EP3543614A1 - Outdoor unit - Google Patents
Outdoor unit Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3543614A1 EP3543614A1 EP18772063.6A EP18772063A EP3543614A1 EP 3543614 A1 EP3543614 A1 EP 3543614A1 EP 18772063 A EP18772063 A EP 18772063A EP 3543614 A1 EP3543614 A1 EP 3543614A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- top plate
- bell mouth
- outdoor unit
- fan
- unit according
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000007664 blowing Methods 0.000 abstract description 10
- 230000003014 reinforcing effect Effects 0.000 description 5
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005336 cracking Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000001629 suppression Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229920003002 synthetic resin Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000000057 synthetic resin Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D25/00—Pumping installations or systems
- F04D25/16—Combinations of two or more pumps ; Producing two or more separate gas flows
- F04D25/166—Combinations of two or more pumps ; Producing two or more separate gas flows using fans
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
- F04D29/02—Selection of particular materials
- F04D29/023—Selection of particular materials especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
- F04D29/40—Casings; Connections of working fluid
- F04D29/52—Casings; Connections of working fluid for axial pumps
- F04D29/54—Fluid-guiding means, e.g. diffusers
- F04D29/541—Specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
- F04D29/545—Ducts
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
- F04D29/60—Mounting; Assembling; Disassembling
- F04D29/601—Mounting; Assembling; Disassembling specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/06—Separate outdoor units, e.g. outdoor unit to be linked to a separate room comprising a compressor and a heat exchanger
- F24F1/38—Fan details of outdoor units, e.g. bell-mouth shaped inlets or fan mountings
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/06—Separate outdoor units, e.g. outdoor unit to be linked to a separate room comprising a compressor and a heat exchanger
- F24F1/46—Component arrangements in separate outdoor units
- F24F1/48—Component arrangements in separate outdoor units characterised by air airflow, e.g. inlet or outlet airflow
- F24F1/50—Component arrangements in separate outdoor units characterised by air airflow, e.g. inlet or outlet airflow with outlet air in upward direction
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F05D2230/00—Manufacture
- F05D2230/50—Building or constructing in particular ways
- F05D2230/54—Building or constructing in particular ways by sheet metal manufacturing
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
- F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F05D2300/00—Materials; Properties thereof
- F05D2300/40—Organic materials
- F05D2300/44—Resins
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.
- the bell mouths are made of sheet metal or resin.
- a bell mouth made of sheet metal is formed through drawing of sheet metal, and it is thus difficult to produce a bell mouth of large dimension in the axial direction of rotation of a fan without causing cracking.
- a bell mouth made of resin requires a reinforcing frame, and the number of components is thus increased.
- PTL 1 discloses a configuration in which a bell mouth made of synthetic resin includes a fan ring disposed on the outer circumferential side of a fan and a skirt formed at the bottom edge of the fan ring and in which the fan ring is higher than the fan in the axial direction, thereby improving air blowing characteristics.
- PTL 2 discloses a configuration in which a bell mouth and a motor base part of a motor for driving a blower are formed in an integrated manner, thereby reducing the number of components.
- the bell mouth disclosed in PTL 2 above is formed through deep drawing of a side plate made of sheet metal and cannot thus have a large dimension in the axial direction, creating a problem of a disadvantage in air blowing characteristics.
- the bell mouth disclosed in each of PTLs above cannot have a large dimension in the axial direction while preventing an increase in the number of components.
- an object of the present invention is to provide a configuration of an outdoor unit capable of improving air blowing characteristics without increasing the number of components, by increasing the dimension of a bell mouth in the axial direction.
- An outdoor unit of the present invention employs the following solutions to solve the problems described above.
- an outdoor unit includes: a blower including a fan and a fan motor driving the fan; a bell mouth connected with the blower and made of resin; and a top plate supporting the blower and made of sheet metal.
- the top plate made of sheet metal has a strength higher than a resin top plate. Accordingly, the top plate made of sheet metal can prevent an increase in the number of components such as a reinforcing frame. Furthermore, the resin bell mouth allows a forming method that makes it difficult to cause cracking even in manufacturing bell mouths of large dimension in the axial direction to be employed. By using the bell mouth of large dimension in the axial direction, the air blowing characteristics of the outdoor unit are improved.
- the outdoor unit can be configured to have both of the above-described advantages.
- a bell mouth formed to be integrated with a fan guard may be used.
- a motor base part that supports the fan motor is affixed directly to the top plate.
- the motor base part of the fan motor is affixed directly to the metal top plate, so that no reinforcing frame for supporting the motor base part is required to be mounted, resulting in reduction in the number of components.
- the whole fan is positioned on an upper surface side of the top plate.
- the whole fan is positioned on the upper surface side of the top plate, so that the fan and a heat exchanger are mounted in different places.
