EP2267374A1

EP2267374A1 - Air conditioner

Info

Publication number: EP2267374A1
Application number: EP09714381A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Katsunori Murata; Sachiko Matsumoto; Hideki Sangenya; Takeo Hama; Koji Kimoto; Tetsuji Inoue
Original assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Priority date: 2008-02-27
Filing date: 2009-01-30
Publication date: 2010-12-29
Also published as: JP4433091B2; JP2009229054A; WO2009107452A1; EP2267374A4; JP2009236481A

Abstract

The provision of an air conditioner that can realize, with one air supply unit, supply of air to the insides of plural rooms. An air conditioner (1) is equipped with a first indoor unit (2a), a second indoor unit (2b), and a humidifying unit (4). The first indoor unit (2a) is placed inside a first room (1a). The second indoor unit (2b) is placed inside a second room (1b). The humidifying unit (4) has a first air suction and discharge hose (6a), a second air suction and discharge hose (6b), and a humidifying unit body (6). The first air suction and discharge hose (6a) is connected to the first indoor unit (2a). The second air suction and discharge hose (6b) is connected to the second indoor unit (2b). The humidifying unit body (6) is capable of supplying outdoor air to the first indoor unit (2a) via the first air suction and discharge hose (6a). The humidifying unit body (6) is also capable of supplying outdoor air to the second indoor unit (2b) via the second air suction and discharge hose (6b).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an air conditioner that has the function of supplying outdoor air to the inside of a room.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, there have been air conditioners equipped with an air supply unit that supplies outdoor air to the inside of a room. For example, the air conditioner disclosed in patent document 1 ( JP-A No. 2006-10307 ) is equipped with an air supply unit that has a humidifying function. This air supply unit can humidify outdoor air and supply the outdoor air it has humidified to the inside of a room. Thus, this air conditioner can humidify the inside of a room.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

However, the air conditioner disclosed in patent document 1 is configured such that one air supply unit is disposed with respect to one room. For this reason, when supplying outdoor air to the insides of plural rooms, the air conditioner must be equipped with plural air supply units.
Thus, it is a problem of the present invention to provide an air conditioner that can realize, with one air supply unit, supply of air to the insides of plural rooms.

An air conditioner pertaining to a first aspect of the invention comprises a first indoor unit, a second indoor unit, and an air supply unit. The first indoor unit is placed inside a first room. The second indoor unit is placed inside a second room. The air supply unit has a first pipe, a second pipe, and an air supply unit body. The first pipe is connected to the first indoor unit. The second pipe is connected to the second indoor unit. The air supply unit body is capable of supplying outdoor air to the first indoor unit via the first pipe. The air supply unit body is also capable of supplying outdoor air to the second indoor unit via the second pipe.
The air conditioner pertaining to the first aspect of the invention is equipped with the air supply unit that has the first pipe, the second pipe, and the air supply unit body. For this reason, outdoor air can be supplied to the first indoor unit via the first pipe and outdoor air can be supplied to the second indoor unit via the second pipe.
Thus, supply of air to the insides of plural rooms can be realized with one air supply unit.
An air conditioner pertaining to a second aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a switching unit. The switching unit switches the state of connection to the first pipe and the second pipe such that outdoor air is supplied to the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit. For this reason, outdoor air can be supplied to the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit.
An air conditioner pertaining to a third aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a third pipe. An opening for taking in outdoor air is formed in the third pipe. Further, the switching unit has a partition member. The partition member is capable of partitioning a first space inside the first pipe and a second space inside the second pipe such that a third space inside the third pipe is communicated with at least either one of the first space and the second space. For this reason, for example, when the first space is partitioned by the partition member, the third space becomes communicated with the second space. Further, when the second space is partitioned by the partition member, the third space becomes communicated with the first space.
Thus, the state of connection between the third pipe and at least either one of the first pipe and the second pipe can be switched.
An air conditioner pertaining to a fourth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the third aspect of the invention, wherein pipes of a diameter smaller than the diameter of the third pipe are used for the first pipe and the second pipe. For this reason, for example, pressure loss inside the third pipe can be reduced in comparison to when pipes of a diameter larger than the diameter of the third pipe are used for the first pipe and the second pipe.
An air conditioner pertaining to a fifth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the third or fourth aspect of the invention, further comprising a control unit. The control unit performs control that causes the partition member to slide such that the third space is communicated with at least either one of the first space and the second space. For this reason, in this air conditioner, the switching of the switching unit can be performed by causing the partition member to slide.
An air conditioner pertaining to a sixth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the third or fourth aspect of the invention, further comprising a control unit. The control unit performs control that causes the partition member to rotate such that the third space is communicated with at least either one of the first space and the second space. For this reason, in this air conditioner, the switching of the switching unit can be performed by causing the partition member to rotate.
An air conditioner pertaining to a seventh aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the fifth or sixth aspect of the invention, wherein the control unit is capable of causing the third space to be communicated with the first space and the second space at the same time by performing the control. For this reason, outdoor air can be supplied at the same time to the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit.
Thus, air can be supplied at the same time to the insides of plural rooms.
An air conditioner pertaining to an eighth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to any of the third to seventh aspects of the invention, wherein the air supply unit can discharge air inside the first room and inside the second room to outdoors via the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe. For this reason, in this air conditioner, air inside the rooms can be discharged to outdoors.
An air conditioner pertaining to a ninth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to any of the fifth to eighth aspects of the invention, wherein the control unit is capable of adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through the inside of the first pipe and the inside of the second pipe by performing the control. For this reason, the amount of air supplied to each indoor unit can be adjusted.
An air conditioner pertaining to a tenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a duct. An air intake port for taking in outdoor air is formed in the duct. The switching unit has a shielding mechanism. The shielding mechanism is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe. Further, the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member, a first valve body, a second valve body, a first energizing member, and a second energizing member. A first opening and a second opening are formed in the flow path forming member. The first opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes. The second opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes. The first valve body moves toward or away from the first opening by moving in a direction intersecting a surface of the flow path forming member. The second valve body moves toward or away from the second opening by moving in a direction intersecting the surface of the flow path forming member. The first energizing member is an elastically deformable member and energizes the first valve body such that the first valve body blocks the first opening when the first valve body has moved toward the first opening. The second energizing member is an elastically deformable member and energizes the second valve body such that the second valve body blocks the second opening when the second valve body has moved toward the second opening.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the tenth aspect of the invention, the first valve body is energized by the first energizing member when the first valve body has moved toward the first opening. Further, the second valve body is energized by the second energizing member when the second valve body has moved toward the second opening. For this reason, for example, the first valve body and the second valve body can be pressed against the first opening and the second opening in comparison to when the openings are blocked by only the movement of the valve bodies.
Thus, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
Further, for example, when the first energizing member and the second energizing member include members made of resin or members made of rubber, the first valve body and the second valve body can be energized by the first energizing member and the second energizing member. Moreover, for example, when the first energizing member including a member made of resin or a member made of rubber is placed so as to cover at least part of the opening near-side end portion, which is the end portion of the end portions of the first valve body on the side near the first opening, and a space is disposed between the first energizing member and the opening near-side end portion of the first valve body, the first valve body moves toward the first opening such that the first energizing member contacts the first opening, and thereafter the shape of the first energizing member deforms as a result of the first valve body moving further toward the first opening. Consequently, for example, the fear that a gap will arise between the first opening and the first valve body can be reduced in comparison to when the opening is blocked by only the valve body. Further, for example, when the second energizing member including a member made of resin or a member made of rubber is placed so as to cover at least part of the opening near-side end portion, which is the end portion of the end portions of the second valve body on the side near the second opening, and a space is disposed between the second energizing member and the opening near-side end portion of the second valve body, the second valve body moves toward the second opening such that the second energizing member contacts the second opening, and thereafter the shape of the second energizing member deforms as a result of the second valve body moving further toward the second opening. Consequently, for example, the fear that a gap will arise between the second opening and the second valve body can be reduced in comparison to when the opening is blocked by only the valve body.
Further, when the shielding mechanism has a moving mechanism that is capable of causing the first valve body and the second valve body to move in a direction intersecting the surface of the flow path forming member, the first energizing member and the second energizing member can be elastically deformed by the moving mechanism. Moreover, when the first energizing member and the second energizing member include spring members, the first valve body and the second valve body can be energized by the spring members. Further, for example, when the spring members included in the first energizing member and the second energizing member become most compressed when they are energizing the first valve body and the second valve body such that the first opening and the second opening are blocked, the first valve body and the second valve body can be energized by the most-compressed spring members.
An air conditioner pertaining to an eleventh aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a duct. An air intake port for taking in outdoor air is formed in the duct. The switching unit has a shielding mechanism. The shielding mechanism is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe. Further, the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member, a first valve body, and a second valve body. A first opening and a second opening are formed in the flow path forming member. The first opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes. The second opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes. The first valve body is capable of opening and closing the first opening by moving linearly in a direction intersecting a surface of the flow path forming member. The second valve body is capable of opening and closing the second opening by moving linearly in a direction intersecting the surface of the flow path forming member.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the eleventh aspect of the invention, the first valve body and the second valve body open and close the first opening and the second opening by moving linearly. For this reason, for example, the fear that gaps will arise between the flow path forming member and the first valve body and between the flow path forming member and the second valve body when the first opening and the second opening have been closed by the first valve body and the second valve body can be reduced in comparison to a shielding mechanism where the openings are closed as a result of the valve bodies sliding.
Thus, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
An air conditioner pertaining to a twelfth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the eleventh aspect of the invention, wherein the shielding mechanism further includes a drive portion and converting mechanisms. The converting mechanisms convert rotational force transmitted from the drive portion into linear moving force and transmit the linear moving force to the first valve body and the second valve body. For this reason, rotational motion can be converted into linear motion, and the linear motion can be transmitted to the first valve body and the second valve body. Further, for example, when the converting mechanisms are cam mechanisms and have circular cylinder-shaped cams whose centerlines coincide with the central axes of movement of the valve bodies, the first valve body and the second valve body can be moved linearly by the circular cylinder-shaped cams. Moreover, for example, when the cam mechanisms have slanted cam surfaces, the first valve body and the second valve body can be moved smoothly.
An air conditioner pertaining to a thirteenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a duct. An air intake port for taking in outdoor air is formed in the duct. The switching unit has a shielding mechanism. The shielding mechanism is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe. Further, the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member, a first valve body, a second valve body, and a valve body drive portion. A first opening and a second opening are formed in the flow path forming member. The first opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes. The second opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes. The first valve body is capable of closing the first opening. The second valve body is capable of closing the second opening. The valve body drive portion utilizes rotational force transmitted from one motor to synchronously drive the first valve body and the second valve body.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the thirteenth aspect of the invention, the rotational force transmitted from the one motor can be utilized to synchronously drive the first valve body and the second valve body. For this reason, the first opening and the second opening can be closed by the one motor. Consequently, circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe can be shielded.
Thus, plural air flow paths can be shielded without increasing the number of parts in comparison to when one motor is used to drive one valve body.
An air conditioner pertaining to a fourteenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the thirteenth aspect of the invention, wherein the valve body drive portion includes converting mechanisms. The converting mechanisms convert the rotational force transmitted from the motor into linear moving force and transmit the linear moving force to the first valve body and the second valve body. For this reason, the valve body drive portion can linearly drive the first valve body and the second valve body.
An air conditioner pertaining to a fifteenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect of the invention, further comprising a control unit that controls the driving of the motor. The control unit switches between a first state and a second state by controlling the driving of the motor. The first state is a state where the first opening is opened and the second opening is closed. The second state is a state where the first opening is closed and the second opening is opened. For this reason, either one of the first opening and the second opening can be placed in an opened state. Further, for example, when the control unit can further switch to a third state where the first opening and the second opening are closed by controlling the driving of the motor, the first opening and the second opening can be closed at the same time. Consequently, circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the second pipe can be shielded.
Further, for example, when the shielding mechanism has a detection component that is capable of detecting whether or not the first opening or the second opening is open, the fact that the first opening or the second opening is open can be detected. Moreover, for example, when the control unit can judge whether the state is the first state or not or the second state or not on the basis of the direction of rotation of the motor and the result of detection by the detection component, whether air is circulating inside either of the first pipe and the second pipe can be judged.
An air conditioner pertaining to a sixteenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a duct. An air intake port for taking in outdoor air is formed in the duct. The switching unit has a shielding mechanism. The shielding mechanism is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe. Further, the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member, valve bodies, and valve body moving mechanisms. A first opening and a second opening are formed in the flow path forming member. The first opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes. The second opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes. The valve bodies are capable of opening and closing the first opening and the second opening by moving linearly in a direction intersecting a surface of the flow path forming member. The valve body moving mechanisms have rotating members driven to rotate by a drive source. Further, the valve body moving mechanisms are capable of converting the rotation of the rotating members into linear motion to cause the valve bodies to move such that the first opening and the second opening are opened and closed. Moreover, the valve body moving mechanisms are configured such that the first opening and the second opening are closed by the valve bodies when rotation reference positions are inside a predetermined region occupying a predetermined angular range of the rotating members as a result of the rotating members rotating.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the sixteenth aspect of the invention, when the rotation reference positions are inside the predetermined region of the rotating members, the first opening and the second opening are shielded by the valve bodies. For this reason, for example, the fear that the first opening and the second opening will not be shielded can be reduced in comparison to when the valve body moving mechanisms are configured such that the openings are shielded by the valve bodies only when the rotation reference positions and a predetermined position of the rotating members coincide.
Thus, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
The rotation reference positions are positions that do not fluctuate depending on the rotation of the rotating members.
An air conditioner pertaining to a seventeenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the sixteenth aspect of the invention, further comprising detecting means that detects that the valve bodies are in a predetermined first position. Further, the drive source is a stepping motor. Moreover, the drive source drives the rotating members to rotate such that the rotation reference positions enter the predetermined region of the rotating members in response to a supplied number of pulses from the predetermined first position or a predetermined second position. The predetermined second position is a position that is near the predetermined first position and decided on the basis of the predetermined first position. The valve body moving mechanisms cause the valve bodies to move to a shielding position from the predetermined first position or the predetermined second position as a result of the rotating members being driven to rotate in response to the supplied number of pulses by the stepping motor. The shielding position is a position where the first opening and the second opening are closed by the valve bodies.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the seventeenth aspect of the invention, the valve bodies move to the shielding position from the predetermined first position or the predetermined second position as a result of the stepping motor rotating the rotating members in response to the supplied number of pulses. For this reason, even when the drive source is a stepping motor that rotates in response to a supplied number of pulses, the valve bodies can be moved to the shielding position when the rotation reference positions are inside the predetermined region of the rotating members.
Thus, the fear that the first opening and the second opening will not be shielded can be reduced.
The supplied number of pulses is a number of pulses supplied to the motor.
An air conditioner pertaining to an eighteenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a duct. An air intake port for taking in outdoor air is formed in the duct. The switching unit has a shielding mechanism. The shielding mechanism is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe. Further, the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member, a first valve body, a second valve body, and valve body moving mechanisms. A first opening and a second opening are formed in the flow path forming member. The first opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes. The second opening is an opening through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes. The first valve body is capable of closing the first opening. The second valve body is capable of closing the second opening. The valve body moving mechanisms have rotating members driven to rotate by one forwardly and reversely rotatable motor. Further, the valve body moving mechanisms are capable of converting the rotation of the rotating members into linear motion to cause the first valve body and the second valve body to move such that the first opening and the second opening are opened and closed. Moreover, the valve body moving mechanisms are capable of causing the first valve body and the second valve body to move so as to be placed in a first state, a second state, or a third state. The first state is a state where the first opening is opened and the second opening is closed. The second state is a state where the first opening is closed and the second opening is opened. The third state is a state where the first opening and the second opening are closed. Further, the valve body moving mechanisms are configured such that the first valve body and the second valve body are placed in the third state when rotation reference positions are inside a predetermined region occupying a predetermined angular range of the rotating members as a result of the rotating members rotating.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the eighteenth aspect of the invention, the first valve body and the second valve body are placed in the third state when the rotation reference positions are inside the predetermined region of the rotating members. For this reason, when the rotation reference positions are inside the predetermined region of the rotating members, the valve bodies can be moved such that the first opening and the second opening are closed. For this reason, for example, even when the motor is a motor that forwardly and reversely rotates in response to a supplied number of pulses, the first opening and the second opening can be closed by rotating the rotating members such that the rotation reference positions enter the predetermined region.
Thus, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
An air conditioner pertaining to a nineteenth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to any of the second to eighteenth aspects of the invention, wherein the switching unit is built inside the air supply unit body. For this reason, work to install the switching unit separately from the air supply unit body can be eliminated.
An air conditioner pertaining to a twentieth aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to any of the second to nineteenth aspects of the invention, wherein the switching unit is placed outside the air supply unit body. For this reason, the size of the air supply unit can be made smaller in comparison to when the switching unit is placed inside the air supply unit body.
An air conditioner pertaining to a twenty-first aspect of the invention is the air conditioner pertaining to any of the first to twentieth aspects of the invention, wherein the air supply unit further has a humidifying portion. The humidifying portion is capable of humidifying air that has been taken in from outdoors.
Thus, humidified air can be supplied to the insides of the rooms.

