EP2527758A1

EP2527758A1 - Panel for air conditioning indoor unit

Info

Publication number: EP2527758A1
Application number: EP11734653A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Takeo Hama; Tetsuji Inoue
Original assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
Priority date: 2010-01-21
Filing date: 2011-01-19
Publication date: 2012-11-28
Also published as: CN102686953A; JP2011149617A; CN102686953B; EP2527758A4; AU2011208124B2; AU2011208124A1; JP5110095B2; WO2011090047A1; BR112012018136A2

Abstract

To provide a panel for an air conditioning indoor unit in which safety and design considerations are combined without having to administer a special end surface treatment to a member configuring the panel. In a movable panel (31) for an air conditioning indoor unit (1), grooves (312a) into which end surfaces of a first panel member (311) fit are formed in end portions of a second panel member (312). The end surfaces of the first panel member (311) are covered and hidden by the grooves (312a), so they are not noticeable to the eye and are not touchable by hand. As a result, in the process of producing the movable panel (31), an assembler can convey the pressed first panel member (311) to the assembly process without having to perform an end surface treatment such as chamfering or hemming, so this is economical.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a panel for an air conditioning indoor unit, and particularly relates to a panel having a multilayer structure in which dissimilar materials are put together.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, the section of an air conditioning indoor unit that is noticeable to the eye, such as the panel, has employed a structure where an auxiliary plate is put on the outer side of the panel with the purpose of improving the design. For example, in patent citation 1 (paragraph [0113] and FIG. 2 of JP-A No. 2003-14249 ), an auxiliary plate inclusive of various designs is attached to the front surface of a main plate of the panel in order to give a stylish impression to the air conditioning indoor unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the above panel, sometimes the main plate and the auxiliary plate are configured by dissimilar materials, and the appeal to the aesthetic sense of the consumer improves particularly in a case where the auxiliary plate on the outer side is a plate made of metal.
However, in the case of using a plate made of metal, it is necessary to perform an end surface treatment such as hemming in order to ensure safety, and this leads to an increase in costs.
It is a problem of the present invention to provide a panel for an air conditioning indoor unit in which safety and design considerations are combined without having to administer a special end surface treatment to a member configuring the panel.

A panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to a first aspect of the invention is a panel that has a layered structure and is attached to a body of an air conditioning indoor unit, with the panel comprising a first panel member and a second panel member. The first panel member is a panel member that is made of metal and forms one layer of the layered structure. The second panel member is a panel member that is made of resin and forms another layer of the layered structure. Further, the second panel member has grooves into which end surfaces of the first panel member fit.
In this panel, the end surfaces of the first panel member are covered and hidden by the grooves, so even if a special end surface treatment is not administered to them, they are safe because they are not touchable by hand and they do not ruin the design because they are not noticeable to the eye.
A panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to a second aspect of the invention is the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to the first aspect, wherein the first panel member has claw portions that project from predetermined positions on at least one of the end surfaces. Holes through which the claw portions are inserted are disposed in the grooves of the second panel member.
In this panel, the first panel member and the second panel member are mechanically connected to each other because the claw portions and the holes fit together, and the structure becomes one in which it is difficult for the first panel member to come off, so an unsafe condition that can lead to falling is prevented.
A panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to a third aspect of the invention is the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to the second aspect, wherein the claw portions are bent after being inserted through the holes.
In this panel, even if an external force acts to pull apart the first panel member from the second panel member, the first panel member does not separate from the second panel member and fall because the claw portions and the holes interfere.
A panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to a fourth aspect of the invention is the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to any one of the first aspect to the third aspect, wherein each of the end surfaces of the first panel member faces a layering direction in which the first panel member and the second panel member are layered. The grooves of the second panel member are recessed in the layering direction.
In this panel, by just simply superposing the first panel member on the second panel member, each of the end portions of the first panel member fits in the grooves of the second panel member, so workability is good.
A panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to a fifth aspect of the invention is the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect, wherein the first panel member is made of aluminum alloy. In this panel, the first panel member made of aluminum alloy is suited to long-term use because it is resistant to corrosion.