- This configuration can increase the outer diameter of the fan with no limitations imposed by the heat exchanger on the upper surface of the top plate, and can leave a large space for mounting the heat exchanger below the top plate.
- the whole fan can be housed in the bell mouth, and the air blowing characteristics are thus improved.
- the top plate includes a tapered portion rising on an inner side of the bell mouth and overlapping with the bell mouth; the tapered portion is constituted by a curved surface having a gradually decreasing inner diameter; and a tip portion is formed at a tip end of the tapered portion and is connected from below the bell mouth.
- the top plate includes the tapered portion rising on the inner side of the bell mouth, so that the secondary moment of a cross-sectional area of the top plate at a portion supporting the bell mouth is greater than a case of a flat top plate. Accordingly, the top plate has increased strength for the bending moment at the portion supporting the bell mouth.
- the tapered portion is constituted by a curved surface having a gradually decreasing inner diameter and can thus be connected with the bell mouth without making the air flow turbulent.
- the tapered portion overlaps with the bell mouth, the bell mouth does not come into contact with the air flow, so that no limitation on the shape of the bell mouth is required.
- the top plate and the bell mouth include inner surfaces coming into contact with each other and continuously connected.
- the top plate and the bell mouth have such inner surfaces coming into contact with each other as to be continuously connected, so that the inner surfaces provide a smooth flow path, resulting in suppression of loss of the air flow.
- the bell mouth includes a notch portion disposed at a portion connected with the tip portion, the notch portion having a shape in conformance to a shape of the tip portion.
- the bell mouth includes the notch portion that is disposed at the portion connected with the tip portion of the top plate and that has a shape in conformance to the shape of the tip portion, so that the bell mouth can be readily positioned in assembling. Furthermore, the bell mouth and the top plate can be readily connected with each other with the inner surfaces continuous.
- the outdoor unit includes a fixing part disposed on a horizontal surface of the top plate and connecting the top plate with the bell mouth; the top plate is connected with the bell mouth by using the fixing part and the tip portion; an overlapping portion is formed between the fixing part and the tip portion, the bell mouth and the tapered portion overlapping with each other at the overlapping portion; and the overlapping portion includes a gap defined between the top plate and the bell mouth.
- the fixing part is provided that is disposed on the horizontal surface of the top plate and that connects the top plate with the bell mouth
- the top plate is connected with the bell mouth by using the fixing part and the tip portion
- the overlapping portion is formed between the fixing part and the tip portion where the bell mouth and the tapered portion overlapping with each other, and in which the overlapping portion includes the gap defined between the top plate and the bell mouth
- the moisture remains at the overlapping portion in a sufficiently small amount in comparison to the volume of the gap. This reduces a risk of damage on the bell mouth if the moisture freezes.
- the fixing part includes a plurality of fixing parts; and a communicating gap is defined between the fixing parts adjacent to each other and between the top plate and the bell mouth, and communicates with the gap.
- the fixing part includes the plural fixing parts, and the communicating gap is defined between the fixing parts adjacent to each other and between the top plate and the bell mouth, and communicates with the gap of the overlapping portion.
- This configuration allows water discharged from the gap of the overlapping portion to be guided through the communicating gap to the outside of the bell mouth. This can further reduce a risk of damage on the bell mouth when the moisture freezes.
- the air blowing characteristics can be improved without increasing the number of components, by increasing the dimension of the bell mouth in the axial direction.
- FIG. 1 illustrates the embodiment of the present invention.
- an outdoor unit 1 of the present embodiment includes a body 11, a top plate 5 covering the upper surface of the body 11 and made of sheet metal, a blower 2 supported on the top plate 5, and bell mouths 4 made of resin.
- the outdoor unit 1 is connected with an indoor unit (not illustrated) via refrigerant piping (not illustrated).
- a heat exchanger In the body 11, a heat exchanger, a fan motor, a control box, and the like are disposed.
- bell mouths 4 are disposed on the top plate 5, and a fan 21 is housed in each of the bell mouths 4.
- the number of the bell mouths 4 is two in the present embodiment but may be one or three or more.
- the blower 2 includes fan motors 22 driving the fans 21.
- the fan motors 22 are each supported by a motor base part 7.
- the motor base part 7 includes legs 7a each composed of a rod-like member bent to substantially have an L shape. One end of each of the legs 7a is affixed to the top plate 5, and the other end of the leg 7a is affixed to the fan motor 22 side. That is, the fan motor 22 is affixed directly to the top plate 5 via the motor base part 7.
- a rotating shaft 22a of the fan motor 22 extends in the vertical direction.
- the rotating shaft 22a is fitted at the rotation center of the fan 21.