In the air conditioner pertaining to the first aspect of the invention, supply of air to the insides of plural rooms can be realized with one air supply unit.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, outdoor air can be supplied to the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the third aspect of the invention, the state of connection between the third pipe and at least either one of the first pipe and the second pipe can be switched.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the fourth aspect of the invention, pressure loss inside the third pipe can be reduced.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the fifth aspect of the invention, the switching of the switching unit can be performed by causing the partition member to slide.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the sixth aspect of the invention, the switching of the switching unit can be performed by causing the partition member to rotate.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the seventh aspect of the invention, air can be supplied at the same time to the insides of plural rooms.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the eighth aspect of the invention, air inside the rooms can be discharged to outdoors.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the ninth aspect of the invention, the amount of air supplied to each indoor unit can be adjusted.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the tenth aspect of the invention, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the eleventh aspect of the invention, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the twelfth aspect of the invention, rotational motion can be converted into linear motion and the linear motion can be transmitted to the first valve body and the second valve body.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the thirteenth aspect of the invention, plural air flow paths can be shielded without increasing the number of parts.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the fourteenth aspect of the invention, the first valve body and the second valve body can be linearly driven.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the fifteenth aspect of the invention, either one of the first opening and the second opening can be placed in an opened state.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the sixteenth aspect of the invention, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the seventeenth aspect of the invention, the fear that the first opening and the second opening will not be shielded can be reduced.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the eighteenth aspect of the invention, the fear that air will leak from gaps in the shielding mechanism can be reduced.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the nineteenth aspect of the invention, work to install the switching unit separately from the air supply unit body can be eliminated.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the twentieth aspect of the invention, the size of the air supply unit can be made smaller.
In the air conditioner pertaining to the twenty-first aspect of the invention, humidified air can be supplied to the insides of the rooms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a general refrigerant circuit diagram of an air conditioner pertaining to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the air conditioner pertaining to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective diagram of an outdoor unit.
FIG. 4(a) to FIG. 4(c) are diagrams showing a reactor fixed to a partition plate, with FIG. 4(a) being a front diagram, FIG. 4(b) being a left side diagram, and FIG. 4(c) being a right side diagram.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a reactor fixing plate being inserted into cut-and-raised portions of the partition plate.
FIG. 6(a) and FIG. 6(b) are diagrams showing a modification of a third cut-and-raised portion, with FIG. 6(a) being a front diagram and FIG. 6(b) being a left side diagram.
FIG. 7(a) is a plan diagram of an air flow path switching unit in a first state, FIG. 7(b) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air supply (corresponding to a cross section taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 7(a)), and FIG. 7(c) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air discharge (corresponding to a cross section taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 7(a)).
FIG. 8(a) is a plan diagram of the air flow path switching unit in a second state, FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air supply (corresponding to a cross section taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 8(a)), and FIG. 8(c) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air discharge (corresponding to a cross section taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 8(a)).
FIG. 9(a) is a plan diagram of the air flow path switching unit in a third state, FIG. 9(b) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air supply (corresponding to a cross section taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 9(a)), and FIG. 9(c) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air discharge (corresponding to a cross section taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 9(a)).
FIG. 10 is a control block diagram of a control unit with which the air conditioner pertaining to the first embodiment of the present invention is equipped.
FIG. 11 is a general refrigerant circuit diagram of an air conditioner pertaining to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of the air conditioner pertaining to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13(a) is a plan diagram of an air flow path switching unit in a first state, FIG. 13(b) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air supply (corresponding to a cross section taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 13(a)), and FIG. 13(c) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air discharge (corresponding to a cross section taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 13(a)).
FIG. 14(a) is a plan diagram of the air flow path switching unit in a second state, FIG. 14(b) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air supply (corresponding to a cross section taken along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 14(a)), and FIG. 14(c) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air discharge (corresponding to a cross section taken along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 14(a)).
FIG. 15(a) is a plan diagram of the air flow path switching unit in a third state, FIG. 15(b) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air supply (corresponding to a cross section taken along line XV XV of FIG. 15(a)), and FIG. 15(c) is a cross-sectional diagram showing a flow of air during air discharge (corresponding to a cross section taken along line XV-XV of FIG. 15(a)).
FIG. 16 is a control block diagram of a control unit with which the air conditioner pertaining to the second embodiment of the present invention is equipped.
FIG. 17 is a general refrigerant diagram of an air conditioner pertaining to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram of the air conditioner pertaining to the third embodiment.
FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective diagram of a humidifying unit.
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional diagram of an air flow path switching unit when the air flow path switching unit is in a second state.
FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective diagram of a shielding portion.
FIG. 22(a) is a plan diagram of a gear in a circular cylinder cam portion and FIG. 22(b) is a side diagram showing the gear as seen from the direction of arrow K1 of FIG. 22(a).
FIG. 23 (a) is a plane developed diagram showing a drive cam in the circular cylinder cam portion in a state where the drive cam has been developed on a plane and FIG. 23 (b) is a plane developed diagram showing a state where a gear-side cam portion in the circular cylinder cam portion has been developed on a plane.
FIG. 24(a) is a plan diagram of the drive cam in the circular cylinder cam portion and FIG. 24(b) is a side diagram showing the drive cam as seen from the direction of arrow K2 of FIG. 24(a).
FIG. 25 is a plane developed diagram showing the circular cylinder cam portion in a state where the circular cylinder cam portion has been developed on a plane.
FIG. 26 is a general diagram showing the relationship between the circular cylinder cam portion and a cam groove.
FIG. 27(a) is a diagram showing a state where a valve body is opening an opening, FIG. 27(b) is a diagram showing a state where the valve body is contacting the opening, and FIG. 27(c) is a diagram showing a state where the valve body is deformed by the opening.
FIG. 28 is a plan diagram of the shielding portion (cover not shown).
FIG. 29 is a plan diagram of a cover.
FIG. 30(a) is a cross-sectional diagram of the cover (corresponding to a cross section taken along line XXX(a)-XXX(a) of FIG. 29) and FIG. 30(b) is a side diagram of the cover showing the cover as sectioned by line XXX(b)-XXX(b) of FIG. 29 and as seen from the direction of arrow K3 of FIG. 29.
FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional diagram of the air flow path switching unit when the air flow path switching unit is in a first state.
FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional diagram of the air flow path switching unit when the air flow path switching unit is in a third state.
FIG. 33(a) is a general diagram showing the positions of the cam grooves and the positions of tongue portions in the circular cylinder cam portion when the shielding portion is seen in a plan view and FIG. 33(b) is a general diagram showing the positions of the valve bodies when the rotational positions of the circular cylinder cam portions are in the positions shown in FIG. 33(a).
FIG. 34(a) is a general diagram showing the positions of the cam grooves and the positions of the tongue portions in the circular cylinder cam portions when the shielding portion is seen in a plan view and FIG. 34(b) is a general diagram showing the positions of the valve bodies when the rotational positions of the circular cylinder cam portions are in the positions shown in FIG. 34(a).
FIG. 35(a) is a general diagram showing the positions of the cam grooves and the positions of the tongue portions in the circular cylinder cam portions when the shielding portion is seen in a plan view and FIG. 35(b) is a general diagram showing the positions of the valve bodies when the rotational positions of the circular cylinder cam portions are in the positions shown in FIG. 35(a).
FIG. 36 is an enlarged diagram of a guide plate in a state where the guide plate is attached to a shaft.
FIG. 37 is a control block diagram of a control unit.
FIG. 38 is a diagram showing the relationship between the states of the air flow path switching unit and the valve bodies and the cam grooves.

BEST MODES FOR CURRYING OUT THE INVENTION

-First Embodiment-

An air conditioner 1 pertaining to a first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, this air conditioner 1 is a multi-type air conditioner where one outdoor unit 3 and two indoor units 2a and 2b are connected in parallel by refrigerant pipes. Further, this air conditioner 1 can perform operations such as a normal operation including a cooling operation and a heating operation, a humidifying operation, an air supplying operation, and an air discharging operation. The outdoor unit 3 is equipped with an outdoor air conditioning unit 5, which houses inside an outdoor heat exchanger 24 and an outdoor fan 29, and a humidifying unit 4. Inside the indoor units 2a and 2b, there are housed indoor heat exchangers 11a and 11b. Further, between the humidifying unit 4 and the indoor units 2a and 2b, there are disposed air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b that are capable of allowing the inside space of the humidifying unit 4 to be communicated with the inside spaces of the indoor units 2a and 2b. The air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b are configured by outdoor ducts 8a and 8b, which are placed outdoors, and indoor ducts 9a and 9b, which are placed indoors.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first indoor unit 2a is a wall-mounted indoor unit that is placed inside a first room 1 a and installed on a wall surface or the like of the first room 1a. Further, the second indoor unit 2b is a wall-mounted indoor unit that is placed inside a second room 1b and, like the first indoor unit 2a, installed on a wall surface or the like of the second room 1b. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the first indoor unit 2a and the second indoor unit 2b are connected to the outdoor unit 3 via refrigerant pipes.
Next, the configuration of the first indoor unit 2a will be described. The first indoor unit 2a and the second indoor unit 2b have the same configuration, so here only the configuration of the first indoor unit 2a will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, inside the first indoor unit 2a, there are housed a first indoor fan 12a and the first indoor heat exchanger 11a mentioned above.
The first indoor heat exchanger 11a comprises heat transfer tubes folded back several times at both lengthwise direction ends and plural fins inserted through the heat transfer tubes, and the first indoor heat exchanger 11a performs heat exchange with air coming into contact with it.
The first indoor fan 12a is configured in a circular cylinder shape, and blades are disposed on the peripheral surface of the first indoor fan 12a in the axis-of-rotation direction. The first indoor fan 12a generates an air flow in a direction intersecting the axis of rotation as a result of being driven to rotate. The first indoor fan 12a causes the air inside the first room 1a to be sucked inside the first indoor unit 2a and causes the air after heat exchange has been performed with the first indoor heat exchanger 11a to be blown out inside the first room 1a.
Further, inside the first indoor unit 2a, there is placed the first indoor duct 9a that is part of the first air suction and discharge hose 6a. An opening is disposed in the first indoor duct 9a, and this opening is placed in a position facing the surface of the first indoor heat exchanger 11a. The specific position of the opening is on the downstream side of an air intake port disposed in the upper portion of the first indoor unit 2a and on the upstream side of the first indoor heat exchanger 11a in a state where the first indoor fan 12a is rotating and the air flow is being generated.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the outdoor unit 3 is configured by the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 in the lower portion and the humidifying unit 4 in the upper portion. For this reason, in this outdoor unit 3, the power sources of the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 and the humidifying unit 4 can be unified.
As shown in FIG. 3, the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 has an outdoor unit casing 43. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, inside the outdoor unit casing 43, there are housed a compressor 21, a four-way switching valve 22 that is connected to the discharge side of the compressor 21, an accumulator 23 that is connected to the suction side of the compressor 21, the outdoor heat exchanger 24 that is connected to the four-way switching valve 22, and outdoor expansion valves 25a and 25b that are connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 24. The outdoor expansion valves 25a and 25b are connected to liquid refrigerant pipes via filters 26a and 26b and liquid stop valves 27a and 27b and are connected to one end each of the indoor heat exchangers 11a and 11b via these liquid refrigerant pipes. Further, the four-way switching valve 22 is connected to gas refrigerant pipes via gas stop valves 28a and 28b and is connected to the other ends of the indoor heat exchangers 11a and 11b via these gas refrigerant pipes.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the inside of the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 is sectioned by a partition plate 44 into a blower chamber in which the outdoor fan 29 is disposed and a machine chamber in which the compressor 21 is disposed. Moreover, inside the air conditioning unit 5, there is housed a reactor 50, and the reactor 50 is fixed above the partition plate 44. Further, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in the partition plate 44, there are disposed cut-and-raised portions 44a, 44b, and 44c, a dowel 44d, and a screw hole 44e, which are for fixing a reactor fixing plate 45. As for the cut-and-raised portions 44a, 44b, and 44c, there are three (a first cut-and-raised portion 44a, a second cut-and-raised portion 44b, and a third cut-and-raised portion 44c) disposed in the partition plate 44 so as to project from the blower chamber side toward the machine chamber side. The first cut-and-raised portion 44a and the second cut-and-raised portion 44b are cut-and-raised portions with substantially triangular shapes and are disposed in the form of pouches. Further, the first cut-and-raised portion 44a and the second cut-and-raised portion 44b are disposed such that they coincide with the upper and lower end portions on the right side of the reactor fixing plate 45 when the partition plate 44 is seen from the front from the machine chamber side. The third cut-and-raised portion 44c is a cut-and-raised portion formed along the widthwise direction of the partition plate 44 and is disposed such that it coincides with the lower end portion on the left side of the reactor fixing plate 45. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the screw hole 44e is a hole disposed so as to coincide with the upper end portion on the left side of the reactor fixing plate 45. Moreover, the dowel 44d is convexly disposed near the screw hole 44e. Further, in the reactor fixing plate 45, a hole 45a is disposed in a position coinciding with the screw hole 44e and a recessed portion 45b is disposed in a position coinciding with the dowel 44d.
Because of this configuration, the work of fixing the reactor 50 is performed by a mounting worker inserting the reactor fixing plate 45 in the direction of arrow A3 in FIG. 5 into the cut-and-raised portions 44a, 44b, and 44c disposed in the partition plate 44 and screwing a screw 46 into the hole 45a disposed in the reactor fixing plate 45 and the screw hole 44e disposed in the partition plate 44. For this reason, the upper and lower end portions on the right side of the reactor 50 and the lower end portion on the left side of the reactor 50 are supported by the cut-and-raised portions 44a, 44b, and 44c, and the upper end portion on the left side of the reactor 50 is fixed by the screw 46. Moreover, the upper and lower end portions on the right side of the reactor 50 are supported by the pouch-shaped cut-and-raised portions 44a and 44b. For this reason, for example, the reactor 50 becomes strongly fixed by the partition plate 44 in comparison to when the reactor 50 is supported by cut-and-raised portions that are not disposed in the form of pouches. Thus, it can be made difficult for the reactor 50 to fall off the partition plate 44. Further, because the dowel 44d is disposed, it can be made difficult for the worker to make noise that occurs because of a gap that is needed when performing the work of inserting the reactor fixing plate 45 into the cut-and-raised portions 44a, 44b, and 44c.
As shown in FIG. 6, a third cut-and-raised portion 144c may have a shape where the distal end portion thereof extends along the lengthwise direction of a partition plate 144. Moreover, by disposing the gap that becomes needed when inserting the reactor fixing plate 45 into the third cut-and-raised portion 144c to the extent that the efficiency of the fixing work does not drop, the fixing of the reactor 50 to the partition plate 44 can be performed more reliably without causing the workability of the fixing work to deteriorate.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the humidifying unit 4 is placed in the upper portion of the outdoor unit 3 and is equipped with a humidifying unit casing 7 and a humidifying unit body 6. The humidifying unit 4 can discharge the air that has been taken in from the insides of the rooms 1 a and 1b to outdoors and can supply the air that has been taken in from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b. Further, the humidifying unit 4 can also humidify the air that has been taken in from outdoors and supply the air it has humidified to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b.
The configuration of the humidifying unit 4 will be described below.

(1) Humidifying Unit Casing

As shown in FIG. 1, the humidifying unit casing 7 houses a humidifying rotor 51, a heating device 52, a humidifying fan 54, an air suction and discharge switching damper 53, an adsorption-use blowing device 55, and an air flow path switching unit 30.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, in the front surface of the humidifying unit casing 7, there is disposed an adsorption-use air blowout port 7a comprising plural slit-shaped openings. Further, in the back surface of the humidifying unit casing 7, there are disposed an adsorption-use air intake port 7b and an air suction and discharge port 7c. The adsorption-use air intake port 7b is an opening through which air that is taken in from outdoors passes in order to allow the humidifying rotor 51 to adsorb water. The air suction and discharge port 7c is an opening through which air taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 4 from outdoors and sent to the indoor units 2a and 2b passes during the air supplying operation and the humidifying operation. Further, the air suction and discharge port 7c is an opening through which air that is taken in from the indoor units 2a and 2b and discharged from the inside of the humidifying unit 4 to outdoors passes during the air discharging operation.

