EP2639517A2

EP2639517A2 - Air conditioner and method for adjusting sensor direction of air conditioner

Info

Publication number: EP2639517A2
Application number: EP13158874.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Shingo Ito; Yuji Okada
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2012-03-15
Filing date: 2013-03-13
Publication date: 2013-09-18
Also published as: JP5881485B2; EP2639517A3; JP2013194920A

Abstract

Provided are an air conditioner and a method for adjusting the sensor direction of an air conditioner that allow the detection direction of a sensor part to be easily changed with a simple structure. The air conditioner includes a human-detecting sensor (9) that is disposed in a main body of an indoor unit and that is rotatable in a direction in which a detection range thereof is changed, a mounting part (7) that is formed on an axis of a rotating shaft of the human-detecting sensor (9) and that rotates together with the human-detecting sensor (9), and a cover/adjuster (6) that is attachable to and detachable from the main body of the indoor unit and that surrounds the mounting part (7) when attached to the main body of the indoor unit. The cover/adjuster (6) includes a holding portion that is attachable to the mounting part (7) so as to rotate the mounting part (7) about an axis thereof and a lever portion (11) disposed on the holding portion so as to extend in one direction.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to air conditioners and methods for adjusting the sensor direction of air conditioners.

Background Art

A human-detecting sensor may be provided on an indoor unit of an air conditioner to adjust the operation of the air conditioner, for example, the air volume or direction thereof, depending on the presence, position, etc. of a person in the room. If the detection direction of the human-detecting sensor cannot be changed because it is fixed to the indoor unit, it may have a large blind spot, depending on the installation position of the indoor unit. Thus, the detection direction of the human-detecting sensor needs to be changed.
PTL (Patent Literature) 1 discloses an invention related to air conditioners, specifically, a technique for allowing the user to clearly ascertain the direction of a sensor part by providing a transparent or translucent grid-like cover on a front panel at a front position corresponds to a radiation sensor so as to be attachable to and detachable from the front panel. PTL 2 discloses an invention related to infrared sensors, specifically, a technique for allowing the detection direction of a sensor part to be changed by configuring the sensor part so as to be rotatable.

Citation List

Patent Literature

{PTL 1}
Publication of Japanese Patent No. 2925897
{PTL 2}
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. HEI-6-261004

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

The detection direction of a human-detecting sensor can be changed by changing the sensor direction using a motor or manually by the user. The use of a motor, however, involves structural complexity and requires a large space for installation of the motor. If the sensor direction is manually changed by the user, on the other hand, the structure where the user manually changes the sensor direction needs to be shaped to allow the user to easily put his or her hand therein and to easily change the direction, which often requires a large space. In addition, the sensor, which is structurally vulnerable, is likely to be touched by the user.
In light of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner and a method for adjusting the sensor direction of an air conditioner that allow the detection direction of a sensor part to be easily changed with a simple structure.