- the whole fan 21 is positioned on the upper surface side of the top plate 5, and the bell mouth 4 covers the circumference of the whole fan 21 in the axial direction of rotation.
- the top plate 5 has circular holes for placing the blower 2, and a tapered portion 5a protruding upward is formed along the edge of each of the holes.
- FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a portion where the bell mouth 4 and the top plate 5 are connected with each other.
- the top plate 5 includes the tapered portion 5a rising on the inner side of the bell mouth 4 and overlapping with the bell mouth 4.
- the tapered portion 5a is constituted by a curved surface having an inner diameter gradually decreasing in the axial direction (the upward direction in the same drawing).
- a notch portion 4b is formed having a shape in conformance to the shape of a tip portion 5b positioned at the tip end of the tapered portion 5a.
- the tapered portion 5a is connected to a lower portion of the bell mouth 4 at a certain position.
- the bell mouth 4 and the top plate 5 have inner surfaces that come into contact with air flow generated by the blower 2 and that are formed into a continuously connected shape.
- an overlapping portion 4a is formed so that the bell mouth 4 and the tapered portion 5a overlap each other.
- the bell mouth 4 and the top plate 5 are connected with each other by using the fixing part 8 disposed on a horizontal surface positioned on the outer circumferential side of the tapered portion 5a.
- the top plate 5 rises in a convex manner on the bell mouth side to form a top plate fixing portion 5c, and a bell mouth fixing portion 4c and the top plate fixing portion 5c are affixed by using a fixing bolt 8a.
- a gap 9 is defined between the bell mouth 4 and the top plate 5.
- This gap 9 has such a size that, even if moisture in the atmosphere condenses and accumulates as drained water, and if the drained water freezes and expands its volume, the drained water does not cause deformation of the bell mouth 4.
- a communicating gap is defined in some position in the circumferential direction of the outer circumference of the bell mouth 4.
- the communicating gap allows communication between the gap 9 and the outside on the outer circumferential side of the bell mouth 4.
- the outdoor unit 1 having the above-described configuration operates in the following manner.
- the fan motors 22 rotate the fans 21, and air thus flows into the body 11 from the outside of the outdoor unit 1.
- the air flowing into the body 11 passes through the heat exchanger 6, so that heat exchange is performed between the air and a refrigerant flowing in a heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 6.
- the air after the heat exchange moves to the fans 21 positioned above and is discharged from an upper portion of the outdoor unit 1 to the outside while being regulated by the bell mouths 4.
- the top plate 5 is made of sheet metal and thus has strength higher than a resin top plate. Accordingly, an increase in the number of components such as a reinforcing frame can be prevented.
- the bell mouths 4 are made of resin, so that a forming method that is difficult to cause a crack even in manufacturing bell mouths of large dimension in the axial direction can be employed. By using the bell mouths 4 of large dimension in the axial direction, the air blowing characteristics of the blower 2 are improved.
- the motor base parts 7 of the fan motors 22 are affixed directly to the metal top plate 5, so that no reinforcing frame for supporting the motor base parts 7 is required to be mounted, resulting in reduction in the number of components.
- each of the fans 21 is positioned on the upper surface side of the top plate 5, so that the fan 21 and the heat exchanger 6 are mounted in different places.
- This configuration can increase the outer diameter of the fan 21 with no limitations imposed by the heat exchanger 6 on the upper surface of the top plate 5, and can leave a large space for mounting the heat exchanger 6 below the top plate 5.
- the whole fan 21 can be housed in the bell mouth 4, and the air blowing characteristics are thus improved.
- the top plate 5 includes the tapered portions 5a rising on the inner sides of the bell mouths 4, so that the secondary moment of a cross-sectional area of the top plate 5 at portions supporting the bell mouths 4 is greater than a case of a flat top plate. Accordingly, the top plate 5 has increased strength for the bending moment at the portions supporting the bell mouths 4.
- the tapered portions 5a are each constituted by a curved surface having an inner diameter gradually decreasing in the axial direction and can thus be connected with the bell mouths 4 without making the air flow turbulent.
- the bell mouths 4 do not come into contact with the air flow, so that no limitation on the shape of the bell mouths 4 is required.
- the top plate 5 and the bell mouth 4 have such inner surfaces coming into contact with each other as to be continuously connected, so that the inner surfaces provide a smooth flow path, resulting in suppression of loss of the air flow.
- the bell mouths 4 each include the notch portion 4b that is disposed at a portion connected with the tip portion 5b of the top plate 5 and that has a shape in conformance to the shape of the tip portion 5b, so that the bell mouth 4 can be readily positioned in assembling. Furthermore, the bell mouth 4 and the top plate 5 can be readily connected with each other with the inner surfaces continuous.