(2) Humidifying Unit Body

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the humidifying unit body 6 is equipped with the humidifying rotor 51, the heating device 52, the air suction and discharge switching damper 53, the humidifying fan 54, and the adsorption-use blowing device 55.
The humidifying rotor 51 is a ceramic rotor with a honeycomb structure and has a generally disc-shaped outer shape. Further, the humidifying rotor 51 is rotatably disposed and is driven to rotate by a rotor drive-use motor. Moreover, the main portion of the humidifying rotor 51 is fired from an adsorbent such as a zeolite. Adsorbents such as zeolites have the property that they adsorb water in the air coming into contact with them and desorb the adsorbed water when they are heated. In the present embodiment, a zeolite is used as the adsorbent, but it is also possible to use silica gel or alumina as the adsorbent.
The heating device 52 is positioned above the humidifying rotor 51 and is placed facing the humidifying rotor 51. Further, the heating device 52 can heat the humidifying rotor 51 by heating the air sent to the humidifying rotor 51.
The humidifying fan 54 is placed on the side of the humidifying rotor 51 and is radial fan assembly that generates a flow of air that is taken in from outdoors and sent to the indoor units 2a and 2b. The humidifying fan 54 generates a flow of air leading from the air suction and discharge port 7c via the humidifying rotor 51 and the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b and sends the air that has been taken in from outdoors to the indoor units 2a and 2b. Further, the humidifying fan 54 can also discharge the air inside the rooms 1a and 1b that has been taken in from the indoor units 2a and 2b to outdoors. The humidifying fan 54 switches between these operations as a result of the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 switching. As shown in FIG. 1, when the humidifying fan 54 sends the air that has been taken in from outdoors to the indoor units 2a and 2b, the humidifying fan 54 feeds the air passing through the portion of the humidifying rotor 51 facing the heating device 52 to an air suction and discharge duct 58 via the air suction and discharge switching damper 53.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the air suction and discharge duct 58 is connected to the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b via the air flow path switching unit 30 described later, and the humidifying fan 54 supplies the outdoor air to the indoor units 2a and 2b via the air suction and discharge duct 58, the air flow path switching unit 30, and the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b. The air passing through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b and sent to the indoor units 2a and 2b is blown out to the surfaces of the indoor heat exchangers 11a and 11b inside the indoor units 2a and 2b as described above.
Further, when the humidifying fan 54 discharges the air inside the rooms 1a and 1b that has been taken in from the indoor units 2a and 2b to outdoors, the humidifying fan 54 discharges the air inside the rooms 1a and 1b that has passed through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b and the air suction and discharge duct 58 from the air suction and discharge port 7c to outdoors.
The adsorption-use blowing device 55 has an adsorption-use fan motor 59 and an adsorption fan 61 that is driven to rotate by the adsorption-use fan motor 59, and the adsorption-use blowing device 55 generates a flow of air that passes through the portion of the humidifying rotor 51 not facing the heating device 52. That is, the adsorption-use blowing device 55 generates a flow of air that is sucked in from the adsorption-use air intake port 7b, passes through the portion of the Humidifying rotor 51 not facing the heating device 52, passes through an opening in a bellmouth 62, and is discharged from the adsorption-use air blowout port 7a to outdoors.
The air suction and discharge switching damper 53 is a rotary-type air flow path switching mechanism including an air suction and discharge damper and an air suction and discharge damper drive-use motor 53a (see FIG. 10) for causing the air suction and discharge damper to rotate. Further, the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 is placed below the humidifying fan 54. Moreover, in the air suction and discharge switching damper 53, the air suction and discharge damper drive-use motor 53a causes the air suction and discharge damper to rotate, whereby the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 is switched between an air supplying state and an air discharging state.
In the air supplying state, air flows leading from the humidifying unit 4 toward the indoor units 2a and 2b are generated by the humidifying fan 54. For example, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 is in the air supplying state and the air flow path switching unit 30 described later is in a first state, the air blown out from the humidifying fan 54 passes via the air suction and discharge duct 58 and the air flow path switching unit 30 through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b and is supplied to the indoor units 2a and 2b. Thus, in the air supplying state, the air flows in the direction of A1 shown in FIG. 1, and the outdoor air is humidified or is not humidified, passes through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b, and is supplied to the indoor units 2a and 2b.
In the air discharging state, air flows leading from the indoor units 2a and 2b to the humidifying unit 4 are generated by the humidifying fan 54. For example, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 is in the air discharging state and the air flow path switching unit 30 described later is in a first state, the air inside the rooms 1a and 1b that has been taken in from the indoor units 2a and 2b passes via the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b through the air flow path switching unit 30 and the air suction and discharge duct 58 and is discharged to outdoors. Thus, in the air discharging state, the air flows in the direction of A2 shown in FIG. 1, and the air passing from the indoor units 2a and 2b through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b, the air flow path switching unit 30, and the air suction and discharge duct 58 is discharged via the air suction and discharge port 7c to outdoors.
Further, the humidifying unit 4 is equipped with the air flow path switching unit 30. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 7, the air flow path switching unit 30 is a slide-type air flow path switching means connected to the air suction and discharge duct 58 and the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b. Further, the air flow path switching unit 30 is housed inside the humidifying unit casing 7. As shown in FIG. 7(a), FIG. 8(a), and FIG. 9(a), the air flow path switching unit 30 has a switching unit casing 31 and a partition portion 32. As shown in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9, the switching unit casing 31 is configured by a first switching unit casing 33 and a second switching unit casing 34. The first switching unit casing 33 is a member with a substantially cuboid shape formed from a first upper portion 33a that means the upper side in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9, a first side portion 33b that is disposed upright from the edge of the first upper portion 33a, and a first lower portion 33c that has substantially the same shape as the first upper portion 33a. Further, the partition portion 32 is housed inside the first switching unit casing 33. Moreover, a first opening 35a is disposed in the substantially central part of the first upper portion 33a of the first switching unit casing 33, and a second opening 35b is disposed in one end portion of the first upper portion 33a of the first switching unit casing 33. Further, a third opening 35c and a fourth opening 35d are disposed adjacent to each other in the substantially central part of the first lower portion 33c of the first switching unit casing 33. The first air suction and discharge hose 6a is connected to the third opening 35c, and the second air suction and discharge hose 6b is connected to the fourth opening 35d. Further, a connection port 35e is disposed in the first side portion 33b, and the first switching unit casing 33 is connected to the air suction and discharge duct 58 via the connection port 35e.
The second switching unit casing 34 has a substantially elliptical column shape formed from an elliptical second upper portion 34a and a second side portion 34b that is disposed upright from the edge of the second upper portion 34a, and the second switching unit casing 34 has a box-shaped form whose underside is open. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9, the second upper portion 34a has a smaller area than the area of the first upper portion 33a. Further, the second switching unit casing 34 is placed on the upper side of the first upper portion 33a so as to cover the first opening 35a and the second opening 35b in the first switching unit casing 33. Because of this configuration, in the switching unit casing 31, the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 and the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 are communicated with each other via the first opening 35a and the second opening 35b.
The partition portion 32 is configured by a third upper portion 32a, a third side portion 32b, a third lower portion 32c, and an inner wall portion 36 and has a substantially cuboid shape. The third upper portion 32a is a plate-shaped member with a rectangular shape, and a fifth opening 36a is disposed in the substantially central part of the third upper portion 32a. The area of the fifth opening 36a is larger than the area of a sixth opening 36b described later and the area of the first opening 35a disposed in the switching unit casing 31. Further, the third side portion 32b extends upward from the edge of the third lower portion 32c to the edge of the third upper portion 32a. Moreover, the third lower portion 32c is a plate-shaped member with a rectangular shape having a larger area than the area of the third upper portion 32a, and the sixth opening 36b is disposed in the substantially central part of the third lower portion 32c. Further, the area of the sixth opening 36b is about the same size as the combined area of the area of the third opening 35c and the area of the fourth opening 35d disposed in the first switching unit casing 33. The inner wall portion 36 is a substantially elliptical column-shaped member that extends upward from the peripheral portion of the sixth opening 36b in the third lower portion 32c to the peripheral portion of the fifth opening 36a in the third upper portion 32a. The partition portion 32 is housed inside the first switching unit casing 33 such that the fifth opening 36a faces the first opening 35a and such that the sixth opening 36b faces at least either one of the third opening 35c and the fourth opening 35d. Further, in the present embodiment, the fifth opening 36a is formed such that it always faces the first opening 35a.
Further, the air flow path switching unit 30 is capable of switching between three states (a first state, a second state, and a third state) as a result of the partition portion 32 sliding inside the first switching unit casing 33. The sliding of the partition portion 32 is performed as a result of a partition portion drive motor 42 (see FIG. 10) driving the partition portion 32. The first state, the second state, and the third state will be described below using FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9.
As shown in FIG. 7, the first state is a state where the sixth opening 36b in the partition portion 32 is placed in a position facing the third opening 35c and the fourth opening 35d disposed in the first switching unit casing 33. For this reason, the inner wall portion 36 is communicated on its upper side with the first opening 35a and is communicated on its lower side with the third opening 35c and the fourth opening 35d, whereby the inner wall portion 36 joins the second switching unit casing 34 to the first air suction and discharge hose 6a and the second air suction and discharge hose 6b. Consequently, the air suction and discharge duct 58 becomes communicated with the first air suction and discharge hose 6a and the second air suction and discharge hose 6b. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the air passing through the air suction and discharge duct 58 flows via the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 and the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 from the third opening 35c to the first air suction and discharge hose 6a and from the fourth opening 35d to the second air suction and discharge hose 6b. Further, in the case of the air discharging state, as shown in FIG. 7(c), the air passing through the first air suction and discharge hose 6a flows from the third opening 35c via the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 and the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 to the air suction and discharge duct 58, and the air passing through the second air suction and discharge hose 6b flows from the fourth opening 35d via the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 and the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 to the air suction and discharge duct 58.
As shown in FIG. 8, the second state is a state where the sixth opening 36b in the partition portion 32 is placed in a position facing the third opening 35c disposed in the first switching unit casing 33. Further, the fourth opening 35d becomes shielded by the third lower portion 32c of the partition portion 32. For this reason, the inner wall portion 36 is communicated on its upper side with the first opening 35a and is communicated on its lower side with the third opening 35c, whereby the inner wall portion 36 joins the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 to the first air suction and discharge hose 6a. Consequently, the air suction and discharge duct 58 becomes communicated with the first air suction and discharge hose 6a. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the air passing through the air suction and discharge duct 58 is supplied via the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 and the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 from the third opening 35c to the first air suction and discharge hose 6a. Further, in the case of the air discharging state, as shown in FIG. 8(c), the air passing through the first air suction and discharge hose 6a passes from the third opening 35c through the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 and the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 and flows to the air suction and discharge duct 58.
As shown in FIG. 9, the third state is a state where the sixth opening 36b in the partition portion 32 is placed in a position facing the fourth opening 35d disposed in the first switching unit casing 33. Further, the third opening 35c becomes shielded by the third lower portion 32c of the partition portion 32. For this reason, the inner wall portion 36 is communicated on its upper side with the first opening 35a and is communicated on its lower side with the fourth opening 35d, whereby the inner wall portion 36 joins the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 to the second air suction and discharge hose 6b. Consequently, the air suction and discharge duct 58 becomes communicated with the second air suction and discharge hose 6b. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the air from the air suction and discharge duct 58 is supplied via the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 and the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 from the fourth opening 35d to the second air suction and discharge hose 6b. Further, in the case of the air discharging state, as shown in FIG. 9(c), the air passing through the second air suction and discharge hose 6b passes from the fourth opening 35d through the inside of the second switching unit casing 34 and the inside of the first switching unit casing 33 and flows to the air suction and discharge duct 58.
Further, the opened state of the openings can be adjusted as a result of the partition portion drive motor 42 (see FIG. 10) adjusting the driving of the partition portion 32. For this reason, for example, in the case of the air supplying state, the amount of air flowing through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b can be adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 10, a control unit 60 is connected to the various devices of the indoor units 2a and 2b, the outdoor air conditioning unit 5, and the humidifying unit 4 and performs control of the operation of the various devices in accordance with each operation mode such as the normal operation, the humidifying operation, the air supplying operation, and the air discharging operation on the basis of an operation command from an air conditioning target person via a remote controller 80 or the like.
The operation of the air conditioner 1 during each air conditioning operation will be described below.

(1) Normal Operation

When the control unit 60 receives an instruction to perform the normal operation from the remote controller 80, the control unit 60 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 1 such that the normal operation is performed.
During the normal operation, the compressor 21 is driven and the outdoor expansion valves 25a and 25b are narrowed to a predetermined opening degree, whereby a refrigerant circulates through a refrigerant circuit and the indoor heat exchangers 11a and 11b function as evaporators or condensers. Further, the indoor fans 12a and 12b are driven, whereby there are generated flows of air that are sucked into the insides of the indoor units 2a and 2b from air intake ports, pass through the indoor heat exchangers 11a and 11b, and are blown out into the insides of the rooms from air blowout ports. Thus, cooling or heating of the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b can be performed.

(2) Humidifying Operation

When the control unit 60 receives an instruction to perform humidification from the remote controller 80, the control unit 60 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 1 such that the humidifying operation is performed. This humidifying operation is often performed together with the heating operation. Further, when the humidifying operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 2a and the second indoor unit 2b, the control unit 60 drives the partition portion drive motor 42 such that the air flow path switching unit 30 is placed in the first state. Further, when the humidifying operation is performed in only the first indoor unit 2a, the control unit 60 drives the partition portion drive motor 42 such that the air flow path switching unit 30 is placed in the second state. Moreover, when the humidifying operation is performed in only the second indoor unit 2b, the control unit 60 drives the partition portion drive motor 42 such that the air flow path switching unit 30 is placed in the third state.
A case where the humidifying operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 2a and the second indoor unit 2b will be taken as an example and described below.
The control unit 60 controls such that the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 switches to the air supplying state and such that the air flow path switching unit 30 switches to the first state, and the control unit 60 drives a motor that causes the humidifying fan 54 to rotate and the adsorption-use fan motor 59. Further, the control unit 60 controls such that the heating device 52 is powered.
When the adsorption-use fan motor 59 is driven, the outdoor air is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 4 and is discharged to outdoors. That is, the air from outdoors is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit casing 7 from the adsorption-use air intake port 7b. The air entering the inside of the humidifying unit casing 7 passes through the portion of the humidifying rotor 51 not facing the heating device 52. At this time, the humidifying rotor 51 adsorbs water from the air passing through the adsorption position of the humidifying rotor 51. The air passing through the humidifying rotor 51 is turned downward and is discharged from the adsorption-use air blowout port 7a to the outside of the outdoor unit.
Meanwhile, when the humidifying fan 54 is driven, the outdoor air is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 4, passes through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b and the indoor units 2a and 2b, and is supplied to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b. That is, the outdoor air is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit casing 7 from the air suction and discharge port 7c, passes from below to above through the humidifying rotor 51, is heated in the heating device 52, and thereafter passes from above to below through the humidifying rotor 51. At this time, the water that had been adsorbed in the humidifying rotor 51 is excited and separates from the humidifying rotor 51 into the air. The air passing through the humidifying rotor 51 passes through the humidifying fan 54, the air suction and discharge switching damper 53, and the air flow path switching unit 30 and is sent to the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b. The air sent to the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b passes through the indoor heat exchangers 11a and 11b and is blown out into the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b from the air blowout ports. This air sent to the indoor units 2a and 2b includes the water that had been adsorbed in the humidifying rotor 51, and thus humidification of the insides of the rooms requiring no feed water becomes possible.
In this humidifying operation, water included in the air introduced to the inside of the humidifying unit 4 from the outside by the rotation of the adsorption fan 61 is adsorbed in the humidifying rotor 51, and the air heated by the heating device 52 is passed through the humidifying rotor 51 by the rotation of the humidifying fan 54, whereby air including the water that has separated from the humidifying rotor 51 is supplied via the air suction and discharge duct 58, the air flow path switching unit 30, and the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b to the indoor units 2a and 2b.

(3) Air Supplying Operation

When the control unit 60 receives an instruction to perform the air supplying operation from the remote controller 80, the control unit 60 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 1 such that the air supplying operation is performed.
When the air supplying operation is performed, the same operation as the humidifying operation described above is performed but without the adsorption-use fan motor 59 being actuated and without the heating device 52 being powered. Thus, the air that has been taken in from outdoors passes through the same paths as described above and is sent to the indoor units 2a and 2b but without being humidified.

(4) Air Discharging Operation

When the control unit 60 receives an instruction to perform the air discharging operation from the remote controller 80, the control unit 60 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 1 such that the air discharging operation is performed. When the air discharging operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 2a and the second indoor unit 2b, the control unit 60 drives the partition portion drive motor 42 such that the air flow path switching unit 30 is placed in the first state. Further, when the air discharging operation is performed in only the first indoor unit 2a, the control unit 60 drives the partition portion drive motor 42 such that the air flow path switching unit 30 is placed in the second state. Moreover, when the air discharging operation is performed in only the second indoor unit 2b, the control unit 60 drives the partition portion drive motor 42 such that the air flow path switching unit 30 is placed in the third state.
A case where the air discharging operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 2a and the second indoor unit 2b will be taken as an example and described below.
The control unit 60 controls such that the air suction and discharge switching damper 53 switches to the air discharging state and such that the air flow path switching unit 30 switches to the first state, and the control unit 60 drives the motor that causes the humidifying fan 54 to rotate. During the air discharging operation, the adsorption-use fan motor 59 is not driven and the heating device 52 is not powered.
When the humidifying fan 54 is driven, the air inside the rooms 1a and 1b that has been taken in from the indoor units 2a and 2b is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 4 via the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b, flows in the opposite direction of the direction during the humidifying operation described above, and is thus discharged to outdoors. That is, the air taken into the inside of the humidifying unit body 6 from the air suction and discharge duct 58 passes through the air flow path switching unit 30, the air suction and discharge switching damper 53, and the humidifying fan 54, passes from below to above through the humidifying rotor 51, and is discharged from the air suction and discharge port 7c to outdoors.
In the present embodiment, the air supplying operation or the air discharging operation is performed with respect to two rooms, but the air flow path switching unit may also be configured such that the air supplying operation and the air discharging operation are performed in two or more plural rooms.

(1)

Conventionally, there have been air conditioners equipped with an air supply unit that supplies outdoor air to the inside of a room. For example, the air conditioner disclosed in JP-A No. 2006-10307 is equipped with an air supply unit that has a humidifying function. The air supply unit with which this air conditioner is equipped can humidify outdoor air and supply the outdoor air it has humidified to the inside of a room. Thus, this air conditioner can humidify the inside of a room.
However, this air conditioner is configured such that one air supply unit is disposed with respect to one room. For this reason, when supplying outdoor air to the insides of plural rooms, the air conditioner must be equipped with plural air supply units.
Thus, in the embodiment described above, the air conditioner is equipped with the one outdoor unit 3 that has the humidifying unit 4. The humidifying unit 4 can supply the air that has been taken in from outdoors to the indoor units 2a and 2b via the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b.
Thus, supply of air to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b can be realized with the one outdoor unit 3.
Further, manufacturing costs and installation space can be contained because a number of humidifying units corresponding to the number of the indoor units are not required.

(2)

In the embodiment described above, the air conditioner is equipped with the air flow path switching unit 30. The air flow path switching unit 30 is capable of switching between the first state, the second state, and the third state as a result of the partition portion 32 sliding inside the first switching unit casing 33. In the first state, the sixth opening 36b is placed in a position facing the third opening 35c and the fourth opening 35d. Further, in the second state, the sixth opening 36b is placed in a position facing the third opening 35c, and the fourth opening 35d is shielded by the third lower portion 32c of the partition portion 32. Moreover, in the third state, the sixth opening 36b is placed in a position facing the fourth opening 35d, and the third opening 35c is shielded by the third lower portion 32c of the partition portion 32. For this reason, in the first state, the air suction and discharge duct 58 becomes communicated with the first air suction and discharge hose 6a and the second air suction and discharge hose 6b. Further, in the second state, the air suction and discharge duct 58 becomes communicated with the first air suction and discharge hose 6a. Moreover, in the third state, the air suction and discharge duct 58 becomes communicated with the second air suction and discharge hose 6b.
Thus, the state of communication between the air suction and discharge duct 58 and at least either one of the first air suction and discharge hose 6a and the second air suction and discharge hose 6b can be switched.
Further, in the first state, air can be supplied at the same time to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b because the air suction and discharge duct 58 becomes communicated with the first air suction and discharge hose 6a and the second air suction and discharge hose 6b.
Moreover, the first indoor heat exchanger 11a is housed inside the first indoor unit 2a, and the second indoor heat exchanger 11b is housed inside the second indoor unit 2b. For this reason, the outdoor air passing through the first air suction and discharge hose 6a or the second air suction and discharge hose 6b is heat-exchanged by the heat exchangers 11a and 11b and is supplied to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b. Consequently, for example, even when the set temperature of the first indoor unit 2a and the set temperature of the second indoor unit 2b differ, conditioned air can be generated from the outdoor air and the air taken in from the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b and can be supplied to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b on the basis of the set temperatures set in the indoor units 2a and 2b.
Thus, air conditioning based on the set conditions of the indoor units 2a and 2b can be performed while supplying outdoor air.

(3)

In the embodiment described above, the humidifying unit 4 can discharge the air taken in from the indoor units 2a and 2b to outdoors via the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b. For this reason, the air inside the rooms 1a and 1b can be discharged to outdoors.

(4)

In the embodiment described above, the opened state of the openings can be adjusted as a result of the partition portion drive motor 42 adjusting the driving of the partition portion 32. For this reason, for example, in the case of the air supplying state, the amount of air flowing through the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b can be adjusted.
Thus, the amount of air supplied to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b can be adjusted.

(5)

In the embodiment described above, the air flow path switching unit 30 is housed inside the humidifying unit casing 7. Thus, work to install the air flow path switching unit 30 separately from the humidifying unit 4 can be eliminated.

(6)

In the embodiment described above, the humidifying unit 4 can humidify the air that has been taken in from outdoors and supply the air it has humidified to the indoor units 2a and 2b via the air suction and discharge hoses 6a and 6b.
Thus, humidified air can be supplied to the insides of the rooms 1a and 1b.

In the embodiment described above, the power sources of the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 and the humidifying unit 4 are unified. Thus, in the air conditioner pertaining to the embodiment described above, the control unit is equipped with a current detection circuit so that it can monitor the amount of current supplied to the outdoor air conditioning unit and the humidifying unit. Additionally, the amount of current supplied to the outdoor air conditioning unit and the humidifying unit can be adjusted by setting the maximum amount of current supplied to the outdoor air conditioning unit and the humidifying unit so as to become less than a household breaker capacity, for example.
Thus, the amount of current can be contained equal to or less than a household breaker capacity.

-Second Embodiment-

An air conditioner 100 pertaining to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this air conditioner 100, the configuration of the indoor units, the configuration of the outdoor air conditioning unit, and the configuration of the humidifying unit body are the same as those in the first embodiment, so description will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 11, this air conditioner 100 is a multi-type air conditioner where one outdoor unit 103 and two indoor units 102a and 102b are connected in parallel by refrigerant pipes. Further, between a humidifying unit 104 and the indoor units 102a and 102b, there are disposed air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b that are capable of allowing the inside space of the humidifying unit 104 to be communicated with the inside spaces of the indoor units 102a and 102b. The air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b are configured by outdoor ducts 108a and 108b, which are placed outdoors, and indoor ducts 109a and 109b, which are placed indoors.