Solution to Problem

To solve the above problem, an air conditioner and a method for adjusting the sensor direction of an air conditioner according to the present invention employ the following solutions.
Specifically, an air conditioner according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a sensor part that is disposed in a main body of an indoor unit and that is rotatable in a direction in which a detection range thereof is changed, a mounting part that is formed on an axis of a rotating shaft of the sensor part and that rotates together with the sensor part, and a cover part that is attachable to and detachable from the main body of the indoor unit and that surrounds the mounting part when attached to the main body of the indoor unit. The cover part includes a holding portion that is attachable to the mounting part so as to rotate the mounting part about an axis thereof and a lever portion disposed on the holding portion so as to extend in one direction.
According to this aspect, the sensor part disposed in the main body of the indoor unit is rotatable and is rotated to change the detection range of the sensor part. In addition, the mounting part is formed on the axis of the rotating shaft of the sensor part, and the sensor part rotates together with the mounting part when the mounting part rotates. The cover part is attachable to and detachable from the main body of the indoor unit and is attached to the main body of the indoor unit so as to surround the mounting part. The holding portion of the cover part is attachable to the mounting part, and the lever portion is disposed on the holding portion so as to extend in one direction. After the holding portion is attached to the mounting part, the lever portion can be manipulated to rotate the holding portion, the mounting part, and the sensor part about the axis of the rotating shaft of the sensor part.
In the above aspect, the mounting part may be disposed inside an opening provided in the indoor unit such that an end of the mounting part is positioned deeper inside the main body of the indoor unit than an opening surface where the opening is provided, and the holding portion may be inserted into the opening and be attached to the mounting part.
In this structure, the mounting part is attached inside the opening provided in the indoor unit, and the holding portion of the cover part is inserted into the opening and is attached to the mounting part. Thus, the holding portion can be attached to the mounting part even though the top end of the mounting part is positioned deeper inside the main body of the indoor unit than the opening surface where the opening is provided. As a result, for example, the mounting part and the sensor part can be positioned deeper in the indoor unit so that the mounting part and the sensor part are unlikely to be touched by the user of the indoor unit, which contributes to protection of the sensor part.
In addition, a method for adjusting a sensor direction of an air conditioner according to a second aspect of the present invention is a method for adjusting a sensor direction of an air conditioner including a sensor part that is disposed in a main body of an indoor unit and that is rotatable in a direction in which a detection range thereof is changed, a mounting part that is formed on an axis of a rotating shaft of the sensor part and that rotates together with the sensor part, and a cover part that is attachable to and detachable from the main body of the indoor unit and that surrounds the mounting part when attached to the main body of the indoor unit. The method includes a step of attaching a holding portion of the cover part to the mounting part and a step of rotating a lever portion disposed on the holding portion of the cover part so as to extend in one direction to rotate the mounting part and the sensor part about an axis thereof. Advantageous Effects of Invention
According to the present invention, after the holding portion of the cover part is attached to the mounting part on the axis of the rotating shaft of the sensor part, the lever portion can be manipulated to rotate the holding portion, the mounting part, and the sensor part about the axis of the rotating shaft of the sensor part, which allows the detection direction of the sensor part to be easily changed with a simple structure.

Brief Description of Drawings

{Fig. 1}
Fig. 1 is a front view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
{Fig. 2}
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 3}
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a human-detecting sensor according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 4}
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a cover/adjuster according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 5}
Fig. 5 is a front view showing the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 6}
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 7}
Fig. 7 is a front view showing the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 8}
Fig. 8 is a front view showing the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 9}
Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the human-detecting sensor according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 10}
Fig. 10 is a front view showing the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment.
{Fig. 11}
Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the human-detecting sensor according to the embodiment.