- the top plate 5 and the bell mouth 4 come into contact with each other only at the fixing part 8 (the top plate fixing portion 5c and the bell mouth fixing portion 4c) and an inner surface connection portion (the tip portion 5b and the notch portion 4b), and the gap 9 is left at the overlapping portion 4a.
- the fixing part 8 the top plate fixing portion 5c and the bell mouth fixing portion 4c
- an inner surface connection portion the tip portion 5b and the notch portion 4b
- FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion corresponding to FIG. 7A .
- the bell mouth 4 extends to have a horizontal surface from the vicinity of the notch portion 4b to a space above the vicinity of the fixing part 8 and has a cylindrical curved surface formed vertically from the space above the vicinity of the fixing part 8 to the vicinity of the fixing part 8. This configuration defines a gap 9 between the overlapping portion 4a and the tapered portion 5a.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Other Air-Conditioning Systems (AREA)
- Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
Abstract
Provided is an outdoor unit which is capable of improving air blowing characteristics without increasing the number of components, by increasing the dimension of a bell mouth in the axial direction. This outdoor unit is provided with: a body; a top plate (5) which covers the upper surface of the body, and which is made of sheet metal; a blower which is provided with a fan motor (22), and which is supported on the top plate (5); and a resin bell mouth (4) which covers the circumference of the blower in a concentric manner. A motor base part of the fan motor (22) is directly affixed to the top plate (5). The center of a fan (21) is affixed to a rotating shaft (22a) of the fan motor (22). The whole of the fan (21) is positioned on the upper surface side of the top plate (5). The bell mouth (4) covers the circumference of the whole fan (21) in the axial direction.
Description
- The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.
- Outdoor units of air conditioners have conventionally been equipped with bell mouths to improve air blowing characteristics. The bell mouths are made of sheet metal or resin. A bell mouth made of sheet metal is formed through drawing of sheet metal, and it is thus difficult to produce a bell mouth of large dimension in the axial direction of rotation of a fan without causing cracking. On the other hand, a bell mouth made of resin requires a reinforcing frame, and the number of components is thus increased.
- To improve performance of an outdoor unit and reduce cost, methods to change the configuration of a bell mouth are known (see PTLs 1 and 2).
- PTL 1 discloses a configuration in which a bell mouth made of synthetic resin includes a fan ring disposed on the outer circumferential side of a fan and a skirt formed at the bottom edge of the fan ring and in which the fan ring is higher than the fan in the axial direction, thereby improving air blowing characteristics.
-
PTL 2 discloses a configuration in which a bell mouth and a motor base part of a motor for driving a blower are formed in an integrated manner, thereby reducing the number of components. -
- PTL 1:
JP 2010-127594 A - PTL 2:
JP H10-300130 A - Unfortunately, the bell mouth disclosed in PTL 1 above is made of synthetic resin, and a motor base part is thus supported by a frame. This creates a problem of increasing the number of components.
- The bell mouth disclosed in
PTL 2 above is formed through deep drawing of a side plate made of sheet metal and cannot thus have a large dimension in the axial direction, creating a problem of a disadvantage in air blowing characteristics. - As described above, the bell mouth disclosed in each of PTLs above cannot have a large dimension in the axial direction while preventing an increase in the number of components.
- In light of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a configuration of an outdoor unit capable of improving air blowing characteristics without increasing the number of components, by increasing the dimension of a bell mouth in the axial direction.
- An outdoor unit of the present invention employs the following solutions to solve the problems described above.
- That is, an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a blower including a fan and a fan motor driving the fan; a bell mouth connected with the blower and made of resin; and a top plate supporting the blower and made of sheet metal.
- The top plate made of sheet metal has a strength higher than a resin top plate. Accordingly, the top plate made of sheet metal can prevent an increase in the number of components such as a reinforcing frame. Furthermore, the resin bell mouth allows a forming method that makes it difficult to cause cracking even in manufacturing bell mouths of large dimension in the axial direction to be employed. By using the bell mouth of large dimension in the axial direction, the air blowing characteristics of the outdoor unit are improved.
- By combining the top plate made of sheet metal and the bell mouth made of resin, the outdoor unit can be configured to have both of the above-described advantages.
- Note that a bell mouth formed to be integrated with a fan guard may be used.
- In an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention, a motor base part that supports the fan motor is affixed directly to the top plate.
- The motor base part of the fan motor is affixed directly to the metal top plate, so that no reinforcing frame for supporting the motor base part is required to be mounted, resulting in reduction in the number of components.
- In an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention, the whole fan is positioned on an upper surface side of the top plate.
- The whole fan is positioned on the upper surface side of the top plate, so that the fan and a heat exchanger are mounted in different places. This configuration can increase the outer diameter of the fan with no limitations imposed by the heat exchanger on the upper surface of the top plate, and can leave a large space for mounting the heat exchanger below the top plate.