As shown in FIG. 11,a humidifying unit casing 107 houses a humidifying rotor 151, a heating device 152, a humidifying fan 154, an air suction and discharge switching damper 153, and an adsorption-use blowing device 155.
In the front surface of the humidifying unit casing 107, there is disposed an adsorption-use air blowout port 107a comprising plural slit-shaped openings. Further, in the back surface of the humidifying unit casing 107, there are disposed an adsorption-use air intake port 107b and an air suction and discharge port 107c. The adsorption-use air intake port 107b is an opening through which air that is taken in from outdoors passes in order to allow the humidifying rotor 151 to adsorb water. The air suction and discharge port 107c is an opening through which air taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 104 from outdoors and sent to the indoor units 102a and 102b passes during the air supplying operation and the humidifying operation. Further, the air suction and discharge port 107c is an opening through which air that is taken in from the indoor units 102a and 102b and discharged from the inside of the humidifying unit 104 to outdoors passes during the air discharging operation. Further, a duct connection port is disposed in the humidifying unit casing 107, and an air suction and discharge duct 158 extends via the duct connection port from the inside of the humidifying unit casing 107 to the outside of the humidifying unit casing 107. The pipe diameter of the pipe applied for the air suction and discharge duct 158 is larger than the pipe diameter of the pipes applied for the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b.

As shown in FIG. 11, FIG. 12, and FIG. 13, an air flow path switching unit 130 is rotary-type air flow path switching means connected to the air suction and discharge duct 158 and the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b. Further, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed outside the humidifying unit casing 107.
As shown in FIG. 13, FIG. 14, and FIG. 15, the air flow path switching unit 130 has a switching unit casing 131, a damper 132, and a damper drive motor 142 (see FIG. 16). The switching unit casing 131 is configured by a first switching unit casing 133 and a second switching unit casing 134. As shown in FIGS. 13(b) and (c), FIGS. 14(b) and (c), and FIGS. 15(b) and (c), the first switching unit casing 133 has a substantially circular cylinder shape, and its upper side and its lower side are open. "Upper" and "lower" in the present embodiment mean upper and lower in FIGS. 13(b) and (c), FIGS. 14(b) and (c), and FIGS. 15(b) and (c). Further, the second switching unit casing 134 is a member with a substantially circular shape, and the area thereof is substantially the same as the area of the opening on the lower side of the first switching unit casing 133. Further, in the second switching unit casing 134, there are disposed a first opening 135a and a second opening 135b. The area of the first opening 135a and the area of the second opening 135b are the same. Further, the area of the first opening 135a and the second opening 135b is smaller than the area of the opening on the upper side of the first switching unit casing 133. Moreover, a first connecting portion extends downward from the peripheral portion of the first opening 135a, and a second connecting portion extends downward from the peripheral portion of the second opening 135b. Further, the switching unit casing 131 is connected to the air suction and discharge duct 158 via the opening on the upper side, is connected to the first air suction and discharge hose 106a via the first opening 135a on the lower side, and is connected to the second air suction and discharge hose 106b via the second opening 135b.
The damper 132 is a plate-shaped member with a substantially semicircular shape and is rotatably attached to the second switching unit casing 134. The rotation of the damper 132 is performed as a result of the damper drive motor 142 (see FIG. 16) driving the damper 132.
Further, the air flow path switching unit 130 is capable of switching between three states (a first state, a second state, and a third state) as a result of the damper 132 rotating. The first state, the second state, and the third state will be described below using FIG. 13, FIG. 14, and FIG. 15.
As shown in FIG. 13(a), the first state is a state where the damper 132 is placed so as to open the first opening 135a and the second opening 135b disposed in the second switching unit casing 134. For this reason, the switching unit casing 131 is joined on its upper side to the air suction and discharge duct 158 and is communicated on its lower side with the first opening 135a and the second opening 135b, whereby the second switching unit casing 134 is joined to the first air suction and discharge hose 106a and the second air suction and discharge hose 106b. Consequently, the air suction and discharge duct 158 becomes communicated with the first air suction and discharge hose 106a and the second air suction and discharge hose 106b. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the air passing through the air suction and discharge duct 158 flows via the inside of the switching unit casing 131 from the first opening 135a to the first air suction and discharge hose 106a and from the second opening 135b to the second air suction and discharge hose 106b. Further, in the case of the air discharging state, as shown in FIG. 13(c), the air passing through the first air suction and discharge hose 106a passes via the first opening 135a through the inside of the switching unit casing 131 and flows to the air suction and discharge duct 158, and the air passing through the second air suction and discharge hose 106b passes via the second opening 135b through the inside of the switching unit casing 131 and flows to the air suction and discharge duct 158.
As shown in FIG. 14(a), the second state is a state where the damper 132 is placed so as to cover the second opening 135b disposed in the second switching unit casing 134. Further, the first opening 135a is opened. For this reason, the switching unit casing 131 is joined on its upper side to the air suction and discharge duct 158 and is communicated on its lower side with the first opening 135a, whereby the second switching unit casing 134 is joined to the first air suction and discharge hose 106a. Consequently, the air suction and discharge duct 158 becomes communicated with the first air suction and discharge hose 106a. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the air passing through the air suction and discharge duct 158 flows via the inside of the switching unit casing 131 from the first opening 135a to the first air suction and discharge hose 106a. Further, in the case of the air discharging state, as shown in FIG. 14(c), the air passing through the first air suction and discharge hose 106a passes via the first opening 135a through the inside of the switching unit casing 131 and flows to the air suction and discharge duct 158.
As shown in FIG. 15(a), the third state is a state where the damper 132 is placed so as to cover the first opening 135a disposed in the second switching unit casing 134. Further, the second opening 135b is opened. For this reason, the switching unit casing 131 is joined on its upper side to the air suction and discharge duct 158 and is communicated on its lower side with the second opening 135b, whereby the second switching unit casing 134 is joined to the second air suction and discharge hose 106b. Consequently, the air suction and discharge duct 158 becomes communicated with the second air suction and discharge hose 106b. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, as shown in FIG. 15(b), the air passing through the air suction and discharge duct 158 flows via the inside of the switching unit casing 131 from the second opening 135b to the second air suction and discharge hose 106b. Further, in the case of the air discharging state, as shown in FIG. 15(c), the air passing through the second air suction and discharge hose 106b passes via the second opening 135b through the inside of the switching unit casing 131 and flows to the air suction and discharge duct 158.
Further, the opened state of the openings 135a and 135b can be adjusted as a result of the damper drive motor 142 (see FIG. 16) adjusting the driving of the damper 132. For this reason, for example, in the case of the air supplying state, the amount of air flowing through the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b can be adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 16, a control unit 160 is connected to the various devices of the indoor units 102a and 102b, an outdoor air conditioning unit 105, and the humidifying unit 104 and performs control of the operation of the various devices in accordance with each operation mode such as the normal operation, the humidifying operation, the air supplying operation, and the air discharging operation on the basis of an operation command from an air conditioning target person via a remote controller 180 or the like.
The operation of the air conditioner 100 during each air conditioning operation will be described below.

(1) Normal Operation

When the control unit 160 receives an instruction to perform the normal operation from the remote controller 180, the control unit 160 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 100 such that the normal operation is performed.
During the normal operation, a compressor 121 is driven and outdoor expansion valves 125a and 125b are narrowed to a predetermined opening degree, whereby refrigerant circulates through a refrigerant circuit and indoor heat exchangers 111a and 111b function as evaporators or condensers. Further, indoor fans 112a and 112b are driven, whereby there are generated flows of air that are sucked into the insides of the indoor units 102a and 102b from air intake ports, pass through the indoor heat exchangers 111a and 111b, and are blown out into the insides of rooms from air blowout ports. Thus, cooling or heating of the insides of rooms 1a and 1b can be performed.

(2) Humidifying Operation

When the control unit 160 receives an instruction to perform humidification from the remote controller 180, the control unit 160 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 100 such that the humidifying operation is performed. This humidifying operation is often performed together with the heating operation. Further, when the humidifying operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 102a and the second indoor unit 102b, the control unit 160 drives the damper drive motor 142 such that the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed in the first state. Further, when the humidifying operation is performed in only the first indoor unit 102a, the control unit 160 drives the damper drive motor 142 such that the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed in the second state. Moreover, when the humidifying operation is performed in only the second indoor unit 102b, the control unit 160 drives the damper drive motor 142 such that the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed in the third state.
A case where the humidifying operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 102a and the second indoor unit 102b will be taken as an example and described below.
The control unit 160 controls such that the air suction and discharge switching damper 153 switches to the air supplying state and such that the air flow path switching unit 130 switches to the first state, and the control unit 160 drives a motor that causes the humidifying fan 154 to rotate and an adsorption-use fan motor 159. Further, the control unit 160 controls such that the heating device 152 is powered.
When the adsorption-use fan motor 159 is driven, the outdoor air is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 104 and is discharged to outdoors. That is, the air from outdoors is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit casing 107 from the adsorption-use air intake port 107b. The air entering the inside of the humidifying unit casing 107 passes through the portion of the humidifying rotor 151 not facing the heating device 152. At this time, the humidifying rotor 151 adsorbs water from the air passing through the adsorption position of the humidifying rotor 151. The air passing through the humidifying rotor 151 is turned downward and is discharged from the adsorption-use air blowout port 107a to the outside of the outdoor unit.
Meanwhile, when the humidifying fan 154 is driven, the outdoor air is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 104, passes through the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b and the indoor units 102a and 102b, and is supplied to the insides of the rooms 101a and 101b. That is, the outdoor air is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit casing 107 from the air suction and discharge port 107c, passes from below to above through the humidifying rotor 151, is heated in the heating device 152, and thereafter passes from above to below through the humidifying rotor 151. At this time, the water that had been adsorbed in the humidifying rotor 151 is excited and separates from the humidifying rotor 151 into the air. The air passing through the humidifying rotor 151 passes through the humidifying fan 154, the air suction and discharge switching damper 153, and the air flow path switching unit 130 and is sent to the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b. The air sent to the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b passes through the indoor heat exchangers 111a and 111b and is blown out into the insides of the rooms 101a and 101b from the air blowout ports. This air sent to the indoor units 102a and 102b includes the water that had been adsorbed in the humidifying rotor 151, and thus humidification of the insides of the rooms requiring no feed water becomes possible.
In this humidifying operation, water included in the air introduced to the inside of the humidifying unit 104 from the outside by the rotation of an adsorption fan 161 is adsorbed in the humidifying rotor 151, and the air heated by the heating device 152 is passed through the humidifying rotor 151 by the rotation of the humidifying fan 154, whereby air including the water that has separated from the humidifying rotor 151 is supplied via the air suction and discharge duct 158, the air flow path switching unit 130, and the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b to the indoor units 102a and 102b.

(3) Air Supplying Operation

When the control unit 160 receives an instruction to perform the air supplying operation from the remote controller 180, the control unit 160 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 100 such that the air supplying operation is performed.
When the air supplying operation is performed, the same operation as the humidifying operation described above is performed but without the adsorption-use fan motor 159 being actuated and without the heating device 152 being powered. Thus, the air that has been taken in from outdoors passes through the same paths as described above and is sent to the indoor units 102a and 102b but without being humidified.

(4) Air Discharging Operation

When the control unit 160 receives an instruction to perform the air discharging operation from the remote controller 180, the control unit 160 performs control of the operation of the air conditioner 100 such that the air discharging operation is performed. When the air discharging operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 102a and the second indoor unit 102b, the control unit 160 drives the damper drive motor 142 such that the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed in the first state. Further, when the air discharging operation is performed in only the first indoor unit 102a, the control unit 160 drives the damper drive motor 142 such that the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed in the second state. Moreover, when the air discharging operation is performed in only the second indoor unit 102b, the control unit 160 drives the damper drive motor 142 such that the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed in the third state.
A case where the air discharging operation is performed in both of the first indoor unit 102a and the second indoor unit 102b will be taken as an example and described below.
The control unit 160 controls such that the air suction and discharge switching damper 153 switches to the air discharging state and such that the air flow path switching unit 130 switches to the first state, and the control unit 160 drives the motor that causes the humidifying fan 154 to rotate. During the air discharging operation, the adsorption-use fan motor 159 is not driven and the heating device 152 is not powered.
When the humidifying fan 154 is driven, the air inside the rooms 101a and 101b that has been taken in from the indoor units 102a and 102b is taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 104 via the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b, flows in the opposite direction of the direction during the humidifying operation described above, and is thus discharged to outdoors. That is, the air taken into the inside of a humidifying unit body 106 from the air suction and discharge duct 158 passes through the air flow path switching unit 130, the air suction and discharge switching damper 153, and the humidifying fan 154, passes from below to above through the humidifying rotor 151, and is discharged from the air suction and discharge port 107c to outdoors.
In the present embodiment, the air supplying operation or the air discharging operation is performed with respect to the two rooms 101a and 101b, but the air flow path switching unit may also be configured such that the air supplying operation and the air discharging operation are performed in two or more plural rooms.

(1)

In the embodiment described above, the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed outside the humidifying unit casing 107. For this reason, the size of the humidifying unit 104 can be made smaller in comparison to when the air flow path switching unit 130 is placed inside the humidifying unit casing 107.
Thus, the size of the outdoor unit 103 can be made smaller.

(2)

In the embodiment described above, a pipe of a pipe diameter larger than the pipe diameter of the pipes applied for the air suction and discharge hoses 106a and 106b is applied for the air suction and discharge duct 158. For this reason, pressure loss in the air suction and discharge duct 158 can be contained.
Further, during the humidifying operation, humidified air passes through the inside of the air suction and discharge duct 158. In this air conditioner 100, it can be made difficult for humidified air to condense inside the air suction and discharge duct 158 because pressure loss in the air suction and discharge duct 158 is reduced.

-Third Embodiment-

An air conditioner 201 pertaining to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this air conditioner 201, the configuration of the indoor units and the configuration of the outdoor air conditioning unit are the same as those in the first embodiment, so description will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 17, this air conditioner 201 is a multi-type air conditioner where one outdoor unit 203 and two indoor units 202a and 202b are connected in parallel by refrigerant pipes. This air conditioner 201 can perform operations such as a cooling operation, a heating operation, a dehumidifying operation, a humidifying operation, an air supplying operation, and an air discharging operation. The outdoor unit 203 is equipped with an outdoor air conditioning unit 204, which houses inside an outdoor heat exchanger 224 and an outdoor fan 229, and a humidifying unit 205. Inside the indoor units 202a and 202b, there are housed indoor heat exchangers 211a and 211b and indoor fans 212a and 212b. Further, between the humidifying unit 205 and the indoor units 202a and 202b, there is disposed an air suction and discharge duct 206 that is capable of allowing the inside space of the humidifying unit 205 to be communicated with the inside spaces of the indoor units 202a and 202b. The air suction and discharge duct 206 is mainly configured by indoor ducts 209a and 209b, which are placed indoors, a humidifying duct 258, which is placed inside the humidifying unit 205, and outdoor ducts 208a and 208b, which interconnect the indoor ducts 209a and 209b and the humidifying duct 258.
The configuration of the humidifying unit 205 with which the air conditioner 201 is equipped will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, the humidifying unit 205 is placed on the upper side of the outdoor air conditioning unit 204, that is, in the upper portion of the outdoor unit 203. Further, the humidifying unit 205 can discharge the air that has been taken in from the insides of rooms 201a and 201b to outdoors and can supply the air that has been taken in from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b. Further, the humidifying unit 205 can also humidify the air that has been taken in from outdoors and supply the air it has humidified to the insides of the rooms 201a and 20 1b.
Further, as shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 19, the humidifying unit 205 is equipped with a humidifying unit casing 207 and a humidifying unit body 205a. Further, the humidifying unit body 205a is equipped with a humidifying rotor 251, a heating device 252, an air suction and discharge switching damper 253, an air suction and discharge fan 254, an adsorption-use blowing device 255, and an air flow path switching unit 230.
As shown in FIG. 19, the humidifying unit casing 207 houses the humidifying rotor 251, the heating device 252, the air suction and discharge fan 254, the air suction and discharge switching damper 253, the adsorption-use blowing device 255, and the air flow path switching unit 230.
As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 19, in the front surface of the humidifying unit casing 207, there is disposed an adsorption-use air blowout port 207a comprising plural slit-shaped openings. Further, in the back surface of the humidifying unit casing 207, there are disposed an adsorption-use air intake port 207b and an air suction and discharge port 207c. The adsorption-use air intake port 207b is an opening through which air that is taken in from outdoors passes in order to allow the humidifying rotor 251 to adsorb water. The air suction and discharge port 207c is an opening through which air taken into the inside of the humidifying unit 205 from outdoors and sent to the indoor units 202a and 202b passes during the air supplying operation and the humidifying operation. Further, the air suction and discharge port 207c is an opening through which air that is taken in from the indoor units 202a and 202b and discharged from the inside of the humidifying unit 205 to outdoors passes during the air discharging operation.
The humidifying rotor 251 is a ceramic rotor with a honeycomb structure and has a generally disc-shaped outer shape. Further, the humidifying rotor 251 is rotatably disposed and is driven to rotate by a rotor drive-use motor. Moreover, the main portion of the humidifying rotor 251 is fired from an adsorbent such as a zeolite.
The heating device 252 is positioned above the humidifying rotor 251 and is placed facing the humidifying rotor 251. Further, the heating device 252 can heat the humidifying rotor 251 by heating the air sent to the humidifying rotor 251.
The air suction and discharge fan 254 is placed on the side of the humidifying rotor 251 and is radial fan assembly that generates a flow of air that is taken in from outdoors and sent to the indoor units 202a and 202b. The air suction and discharge fan 254 generates a flow of air leading from the air suction and discharge port 207c via the humidifying rotor 251 and the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b and sends the air that has been taken in from outdoors to the indoor units 202a and 202b. Further, the air suction and discharge fan 254 can also discharge the air inside the rooms 201a and 201b that has been taken in from the indoor units 202a and 202b to outdoors. In this manner, the air suction and discharge fan 254 can convey the air that has been taken in from outdoors via the air suction and discharge port 207c to the indoor units 202a and 202b and can convey the air inside the rooms 201a and 201b that has been taken in from the indoor units 202a and 202b to outdoors. The air suction and discharge fan 254 switches between these operations as a result of the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 switching.
For example, as shown in FIG. 17, when the air suction and discharge fan 254 sends the air that has been taken in from outdoors to the first indoor unit 202a or the second indoor unit 202b, the air suction and discharge fan 254 feeds the air passing through the portion of the humidifying rotor 251 facing the heating device 252 to the first outdoor duct 208a or the second outdoor duct 208b via the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 and the air flow path switching unit 230.
As shown in FIG. 17, the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 is communicated with the outside space of the humidifying unit casing 207 via the air suction and discharge port 207c. Further, as described above, the humidifying duct 258 is connected to the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b. For this reason, when the air suction and discharge fan 254 rotates, the outdoor air flowing through the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 can be supplied to the indoor units 202a and 202b via the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b. Further, the air passing through the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b and sent to the indoor units 202a and 202b is blown out to the surfaces of the indoor heat exchangers 211a and 211b inside the indoor units 202a and 202b.
Further, when the air suction and discharge fan 254 discharges the air inside the rooms 201a and 201b that has been taken in from the indoor units 202a and 202b to outdoors, the air suction and discharge fan 254 discharges the air inside the rooms 201a and 201b that has passed through the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b and the humidifying duct 258 from the air suction and discharge port 207c to outdoors.
The adsorption-use blowing device 255 has an adsorption-use fan motor 259b and an adsorption fan 259a that is driven to rotate by the adsorption-use fan motor 259b, and the adsorption-use blowing device 255 generates a flow of air that passes through the portion of the humidifying rotor 251 not facing the heating device 252. That is, the adsorption-use blowing device 255 generates a flow of air that is sucked in from the adsorption-use air intake port 207b, passes through the portion of the humidifying rotor 251 not facing the heating device 252, passes through an opening in a bellmouth 259c, and is discharged from the adsorption-use air blowout port 207a to outdoors.
The air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is rotary-type air flow path switching means including an air suction and discharge damper and a damper drive-use motor 253a (see FIG. 37) for causing the air suction and discharge damper to rotate. Further, the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is placed below the air suction and discharge fan 254. Moreover, in the air suction and discharge switching damper 253, the air suction and discharge damper drive-use motor 253a causes the air suction and discharge damper to rotate, whereby the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is switched between an air supplying state and an air discharging state.
In the air supplying state, air flows leading from the humidifying unit 205 toward the indoor units 202a and 202b are generated by the air suction and discharge fan 254. For example, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air supplying state and the air flow path switching unit 230 is in a first state, the air blown out from the air suction and discharge fan 254 passes via the humidifying duct 258 through the first outdoor duct 208a and is supplied to the first indoor unit 202a. For this reason, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air supplying state and the air flow path switching unit 23 0 is in the first state, the air flows in the direction of A3 shown in FIG. 17, and the outdoor air is humidified or is not humidified, passes through the first outdoor duct 208a, and is supplied to the first indoor unit 202a.
Further, for example, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air supplying state and the air flow path switching unit 230 is in a second state, the air blown out from the air suction and discharge fan 254 passes via the humidifying duct 258 through the second outdoor duct 208b and is supplied to the second indoor unit 202b. For this reason, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air supplying state and the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the second state, the air flows in the direction of A4 shown in FIG. 17, and the outdoor air is humidified or is not humidified, passes through the second outdoor duct 208b, and is supplied to the second indoor unit 202b.
In the air discharging state, air flows leading from the indoor units 202a and 202b toward the humidifying unit 205 are generated by the air suction and discharge fan 254. For example, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air discharging state and the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the first state, the air inside the first room 201a that has been taken in from the first indoor unit 202a as a result of the air suction and discharge fan 254 rotating passes via the first outdoor duct 208a through the humidifying duct 258 and is discharged to outdoors. For this reason, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air discharging state and the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the first state, the air flows in the direction of A5 shown in FIG. 17, and the air passing from the first indoor unit 202a through the first outdoor duct 208a and the humidifying duct 258 is discharged via the air suction and discharge port 207c to outdoors.
Further, for example, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air discharging state and the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the second state, the air inside the second room 201b that has been taken in from the second indoor unit 202b passes via the second outdoor duct 208b through the humidifying duct 258 and is discharged to outdoors. For this reason, when the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 is in the air discharging state and the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the second state, the air flows in the direction of A6 shown in FIG. 17, and the air passing from the second indoor unit 202b through the second outdoor duct 208b and the humidifying duct 258 is discharged via the air suction and discharge port 207c to outdoors.
As shown in FIG. 17, FIG. 18, and FIG. 19, the air flow path switching unit 230 is air flow path switching means housed inside the humidifying unit 205. The configuration of the air flow path switching unit 230 will be described below.