Description of Embodiments

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First described are the structures of an indoor unit 1 of an air conditioner and a human-detecting sensor 9 and a cover/adjuster 6 provided on the indoor unit 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1 is a front view of the indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner.
The indoor unit 1 of the air conditioner includes a main body case 2 accommodating, for example, a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows, a fan, a motor, and a drain pan. As shown in Fig. 1, the front of the main body case 2 has an inlet 3, an outlet 4, a sensor cover 5, and the cover/adjuster 6. Air taken into the inlet 3 is directed through the fan to the heat exchanger. The air cooled or heated through the heat exchanger is fed from the outlet into the room.
As shown in Fig. 2, the sensor cover 5 is disposed on the room side of the human-detecting sensor 9. The sensor cover 5 prevents the human-detecting sensor 9 from being contaminated or damaged by an external influence such as being touched by the user's hand. The human-detecting sensor 9, which is an example of a sensor part, detects the presence, position, etc. of a person in the room by detecting temperature based on, for example, infrared radiation.
As shown in Fig. 3, the human-detecting sensor 9 is supported by and fixed to a shaft 10 and is rotatable about the axis of the shaft 10. The human-detecting sensor 9 is accommodated in a sensor case 8, and the shaft 10 is supported by the sensor case 8. The sensor case 8 is open on the room side thereof and is fixed to the main body case 2.
The shaft 10 is mounted on the sensor case 8 so that the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 can be changed, for example, in the side-to-side direction as viewed from the front of the indoor unit 1. In addition, as shown in Fig. 3, the shaft 10 is tilted with respect to the vertical direction so that the range below the indoor unit 1 can be detected. The detection range of the human-detecting sensor 9 can be changed by rotating the human-detecting sensor 9 about the axis of the shaft 10.
A mounting part 7 is formed on the axis of the rotating shaft of the human-detecting sensor 9. For example, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the mounting part 7 is formed at the top end of the shaft 10. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the cross-section of the mounting part 7 taken along the direction perpendicular to the axial direction is hexagonal, which corresponds to the shape of a holding portion 12 of the cover/adjuster 6, described later.
Because the mounting part 7 is integrally formed with the shaft 10 at the top end of the shaft 10, the shaft 10 and the human-detecting sensor 9 rotate together with the mounting part 7 when the mounting part 7 rotates. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, a groove 14 extending in one direction is formed in the top surface of the mounting part 7. The groove 14 coincides with the direction along the center of the detection range of the human-detecting sensor 9. This allows the user to view the direction of the groove 14 to check the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9.
As shown in Fig. 2, the mounting part 7 is disposed inside an opening 13 formed in the front of the main body case 2. The top end of the mounting part 7 is positioned deeper inside the main body case 2 of the indoor unit 1 than the opening surface where the opening 13 is formed.
The cover/adjuster 6 is attachable to and detachable from the main body case 2 and, as shown in Fig. 4, includes, for example, the holding portion 12 and a lever portion 11. The cross-section of the inner surfaces of the holding portion 12 is hexagonal, which corresponds to the hexagonal shape of the mounting part 7, and the holding portion 12 is attachable to the mounting part 7 so as to rotate the mounting part 7 about the axis thereof. The lever portion 11 is disposed on the holding portion 12 so as to extend in one direction. The holding portion 12 is disposed at one end of the lever portion 11. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the direction in which the lever portion 11 extends, i.e., the longitudinal direction, is perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft 10 when the cover/adjuster 6 is attached to the mounting part 7.
Normally, as shown in Fig. 2, the cover/adjuster 6 is attached to the opening 13 so as to surround the mounting part 7. Thus, the opening 13 is normally closed, which prevents, for example, entry of foreign matter into the main body case 2.
The cover/adjuster 6 is detached from the opening 13 when the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 is changed. The cover/adjuster 6 can be used like a wrench to change the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the user attaches the holding portion 12 of the cover/adjuster 6 to the mounting part 7 and rotates the lever portion 11, thereby rotating the mounting part 7, the shaft 10, and the human-detecting sensor 9.
As shown in Fig. 3, the mounting part 7 has a surface 7a perpendicular to the direction in which the groove 14 extends, and as shown in Fig. 4, the holding portion 12 of the cover/adjuster 6 has a surface 12a that is one of the hexagonal inner surfaces. The surface 12a of the holding portion 12 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lever portion 11.
Thus, when the surface 7a of the mounting part 7 coincides with the surface 12a of the holding portion 12, the direction of the groove 14 in the top surface of the mounting part 7 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the lever portion 11. The user cannot directly view the human-detecting sensor 9 because the human-detecting sensor 9 is surrounded by the sensor cover 5. In this embodiment, however, the user can change the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 while checking it from the longitudinal direction of the lever portion 11 of the cover/adjuster 6 attached based on the direction of the groove 14 in the top surface of the mounting part 7.
Next, a method for adjusting the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 will be described.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, normally, i.e., except when the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 is being adjusted, the cover/adjuster 6 is attached to the opening 13 of the main body case 2 and blocks the opening 13.
When the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 is adjusted, the cover/adjuster 6 is first detached from the opening 13. As a result, as shown in Fig. 7, the top end of the mounting part 7 is exposed in the opening 13.
Next, the detached cover/adjuster 6 is used to rotate the mounting part 7. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the holding portion 12 of the cover/adjuster 6 is first attached to the mounting part 7. This is performed such that the direction of the groove 14 in the top surface of the mounting part 7 shown in Fig. 3 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the lever portion 11. As a result, the surface 7a of the mounting part 7 shown in Fig. 3 coincides with the surface 12a of the holding portion 12 shown in Fig. 4. In the state shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the central axis of the detection range of the human-detecting sensor 9 faces the front of the indoor unit 1.
The user then manipulates the lever portion 11 to change the direction and angle of the human-detecting sensor 9 to the desired direction and angle. For example, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the human-detecting sensor 9 can be directed to the right by rotating the lever portion 11 to the right, and as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the human-detecting sensor 9 can be directed to the left by rotating the lever portion 11 to the left. After the human-detecting sensor 9 is adjusted to the desired direction and angle, the cover/adjuster 6 is detached from the mounting part 7. The detached cover/adjuster 6 is attached to the opening 13 and blocks the opening 13.
As described above, this embodiment allows the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 to be easily changed using the cover/adjuster 6. The user can easily manipulate the cover/adjuster 6 and the mounting part 7 because they can be handled as in the relationship between a wrench and a bolt head. In addition, a structure where the user directly changes the direction of the human-detecting sensor 9 manually needs to have a shape such as a knob at the end of the shaft; as compared to such a case, this embodiment simplifies the structure of the mounting part 7 and also saves space.
As shown in Fig. 6, the cross-section of the cover/adjuster 6 taken in the longitudinal direction of the lever portion 11 is L-shaped. Thus, the cover/adjuster 6 has a simple structure. In addition, normally, i.e., when the cover/adjuster 6 is attached to the opening 13, the cover/adjuster 6 does not occupy a large space.
Furthermore, the length of the holding portion 12 can be adjusted to position the top end of the mounting part 7 farther away from the opening surface where the opening 13 is formed. That is, the mounting part 7, the shaft 10, and the human-detecting sensor 9 can be positioned deeper inside the main body case 2. As a result, the human-detecting sensor 9, which is structurally vulnerable, is unlikely to be touched by the user, which contributes to protection of the human-detecting sensor 9. In addition, a smaller space is needed for the user to insert and manipulate the cover/adjuster 6 than to manually handle the human-detecting sensor 9.