- Furthermore, the whole fan can be housed in the bell mouth, and the air blowing characteristics are thus improved.
- In an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention, the top plate includes a tapered portion rising on an inner side of the bell mouth and overlapping with the bell mouth; the tapered portion is constituted by a curved surface having a gradually decreasing inner diameter; and a tip portion is formed at a tip end of the tapered portion and is connected from below the bell mouth.
- The top plate includes the tapered portion rising on the inner side of the bell mouth, so that the secondary moment of a cross-sectional area of the top plate at a portion supporting the bell mouth is greater than a case of a flat top plate. Accordingly, the top plate has increased strength for the bending moment at the portion supporting the bell mouth.
- Furthermore, the tapered portion is constituted by a curved surface having a gradually decreasing inner diameter and can thus be connected with the bell mouth without making the air flow turbulent. On the other hand, in a range in which the tapered portion overlaps with the bell mouth, the bell mouth does not come into contact with the air flow, so that no limitation on the shape of the bell mouth is required.
- In an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention, the top plate and the bell mouth include inner surfaces coming into contact with each other and continuously connected.
- The top plate and the bell mouth have such inner surfaces coming into contact with each other as to be continuously connected, so that the inner surfaces provide a smooth flow path, resulting in suppression of loss of the air flow.
- In an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention, the bell mouth includes a notch portion disposed at a portion connected with the tip portion, the notch portion having a shape in conformance to a shape of the tip portion.
- The bell mouth includes the notch portion that is disposed at the portion connected with the tip portion of the top plate and that has a shape in conformance to the shape of the tip portion, so that the bell mouth can be readily positioned in assembling. Furthermore, the bell mouth and the top plate can be readily connected with each other with the inner surfaces continuous.
- In an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention, the outdoor unit includes a fixing part disposed on a horizontal surface of the top plate and connecting the top plate with the bell mouth; the top plate is connected with the bell mouth by using the fixing part and the tip portion; an overlapping portion is formed between the fixing part and the tip portion, the bell mouth and the tapered portion overlapping with each other at the overlapping portion; and the overlapping portion includes a gap defined between the top plate and the bell mouth.
- With the configuration in which the fixing part is provided that is disposed on the horizontal surface of the top plate and that connects the top plate with the bell mouth, in which the top plate is connected with the bell mouth by using the fixing part and the tip portion, in which the overlapping portion is formed between the fixing part and the tip portion where the bell mouth and the tapered portion overlapping with each other, and in which the overlapping portion includes the gap defined between the top plate and the bell mouth, even if moisture enters a space between the top plate and the bell mouth, the moisture remains at the overlapping portion in a sufficiently small amount in comparison to the volume of the gap. This reduces a risk of damage on the bell mouth if the moisture freezes.
- In an outdoor unit according to an aspect of the present invention, the fixing part includes a plurality of fixing parts; and a communicating gap is defined between the fixing parts adjacent to each other and between the top plate and the bell mouth, and communicates with the gap.
- The fixing part includes the plural fixing parts, and the communicating gap is defined between the fixing parts adjacent to each other and between the top plate and the bell mouth, and communicates with the gap of the overlapping portion. This configuration allows water discharged from the gap of the overlapping portion to be guided through the communicating gap to the outside of the bell mouth. This can further reduce a risk of damage on the bell mouth when the moisture freezes.
- The air blowing characteristics can be improved without increasing the number of components, by increasing the dimension of the bell mouth in the axial direction.
