EP1980799B1

EP1980799B1 - Slide-type lock device and air-conditioner equipped therewith

Info

Publication number: EP1980799B1
Application number: EP08013609A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masanori Akutsu; Nobuhiro Ogura; Seiichi Koga; Kazuhiko Shimogawara; Jin Yoshida
Original assignee: Advanced Air-Conditioning Research and Development Center Co Ltd; Toshiba Carrier Corp; Sanyo Electric Air Conditioning Co Ltd
Current assignee: Advanced Air-Conditioning Research and Development Center Co Ltd; Toshiba Carrier Corp; Sanyo Electric Air Conditioning Co Ltd
Priority date: 2002-08-30
Filing date: 2003-08-28
Publication date: 2011-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2023-08-28
Also published as: KR100695369B1; EP1548375A1; EP1980795B1; EP1980795A1; KR20050083664A; WO2004020915A1; EP1548375A4; EP1548375B1; EP1980799A1

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a suction grille and an air conditioner comprising the same.

Background Art

There is generally known an in-ceiling type air conditioner in which a lifting lug is provided to the side plate of a housing having an air blower, a heat exchanger, a drain pan, etc. mounted therein and a hanging bolt hung from a beam of the ceiling is fitted in the lifting lug to thereby support the housing while the housing is hung from the beam. At the lower side of the main body (housing) of the indoor unit of the in-ceiling type air conditioner as described above are provided a decorative panel which has an air suction port disposed at the center thereof for sucking indoor air and air blow-out ports disposed on the outer peripheral portion thereof for blowing out air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger into the room and is provided on the ceiling face so as to close the opening portion formed in the ceiling, and a suction grille having a suction port at the center thereof. The suction grille is detachably secured to the decorative panel by hinge joint. Furthermore, flaps for changing the air blow-out direction are provided at the air blow-out ports of the decorative panel, and these flaps are designed so that the position thereof is stepwise changeable by a controller.
In the in-ceiling type air conditioner described above, the lifting lug is fixed to the housing by using plural bolts in order to completely prevent the lifting lug from dropping off the housing. In some type of air conditioners, the housing comprises a so-called top plate composed of a heat-insulating metal plate and bisected side plates composed of heat-insulating metal plates. When fabricating this type of housing, it is general to temporarily tacking the bisected side plates in an annular form and then screw-fixing the side plates to each other and also each side plate to the top plate.
The in-ceiling type air conditioner as described above uses a temporarily tacking manner of equipping temporary tacking pawls extending in the vertical direction to the side plates and temporarily fixing the side plates to each other through the temporarily tacking pawls while sliding the side plates in the vertical direction. However, the construction as described above has problems that it is difficult to carry out a fabrication work of the lifting lug because it is fixed to the housing by using plural bolts, also that when bolts are used, the bolts may come loose, etc. Furthermore, when the side plates are temporarily tacked to each other in the annular form by using temporary tacking pawls extending in the vertical direction while sliding the side plates in the vertical direction, the temporary tacking between the side plates can be easily performed. However, the inner diameter of the annular assembly of the side plates is determined at the temporary tacking stage, and thus when the peripheral edge portion of the bottom plate of the housing is engaged with the inner periphery of the annular assembly of the side plates, a large gap may occur between the inner peripheral portion of the annular assembly and the outer edge portion of the bottom plate or the engagement between them is difficult because they are excessively tightly engaged with each other.
Furthermore, in some type of air conditioners, a slide type lock device to be engagedly fitted to a fitting portion of a decorative panel is equipped to a suction grille so that the suction grille which is detachably joined to the decorative panel through a hinge is fixed to the suction grille. In this type of slide lock device, the suction grille is equipped with a cut-out portion for sliding a slide type lock piece constituting the slide type lock device in a direction perpendicular to the sash bars of the suction grille, and the slide type lock piece is slidably mounted in the cut-out portion. However, in this construction, when the slide type lock piece is detached from the suction grille, the cut-out portion described above remains at the sash bars of the section grille. Therefore, in the case of a suction grille on which a slide type lock piece is required to be mounted, there is no problem because it is inconspicuous. However, in the case of a suction grille on which a slide type lock piece is required to be mounted, the cut-out portion is excessively conspicuous, and thus the slide type lock piece cannot be used in both the grilles.
A further suction grille, according to the preamble of claim 1, for an in-ceiling type air conditioner is disclosed in JP 09 280595 A , wherein a pair of slidable lock pieces provided on the suction grille are engaged with the stopper part of a decorative panel. On the slidable lock piece a pair of lugs are formed for operating the lock piece, which penetrate among the bridges of the suction grille and are protruded to the surface side of the suction grille in the locked state of the suction grille.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of the manufacture, it is preferable for the slide type lock device that the cost is low and the fabrication is easy.
As described above, the flap for changing the airblow-out direction is provided at the air blow-out port of the decorative panel. The flap is automatically positioned by driving a motor under the control of a microcomputer or the like, whereby not only the blow-out position can be fixed, but also a swing operation can be performed. This flap is fixed at any one of plural stages, for example, five stages from F1 to F5, or swung between F1 and F5 to thereby control the air blow-out direction. For example, F1 set the air blow-out direction to the horizontal blow-out direction with respect to the ceiling surface, and F5 sets the air blow-out direction to the vertical blow-out direction with respect to the ceiling surface. F2, F3 and F4 successively set the position of the flap between F1 and F5.
A microcomputer and an AC motor as a flap motor are provided in the indoor unit. The control of the flaps is carried out on the basis of data of a flap motor driving time. The data of the flap motor driving which are owned by the microcomputer are predetermined as default based on the stage of F1 in such a manner that the stage of F2 is set after 3 seconds from F1, the stage of F3 is set after 6 seconds from F1, etc. In a case where the flaps are fixed at any stage from F1 to F5 (for example, F3) during operation of the air conditioner, the flaps start to move until the stage of F1, and after the position of F1 is detected, the flaps are moved on the basis of the flap motor driving time until the stage F3 which is stored in advance by the microcomputer.
In the air conditioner described above, the position of the flap at each stage is predetermined as a default. Accordingly, for example when the stage of F1 is selected during cooling operation, there may be occur such a smudging situation that cold air blown out from the blow-out port flows along the ceiling surface to cool the ceiling surface and induce condensation on the ceiling surface, and duct in the room adheres to the ceiling surface to smudge the ceiling surface. Furthermore, for example when the stage of F3 is selected, cold air blown out from the blow-out port directly impinges against a user's body, and thus the user may have uncomfortable feeling (draft feeling). Furthermore, when a swing operation is carried out on a flap, the flap may be swung to such an angle level that smudge occurs or a draft feeling is induced. That is, predetermined flat control is carried out at any setup place, and thus there is a problem that the flap control cannot be performed in conformity with user's requirements (a requirement of preventing smudge or a requirement of preventing draft feeling).