The air flow path switching unit 230 opens and closes openings 236 and 237 formed in a lower casing 232 described later to thereby shield and open the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the first indoor unit 202a, that is, circulation of air flowing through the humidifying duct 258, the first outdoor duct 208a, and the first indoor duct 209a, and the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the second indoor unit 202b, that is, circulation of air flowing through the humidifying duct 258, the second outdoor duct 208b, and the second indoor duct 209b. Further, the air flow path switching unit 230 is equipped with a switching unit casing 233, which is part of the humidifying duct 258, and a shielding portion 240.
The switching unit casing 233 houses inside the air suction and discharge fan 254. Further, as shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the switching unit casing 233 is mainly configured by an upper casing 231 and a lower casing 232.
In the upper casing 231, there are formed openings 231a and 231b through which shafts 247 and 297 of the shielding portion 240 described later are insertable. Further, when the switching unit casing 233 and the shielding portion 240 have been put together, a mounting plate 282 is mounted on the upper side of the upper casing 231 so as to cover the openings 231a and 231b.
In the lower casing 232, there are formed an opening 234 for the air suction and discharge fan 254 to suck in air and the two openings 236 and 237 that are connected to the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b. The openings 236 and 237 in the lower casing 232 are disposed in positions facing the openings 231a and 231b in the upper casing 231 when the lower casing 232 and the upper casing 231 have been put together.
Because of this configuration, as shown in FIG. 20, the inside space of the switching unit casing 233 is communicated with the inside space of the first outdoor duct 208a via the opening 236, and the inside space of the switching unit casing 233 is communicated with the inside space of the second outdoor duct 208b via the opening 237. For this reason, when the upper casing 231 and the lower casing 232 are put together and joined, the air flowing in from the air suction and discharge fan 254 flows from the inside of the switching unit casing 233 via the openings 236 and 237 to the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b. The switching unit casing 233 is part of the humidifying duct 258 8 through which the air flowing from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b or from the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b to outdoors passes. Consequently, the air flowing through the inside of the switching unit casing 233 is conveyed by the air suction and discharge fan 254 from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b or from the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b to outdoors.
As shown in FIG. 21, the shielding portion 240 is mainly equipped with a drive portion 271 that has one motor 271a, two circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 that are driven to rotate by the drive portion 271, and two valve bodies 243 and 293. The drive portion 271 has the motor 271a and a gear group 270 for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 271a to driven gears 246a and 296a that the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 have. The circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 have circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 and guide plates 245 and 295. The valve bodies 243 and 293 have shafts 247 and 297, retainer plates 248 and 298, and gaskets 249 and 299. Each of the components with which the shielding portion 240 is equipped will be described below.

(1) Circular Cylinder-shaped Cams

The shielding portion 240 is equipped with the two circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 as described above, and the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 can cause the valve bodies 243 and 293 to move linearly by converting the rotational force transmitted from the motor 271 a into linear moving force and transmitting the linear moving force to the valve bodies 243 and 293. Further, the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 have the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 and the guide plates 245 and 295. In the present embodiment, the configurations of the two circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 are the same, so here just the configuration of the circular cylinder-shaped cam 242 will be described, and description of the circular cylinder-shaped cam 292 will be omitted by replacing reference numerals in the 240s given to the components of the circular cylinder-shaped cam 242 with reference numerals in the 290s.
As shown in FIG. 21, the guide plate 245 is a member with a substantially circular cylinder shape having a hole 245a formed in the center thereof. Further, one end portion of the shaft 247 described later is inserted through the hole 245a, and the guide plate 245 is mounted on the shaft 247 by E-rings 241b and 241i. For this reason, the movement of the guide plate 245 in the axial direction of the shaft 247, that is, the movement of the guide plate 245 in the vertical direction, is regulated. Further, a projecting portion 245b that projects outward from the outer peripheral surface of the guide plate 245 is disposed on the guide plate 245. Moreover, the guide plate 245 is placed inside the circular cylinder cam portion 241 such that the projecting portion 245b is sandwiched between a gear-side cam surface 246d and a drive cam-side cam surface 244d described later.
The circular cylinder cam portion 241 is configured as a result of a drive cam 244 with a substantially circular cylinder shape having openings in both ends and a gear 246 that is fitted inside the drive cam 244 being put together.
As shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, the gear 246 includes a disc portion 246b that is a plate-shaped member with a disc shape and a gear-side cam portion 246c that is disposed upright from the edge portion of the disc portion 246b. The gear-side cam portion 246c has a gear-side cam surface 246d on its upper end portion. As shown in FIG. 23(b), which is a plane developed diagram showing the gear-side cam portion 246c in a state where the gear-side cam portion 246c is developed on a plane, the gear-side cam surface 246d includes a bottom surface portion 246e that extends horizontally, a top surface portion 246h that extends horizontally, and slanted surface portions 246f and 246g that slant at predetermined angles in order to interconnect the bottom surface portion 246e and the top surface portion 246h. Further, the slanted surface portions 246f and 246g are configured by a first slanted surface portion 246g, which is formed continuously from the top surface portion 246h, and a second slanted surface portion 246f, which is formed continuously from the bottom surface portion 246e. Further, as shown in FIG. 23(b), the second slanted surface portion 246f has a gentler inclination than the inclination of the first slanted surface portion 246g.
Further, the gear-side cam portion 246c has an engaged portion 246i. Moreover, on the underside of the disc portion 246b, there is formed a driven gear 246a that rotates as a result of the rotational force from the motor 271a being transmitted thereto. Further, in the centers of the disc portion 246b and the driven gear 246a, there is formed a hole 246j through which the shaft 247 is insertable.
As shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 24, the drive cam 244 is a member with a substantially circular cylinder shape having openings in both ends thereof and includes a first portion 244a, a second portion 244b that is formed so as to extend outward, that is, in an outer peripheral direction, from the edge portion of the first portion 244a, and a third portion 244c that is formed so as to extend in the direction on the opposite side of the direction in which the first portion 244a extends from the edge portion of the second portion 244b. Further, the second portion 244b includes a drive cam-side cam surface 244d placed so as to be spaced a predetermined interval apart from and face the gear-side cam surface 246d in a state where the gear 246 and the drive cam 244 have been put together. The predetermined interval referred to here, that is, the distance between the gear-side cam surface 246d and the drive cam-side cam surface 244d, is longer than the length of the diameter of the end surface of the projecting portion 245b of the guide plate 245.
As shown in FIG. 23 (a), the drive cam-side cam surface 244d has a top surface portion 244h that faces the top surface portion 246h of the gear-side cam surface 246d, a *bottom surface portion 244e that faces the bottom surface portion 246e of the gear-side cam surface 246d, and slanted surface portions 244f and 244g that face the slanted surface portions 246f and 246g of the gear-side cam surface 246d. Further, like the slanted surface portions 246f and 246g of the gear-side cam surface 246d, the slanted surface portions 244f and 244g of the drive cam-side cam surface 244d are configured by a first slanted surface portion 244g that is formed continuously from the top surface portion 244h and a second slanted surface portion 244f that is formed continuously from the bottom surface portion 244e. Further, as shown in FIG 23(a), the second slanted surface portion 244f has a gentler inclination than the inclination of the first slanted surface portion 244g.
Further, the second portion 244b has an engaging portion 244i that is capable of engaging with the engaged portion 246i of the gear-side cam portion 246c. The engaging portion 244i engages with the engaged portion 246i, whereby the gear-side cam surface 246d and the drive cam-side cam surface 244d are placed so as to be spaced the predetermined interval apart from and face each other.
Because of this configuration, when the drive cam 244 and the gear 246 are put together and the drive cam-side cam surface 244d and the gear-side cam surface 246d are placed so as to be spaced the predetermined interval apart from and face each other, a cam groove 241a for guiding the projecting portion 245b of the guide plate 245 is formed inside the circular cylinder cam portion 241. The cam groove 241a formed inside the circular cylinder cam portion 241 will be described below.
FIG. 25 is a plane developed diagram showing the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 in the state where the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 have been developed on a plane. Further, FIG. 26 is a diagram schematically showing the relationship between the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 and the cam grooves 241a and 291a. As shown in FIG. 25, the cam groove 241a has an upper groove portion 241h that includes the top surface portions 244h and 246h in its wall surfaces, a lower groove portion 241e that includes the bottom surface portions 244e and 246e in its wall surfaces, and middle groove portions 241f and 241 g that include the slanted surface portions 244f and 244g and 246f and 246g in their wall surfaces. Further, the middle groove portions 241f and 241 g are configured by a first middle groove portion 241g that includes the first slanted surface portions 244g and 246g in its wall surfaces and a second middle groove portion 241f that includes the second slanted surface portions 244f and 246f in its wall surface. For this reason, the second middle groove portion 241f has a gentler inclination than the inclination of the first middle groove portion 241 g.
Further, the circular cylinder cam portion 241 is rotatable a predetermined angle (in the present embodiment, 342.6°) in a forward direction or a reverse direction (see FIG. 26) as a result of the drive portion 271 driving the circular cylinder cam portion 241. For this reason, the projecting portion 245b of the guide plate 245 is guided in the cam groove 241 a that changes depending on the angle of rotation of the circular cylinder cam portion 241. Consequently, the position of the projecting portion 245b in the cam groove 241a changes depending on the angle of rotation of the circular cylinder cam portion 241. In FIG. 26, in the circular cylinder cam portion 241, W1 represents the range (angular range) in which the upper groove portion 241h is formed, W2 represents the range in which the first middle groove portion 241 g is formed, W3 represents the range in which the second middle groove portion 241f is formed, and W4 and W5 represent the range in which the lower groove portion 241e is formed. Range W4 is a range in which the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 are both positioned in the lower groove portions 241e and 291e.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 24, a tongue portion 244ca that projects outward from part of the outer peripheral surface of the lower portion of the third portion 244c of the drive cam 244 is disposed on the lower portion of the third portion 244c of the drive cam 244.

(2) Valve Bodies

The shielding portion 240 is equipped with the two valve bodies 243 and 293 as described above. Further, in the present embodiment, the valve bodies 243 and 293 have the same configuration, so here just the configuration of the valve body 243 will be described, and description of the valve body 293 will be omitted by replacing reference numerals in the 240s given to the components of the valve body 243 with reference numerals in the 290s.
As shown in FIG. 21, the valve body 243 has the shaft 247, the retainer plate 248, and the gasket 249.
The retainer plate 248 is a member with a substantially circular truncated cone shape having a hole 248a through which the shaft 247 is inserted formed in its center. Further, as shown in FIG. 27(a), in the upper portion of the side surface of the retainer plate 248, there is formed a groove portion 248b with which the end portion of the gasket 249 is capable of being fitted. Moreover, in the lower portion of the side surface of the retainer plate 248, there is formed a recessed portion 248c.
The shaft 247 is inserted through the hole 245a in the guide plate 245 as described above, and the guide plate 245 is mounted on one end portion of the shaft 247. Specifically, the guide plate 245 is mounted on the shaft 247 by the E-rings 241b and 241i such that the guide plate 245 is movable a predetermined distance in the axial direction of the shaft 247 (see FIG. 36). Further, the other end portion (which corresponds to a near-opening-side end portion) of the shaft 247 is inserted through the hole 248a formed in the retainer plate 248. Moreover, the retainer plate 248 is fixed to the shaft 247 by E-rings 241c and 241d.
The gasket 249 is a bottomed circular cylinder-shaped member comprising an elastically deformable material made of rubber or made of resin and is fitted onto the retainer plate 248 from the underside of the retainer plate 248. Further, the side surface portion of the gasket 249 is formed such that it does not coincide with the side surface portion of the retainer plate 248. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 27, in a state where the gasket 249 has been attached to the retainer plate 248, a space S 1 in which the open portion of the recessed portion 248c is covered by the gasket 249 is formed inside the recessed portion 248c of the retainer plate 248.