In the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to the first aspect of the invention, the end surfaces of the first panel member are covered and hidden by the grooves, so even if a special end surface treatment is not administered to them, they are safe because they are not touchable by hand and they do not ruin the design because they are not noticeable to the eye.
In the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to the second aspect of the invention, the first panel member and the second panel member are mechanically connected to each other because the claw portions and the holes fit together, and the structure becomes one in which it is difficult for the first panel member to come off, so an unsafe condition that can lead to falling is prevented.
In the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to the third aspect of the invention, even if an external force acts to pull apart the first panel member from the second panel member, the first panel member does not separate from the second panel member and fall because the claw portions and the holes interfere.
In the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to the fourth aspect of the invention, by just simply superposing the first panel member on the second panel member, each of the end portions of the first panel member fits in the grooves of the second panel member, so workability is good.
In the panel for an air conditioning indoor unit pertaining to the fifth aspect of the invention, the first panel member made of aluminum alloy is suited to long-term use because it is resistant to corrosion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioning indoor unit while it is not operating;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the air conditioning indoor unit while it is operating;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the air conditioning indoor unit;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a panel;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of end portions of the panel; and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of lengthwise direction center end portions of the panel.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment is a specific example of the present invention and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioning indoor unit 1 while it is not operating. Further, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the air conditioning indoor unit 1 while it is operating. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the air conditioning indoor unit 1 is a wall-mounted type, and a body 20 thereof is equipped with a casing 10, side surface members 24, and a movable panel 31 as members forming the outer enclosure.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the air conditioning indoor unit 1. The casing 10 forms a substantially rectangular three-dimensional space with a front surface portion 101, an upper surface portion 102, and a lower surface portion 103; a frame 11, an indoor heat exchanger 12, a fan 13, and a filter 21 are housed in that three-dimensional space. Further, an air inlet 18 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) comprising plural slits is disposed in the upper surface portion 102. Moreover, an air outlet 19 (see FIG. 2) is disposed from the lower portion of the front surface portion 101 to the front portion of the lower surface portion 103.
The indoor heat exchanger 12 and the fan 13 are attached to the frame 11. The indoor heat exchanger 12 performs heat exchange between it and the air passing through it. The fan 13 applies the air taken in from the air inlet 18 to the indoor heat exchanger 12, causes the air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger 12, and blows out the air to the air outlet 19. A horizontal flap (not shown in the drawings) that guides the air that is blown out is disposed in the air outlet 19. The horizontal flap is driven by a motor 171 and not only changes the direction in which the air is blown out but can also open and close the air outlet 19 on the lower surface portion 103 side.
The filter 21 is placed between the front surface portion 101 and upper surface portion 102 of the casing 10 and the indoor heat exchanger 12. The filter 21 removes dust and dirt included in the air inflowing toward the indoor heat exchanger 12.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the side surface members 24 are attached in such a way as to cover the sides of the casing 10 and are responsible for the outer appearance of the casing 10 as seen from the side.

(Movable Panel 31)