Summary of the Invention

The present invention has been implemented in view of the foregoing problems, and has the object to solve the problems of the prior art described above and provide a suction grille and an air conditioner in which no cut-out portion remains at the cleats of the suction grille even when a slide type lock piece is detached from a suction grille, and which can be fabricated in low cost.
In order to attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention of the present invention, there is provided a suction grille, according to claim 1 in the above slide type lock device, the boss portion is provided every slide type lock device, and a screw hole in which the screw is inserted is provided substantially at the center of the slide type lock piece.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the slide type lock device, the slide type lock piece is provided with a rib abutting against the guide.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner comprising a suction grille, according to claim 4.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the suction grille of the indoor unit is opened.
Fig. 3 is a front view showing the surrounding portion of a slide type lock device of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the surrounding portion of the slide type lock device.
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the slide type lock piece.

Best Modes for Carrying out the Invention

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The following embodiments will be described by applying the present invention to a case where a four-direction ceiling cassette type air conditioner, however, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5.
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an air conditioner 150 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner 150 of this embodiment has a main body 202 formed of sheet metal and a suction port 203 which are disposed at the center thereof, blow-out ports 204 at the four sides of the outer peripheral portion thereof, a decorative panel 207 provided on the ceiling surface 206 so as to close the ceiling opening 205, and a suction grille 209 having a suction port 208 at the center thereof. The air conditioner is further equipped with an air blower 110, and the air blower 110 has a turbo fan 111 and a fan motor 113 secured to the top plate 112.
Here, a nozzle port 114 guides air from the suction port 208 to the turbo fan 111. A drain pan 115 has an inner boss portion 115a and an outer boss portion 115b, and formed of formed styrol in a squarish annular form. A plate fin type heat exchanger 116 is annularly disposed at the discharge side of the turbo fan 111 so as to surround the fan 111. A heat-insulating member 117 is wound around the main body 202, and an air guide portion 121 guides air heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger 116 to a heat exchanger 116. Furthermore, hanging bolts 122 hang the main body 202 from the ceiling beams by hanging tools 123. Furthermore, a filter 124 for cleaning air is secured at the downstream side of the suction grille.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the suction grille 209 is opened.
As shown in Fig. 2, the suction grille 209 is secured to one side of the decorative panel 207 through a hinge 125 so as to be freely opened and closed. The filter 124 is detachably mounted on the suction grille 209 while the filter 124 is pressed by a filter pressing member 127.
In the air conditioner 150, the suction grille 209 is opened/closed every time the filter 124 is subjected to maintenance or the like.
In this embodiment, the suction grille 209 is turned through the hinge 125, and when the suction grille 209 is closed, a slide type lock piece 101 constituting each of a pair of slide type lock devices 100 provided to the suction grille 209 is engagedly fitted in a fitting portion (hole) 135 of the decorative panel 207, whereby the suction grille 209 is fixed to the decorative panel 207.
Fig. 3 is a front view showing the surrounding portion of the slide type lock device. Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing the surrounding portion of the slide type lock device. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a slide type lock piece.
The slide type lock piece 101 constituting the slide type lock device 100 is designed to be slidable in the direction of an arrow A along the gap between the cleats 209a of the suction grille 209 as shown in Fig. 3.
Here, the securing state of the slide type lock device 100 to the suction grille 9 will be described.
A boss portion 102 is integrally formed on the back side of the suction grille 209. The slide type lock piece 101 is slidably fixed to the boss portion 102 through a washer 103 by a screw 105.
The slide type lock piece 101 is formed of resin so as to have a substantially rectangular shape. An elongated screw hole 101a is formed substantially at the center portion of the slide type lock piece 101.