(3) Drive Portion

As described above, the drive portion 271 has the one motor 271a serving as a drive source and the gear group 270 for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 271a to the driven gears 246a and 296a that the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 have.
The motor 271a is a forwardly and reversely rotatable stepping motor that is controlled by a drive instruction from a control unit 260 described later, that is, by a number of pulses supplied from the control unit 260. Further, a drive gear 271b is fixed to a drive shaft of the motor 271a. As shown in FIG. 28, this drive gear 271b is placed such that it meshes with a first gear 270a included in the gear group 270. Further, the first gear 270a is placed such that it meshes with the driven gear 246a that the circular cylinder-shaped cam 242 has. For this reason, when the drive gear 271b rotates, the driven gear 246a rotates via the first gear 270a. Consequently, when the drive gear 271b rotates, the circular cylinder cam portion 241 receives that drive force and rotates. FIG. 28 is a plan diagram of the shielding portion 240 and is a general diagram showing positions when the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 are mounted on the mounting plate 282, that is, the positions of the cam grooves 241 a and 291 a in the assembly position of the shielding portion 240.
Further, in addition to the first gear 270a described above, the gear group 270 includes a second gear 270b, which is placed such that it meshes with the driven gear 246a of the circular cylinder cam portion 241 (hereinafter called the first circular cylinder cam portion 241) placed on the right side in FIG. 28, and a third gear 270c, which is placed such that it meshes with the second gear 270b and the driven gear 296a of the circular cylinder cam portion 291 (the circular cylinder cam portion placed on the left side in FIG. 28; hereinafter called the second circular cylinder cam portion 291) different from the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 of the two circular cylinder cams.
For this reason, the drive gear 271b rotates as a result of the motor 271a driving the drive gear 271b, and the driven gear 246a of the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates via the first gear 270a. Further, the driven gear 296a of the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates via the second gear 270b and the third gear 270c as a result of the driven gear 246a rotating. Because of this configuration, the two circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 can be driven synchronously by the one motor 271a.
Further, the shielding portion 240 includes a cover 272. As shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 29, the cover 272 has a plate-shaped top surface portion 273, which has a shape where two circles overlap such that they can cover the outer peripheries of the two circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291, and a side surface portion 274, which is disposed upright from the top surface portion 273. Further, the cover 272 has inner surface portions 275. The inner surface portions 275 are placed inside the cover 272 such that parts thereof face the side surface portion 274.
The inner surface portions 275 have circular cylinder shapes having openings in both ends, and the openings on one end of each are covered by the top surface portion 273.
Further, the inner surface portions 275 are formed such that the diameters of the openings of the inner surface portions 275 are larger than the diameters of the disc-shaped portions of the guide plates 245 and 295, so that the disc-shaped portions of the guide plates 245 and 295 can be housed inside the inner surface portions 275. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 29 and FIG. 30, slit-shaped notch portions 275a that extend in the vertical direction are formed in the inner surface portions 275. The projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 are housed in these slit-shaped notch portions 275a in a state where the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 and the cover 272 have been put together. In this manner, because the projecting portions 245b and 295b are housed in the slit-shaped notch portions 275a, co-rotation of the guide plates 245 and 295 and the drive cams 244 and 294 and the gears 246 and 296 can be prevented. That is, the rotation of the guide plates 245 and 295 can be regulated. Thus, even when the circular cylinder cams 241 and 291 are caused to rotate, the valve bodies 243 and 293 having the guide plates 245 and 295 and the shafts 247 and 297 on which the guide plates 245 and 295 are mounted move in the vertical direction without rotating. Further, as shown in FIG. 29, the notch portions 275a of the inner surface portions 275 are formed in positions where the end surfaces of the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the two guide plates 245 and 295 are placed facing each other.
Further, as shown in FIG. 21, in the lower portion of the side surface portion 274 of the cover 272, there is formed an opening 274a through which a switch shaft 276 is insertable. The switch shaft 276 presses a lever 281 that a limit switch 280 has by contacting the tongue portion 294ca disposed on the third portion 294c of the drive cam 294. In other words, the tongue portion 294ca of the drive cam 294 can press the lever 281 via the switch shaft 276 that the cover 272 has.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 28, the two circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292, the two valve bodies 243 and 293, and the drive portion 271 are mounted on the mounting plate 282. The circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 that the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 have are placed in positions that are point-symmetrical with respect to point O shown in FIG. 28. Further, point O in FIG. 28 is a point on a line where the distances from the centers of the two circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are equal and which interconnects the centers of the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292, that is, a point in the center of the symmetry. For this reason, the circular cylinder cam portion 291 is placed in a position where the circular cylinder cam portion 241 has been rotated 180 degrees about point O shown in FIG. 28.
Further, the shielding portion 240 is equipped with the limit switch 280.
As shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 28, the limit switch 280 is a micro switch having the lever 281 and outputs an ON signal as a result of the lever 281 being pressed. The lever 281 always contacts the switch shaft 276 that the cover 272 has and is pressed as a result of the switch shaft 276 confronting the tongue portion 294ca of the drive cam 294.
The limit switch 280 issues the ON signal as a result of the lever 281 being pressed by the tongue portion 294ca via the switch shaft 276 when the switch shaft 276 confronts the tongue portion 294ca (see FIG. 33(a) and FIG. 35(a)). Further, the limit switch 280 issues an OFF signal because the lever 281 is not pressed by the tongue portion 294ca when the switch shaft 276 is not confronting the tongue portion 294ca (see FIG. 28 and FIG. 34(a)). The ON signal or the OFF signal outputted from the limit switch 280 is imported to the control unit 260 described later.
Because of this configuration, in the shielding portion 240, the drive shaft 271 b rotates as a result of the motor 271a driving the drive shaft 271b, and the driven gear 246a of the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates via the first gear 270a as a result of the drive gear 271b rotating. The first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates as a result of the driven gear 246a of the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotating. Further, the driven gear 296a of the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates via the second gear 270b and the third gear 270c as a result of the driven gear 246a of the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotating. The second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates as a result of the driven gear 296a of the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotating. Further, because the cam grooves 241 a and 291 a for guiding the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 are formed inside the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291, the guide plates 245 and 295 can be caused to move to predetermined positions (a first position P1 and a second position P2 shown in FIG. 20 and FIG. 25) in the axial direction of the shafts 247 and 297, that is, in the vertical direction, as a result of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 rotating.
Further, because the guide plates 245 and 295 move in the vertical direction, the shafts 247 and 297 on which the guide plates 245 and 295 are mounted move linearly in the vertical direction, that is, a direction intersecting the surface of the lower casing 232. For this reason, the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 are guided from the upper groove portions 241h and 29 1 h toward the lower groove portions 241e and 291e, whereby the guide plates 245 and 295 are moved downward (see FIG. 25). Further, because the guide plates 245 and 295 are moved downward, the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 of the valve bodies 243 and 293 are moved downward from a third position P3b (which corresponds to a predetermined second position) shown in FIG. 20. Additionally, the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 are guided to the lower groove portions 241e and 291 e, whereby the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 are moved to a fourth position P4 (which corresponds to a shielding position) shown in FIG. 20. The openings 236 and 237 are blocked as a result of the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 being moved to the fourth position P4 shown in FIG. 20. Further, at this time, as shown in FIG. 27, when the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 of the valve bodies 243 and 293 are moved further downward after the gaskets 249 and 299 contact the end portions of the openings 236 and 237, the gaskets 249 and 299 bend inward. For this reason, the spaces S 1 formed between the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 become smaller (see FIG. 27(c)).
In this manner, the communication between the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 and the inside spaces of the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b is shielded. That is, circulation of air leading from the humidifying unit 205 toward the indoor units 202a and 202b becomes shielded. The circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 rotate about the central axes of movement of the valve bodies 243 and 293. In other words, the central axes of rotation (which correspond to centerlines) of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are on the same lines as the central axes of movement of the valve bodies 243 and 293.
Further, the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 are guided from the lower groove portions 241e and 291e toward the upper groove portions 241h and 291h, whereby the guide plates 245 and 295 are moved upward (see FIG. 25). Further, because the guide plates 245 and 295 are moved upward, the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 of the valve bodies 243 and 293 are also moved upward. Thus, the openings 236 and 237 that had been blocked by the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 are opened.
Moreover, the air flow path switching unit 230 is capable of switching between a first state (see FIG. 31) where the opening 236 (hereinafter called the first opening) is opened and the opening 237 (hereinafter called the second opening) is closed, a second state (see FIG. 20) where the first opening 236 is closed and the second opening 237 is opened, and a third state (see FIG. 32) where the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 are closed as a result of the motor 271a being driven to cause the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 to rotate and cause the valve bodies 243 and 293 to move in the vertical direction. The first state, the second state, and the third state will be described below using FIG. 20, FIG. 25, FIG. 31, and FIG. 32.
The first state is a state where the first projecting portion 245b that is the projecting portion of the guide plate 245 guided by the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 is positioned in the upper groove portion 241h formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 and where the second projecting portion 295b that is the projecting portion of the guide plate 295 guided by the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 is positioned in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 31, the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 are placed in the third position P3b that is a position where they open the first opening 236, and the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293 are placed in the fourth position P4 that is a position where they block the second opening 237. Consequently, the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 becomes communicated with the inside space of the first outdoor duct 208a via the first opening 236. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, the air passing through the humidifying duct 258 is supplied to the first indoor unit 202a.
The second state is a state where the first projecting portion 245b is positioned in the lower groove portion 241e and where the second projecting portion 295b is positioned in the upper groove portion 291h. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 20, the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 are placed in the fourth position P4 that is a position where they block the first opening 236, and the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293 are placed in the third position P3b that is a position where they open the second opening 237. Consequently, the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 becomes communicated with the inside space of the second outdoor duct 208b via the second opening 237. Thus, in the case of the air supplying state, the air passing through the humidifying duct 258 is supplied to the second indoor unit 202b.
The third state is a state where the first projecting portion 245b is positioned in the lower groove portion 241e and where the second projecting portion 295b is positioned in the lower groove portion 291e. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 32, the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 are placed in the fourth position P4 that is a position where they block the first opening 236, and the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293 are placed in the fourth position P4 that is a position where they block the second opening 237. Consequently, the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 is not communicated with the inside spaces of the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b, so circulation of air leading from outdoors to the indoors is shielded. Thus, air is not supplied from the humidifying unit 205 to the indoor units 202a and 202b.
Next, the relationship between the switching of the states in the air flow path switching unit 230 and the driving of the motor 271a will be described using FIG. 33, FIG. 34, and FIG. 35.
FIG. 33(a), FIG. 34(a), and FIG. 35(a) are general diagrams showing the positions of the cam grooves 241a and 291a and the positions of the tongue portions 244ca and 294ca in the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 when the shielding portion 240 is seen in a plan view. FIG. 33(a) and FIG. 35(a) generally show the rotational positions (states) of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 at a point in time when the tongue portion 294ca is confronting the lever 281, that is, a point in time when the signal outputted from the limit switch 280 switches from the OFF signal to the ON signal. Further, FIG. 33(b) is a general diagram showing the distances of the valve bodies 243 and 293 from the openings 236 and 237, that is, the positions of the valve bodies 243 and 293, when the rotational positions of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291, that is, the projecting portions 245b and 295b positioned in rotation reference positions and the cam grooves 241 a and 291a in the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291, are in the positions shown in FIG. 33(a). FIG. 34(b) is a general diagram showing the positions of the valve bodies 243 and 293 when the rotational positions of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are in the positions shown in FIG. 34(a). FIG. 35(b) is a general diagram showing the positions of the valve bodies 243 and 293 when the rotational positions of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are in the positions shown in FIG. 35(a). Reference sign P3a shown in FIG. 33(b) represents a detection position (which corresponds to a predetermined first position) that is a position of the valve bodies 243 and 293 at the point in time when the signal outputted from the limit switch 280 switches from the OFF signal to the ON signal, reference sign P3b represents a third position that is a position of the valve bodies 243 and 293 in a state where the openings 236 and 237 are completely opened (which corresponds to a completely opened state), that is, a position of the valve bodies 243 and 293 when the projecting portions 245b and 295b are positioned in the upper groove portions 241h and 291h, and reference sign P4 represents a fourth position that is a position of the valve bodies 243 and 293 in a state where the openings 236 and 237 are closed.
The motor 271a is a forwardly and reversely rotatable motor, so when the motor 271a rotates in the forward direction (the direction of arrow Y1 in FIG. 33), the driven gear 246a of the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the forward direction and the driven gear 296a of the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates in the reverse direction that is the opposite direction of the forward direction. Further, when the motor 271a rotates in the reverse direction (the direction of arrow Y2 in FIG. 35), the driven gear 246a of the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the reverse direction and the driven gear 296a of the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates in the forward direction that is the opposite direction of the reverse direction.
For this reason, when the motor 271a rotates in the forward direction when the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the third state, that is, a state where the first projecting portion 245b is positioned in range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 and where the second projecting portion 295b is positioned in range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291, the first projecting portion 245b is guided from the lower groove portion 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 through the middle groove portions 241f and 241g to the upper groove portion 241h (see FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG. 33, and FIG. 34). In other words, the first projecting portion 245b moves from the position of range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 241e though range W3 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 and range W2 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 to the position of range W1 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26. At this time, the first guide plate 245 that is the guide plate 245 having the first projecting portion 245b is moved upward, so the first valve body 243 that is the valve body 243 fixed to the first guide plate 245 is also moved upward. Consequently, the first opening 236 that had been blocked by the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 is opened (see FIG. 33(b)). Further, the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 and the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 are placed in positions point-symmetrical with respect to point O in FIG. 28 and are mounted on the mounting plate 282, so the second projecting portion 295b becomes guided in the position of range W5 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. At this time, the second guide plate 295 that is the guide plate 295 having the second projecting portion 295b is not moved in the vertical direction, so the second valve body 293 that is the valve body 293 fixed to the second guide plate 295 also does not move, and the state where the second opening 237 is blocked is maintained (see FIG. 33(b)).
In this manner, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the third state to the first state.
Further, when the motor 271a rotates in the reverse direction when the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the first state, that is, a state where the first projecting portion 245b is positioned in range W1 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the upper groove portion 241h formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 and where the second projecting portion 295b is positioned in range W5 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291, the first projecting portion 245b is guided from the upper groove portion 241h formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 through the middle groove portions 241f and 241g to the lower groove portion 241e (see FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG. 33, and FIG. 34). In other words, the first projecting portion 245b moves from the position of range W1 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the upper groove portion 241h though range W2 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 and range W3 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 to the position of range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26. At this time, the first guide plate 245 is moved downward, so the first valve body 243 is also moved downward. Consequently, the first opening 236 that had been opened is blocked by the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 (see FIG. 34(b)). Further, the second projecting portion 295b becomes guided in the position of range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. At this time, the second guide plate 295 is not moved in the vertical direction, so the second valve body 293 also does not move, and the state where the second opening 237 is blocked by the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293 is maintained (see FIG. 34(b)).
In this manner, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the first state to the third state.
Further, when the motor 271a rotates in the reverse direction when the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the third state, that is, a state where the first projecting portion 245b is positioned in range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 241e e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 and where the second projecting portion 295b is positioned in range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291, the first projecting portion 245b is guided in the position of range W5 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 (see FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG. 34, and FIG. 35). At this time, the first guide plate 245 is not moved in the vertical direction, so the first valve body 243 also does not move, and the state where the first opening 236 is blocked by the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 is maintained (see FIG. 35(b)). Further, the second projecting portion 295b is guided from the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 via the middle grooves 291f and 291g to the upper groove portion 291h (see FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG. 34, and FIG. 35). In other words, the second projecting portion 295b moves from the position of range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e via range W3 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 and range W2 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 to the position of range W1 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26. At this time, the second guide plate 295 is moved upward, so the second valve body 293 is also moved upward. Consequently, the second opening 237 that had been blocked by the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293 is opened (see FIG. 35(b)).
In this manner, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the third state to the second state.
Further, when the motor 271a rotates in the forward direction when the air flow path switching unit 230 is in the second state, that is, a state where the first projecting portion 245b is positioned in range W5 in which the lower groove portion 241e is formed in the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 and where the second projecting portion 295b is positioned in range W1 in which the upper groove portion 291h is formed in the second circular cylinder cam portion 291, the first projecting portion 245b becomes guided in the range of range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 241 e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241. At this time, the first guide plate 245 is not moved in the vertical direction, so the first valve body 243 also does not move, and the state where the first opening 236 is blocked by the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 is maintained. Further, the second projecting portion 295b is guided from the upper groove portion 291h formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 through the middle grooves 291 f and 29 1 g to the lower groove portion 291e (see FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG. 34, and FIG. 35). In other words, the second projecting portion 295b moves from the position of range W1 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the upper groove portion 291 h via range W2 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 and range W3 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 to the position of range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26. At this time, the second guide plate 295 is moved downward, so the second valve body 293 is also moved downward. Consequently, the second opening 237 that had been opened is blocked by the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293.
In this manner, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the second state to the third state.
When the motor 271a is further rotated in the reverse direction in a state where the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched from the first state to the third state, the first projecting portion 245b becomes guided in the position of range W5 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241. At this time, the first guide plate 245 is not moved in the vertical direction, so the first valve body 243 also does not move, and the state where the first opening 236 is blocked by the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 is maintained. Further, the second projecting portion 295b is guided from the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 via the middle groove portions 291f and 291g to the upper groove portion 291h (see FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG. 33, FIG. 34, and FIG. 35). At this time, the second guide plate 295 is moved upward, so the second valve body 293 is also moved upward. Consequently, the second opening 237 that had been blocked by the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293 is opened.
In this manner, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the first state to the second state.
When the motor 27 1 a is further rotated in the forward direction in a state where the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched from the second state to the third state, the first projecting portion 245b is guided from the lower groove portion 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 via the middle groove portions 241f and 241g to the upper groove portion 241h (see FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG. 33, FIG. 34, and FIG. 35). At this time, the first guide plate 245 is moved upward, so the first valve body 243 is also moved upward. Consequently, the first opening 236 that had been blocked by the retainer plate 248 and the gasket 249 of the first valve body 243 is opened. Further, the second projecting portion 295b becomes guided in the position of range W5 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. For this reason, the state where the second opening 237 is blocked by the retainer plate 298 and the gasket 299 of the second valve body 293 is maintained.
In this manner, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the second state to the first state.
Further, the shafts 247 and 297 penetrate the guide plates 245 and 295, and the movement of the guide plates 245 and 295 in the vertical direction is, as shown in FIG. 36, regulated by the E-rings 241b and 241i and 291b and 291i placed in a fifth position P5 and a sixth position P6 of the shafts 247 and 297. For this reason, the guide plates 245 and 295 are movable in the vertical direction in range W6 shown in FIG. 36. Further, the shielding portion 240 has spring members 247a and 297a that are elastically deformable and spring receivers 247b and 297b. Further, the spring members 247a and 297a and the spring receivers 247b and 297b are placed between the guide plates 245 and 295 and the E-rings 241b and 291b. The spring receivers 247b and 297b are fixed by the E-rings 241b and 291b, and the movement of the spring members 247a and 297a is regulated by the guide plates 245 and 295 and the spring receivers 247b and 297b. For this reason, when the guide plates 245 and 295 are moved downward as a result of the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 being guided from the upper groove portions 241h and 291h to the lower groove portions 241e and 291e, the spring members 247a and 297a are compressed in the second middle groove portions 241f and 291f. Additionally, when the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 have been guided to the lower groove portions 241e and 291 e, the spring members 247a and 297a become most compressed. Further, the spring members 247a and 297a press the spring receivers 247b and 297b downward as a result of being compressed by the guide plates 245 and 295 and the spring receivers 247b and 297b. For this reason, the spring members 247a and 297a can energize the valve bodies 243 and 293 such that the valve bodies 243 and 293 block the openings 236 and 237.
Further, when the guide plates 245 and 295 are moved upward as a result of the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 being guided from the lower groove portions 241e and 291e to the upper groove portions 24 1 h and 29 1 h, the guide plates 245 and 295 are pressed upward by the reaction force of the spring members 247a and 297a in the second middle groove portions 241f and 291f. For this reason, the spring members 247a and 297a can energize the valve bodies 243 and 293 such that the valve bodies 243 and 293 open the openings 236 and 237.
Further, because the second middle groove portions 241f and 291f are given a gentler inclination than the first middle groove portions 241g and 291g, the drive torque of the motor 271a for compressing the spring members 247a and 297a can be made smaller in comparison to when the second middle groove portions 241f and 291f have the same inclination as the first middle groove portions 241g and 291 g.
Next, the control unit 260 for driving the drive portion 271 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 37, the control unit 260 is connected to the various devices of the indoor units 202a and 202b, the outdoor air conditioning unit 204, and the humidifying unit 205 and performs control of the operation of the various devices in accordance with each operation mode such as the cooling operation, the heating operation, the dehumidifying operation, the humidifying operation, the air supplying operation, and the air discharging operation on the basis of an instruction from a user via a remote controller 290.
Further, the control unit 260 is equipped with a shielding mechanism control unit 261. The shielding mechanism control unit 261 switches the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 on the basis of a control instruction from the control unit 260.
The shielding mechanism control unit 261 has a storage component 262, a motor drive control component 264, a decision component 265, and a detection component 263.
When the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has been switched, the storage component 262 stores the state to which the air flow path switching unit 230 has been switched as the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230. Further, when the storage component 262 has stored the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230, the storage component 262 erases information in regard to the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 that was stored before. "When the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has been switched" means when it has been judged by the shielding mechanism control unit 261 that the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched. For this reason, the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 becomes the same state as the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 that has been judged by the shielding mechanism control unit 261.
The motor drive control component 264 controls the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the motor 271a. Specifically, the motor drive control component 264 supplies a predetermined number of pulses to the motor 271a such that the motor 271a rotates a predetermined amount. Further, the motor drive control component 264 supplies to the motor 271a a direction-of-rotation control signal that controls the direction of rotation of the motor 271a such that the motor 271a rotates in the forward direction or the reverse direction. For this reason, the motor 271a rotates a predetermined amount in the forward direction or the reverse direction in response to the direction-of-rotation control signal and the number of pulses supplied from the motor drive control component 264. Consequently, by controlling the direction of rotation and the amount of rotation of the motor 271a, the driven gears 246a and 296a that the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 have can be rotated a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, and the valve bodies 243 and 293 can be moved in the vertical direction.
Further, the number of pulses and the direction-of-rotation control signal supplied to the motor 271a by the motor drive control component 264 are decided on the basis of a signal outputted from the decision component 265 or the detection component 263. The motor drive control component 264 gives priority to the signal from the detection component 263 over the signal from the decision component 265.
The decision component 265 decides the direction of rotation and the number of pulses of the motor 271a supplied to the motor 271a by the motor drive control component 264 on the basis of the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 and outputs to the motor drive control component 264 a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses it has decided.
Specifically, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to switched to the third state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the first state, the decision component 265 outputs a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses to the motor drive control component 264 such that the direction-of-rotation control signal is "reverse direction" and the number of pulses supplied becomes a predetermined first number of pulses (e.g., 3000 p1). Further, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to be switched to the third state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the second state, the decision component 265 outputs a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses to the motor drive control component 264 such that the direction-of-rotation control signal is "forward direction" and the number of pulses supplied becomes the predetermined first number of pulses. Moreover, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to be switched to the third state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the third state, the decision component 265 does not output a signal to the motor drive control component 264.
When the number of pulses supplied from the motor drive control component 264 is the predetermined first number of pulses, the motor 271a causes the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 to rotate about 155 degrees. For this reason, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the first state, when the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined first number of pulses in the reverse direction, the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the reverse direction, whereby the first projecting portion 245b is guided into range W4 of the lower groove portion 241e from the upper groove portion 24h formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241. Further, because the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the reverse direction, the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates in the forward direction and the second projecting portion 295b is guided into range W4 from inside range W5 of the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. Consequently, the first valve body 243 moves from the third position P3b to the fourth position P4, and the second valve body 293 does not move but continues to be positioned in the fourth position P4. Thus, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the third state. That is, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the first state to the third state.
Further, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the second state, when the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined first number of pulses in the forward direction, the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the forward direction, whereby the first projecting portion 245b is guided into range W4 from inside range W5 of the lower groove portion 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241. Further, because the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the forward direction, the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates in the reverse direction and the second projecting portion 295b is guided into range W4 of the lower groove portion 291e from the upper groove portion 291h formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. Consequently, the first valve body 243 does not move but continues to be positioned in the fourth position P4, and the second valve body 293 moves from the third position P3b to the fourth position P4. Thus, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the third state. That is, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches from the second state to the third state.
Further, when the air flow path switching unit 23 0 is to be switched to the first state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the second state, the decision component 265 outputs a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses to the motor drive control component 264 such that the direction-of-rotation control signal is "forward direction" and the number of pulses supplied becomes a predetermined second number of pulses (e.g., 6000 pl). Further, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to be switched to the first state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the third state, the decision component 265 outputs a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses to the motor drive control component 264 such that the direction-of-rotation control signal is "forward direction" and the number of pulses supplied becomes the predetermined first number of pulses. Moreover, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to be switched to the first state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the first state, the decision component 265 does not output a signal to the motor drive control component 264.
When the number of pulses supplied from the motor drive control component 264 is the predetermined second number of pulses, the motor 271a causes the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 to rotate about 310 degrees. For this reason, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the second state, the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined second number of pulses in the forward direction, whereby the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 can be rotated in the reverse direction and the ON signal can be outputted from the limit switch 280.
Further, as described above, when the number of pulses supplied from the motor drive control component 264 is the predetermined first number of pulses, the motor 271a causes the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 to rotate about 155 degrees. For this reason, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the third state, the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined first number of pulses in the forward direction, whereby the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 can be rotated in the reverse direction and the ON signal can be outputted from the limit switch 280.
Moreover, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to be switched to the second state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the first state, the decision component 265 outputs a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses to the motor drive control component 264 such that the direction-of-rotation control signal is "reverse direction" and the number of pulses supplied becomes the predetermined second number of pulses. Further, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to be switched to the second state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the third state, the decision component 265 outputs a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses to the motor drive control component 264 such that the direction-of-rotation control signal is "reverse direction" and the number of pulses supplied becomes the predetermined first number of pulses. Moreover, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is to be switched to the second state and the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 is the second state, the decision component 265 does not output a signal to the motor drive control component 264.
As described above, when the number of pulses supplied from the motor drive control component 264 is the predetermined second number of pulses, the motor 271a causes the circular cylinder cam portions 24 and 291 to rotate about 310 degrees. For this reason, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the first state, the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined second number of pulses in the reverse direction, whereby the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 can be rotated in the forward direction and the ON signal can be outputted from the limit switch 280.
Further, as described above, when the number of pulses supplied from the motor drive control component 264 is the predetermined first number of pulses, the motor 271a causes the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 to rotate about 155 degrees. For this reason, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the third state, the motor 271 a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined first number of pulses in the reverse direction, whereby the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 can be rotated in the forward direction and the ON signal can be outputted from the limit switch 280.
The detection component 263 detects that the first valve body 243 or the second valve body 293 is in the detection position P3a on the basis of the signal outputted from the limit switch 280. That is, the detection component 263 can detect whether or not the openings 236 and 237 have been opened. Specifically, the detection component 263 detects that the first valve body 243 or the second valve body 293 is in the detection position P3a, that is, that the openings 236 and 237 have been opened, when the signal outputted from the limit switch 280 has switched from the OFF signal to the ON signal. Further, when the detection component 263 detects that the first valve body 243 or the second valve body 293 is in the detection position P3a, that is, that the openings 236 and 237 have been opened, the detection component 263 outputs a signal relating to the direction of rotation and the number of pulses to the motor drive control component 264 such that the direction-of-rotation control signal is the current direct of rotation and the number of pulses supplied becomes a predetermined third number of pulses (e.g., 500 pl) (see FIG. 38).
As shown in FIG. 38, the detection position P3a is the position of the valve bodies 243 and 293 when the projecting portions 245b and 295b are positioned in the first middle groove portions 241g and 291g formed inside the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291, that is, when the projecting portions 245b and 295b are positioned inside range W2.
As described above, the motor drive control component 264 gives priority to the signal outputted from the detection component 263 over the signal outputted from the decision component 265. For this reason, when a signal relating to the number of pulses has been outputted from the detection component 263 even when the motor 271a is not rotating an amount corresponding to the number of pulses decided by the decision component 265, the motor drive control component 264 supplies a number of pulses to the motor 271a such that the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined third number of pulses. For this reason, when the signal outputted from the limit switch 280 has switched from the OFF signal to the ON signal, the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined third number of pulses supplied from the point in time when the signal has switched and stops. Consequently, the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are further rotated an amount corresponding to the predetermined third number of pulses by the motor 271a from the rotation position at the point in time when the signal outputted from the limit switch 280 has switched from the OFF signal to the ON signal and stop.
When the number of pulses supplied from the motor drive control component 264 is the predetermined third number of pulses, the motor 271a causes the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 to rotate about 20 degrees.
For this reason, when it has been detected by the detection component 263 that the first valve body 243 or the second valve body 293 is in the detection position P3a while the motor 271a is rotating in the forward direction, that is, when it has been detected that the first opening 236 or the second opening 237 has been opened, the motor 271a further rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined third number of pulses in the forward direction, whereby the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 further rotates in the forward direction and the first projecting portion 245b is guided to the upper groove portion 241h formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241. Further, because the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 further rotates in the forward direction, the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 further rotates in the reverse direction and the second projecting portion 295b moves within the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. Consequently, the first valve body 243 moves to the third position P3b. Thus, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the first state. At this time, the second valve body 293 is positioned in the fourth position P4.
Further, when it has been detected by the detection component 263 that the first valve body 243 or the second valve body 293 is in the detection position P3a while the motor 271a is rotating in the reverse direction, that is, when it has been detected that the first opening 236 or the second opening 237 has been opened, the motor 271 a further rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined third number of pulses in the reverse direction, whereby the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 further rotates in the reverse direction and the first projecting portion 245b moves within the lower groove portion 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241. Further, because the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 further rotates in the reverse direction, the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 further rotates in the forward direction and the second projecting portion 295b is guided to the upper groove portion 291h formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. Consequently, the second valve body 293 moves to the third position P3b. Thus, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the second state. At this time, the first valve body 243 is positioned in the fourth position P4.
Further, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges whether the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the first state or not or the second state or not on the basis of the direction of rotation of the motor 271 a and the detection result of the detection component 263. Specifically, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 estimates that the first opening 236 has been opened when the signal relating to the direction of rotation outputted from the detection component 263 is "forward direction", that is, when the signal relating to the direction of rotation outputted from the decision component 265 is "forward direction", and it has been detected by the detection component 263 that the openings 236 and 237 have been opened. Then, when the shielding mechanism control unit 261 has estimated that the first opening 236 has been opened, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges that the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched to the first state. Then, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 to be the first state.
Further, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 estimates that the second opening 237 has been opened when the signal relating to the direction of rotation outputted from the detection component 263 is "reverse direction", that is, when the signal relating to the direction of rotation outputted from the decision component 265 is "reverse direction", and it has been detected by the detection component 263 that the openings 236 and 237 have been opened. Then, when the shielding mechanism control unit 261 has estimated that the second opening 237 has been opened, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges that the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched to the second state. Then, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 to be the second state.
Moreover, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 estimates that the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 have been closed when the signal relating to the direction of rotation outputted from the decision component 265 is "forward direction" and the signal relating to the number of pulses outputted from the decision component 265 is the predetermined first number of pulses and the signal outputted from the limit switch 280 has switched from the ON signal to the OFF signal. Further, when the shielding mechanism control unit 261 has estimated that the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 have been closed in the conditions described above, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges that the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched from the second state to the third state. Then, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 to be the third state.
Further, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 estimates that the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 have been closed when the signal relating to the direction of rotation outputted from the decision component 265 is "reverse direction" and the signal relating to the number of pulses outputted from the decision component 265 is the predetermined first number of pulses and the signal outputted from the limit switch 280 has switched from the ON signal to the OFF signal. Further, when the shielding mechanism control unit 261 has estimated that the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 have been closed in the conditions described above, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges that the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched from the first state to the third state. Then, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 to be the third state.
Further, the motor drive control component 264 does not supply a direction of rotation and a number of pulses to the motor 271a when a signal is not outputted from the decision component 265. Further, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges it is not necessary to switch the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 when a signal is not outputted from the decision component 265. When it has been judged by the shielding mechanism control unit 261 that it is not necessary to switch the state of the air flow path switching unit 230, the storage component 262 stores the currently stored state of the air flow path switching unit 230 as the current state of the air flow path switching unit 230.

