itself. This point is different from the fan cleaning unit 51 described above. The pair of shaft support members 24d are members that shaft support both ends of the support 50. During cleaning of the indoor fan 16, the fan cleaning device 24A moves in the axial direction of the indoor fan 16 (the left-right direction when viewed from the front of the indoor unit). That is, the indoor fan 16 is sequentially cleaned in each predetermined area corresponding to the length of the fan cleaning device 24A in the axial direction of the indoor fan 16. By configuring to move the fan cleaning device 24A having a short length in this manner, the manufacturing cost of the air conditioner can be reduced as compared with the above-described embodiment.

Further, a bar (not shown) extending parallel to the support portion 50 may be provided near the fan cleaning device 24A (for example, above the support portion 50), and a predetermined moving mechanism (not shown) may move the fan cleaning device 24A along the bar. After the cleaning of the fan cleaning device 24A, a moving mechanism (not shown) may move the fan cleaning device 24A back and forth from the indoor fan 16 by appropriately rotating or moving the fan cleaning device 24A in parallel.

In the above-described embodiment, the process in which the control unit 30 brings the fan cleaning device 24 into contact with the indoor fan 16 and rotates (reverses) the indoor fan 16 in the direction opposite to the normal air-conditioning operation has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the control unit 30 may rotate the indoor fan 16 in the same direction (forward rotation) as in the normal air-conditioning operation by bringing the fan cleaning device 24 into contact with the indoor fan 16.

By bringing the fan cleaning portion 51 into contact with the indoor fan 16 and rotating the indoor fan 16 in the normal direction in this manner, dust adhering to the vicinity of the tip of the front portion of the fan blade 16a can be effectively removed. Further, since a control circuit and a control program for reversing the indoor fan 16 are not required, the manufacturing cost of the air conditioner 100 can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the description has been given of the structure in which the fan cleaning unit 51 rotates about the support portion 50 of the fan cleaning device 24, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, when cleaning indoor fan 16, control unit 30 may move support unit 50 to the side of indoor fan 16 to bring fan cleaning unit 51 into contact with indoor fan 16. After the cleaning of indoor fan 16 is completed, control unit 30 may move support unit 50 back and move fan cleaning unit 51 away from indoor fan 16.

In the above-described embodiment, the description has been given of the structure in which the region of the indoor heat exchanger 15 located below the fan cleaning device 24 is not the downstream region of the flow of the refrigerant, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the region of the indoor heat exchanger 15 higher than the fan cleaning device 24 may not be a downstream region (i.e., an upstream region or a midstream region) of the flow of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 15. More specifically, in the front indoor heat exchanger 15a, a region located on the downstream side of the flow of air during normal air-conditioning operation, that is, a region having a height higher than the height of the fan cleaning device 24, is preferably not a downstream region of the flow of the refrigerant flowing through the indoor heat exchanger 15. With such a configuration, in the front side indoor heat exchanger 15a, in a region located on the downstream side of the flow of air during normal air-conditioning operation (the right portion of the front side indoor heat exchanger 15a in the drawing sheet shown in fig. 2), that is, a region having a height higher than the fan cleaning device 24, thick frost adheres to the region along with freezing of the indoor heat exchanger 15. Then, when the indoor heat exchanger 15 is thawed later, a large amount of water flows down along the fins f. As a result, dust adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 (including dust removed by the indoor fan 16) can be flushed to the catch pan 18.

In the above embodiment, the process of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 15 by freezing the indoor heat exchanger 15 or the like has been described, but the process is not limited to this. For example, the indoor heat exchanger 15 may be condensed, and the condensed water (condensed water) may be used to clean the indoor heat exchanger 15. For example, the control unit 30 calculates the dew point of the indoor air based on the temperature and the relative humidity of the indoor air. The control unit 30 controls the opening degree and the like of the expansion valve 14 so that the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 15 is equal to or lower than the dew point and higher than a predetermined freezing temperature.

The "freezing temperature" is a temperature at which moisture contained in the indoor air starts to freeze in the indoor heat exchanger 15 when the temperature of the indoor air is lowered. By condensing the indoor heat exchanger 15 in this manner, the dust in the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be washed away with the condensed water (condensed water).

The control unit 30 may perform the cooling operation and the dehumidifying operation to condense water on the indoor heat exchanger 15 and wash the indoor heat exchanger 15 with the condensed water (condensed water).

In the above-described embodiment (see fig. 2), the description has been given of the structure in which the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the leak receiver 18 are located below the fan cleaning device 24, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, at least one of the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the drain pan 18 may be located below the fan cleaning device 24. For example, in a structure in which the lower portion of the indoor heat exchanger 15 having a "<" shape in vertical section extends in the vertical direction, the leak receiver 18 may be present below (directly below) the fan cleaning device 24.

In the embodiment, the description has been given of the configuration in which one indoor unit Ui (see fig. 1) and one outdoor unit Uo (see the drawing) are provided, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, a plurality of indoor units connected in parallel may be provided, and a plurality of outdoor units connected in parallel may be provided.

In the embodiment, the wall-mounted air conditioner 100 is described, but the present invention can also be applied to other types of air conditioners.

The embodiments are described in detail to explain the present invention easily and understandably, and are not limited to having all the configurations described. Further, addition, deletion, and replacement of another configuration can be performed on a part of the configurations of the embodiments.

The above-described mechanisms and structures are illustrative of what is considered necessary for the description, and not restrictive.

Description of the symbols

15-indoor heat exchanger, 16-indoor fan, 50-support, 50 a-slot (outlet), 50 b-hollow (interior), 50 c-inner surface, 50 d-outer surface, 50 e-through hole, 50 f-surface, 51-fan cleaning part, 51 a-base end, 51 b-front end, 51 d-outer surface, 100-air conditioner, a-length of the portion of the fan cleaning part that is housed in the support, b-length of the portion of the fan cleaning part that is not housed in the support, α -length of the portion of the front end of the fan cleaning part that overlaps the indoor fan, β -gap length.

Claims

1. An air conditioner is characterized by comprising:

an indoor heat exchanger;

an indoor fan;

a fan cleaning part for cleaning the indoor fan; and

a supporting part for supporting the base end part of the fan cleaning part,

when the operation of the fan cleaning part is stopped, the surface of the supporting part which supports the base end part of the fan cleaning part at the lower side is inclined.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1,

at least when the operation of the fan cleaning part is stopped, the surface of the supporting part which supports the base end part at the lower side is inclined in a mode that the long hole side through which the fan cleaning part penetrates is at the lower side.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1,

the surface of the outer surface of the support portion, which is positioned above the fan cleaning portion when the operation of the fan cleaning portion is stopped, is inclined.

4. An air conditioner according to claim 3,

the outer shape of the radial cross section of the outer surface of the support portion is substantially circular.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1,

the support portion includes a through hole for communicating the inside of the base end portion supporting the fan cleaning portion with the outside, in addition to the long hole through which the fan cleaning portion passes.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5,

when the operation of the fan cleaning unit is stopped, the through hole is inclined downward from the inside of the base end portion of the support portion supporting the fan cleaning unit toward the outside.

7. An air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2,

the fan cleaning part is longer than the part of the fan cleaning part which is not accommodated in the supporting part.

8. An air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2,

when the indoor fan is cleaned by the fan cleaning part, the length of a part of the front end side of the fan cleaning part, which overlaps the indoor fan, is longer than the length of a gap between the base end part of the fan cleaning part inside the support part and the outlet side of the fan cleaning part inside the support part.

9. An air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2,

the fan cleaning unit is disposed between the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor fan.