A finger grip portion 106 which is used by an operator when the slide type lock piece 101 is slid in the direction of the arrow A is erectly provided on the lower surface of the slide type lock piece 101 so as to project from a finger grip hole 209c of the suction grille downwardly.
Furthermore, a sagging piece 101c having a free end 101b at one end thereof is formed at each of both the sides of the slide piece lock piece 101.
Furthermore, a lib 107 which abuts against the cleat 209a of the suction grille 209 when the slide type lock piece 101 is slid is formed at each of the non-formation portions of both the sides of the slide type lock piece 101 at which the sagging piece 101c is not formed.
Fitting projections 101d which can be fitted in fitting notches 209b formed in the cleats 209a of the suction grille 209 are provided to the free ends 101b of the sagging pieces 101c.
Each sagging piece 101c sags when the operator grips the finger grip portion 106 and slides the slide type lock piece 101 in the direction of the arrow A from the state of Fig. 3. Accordingly, the fitting projections 101d fitted in the fitting notches 20b at the periphery side of the suction grille 20 climb over the side walls of the fitting notches 209b, and abut against the cleats 209a of the suction grille 209. When the slide type lock piece 110 is further slid in the direction of the arrow A, the fitting projections 101d are fitted in the notches 209b at the center side of the suction grille 209 by the elastic force of the sagging piece 101c again. At this time, click sound occurs, and the operator achieves a so-called operating click feeling.
It is preferable that the slide type lock pieces 101 are fixed to prevent the suction grille 209 from being erroneously opened when the air conditioner is carried. Therefore, the slide type lock pieces 101 are provided with fixing screw holes (not shown) and the slide type lock pieces 101 are firmly fixed to the suction grille 209 by fixing screws (not shown) while the slide type lock pieces 101 are projected. Accordingly, there can be beforehand prevented such a trouble that the slide type lock pieces 101 creep out from the fitting portions (holes) 135 of the decorative panel 7 when the air conditioner is carried.
According to this embodiment, the slide type lock pieces 101 may be merely fixed to the boss portions 102 by using the washers 103 and the screws 105. Therefore, it is unnecessary to use a so-called special part, and the number of parts can be reduced to the required minimum number, so that the manufacturing cost and the manufacturing labor can be reduced.
Furthermore, the sagging pieces 101c for bringing the operator with the operating click feeling are provided to the sides of the slide lock pieces 101c, so that the thickness of the slide type lock device 100 can be reduced and thus it can be designed to be thin.
Still furthermore, no cut-out portion is provided to the cleat 209a of the suction grille 209, and thus even when the slide type lock device 100 is detached from the suction grille 209, no cut-out portion occurs in the cheat 209 of the suction grille 209. Therefore, even when it is unnecessary tomount the slide type lock device 100, the same type of suction grille 9 can be used.

Industrial Applicability

According to the air conditioner of the present invention, the number of parts of the slide type lock device can be minimized, and the fabrication can be easily performed, so that the manufacturing cost and the manufacturing labor can be reduced.

Claims

A suction grille (209) with a slide type lock device slidable along a guide (209a) formed in the suction grille (209) which is detachably secured to a decorative panel (7) so that a part thereof can be projected from the side surface of the suction grille into a fitting portion of the decorative panel, characterized by comprising:
a slide type lock piece (101) slidably mounted on a boss portion (102) formed in the suction grille through a screw (105);

a sagging piece (101c) formed at a side of the slide type lock piece (101);

and an engaging projection which is engaged with a free end of the sagging piece (101c).
The suction grille according to claim 1, wherein the boss portion (102) is provided every slide type lock device, and a screw hole in which the screw (105) is inserted is provided substantially at the center of the slide type lock piece (101).
The suction grille according to claim 1, wherein the slide type lock piece (101) is provided with a rib (107) abutting against the guide.
An air conditioner, comprising a suction grille as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a part of the slide type lock piece (101) is fitted to a fitting portion (135) of the decorative panel (7).
The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the guide is formed as a cleat (209a) of the suction grille.