-
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a blower used in the outdoor unit inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a side view of the blower used in the outdoor unit inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the blower used in the outdoor unit inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 5 is a top view of a top plate used in the outdoor unit inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 6 is a side view of the top plate used in the outdoor unit inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of a tapered portion and its vicinity, taken along the line A-A inFIG. 2 , andFIG. 7B is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a fixing part and its vicinity in the vicinity of the tapered portion. -
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a fixing part of an outdoor unit according to a modified example. - An embodiment of an outdoor unit according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates the embodiment of the present invention. - As illustrated in the same drawing, an outdoor unit 1 of the present embodiment includes a
body 11, atop plate 5 covering the upper surface of thebody 11 and made of sheet metal, ablower 2 supported on thetop plate 5, andbell mouths 4 made of resin. The outdoor unit 1 is connected with an indoor unit (not illustrated) via refrigerant piping (not illustrated). - In the
body 11, a heat exchanger, a fan motor, a control box, and the like are disposed. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2 , twobell mouths 4 are disposed on thetop plate 5, and afan 21 is housed in each of thebell mouths 4. Note that the number of thebell mouths 4 is two in the present embodiment but may be one or three or more. - As illustrated in
FIG. 3 , theblower 2 includesfan motors 22 driving thefans 21. Thefan motors 22 are each supported by a motor base part 7. The motor base part 7 includeslegs 7a each composed of a rod-like member bent to substantially have an L shape. One end of each of thelegs 7a is affixed to thetop plate 5, and the other end of theleg 7a is affixed to thefan motor 22 side. That is, thefan motor 22 is affixed directly to thetop plate 5 via the motor base part 7. - As illustrated in
FIG. 4 , arotating shaft 22a of thefan motor 22 extends in the vertical direction. Therotating shaft 22a is fitted at the rotation center of thefan 21. Thewhole fan 21 is positioned on the upper surface side of thetop plate 5, and thebell mouth 4 covers the circumference of thewhole fan 21 in the axial direction of rotation. By operating theblower 2, air passing through a heat exchanger 6 in the outdoor unit 1 is discharged upward from theblower 2. - As illustrated in
FIG. 5 andFIG. 6 , thetop plate 5 has circular holes for placing theblower 2, and atapered portion 5a protruding upward is formed along the edge of each of the holes. -
FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a portion where thebell mouth 4 and thetop plate 5 are connected with each other. - As illustrated in
FIG. 7A , thetop plate 5 includes the taperedportion 5a rising on the inner side of thebell mouth 4 and overlapping with thebell mouth 4. The taperedportion 5a is constituted by a curved surface having an inner diameter gradually decreasing in the axial direction (the upward direction in the same drawing). - In the inner circumferential surface of the
bell mouth 4, anotch portion 4b is formed having a shape in conformance to the shape of atip portion 5b positioned at the tip end of the taperedportion 5a. By fitting thetip portion 5b to thenotch portion 4b, the taperedportion 5a is connected to a lower portion of thebell mouth 4 at a certain position. In this connection position, thebell mouth 4 and thetop plate 5 have inner surfaces that come into contact with air flow generated by theblower 2 and that are formed into a continuously connected shape. - As a region inclined from the vicinity of the
notch portion 4b toward the vicinity of a fixingpart 8, an overlappingportion 4a is formed so that thebell mouth 4 and the taperedportion 5a overlap each other. - As illustrated in
FIG. 7B , thebell mouth 4 and thetop plate 5 are connected with each other by using the fixingpart 8 disposed on a horizontal surface positioned on the outer circumferential side of the taperedportion 5a. At the fixingpart 8, thetop plate 5 rises in a convex manner on the bell mouth side to form a topplate fixing portion 5c, and a bellmouth fixing portion 4c and the topplate fixing portion 5c are affixed by using afixing bolt 8a. - At the overlapping
portion 4a, agap 9 is defined between thebell mouth 4 and thetop plate 5. Thisgap 9 has such a size that, even if moisture in the atmosphere condenses and accumulates as drained water, and if the drained water freezes and expands its volume, the drained water does not cause deformation of thebell mouth 4. - Furthermore, between adjacent fixing parts 8 (see
FIG. 2 ), a communicating gap is defined in some position in the circumferential direction of the outer circumference of thebell mouth 4. The communicating gap allows communication between thegap 9 and the outside on the outer circumferential side of thebell mouth 4. - The outdoor unit 1 having the above-described configuration operates in the following manner.
- The
fan motors 22 rotate thefans 21, and air thus flows into thebody 11 from the outside of the outdoor unit 1. The air flowing into thebody 11 passes through the heat exchanger 6, so that heat exchange is performed between the air and a refrigerant flowing in a heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 6. The air after the heat exchange moves to thefans 21 positioned above and is discharged from an upper portion of the outdoor unit 1 to the outside while being regulated by thebell mouths 4. - According to this embodiment, the following advantageous effects are achieved.