{Reference Signs List}

1	indoor unit
2	main body case
3	inlet
4	outlet
5	sensor cover
6	cover/adjuster (cover part)
7	mounting part
8	sensor case
9	human-detecting sensor (sensor part)
10	shaft
11	lever portion
12	holding portion
13	opening
14	groove

Claims

An air conditioner characterized in that it comprises:
a sensor part (9) that is disposed in a main body (2) of an indoor unit (1) and that is rotatable in a direction in which a detection range thereof is changed;

a mounting part (7) that is formed on an axis of a rotating shaft of the sensor part (9) and that rotates together with the sensor part (9); and

a cover part (6) that is attachable to and detachable from the main body (2) of the indoor unit (1) and that surrounds the mounting part (7) when attached to the main body (2) of the indoor unit (1), wherein

the cover part (6) includes:
a holding portion (12) that is attachable to the mounting part (7) so as to rotate the mounting part (7) about an axis thereof, and

a lever portion (11) disposed on the holding portion (12) so as to extend in one direction.
The air conditioner according to Claim 1,
wherein the mounting part (7) is disposed inside an opening (13) provided in the indoor unit (1) such that an end of the mounting part (7) is positioned deeper inside the main body (2) of the indoor unit (1) than an opening surface where the opening (13) is provided; and
wherein the holding portion (12) is inserted into the opening (13) and is attached to the mounting part (7).
A method for adjusting a sensor direction of an air conditioner including a sensor part (9) that is disposed in a main body (2) of an indoor unit (1) and that is rotatable in a direction in which a detection range thereof is changed, a mounting part (7) that is formed on an axis of a rotating shaft of the sensor part (9) and that rotates together with the sensor part (9), and a cover part (6) that is attachable to and detachable from the main body (2) of the indoor unit (1) and that surrounds the mounting part (7) when attached to the main body (2) of the indoor unit (1), the method being characterized in that it comprises:
a step of attaching a holding portion (12) of the cover part (6) to the mounting part (7); and

a step of rotating a lever portion (11) disposed on the holding portion (12) of the cover part (6) so as to extend in one direction to rotate the mounting part (7) and the sensor part (9) about an axis thereof.