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the movable panel 31 creates a distinctive design with a front surface portion 31a that has a flat shape and side surface portions 31b that are formed continuously rearward from both ends of the front surface portion 31a. The front surface portion 31a and the side surface portion 31b are formed integrally. The front surface portion 31a covers the whole of the front surface portion 101 of the casing 10, and the side surface portions 31b cover front halves of the side surface members 24.
As shown in FIG. 1, when the air conditioning indoor unit 1 is not operating, the front surface portion 31a of the movable panel 31 is responsible for the outer appearance of the front surface of the air conditioning indoor unit 1 and the side surface portions 31b of the movable panel 31 and the side surface members 24 are responsible for the outer appearance of the side surfaces.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the air conditioning indoor unit 1 is operating, the movable panel 31 moves to a position away from the front surface portion 101 of the casing 10 and is inclined compared to when the air conditioning indoor unit 1 is not operating. Consequently, the air inlet 18 and the air outlet 19 on the front surface portion 101 side of the casing 10 are opened.
Further, the movable panel 31 has a layered structure, with a first panel member 311 in which design considerations are given greater importance being placed on the outer side responsible for the outer appearance and with a second panel member 312 that supports the first panel member 311 being placed on the inner side.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the movable panel 31. In FIG. 4, the first panel member 311 is made of aluminum alloy, and the second panel member 312 is made of ABS resin. The material of the first panel member 311 is not limited to aluminum alloy and may also be another metal such as stainless steel. In the present embodiment, aluminum alloy is employed as the material of the first panel member 311 because it is light, resistant to corrosion, and suited to long-term use.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of end portions of the movable panel 31. In FIG. 5, the first panel member 311 and the second panel member 312 have the same shapes, but end portions on each side of the second panel member 312 curve back in the frontal direction to form grooves 312a. End surfaces of the first panel member 311 fit into these grooves 312a.
The first panel member 311 is formed by pressing from a plate material made of metal, so ordinarily an end surface treatment such as chamfering or hemming is performed so that safety and the beauty of the end surfaces are ensured; however, the end surfaces of the first panel member 311 are covered and hidden by the grooves 312a, so they are not noticeable to the eye and are not touchable by hand. Consequently, an end surface treatment is unnecessary.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of lengthwise direction center end portions of the movable panel 31. In FIG. 6, the first panel member 311 has claws 311 a that project from the end surfaces. In the present embodiment, three claws 311a are placed at equally-spaced intervals on each end surface on the upper side and the lower side of the first panel member 311. The length to which the claws 311a project is longer than the thickness of the second panel member 312.
Through holes 312b through which the claws 311a are inserted are disposed in the groove 312a of the second panel member 312. The claws 311a project through the through holes 312b in the grooves 312a, so the projecting sections are bent. For this reason, even if an external force acts to pull apart the first panel member 311 from the second panel member 312, the first panel member 311 does not separate from the second panel member 312 and fall because the claws 311a and the through holes 312b interfere.
Each of the end surfaces of the first panel member 311 faces a layering direction in which the first panel member 311 and the second panel member 312 are layered, and the direction in which the grooves 312a of the second panel member 312 are recessed also faces the layering direction. By an assembler of the movable panel 31 just simply superposing the first panel member 311 on the second panel member 312, each of the end surfaces of the first panel member 311 fits in the grooves 312a of the second panel member 312, so workability is good.

In the movable panel 31 of the air conditioning indoor unit 1, the grooves 312a into which the end surfaces of the first movable panel 311 fit are formed in the end portions of the second panel member 312. The end surfaces of the first panel member 311 are covered and hidden by the grooves 312a, so they are not noticeable to the eye and are not touchable by hand. As a result, in the process of producing the movable panel 31, the assembler can convey the pressed first panel member 311 to the assembly process without having to perform an end surface treatment such as chamfering or hemming, so this is economical.

In the above embodiment, the movable panel 31 has a two-layer structure comprising the first panel member 311 and the second panel member 312, but the movable panel 31 is not limited to this and may also employ a structure with three or more layers in which one or more auxiliary panel members are placed between the first panel member 311 and the second panel member 312.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to perform an end surface treatment even in a case where a panel member made of metal is used as the panel member on the side noticeable to the eye, so the present invention has the advantage that manufacturing costs are kept low, and the present invention is useful not only in air conditioning indoor units but also in panels responsible for the outer appearances of devices.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

31: Panel
311: First Panel Member
311a: Claws
312: Second Panel Member
312a: Grooves
312b: Through Holes

CITATION LIST

Patent Citation 1: JP-A No. 2003-14249

Claims

A panel (31) for an air conditioning indoor unit, the panel having a layered structure and being attached to a body of an air conditioning indoor unit, the panel comprising:
a first panel member (311) that is made of metal and forms one layer of the layered structure; and

a second panel member (312) that is made of resin and forms another layer of the layered structure,

wherein the second panel member (312) has grooves (312a) into which end surfaces of the first panel member (311) fit.
The panel (31) for an air conditioning indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein
the first panel member (311) has claw portions (311a) that project from predetermined positions on at least one of the end surfaces, and
holes (312b) through which the claw portions (311a) are inserted are disposed in the grooves (312a) of the second panel member (312).
The panel (31) for an air conditioning indoor unit according to claim 2, wherein the claw portions (311a) are bent after being inserted through the holes (312b).
The panel (31) for an air conditioning indoor unit according to any one of claim 1 to claim 3, wherein
each of the end surfaces of the first panel member (311) faces a layering direction in which the first panel member (311) and the second panel member (312) are layered, and
the grooves (312a) of the second panel member (312) are recessed in the layering direction.
The panel (31) for an air conditioning indoor unit according to any one of claim 1 to claim 4, wherein the first panel member (311) is made of aluminum alloy.