- The
top plate 5 is made of sheet metal and thus has strength higher than a resin top plate. Accordingly, an increase in the number of components such as a reinforcing frame can be prevented. - Furthermore, the
bell mouths 4 are made of resin, so that a forming method that is difficult to cause a crack even in manufacturing bell mouths of large dimension in the axial direction can be employed. By using thebell mouths 4 of large dimension in the axial direction, the air blowing characteristics of theblower 2 are improved. - The motor base parts 7 of the
fan motors 22 are affixed directly to themetal top plate 5, so that no reinforcing frame for supporting the motor base parts 7 is required to be mounted, resulting in reduction in the number of components. - The whole of each of the
fans 21 is positioned on the upper surface side of thetop plate 5, so that thefan 21 and the heat exchanger 6 are mounted in different places. This configuration can increase the outer diameter of thefan 21 with no limitations imposed by the heat exchanger 6 on the upper surface of thetop plate 5, and can leave a large space for mounting the heat exchanger 6 below thetop plate 5. - Furthermore, the
whole fan 21 can be housed in thebell mouth 4, and the air blowing characteristics are thus improved. - The
top plate 5 includes the taperedportions 5a rising on the inner sides of thebell mouths 4, so that the secondary moment of a cross-sectional area of thetop plate 5 at portions supporting thebell mouths 4 is greater than a case of a flat top plate. Accordingly, thetop plate 5 has increased strength for the bending moment at the portions supporting thebell mouths 4. - Furthermore, the
tapered portions 5a are each constituted by a curved surface having an inner diameter gradually decreasing in the axial direction and can thus be connected with thebell mouths 4 without making the air flow turbulent. On the other hand, at the overlappingportions 4a at which thebell mouths 4 overlap with thetapered portions 5a, thebell mouths 4 do not come into contact with the air flow, so that no limitation on the shape of thebell mouths 4 is required. - The
top plate 5 and thebell mouth 4 have such inner surfaces coming into contact with each other as to be continuously connected, so that the inner surfaces provide a smooth flow path, resulting in suppression of loss of the air flow. - The
bell mouths 4 each include thenotch portion 4b that is disposed at a portion connected with thetip portion 5b of thetop plate 5 and that has a shape in conformance to the shape of thetip portion 5b, so that thebell mouth 4 can be readily positioned in assembling. Furthermore, thebell mouth 4 and thetop plate 5 can be readily connected with each other with the inner surfaces continuous. - The
top plate 5 and thebell mouth 4 come into contact with each other only at the fixing part 8 (the topplate fixing portion 5c and the bellmouth fixing portion 4c) and an inner surface connection portion (thetip portion 5b and thenotch portion 4b), and thegap 9 is left at the overlappingportion 4a. With this configuration, even if moisture enters a space between thetop plate 5 and thebell mouth 4, the moisture remains only in a sufficiently small amount in comparison to the volume of thegap 9, which reduces a risk of damage on thebell mouth 4 if the moisture freezes. - Note that the shape of the
bell mouth 4 at the overlappingportion 4a may be modified as illustrated inFIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion corresponding toFIG. 7A . As illustrated inFIG. 8 , at the overlappingportion 4a, thebell mouth 4 extends to have a horizontal surface from the vicinity of thenotch portion 4b to a space above the vicinity of the fixingpart 8 and has a cylindrical curved surface formed vertically from the space above the vicinity of the fixingpart 8 to the vicinity of the fixingpart 8. This configuration defines agap 9 between the overlappingportion 4a and the taperedportion 5a. -
- 1 Outdoor unit
- 2 Blower
- 4 Bell mouth
- 4a Overlapping portion
- 4b Notch portion
- 4c Bell mouth fixing portion
- 5 Top plate
- 5a Tapered portion
- 5b Tip portion
- 5c Top plate fixing portion
- 6 Heat exchanger
- 7 Motor base part
- 7a Leg
- 8 Fixing part
- 8a Fixing bolt
- 11 Body
- 21 Fan
- 22 Fan motor
- 22a Rotating shaft
Claims (8)
- An outdoor unit comprising:a blower including a fan and a fan motor driving the fan;a bell mouth connected with the blower and made of resin; anda top plate supporting the blower and made of sheet metal.
- The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein a motor base part that supports the fan motor is affixed directly to the top plate.
- The outdoor unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the whole fan is positioned on an upper surface side of the top plate.
- The outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:the top plate includes a tapered portion rising on an inner side of the bell mouth and overlapping with the bell mouth;the tapered portion is constituted by a curved surface having a gradually decreasing inner diameter; anda tip portion is formed at a tip end of the tapered portion and is connected from below the bell mouth.
- The outdoor unit according to claim 4, wherein the top plate and the bell mouth include inner surfaces coming into contact with each other and continuously connected.
- The outdoor unit according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the bell mouth includes a notch portion disposed at a portion connected with the tip portion, the notch portion having a shape in conformance to a shape of the tip portion.
- The outdoor unit according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein:the outdoor unit includes a fixing part disposed on a horizontal surface of the top plate and connecting the top plate with the bell mouth;the top plate is connected with the bell mouth by using the fixing part and the tip portion;an overlapping portion is formed between the fixing part and the tip portion, the bell mouth and the tapered portion overlapping with each other at the overlapping portion; andthe overlapping portion includes a gap defined between the top plate and the bell mouth.