Next, the operation by which the control unit 260 switches the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 will be described. A case where an instruction to supply humidified air to the inside of the second room 201 b has been given by the user will be taken as an example and described below.
When an instruction to start supplying humidified air to the inside of the second room 201b, that is, an instruction to start the humidifying operation with respect to the second indoor unit 202b, has been given by the user via the remote controller 290, the control unit 260 judges whether or not supply of humidified air from the first indoor unit 202a to the inside of the first room 201a is being performed. Then, when the control unit 260 has judged that supply of humidified air from the first indoor unit 202a to the first room 201a is not being performed, the control unit 260 controls the various devices that the humidifying unit 205 has such that humidified air is generated from the outdoor air. Further, the control unit 260 outputs a control instruction to the shielding mechanism control unit 261 such that the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the second state. The shielding mechanism control unit 261 starts control that switches the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 to the second state on the basis of the control instruction from the control unit 260. Specifically, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 decides the number of pulses and the direction of rotation on the basis of the current state of the air flow switching unit 230 stored in the storage component 262 and supplies the direction of rotation and the number of pulses it has decided to the motor 271a. Then, the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the supplied number of pulses in the direction of rotation supplied from the motor drive control component 264, whereby the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 switches to the second state. Further, after the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 has switched to the second state, the control unit 260 switches the air suction and discharge switching damper 253 to the air supplying state and drives the air suction and discharge fan 254 to rotate. Thus, humidified air is supplied from the humidifying unit 205 to the inside of the second room 201b.
Further, when the control unit 260 has judged that supply of humidified air from the first indoor unit 202a to the inside of the first room 201a is being performed, the control unit 260 does not output a control signal to the shielding mechanism control unit 261 such that the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the second state. For this reason, humidified air is not supplied from the humidifying unit 205 to the inside of the second room 201b. At this time, an indication that the humidifying operation is being executed in the first indoor unit 202a may also be given by an alarm unit that the second indoor unit 202b has.

(1)

In the embodiment described above, the spring members 247a and 297a press the spring receivers 247b and 297b downward as a result of being compressed by the guide plates 245 and 295 and the spring receivers 247b and 297b. For this reason, the spring members 247a and 297a can energize the valve bodies 243 and 293 such that the openings 236 and 237 are blocked.
Thus, the fear that air will leak from gaps between the valve bodies 243 and 293 and the openings 236 and 237 in the air flow path switching unit 230 can be reduced. Further, the fear that air inside the humidifying duct 258 will leak to the insides of the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b can be reduced, so the fear that condensation will form in the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b after the humidifying operation has been stopped in the air conditioner 201 can be reduced. For this reason, the fear that abnormal sound will occur because of condensation water in the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b when the humidifying operation is started again after the humidifying operation has been stopped can be reduced. Moreover, because the spring members 247a and 297a energize the valve bodies 243 and 293, the fear that the openings 236 and 237 will not be blocked can be reduced even when there are variations in the mounting dimensions between parts in the vertical direction.

(2)

In the embodiment described above, humidified air is included in the air flowing through the inside of the switching unit casing 233. For this reason, in this air conditioner 201, circulation of the humidified air can be shielded in the air flow path switching unit 230.

(3)

In the embodiment described above, the switching unit casing 233 is part of the humidifying duct 258 through which air flowing from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201 b or from the insides of the rooms 201a and 201 b to outdoors passes. For this reason, the air flowing through the inside of the switching unit casing 233 can be conveyed by the air suction and discharge fan 254 from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201 b or from the insides of the rooms 201 a and 201 b to outdoors. Consequently, in this air conditioner 201, circulation of air conveyed from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b can be shielded in the air flow path switching unit 230.

(4)

In the embodiment described above, the gaskets 249 and 299 are elastically deformable members made of rubber or made of resin and are fitted on the retainer plates 248 and 298 from the undersides of the retainer plates 248 and 298. Further, in a state where the gaskets 249 and 299 have been attached to the retainer plates 248 and 298, the spaces S 1 in which the open portions of the recessed portions 248c and 298c are covered by the gaskets 249 and 299 are formed inside the recessed portions 248c and 298c of the retainer plates 248 and 298. For this reason, when the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 of the valve bodies 243 and 293 are moved further downward after the gaskets 249 and 299 contact the end portions of the openings 236 and 237, the gaskets 249 and 299 bend inward. For this reason, the volumes of the spaces S1 formed between the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 become smaller. Consequently, the gaskets 249 and 299 can, with their own weight and spring pressure resulting from the spring members 247a and 297a, energize the valve bodies 243 and 293 such that the openings 236 and 237 are blocked. Consequently, the fear that gaps will arise between the valve bodies 243 and 293 and the openings 236 and 237 can be reduced.
Thus, the fear that air will leak from gaps between the valve bodies 243 and 293 and the openings 236 and 237 can be reduced.

(5)

In the embodiment described above, the valve bodies 243 and 293 are moved linearly in the vertical direction by the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292. Further, the spring members 247a and 297a and the gaskets 249 and 299 are elastically deformed by the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292. For this reason, in this air conditioner 201, the valve bodies 243 and 293 can be moved by the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 such that the openings 236 and 237 are shielded or opened.

(6)

In the embodiment described above, when the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 have been guided to the lower groove portions 241e and 291e, the spring members 247a and 297a become most compressed. Further, the spring members 247a and 297a press the spring receivers 247b and 297b downward as a result of being compressed by the guide plates 245 and 295 and the spring receivers 247b and 297b. For this reason, the spring members 247a and 297a can energize the valve bodies 243 and 293 such that the openings 236 and 237 are blocked when the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 have been guided to the lower groove portions 241e and 291e.

(7)

In the embodiment described above, when the first opening 236 is opened, the second opening 237 is closed, and when the second opening 237 is opened, the first opening 236 is closed. For example, in a state where one opening is closed and the other opening is opened, when shielding of the opening that is closed is incomplete, there is the fear that not only will air pass through the opening that is opened but that air will leak also to the opening that is closed. Further, it is conceivable that the flow velocity of the air passing through the opening that is closed will be slower than the flow velocity of the air passing through the opening that is open. For this reason, there is the fear that condensation will form inside the outdoor duct connected to the humidifying duct via the opening that is closed. Thus, in the embodiment described above, the spring members 247a and 297a and the gaskets 249 and 299 energize the valve bodies 243 and 293 such that the openings 236 and 237 are blocked. For this reason, the fear that gaps will arise between the valve bodies 243 and 293 and the openings 236 and 237 can be reduced in comparison to when the valve bodies are not energized by energizing members such as the spring members and the gaskets. Consequently, the fear that air will leak to the outdoor duct from the opening that is closed can be reduced, so the fear that condensation will form inside the outdoor duct can be reduced.

(8)

In the embodiment described above, the shafts 247 and 297 move linearly in the vertical direction, that is, a direction intersecting the surface of the lower casing 232. Further, in accompaniment with the movement of the shafts 247 and 297, the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 move linearly in a direction intersecting the surface of the lower casing 232. That is, the valve bodies 243 and 293 move linearly in a direction intersecting the surface of the lower casing 232, whereby the openings 236 and 237 are blocked. For this reason, for example, the fear that gaps will arise between the lower casing 232 and the valve bodies 243 and 293 when the openings 236 and 237 have been closed by the valve bodies 243 and 293 can be reduced in comparison to the air flow path switching unit where the openings are closed as a result of the valve bodies sliding. Consequently, the fear that air will leak from gaps between the lower casing 232 and the valve bodies 243 and 293 can be reduced.
Thus, the fear that air inside the humidifying duct 258 will leak to the insides of the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b can be reduced.

(9)

In the embodiment described above, the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 cause the valve bodies 243 and 293 to move linearly by converting the rotational force transmitted from the motor 271a into linear moving force and transmitting the linear moving force to the valve bodies 243 and 293. For this reason, the valve bodies 243 and 293 can be caused to move linearly by the circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292.

(10)

In the embodiment described above, the cam grooves 241a and 291a for guiding the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 are formed inside the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291. Further, the cam grooves 241a and 291a include the middle groove portions 241f and 241g and 291f and 291g that are formed so as to have predetermined inclinations. For this reason, the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 can be caused to move smoothly when the projecting portions 245b and 295b are guided from the upper groove portions 241h and 291h to the lower groove portions 241e and 291e or from the lower groove portions 241e and 291e to the upper groove portions 241h and 291h.
Thus, the valve bodies 243 and 293 can be caused to move smoothly in the vertical direction.
Further, in the embodiment described above, the second middle groove portions 241f and 291f have a gentler inclination than the first middle groove portions 241g and 291g. For this reason, for example, the drive torque of the motor 271a for compressing the spring members 247a and 297a can be made smaller in comparison to when the second middle groove portions have the same inclination as the first middle groove portions.