- The outdoor unit according to claim 7, wherein:the fixing part includes a plurality of fixing parts; anda communicating gap is defined between the fixing parts adjacent to each other and between the top plate and the bell mouth, and communicates with the gap.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2017059229A JP2018162904A (en) | 2017-03-24 | 2017-03-24 | Outdoor unit |
PCT/JP2018/008201 WO2018173708A1 (en) | 2017-03-24 | 2018-03-05 | Outdoor unit |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3543614A1 true EP3543614A1 (en) | 2019-09-25 |
Family
ID=63584242
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP18772063.6A Withdrawn EP3543614A1 (en) | 2017-03-24 | 2018-03-05 | Outdoor unit |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP3543614A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2018162904A (en) |
CN (1) | CN110100134A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2018173708A1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPH10300130A (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1998-11-13 | Toshiba Corp | Air conditioner |
JP4183053B2 (en) * | 2000-01-14 | 2008-11-19 | 東芝キヤリア株式会社 | Air conditioner outdoor unit |
JP2003214658A (en) * | 2002-01-28 | 2003-07-30 | Toshiba Kyaria Kk | Outdoor unit of air conditioner |
JP2007093048A (en) * | 2005-09-27 | 2007-04-12 | Hitachi Ltd | Outdoor unit for air conditioning |
JP2007212045A (en) * | 2006-02-09 | 2007-08-23 | Daikin Ind Ltd | Outdoor unit for air-conditioner |
CN101464043A (en) * | 2007-12-21 | 2009-06-24 | 乐金电子(天津)电器有限公司 | Improved spiral casing structure of wall hanging air conditioner |
EP2085709A1 (en) * | 2008-01-30 | 2009-08-05 | LG Electronics Inc. | Air conditioner |
JP5388497B2 (en) * | 2008-07-29 | 2014-01-15 | 日立アプライアンス株式会社 | Blower guide support structure and air conditioner outdoor unit |
JP2010127594A (en) | 2008-12-01 | 2010-06-10 | Fujitsu General Ltd | Outdoor unit of air conditioner |
KR101575904B1 (en) * | 2009-01-09 | 2015-12-08 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Fan motot mounting structure and outdoor unit for air conditioner comprising the same |
CN203163108U (en) * | 2013-03-22 | 2013-08-28 | 广东美的电器股份有限公司 | Outdoor unit of top air-blowing air conditioner |
JP2015121345A (en) * | 2013-12-24 | 2015-07-02 | 三星電子株式会社Samsung Electronics Co.,Ltd. | Air-conditioning outdoor unit |
WO2016006217A1 (en) * | 2014-07-08 | 2016-01-14 | ダイキン工業株式会社 | Propeller fan and blower unit |
JP2017057772A (en) * | 2015-09-16 | 2017-03-23 | 三菱重工業株式会社 | Blower |
-
2017
- 2017-03-24 JP JP2017059229A patent/JP2018162904A/en active Pending
-
2018
- 2018-03-05 EP EP18772063.6A patent/EP3543614A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2018-03-05 CN CN201880005251.5A patent/CN110100134A/en active Pending
- 2018-03-05 WO PCT/JP2018/008201 patent/WO2018173708A1/en unknown
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2018173708A1 (en) | 2018-09-27 |
CN110100134A (en) | 2019-08-06 |
JP2018162904A (en) | 2018-10-18 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP2848817B1 (en) | Centrifugal fan and air-conditioning apparatus | |
US20160305454A1 (en) | Air outlet protection structure, outdoor unit of air conditioner and method for designing air outlet protection structure | |
JP2016121580A (en) | Centrifugal blower | |
EP3669125B1 (en) | Fan housing and air conditioner device | |
WO2017078513A1 (en) | Protective shield for an air discharge port of an air conditioner outdoor unit | |
EP3543614A1 (en) | Outdoor unit | |
WO2018029877A1 (en) | Indoor unit and air-conditioning device | |
CN209744544U (en) | laminar flow fan and ceiling type air conditioner indoor unit | |
CN204186594U (en) | A kind of compressor and exhaust structure thereof | |
CN101371081A (en) | Protective cover and air conditioner with the same | |
JP2016160905A (en) | Centrifugal fan | |
WO2016084216A1 (en) | Indoor unit for air conditioner | |
JP2015068561A (en) | Indoor unit for air conditioner | |
JP2015140680A (en) | blower | |
JP6524243B2 (en) | Outdoor unit of air conditioner | |
JP2007263415A (en) | Outdoor unit | |
JP6390348B2 (en) | Blower | |
JP5877364B2 (en) | Air conditioner outdoor unit | |
CN107013986B (en) | ceiling machine | |
KR102453157B1 (en) | Safety grill for blower | |
JP2019183737A (en) | Axial flow fan | |
US20180003195A1 (en) | Integrally Formed Fan Guard | |
JP2020122583A (en) | Air conditioner | |
WO2008053784A1 (en) | Outdoor unit for air conditioner | |
JP2013024444A (en) | Air conditioner |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20190618 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR |
|
AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
Extension state: BA ME |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN |
|
18W | Application withdrawn |
Effective date: 20191007 |