(11)

In the embodiment described above, the shielding portion 240 is equipped with the drive portion 271 having the one motor 271 a, the two circular cylinder-shaped cams 242 and 292 driven to rotate by the drive portion 271, and the two valve bodies 243 and 293. Further, the valve bodies 243 and 293 can open and close the openings 236 and 237 as a result of being moved in the vertical direction. For this reason, the air flow path switching unit 230 can block the two openings 236 and 237.
Thus, circulation of air flowing through the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the first indoor unit 202a (the humidifying duct 258, the first outdoor duct 208a, and the first indoor duct 209a) and circulation of air flowing through the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the second indoor unit 202b (the humidifying duct 258, the second outdoor duct 208b, and the second indoor duct 209b) can be shielded.

(12)

In the embodiment described above, the two circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are synchronously driven by the one motor 271a. Further, the guide plates 245 and 295 can be moved as a result of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 being driven to rotate. Further, the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 are moved as a result of the guide plates 245 and 295 being moved. Additionally, the openings 236 and 237 are blocked as a result of the retainer plates 248 and 298 and the gaskets 249 and 299 being moved. For this reason, the openings 236 and 237 can be closed by the one motor 271a. Consequently, the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the first indoor unit 202a, that is, circulation of air flowing through the humidifying duct 258, the first outdoor duct 208a, and the first indoor duct 209a, and the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the second indoor unit 202b, that is, circulation of air flowing through the humidifying duct 258, the second outdoor unit 208b, and the second indoor duct 209b, can be shielded.
Thus, circulation of air flowing through the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the first indoor unit 202a and the air flow path formed between the humidifying unit 205 and the second indoor unit 202b can be shielded without increasing the number of parts in comparison to when one motor drives one valve body.

(13)

In the embodiment described above, the motor 271 a is a forwardly and reversely rotatable stepping motor. Further, the motor 271 a can cause the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 to rotate in the forward direction or the reverse direction by rotating in the forward direction or the reverse direction. Further, the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 can cause the valve bodies 243 and 293 to move by rotating in the forward direction or the reverse direction. For this reason, the motor 271a can cause the valve bodies 243 and 293 to move in the forward direction or the reverse direction.

(14)

In the embodiment described above, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is switched as a result of the motor drive control component 264 controlling the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the motor 271a. Further, the states of the air flow path switching unit 230 include the first state where the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 is communicated with the inside space of the first outdoor duct 208a via the first opening 236, the second state where the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 is communicated with the inside space of the second outdoor duct 208b via the second opening 237, and the third state where communication between the inside space of the humidifying duct 258 and the inside space of the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b is shielded. For this reason, it is possible to shield just the circulation of air flowing between the humidifying duct 258 and the first indoor unit 202a, to shield just the circulation of air flowing between the humidifying duct 258 and the second indoor unit 202b, and to shield the circulation of air flowing between the humidifying unit 205 and the indoor units 202a and 202b.

(15)

In the embodiment described above, the shielding portion 240 is equipped with the limit switch 280 that issues the ON signal when the switch shaft 276 confronts the tongue portion 294ca and issues the OFF signal when the switch shaft 276 is not confronting the tongue portion 294ca. Further, the detection component 263 detects whether or not the openings 236 and 237 have been opened on the basis of the signal outputted from the limit switch 280. For this reason, whether or not the first opening 236 or the second opening 237 has been opened can be detected.

(16)

In the embodiment described above, the shielding mechanism control unit 261 judges whether the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the first state or the second state on the basis of the direction of rotation of the motor 271 a and the detection result of the detection component 263. For this reason, the fear that circulation of air between the humidifying duct 258 and the first indoor unit 202a or circulation of air between the humidifying duct 258 and the second indoor unit 202b will not be performed can be reduced.

(17)

In the embodiment described above, the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 are closed by the valve bodies 243 and 293 when the rotational positions of the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are in the positions shown in FIG. 34(a), that is, when the first projecting portion 245b is positioned in range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portions 241e formed inside the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 and the second projecting portion 295b is positioned in range W4 shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 in the lower groove portion 291e formed inside the second circular cylinder cam portion 291. For this reason, even when the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are rotated by the motor 271a rotating in response to the supplied number of pulses, the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 can be closed when the projecting portions 245b and 295b are positioned in range W4 in the lower groove portions 241e and 291e.
Thus, the fear that air inside the humidifying duct 258 will leak to the insides of the outdoor ducts 208a and 208b can be reduced.
Further, in the embodiment described above, the first opening 236 becomes closed by the first valve body 243 as a result of the motor 271a rotating a predetermined amount in the reverse direction, and the first opening 236 becomes opened as a result of the motor 271a rotating a predetermined amount in the forward direction. Further, the second opening 237 becomes opened as a result of the motor 271a rotating a predetermined amount in the reverse direction, and the second opening 237 becomes closed by the second valve body 293 as a result of the motor 271a rotating a predetermined amount in the forward direction. That is, the openings 236 and 237 are closed and opened as a result of the motor 271 a rotating predetermined amounts in predetermined directions. In other words, the first opening 236 is opened as a result of the motor 271a being rotated a predetermined amount in a first direction (forward direction) while the first opening 236 is closed by the first valve body 243, and the first opening 236 is closed by the first valve body 243 as a result of the motor 271a being rotated a predetermined amount in a second direction (reverse direction) while the first opening 236 is open. Further, the second opening 237 is opened as a result of the motor 271a being rotated a predetermined amount in the second direction (reverse direction) while the second opening 237 is closed by the second valve body 293, and the second opening 237 is closed by the second valve body 293 as a result of the motor 271a being rotated a predetermined amount in the first direction (forward direction) while the second opening 237 is open. For this reason, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 can be switched by controlling the direction of rotation and the amount of rotation of the motor 271a.

(18)

In the embodiment described above, the circular cylinder cam portions 241 and 291 are caused to rotate about 155 degrees as a result of the motor 271 a rotating an amount corresponding to the predetermined first number of pulses. For this reason, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the first state, when the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined first number of pulses in the reverse direction, the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the reverse direction, the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates in the forward direction, and the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 move in the vertical direction along the cam grooves 241a and 291a, whereby the position of the first valve body 243 moves from the third position P3b to the fourth position P4, and the position of the second valve body 293 does not move but continues to be positioned in the fourth position P4. Thus, the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 become blocked, that is, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the third state. Further, when the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 is the second state, when the motor 271a rotates an amount corresponding to the predetermined first number of pulses in the forward direction, the first circular cylinder cam portion 241 rotates in the forward direction, the second circular cylinder cam portion 291 rotates in the reverse direction, and the projecting portions 245b and 295b of the guide plates 245 and 295 move in the vertical direction along the cam grooves 241a and 291a, whereby the position of the first valve body 243 does not move but continues to be positioned in the fourth position P4, and the position of the second valve body 293 moves from the third position P3b to the fourth position P4. Thus, the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 become blocked, that is, the state of the air flow path switching unit 230 becomes the third state. For this reason, when the projecting portions 245b and 295b are positioned in range W4 of the lower groove portions 241 e and 291e, the first valve body 243 and the second valve body 293 can be placed in the fourth position P4. Consequently, the fear that the first opening 236 and the second opening 237 will not become blocked can be reduced.
Thus, the fear that circulation of air conveyed from outdoors to the insides of the rooms 201a and 201b will not be blocked can be reduced.

(A)

In the embodiment described above, outdoor air can be supplied to the insides of the two rooms 201 a and 201 b from outdoors by operating the humidifying unit 205.
Instead of this, outdoor air may also be supplied to the insides of three or more rooms, that is, plural rooms.
For example, in an air conditioner where one outdoor unit and three indoor units are connected, outdoor air can be supplied to the insides of three rooms from outdoors by installing one indoor unit inside one room. In each indoor unit, an indoor duct and an outdoor duct are connected to each indoor unit. Further, three openings for connecting each outdoor duct and a humidifying duct are formed in the lower casing of the air flow path switching unit, and each outdoor duct is connected to the humidifying duct via each opening. Moreover, the shielding portion of the air flow path switching unit is equipped with three circular cylinder-shaped cams and three valve bodies for opening and closing each opening in addition to a drive portion.
In this manner, by disposing the air flow path switching unit equipped with the air flow path switching mechanism that is capable of shielding the plural openings with the plural valve bodies, humidified air can be supplied to the plural indoor units from the one outdoor unit.
Thus, the insides of the plural rooms can be humidified by the one outdoor unit.

(B)

In the embodiment described above, the motor drive control component 264 supplies the predetermined first number of pulses to the motor 271a such that the valve bodies move from the third position P3b to the fourth position P4, but the motor drive control component 264 is not limited to this and may also supply a predetermined number of pulses to the motor such that the valve bodies move from the detection position P3a to the fourth position P4.

(C)

In the embodiment described above, the openings 236 and 237 are opened and closed by the valve bodies 243 and 293, but the openings 236 and 237 are not limited to this and may also be configured such that lid members mounted near the openings are opened and closed by link rods. Further, one opening may also be opened and closed by a shielding portion having a ball valve-type three-way valve (e.g., a three-way valve for water).

(D)

In the embodiment described above, the air flow path switching unit 230 is placed inside the humidifying unit 205, but the air flow path switching unit 230 is not limited to this and may also be placed outside the humidifying unit.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can realize, with one air supply unit, supply of air to the insides of plural rooms, so application to an air conditioner is effective.

EXPLANATION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

32: Partition Portion (Partition Member)
132: Damper (Partition Member)
207c: Air Intake Port
208a: First Outdoor Duct (First Pipe)
208b: Second Outdoor Duct (Second Pipe)
209a: First Indoor Duct (First Pipe)
209b: Second Indoor Duct (Second Pipe)
232: Lower Casing (Flow Path Forming Member)
233: Switching Unit Casing (Shielding Mechanism)
236: First Opening
237: Second Opening
240: Shielding Portion (Shielding Mechanism)
243: First Valve Body (Valve Body)
247: Shaft (First Valve Body)
247a: Spring Member (First Energizing Member)
248: Retainer Plate (First Valve Body)
249: Gasket (First Energizing Member)
258: Humidifying Duct (Duct)
263: Detection Component (Detecting Means)
271: Drive Portion (Valve Body Drive Portion)
271a: Motor (Drive Source)
293: Second Valve Body (Valve Body)
297: Shaft (First Valve Body)
297a: Spring Member (Second Energizing Member)
298: Retainer Plate (Second Valve Body)
299: Gasket (Second Energizing Member)
1, 100, 201: Air Conditioner
1a, 101a, 201a: First Room
1b, 101b, 201b: Second Room
2a, 102a, 202a: First Indoor Unit (First Indoor Unit)
2b, 102b, 202b: Second Indoor Unit (Second Indoor Unit)
4, 104, 205: Humidifying Unit (Air Supply Unit)
6, 106, 205a: Humidifying Unit Body (Air Supply Unit Body)
6a, 106a: First Air Suction and Discharge Hose (First Pipe)
6b, 106b: Second Air Suction and Discharge Hose (Second Pipe)
7c, 107c: Air Suction and Discharge Port (Opening)
30, 130, 230: Air Flow Path Switching Unit (Switching Unit)
51, 151, 251: Humidifying Rotor (Humidifying Portion)
58, 158: Air Suction and Discharge Duct (Third Pipe)
60, 160, 260: Control Unit
241, 291: Circular Cylinder Cam Portion (Rotating Member)
242, 292: Circular Cylinder-shaped Cam (Converting Mechanism, Valve Body Drive Portion, Valve Body Moving Mechanism) Patent Document 1: JP-A No. 2006-10307

Claims

An air conditioner (1, 100, 201) comprising:
a first indoor unit (2a, 102a, 202a) that is placed inside a first room (1a, 101a, 201 a);

a second indoor unit (2b, 102b, 202b) that is placed inside a second room (1b, 101b, 201b); and

an air supply unit (4, 104, 205) that has a first pipe (6a, 106a) that is connected to the first indoor unit, a second pipe (6b, 106b) that is connected to the second indoor unit, and an air supply unit body (6, 106, 205a) that is capable of supplying outdoor air to the first indoor unit via the first pipe and is capable of supplying outdoor air to the second indoor unit via the second pipe.
The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air supply unit further has a switching unit (30, 130, 230) that switches the state of connection to the first pipe and the second pipe such that outdoor air is supplied to the first indoor unit and the second indoor unit.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein
the air supply unit further has a third pipe (58, 158) in which an opening (7c, 107c) for taking in outdoor air is formed, and
the switching unit has a partition member (32, 132) that is capable of partitioning a first space inside the first pipe and a second space inside the second pipe such that a third space inside the third pipe is communicated with at least either one of the first space and the second space.
The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein pipes of a diameter smaller than a diameter of the third pipe are used for the first pipe and the second pipe.
The air conditioner according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising a control unit (60) that performs control that causes the partition member to slide such that the third space is communicated with at least either one of the first space and the second space.
The air conditioner according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising a control unit (160) that performs control that causes the partition member to rotate such that the third space is communicated with at least either one of the first space and the second space.
The air conditioner according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control unit is capable of causing the third space to be communicated with the first space and the second space at the same time by performing the control.
The air conditioner according to any of claims 3 to 7, wherein the air supply unit can discharge air inside the first room and inside the second room to outdoors via the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe.
The air conditioner according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the control unit is capable of adjusting a flow rate of air flowing through the inside of the first pipe and the inside of the second pipe by performing the control.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein
the air supply unit further has a duct (258) in which an air intake port (207c) for taking in outdoor air is formed,
the switching unit has a shielding mechanism (240, 233) that is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe, and
the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member (232) in which a first opening (236) through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes and a second opening (237) through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes are formed, a first valve body (247, 248) that moves toward or away from the first opening by moving in a direction intersecting a surface of the flow path forming member, a second valve body (297, 298) that moves toward or away from the second opening by moving in a direction intersecting the surface of the flow path forming member, an elastically deformable first energizing member (247a, 249) that energizes the first valve body such that the first valve body blocks the first opening when the first valve body has moved toward the first opening, and an elastically deformable second energizing member (297a, 299) that energizes the second valve body such that the second valve body blocks the second opening when the second valve body has moved toward the second opening.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein
the air supply unit further has a duct (258) in which an air intake port (207c) for taking in outdoor air is formed,
the switching unit has a shielding mechanism (240, 233) that is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe, and
the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member (232) in which a first opening (236) through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes and a second opening (237) through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes are formed, a first valve body (243) that is capable of opening and closing the first opening by moving linearly in a direction intersecting a surface of the flow path forming member, and a second valve body (293) that is capable of opening and closing the second opening by moving linearly in a direction intersecting the surface of the flow path forming member.
The air conditioner according to claim 11, wherein the shielding mechanism further includes a drive portion (271) and converting mechanisms (242, 292) that convert rotational force transmitted from the drive portion into linear moving force and transmit the linear moving force to the first valve body and the second valve body.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein
the air supply unit further has a duct (258) in which an air intake port (207c) for taking in outdoor air is formed,
the switching unit has a shielding mechanism (240, 233) that is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe, and
the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member (232) in which a first opening (236) through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes and a second opening (237) through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes are formed, a first valve body (243) that is capable of closing the first opening, a second valve body (293) that is capable of closing the second opening, and a valve body drive portion (242, 271, 292) that utilizes rotational force transmitted from one motor (271a) to synchronously drive the first valve body and the second valve body.
The air conditioner according to claim 13, wherein the valve body drive portion includes converting mechanisms (242, 292) that convert the rotational force transmitted from the motor into linear moving force and transmit the linear moving force to the first valve body and the second valve body.
The air conditioner according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising a control unit (260) that controls the driving of the motor, wherein the control unit switches between a first state where the first opening is opened and the second opening is closed and a second state where the first opening is closed and the second opening is opened by controlling the driving of the motor.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein
the air supply unit further has a duct (258) in which an air intake port (207c) for taking in outdoor air is formed,
the switching unit has a shielding mechanism (240, 233) that is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe,
the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member (232) in which a first opening (236) through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes and a second opening (237) through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes are formed, valve bodies (243, 293) that are capable of opening and closing the first opening and the second opening by moving linearly in a direction intersecting a surface of the flow path forming member, and valve body moving mechanisms (242, 292) that have rotating members (241, 291) driven to rotate by a drive source (271a) and are capable of converting the rotation of the rotating member into linear motion to cause the valve bodies to move such that the first opening and the second opening are opened and closed, and
the valve body moving mechanisms are configured such that the first opening and the second opening are closed by the valve bodies when rotation reference positions are inside a predetermined region occupying a predetermined angular range (W4) of the rotating members as a result of the rotating members rotating.
The air conditioner according to claim 16, further comprising a detecting means (263) that detects that the valve bodies are in a predetermined first position, wherein
the drive source is a stepping motor and drives the rotating members to rotate such that the rotation reference positions enter the predetermined region of the rotating members in response to a supplied number of pulses from the predetermined first position or a predetermined second position that is near the predetermined first position and decided on the basis of the predetermined first position, and
the valve body moving mechanisms cause the valve bodies to move to a shielding position that is a position where the first opening and the second opening are closed by the valve bodies from the predetermined first position or the predetermined second position as a result of the rotating members being driven to rotate in response to the supplied number of pulses by the stepping motor.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein
the air supply unit further has a duct (258) in which an air intake port (207c) for taking in outdoor air is formed,
the switching unit has a shielding mechanism (240, 233) that is capable of shielding at least either one of circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the first pipe and circulation of air flowing through the inside of the duct and the inside of the second pipe,
the shielding mechanism includes a flow path forming member (232) in which a first opening (236) through which air flowing through the inside of the first pipe passes and a second opening (237) through which air flowing through the inside of the second pipe passes are formed, a first valve body (243) that is capable of closing the first opening, a second valve body (293) that is capable of closing the second opening, and valve body moving mechanisms (242, 292) that have rotating members (241, 291) driven to rotate by one forwardly and reversely rotatable motor (271a) and are capable of converting the rotation of the rotating member into linear motion to cause the first valve body and the second valve body to move such that the first opening and the second opening are opened and closed, and
the valve body moving mechanisms are capable of causing the first valve body and the second valve body to move so as to be placed in a first state where the first opening is opened and the second opening is closed, a second state where the first opening is closed and the second opening is opened, or a third state where the first opening and the second opening are closed, with the valve body moving mechanisms being configured such that the first valve body and the second valve body are placed in the third state when rotation reference positions are inside a predetermined region occupying a predetermined angular range (W4) of the rotating members as a result of the rotating members rotating.
The air conditioner according to any of claims 2 to 18, wherein the switching unit is built inside the air supply unit body.
The air conditioner according to any of claims 2 to 18, wherein the switching unit is placed outside the air supply unit body.
The air conditioner according to any of claims 1 to 20, wherein the air supply unit further has a humidifying portion (51, 151, 251) that is capable of humidifying air that has been taken in from outdoors.