EP4180727A1

EP4180727A1 - Indoor unit

Info

Publication number: EP4180727A1
Application number: EP22206496.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masaki Hiraike; Naoya Wada
Original assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-11-11
Filing date: 2022-11-09
Publication date: 2023-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2042-11-09
Also published as: EP4180727B1; JP2023071327A

Abstract

Provided is an indoor unit capable of placing a refrigerant sensor in a limited space. An indoor unit 100 includes a housing 101 that houses inside a heat exchanger 120 including a refrigerant pipe, and a blower fan 115, the heat exchanger 120 includes a piping connecting portion that connects, to each other, refrigerant pipings through which a refrigerant flows, in the housing 101, a placement space S2 in which the piping connecting portion is placed, and a front wall 101a are provided, the front wall surrounding the placement space S2, the front wall extending along a longitudinal direction of the housing 101, and on the front wall 101a, a refrigerant sensor 180 that detects the refrigerant is provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to an indoor unit.

Description of the Related Art

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-141069 discloses an indoor unit for a duct type air conditioner capable of sufficiently cooling electrical components.
In this indoor unit, a partition plate that divides inside of a housing into left and right is provided, one end of the partition plate is fixed to the back side of a front plate, a heat exchange side plate is placed on a piping outlet side of a heat exchanger to hold the heat exchanger in a vertical posture, and one end of the heat exchange side plate is fixed to a back plate. Also, in this indoor unit, the other end of the heat exchange side plate and the other end of the partition plate are fixed to each other to vertically provide the heat exchange side plate and the partition plate in a row, thereby forming a dividing wall. On one side divided with the dividing wall, a blower chamber is formed in which a blower device and the heat exchanger are placed, and on the other side divided with the dividing wall, an electrical component chamber is formed. Then, in this indoor unit, an air passage is formed through which air is guided from inside of a frame of a safety drain pan into the electrical component chamber and is further guided from the electrical component chamber into the blower chamber.
The present disclosure provides an indoor unit capable of placing a refrigerant sensor in a limited space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides an indoor unit including a housing that houses inside a heat exchanger including a refrigerant pipe, and a blower fan, the heat exchanger includes a piping connecting portion that connects, to each other, refrigerant pipings (pipes) through which a refrigerant flows, in the housing, a placement space in which the piping connecting portion is placed, and a front wall are provided, the front wall facing the placement space, the front wall extending along a longitudinal direction of the housing, and on the front wall, a refrigerant sensor that detects the refrigerant is provided.

Advantageous Effect of Invention

According to the present disclosure, a refrigerant sensor is provided on a side wall extending along a longitudinal direction of a housing. Therefore, the refrigerant sensor can be placed in a limited space of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an indoor unit according to Embodiment 1 seen from front;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the indoor unit;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the indoor unit;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the indoor unit;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a vent portion seen from above;
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the indoor unit seen from above;
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the indoor unit seen from below;
Fig. 8 is a front view a left wall;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a side plate of a housing seen from left front;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a piping chamber; and
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an indoor unit according to Embodiment 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(Finding and the like that form basis of present disclosure)

At the time when the inventors came to conceive the present disclosure, in an indoor unit of an air conditioner, including a housing in which an electrical box and a blower chamber are provided, there was a technique of providing, in the housing, an air passage to guide air from the electrical box to the blower chamber, thereby enabling effective cooling of heating parts present in the electrical box. This indoor unit includes the housing, and a dividing wall that divides inside of this housing. In the housing, the blower chamber in which a blower device and a heat exchanger are placed is provided on one side of the dividing wall, and a space in which the electrical box and a piping connecting portion of the heat exchanger are placed is provided on the other side of the dividing wall.
In this indoor unit, a refrigerant sensor that detects a refrigerant may be provided in the space in which the piping connecting portion is placed. This refrigerant sensor is provided, together with the electrical box, a drain pump and the like, on a side surface of the housing in which the piping connecting portion is placed, the side surface being located in a longitudinal direction of the housing.
However, in such an indoor unit, the inventors have found a problem that there is concern that a space to provide the refrigerant sensor on the side surface of the housing is limited when a size of the housing is to be reduced or when a size of the electrical box increases and have constituted the subject matter of the present disclosure to solve the problem.
Therefore, the present disclosure provides an indoor unit capable of placing a refrigerant sensor in a limited space of a housing.
Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments will be described in detail. However, more detailed description than necessary may not be made. For example, detailed description of already well-known matter or duplicate description of about the same configuration may not be made. This is intended to avoid the following description that is more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding of a person skilled in the art.
Note that the accompanying drawings and following description are provided for any person skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)

Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10. In addition, reference character FR shown in each drawing indicates front of an indoor unit in a horizontal suspending state, reference character UP indicates an upper part of the indoor unit, and reference character LH indicates a left side of the indoor unit. In the following description, each direction follows each direction of the indoor unit.

[1-1. Configuration]

[1-1-1. Configuration of Indoor Unit]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an indoor unit 100 according to the present embodiment seen from front.
An air conditioner includes the indoor unit 100 of the present embodiment. The air conditioner includes a refrigeration cycle formed by connecting a heat exchanger 120 (Fig. 3) housed in the indoor unit 100, a compressor housed in an outdoor unit, a decompressing device such as an electronic expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger and others via refrigerant piping. In the air conditioner, the refrigerant is circulated in this refrigeration cycle, thereby performing air conditioning of a predetermined space to be conditioned.
In the present embodiment, the refrigerant for use in the air conditioner including the indoor unit 100 is, for example, a refrigerant having a slightly flammable or flammable property, such as R32.
The indoor unit 100 is a duct type indoor unit installed in a ceiling space, in a wall, under a floor, or the like. The indoor unit 100 is formed in a changeable manner of a placing direction of an air outlet 108 out of which air to be conditioned is blown so that a blowing direction can be changed depending on an installing location. For this reason, for example, when horizontally blowing, as shown in Fig. 1, the indoor unit 100 is installed in a so-called horizontal suspending state where the air outlet 108 is located on the side. Further, when blowing upward, the indoor unit 100 is installed in a so-called vertical suspending state where a blower port is located above.
In the following description, an up-down direction means an up-down direction when the indoor unit 100 is installed in the horizontal suspending state.
As shown in Fig. 1, the indoor unit 100 includes a box-shaped housing 101. The housing 101 has a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape in which a longitudinal direction extends along a left-right direction.
The housing 101 includes a front wall 101a located in front, a back wall 101b located rearward, a left wall 101c located in the left direction, and a right wall 101d located in the right direction, and these walls form four side walls of the housing 101. The housing 101 includes a top panel 101e forming a top surface, and a bottom panel 101f forming a bottom surface.
In the housing 101, fixing brackets 101n are provided. The indoor unit 100 is fixed to a ceiling via the fixing brackets 101n.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the indoor unit 100. Fig. 2 does not show a decorative panel 102.
As shown in Fig. 2, in the front wall 101a, the air outlet 108 is provided. The air outlet 108 is a rectangular opening extending along the left-right direction of the front wall 101a. The indoor unit 100 performs the air conditioning of the space to be conditioned by blowing the air to be conditioned out of the air outlet 108.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the indoor unit 100 includes the decorative panel 102 that covers the front wall 101a. The decorative panel 102 is a panel provided facing the air to be conditioned for improving appearance. In the indoor unit 100, the air to be conditioned blown out of the air outlet 108 is sent out to the space to be conditioned through a panel air outlet 102a.
Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing an internal configuration of the indoor unit 100. Figs. 3 and 4 do not show the decorative panel 102 and the top panel 101e.
As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a partition plate 103 is provided inside the housing 101. The partition plate 103 is a flat plate-shaped member having a predetermined length dimension extending along the left-right direction of the housing 101.
An internal space of the housing 101 is divided, by the partition plate 103, into a blower chamber 105 located in front of the housing 101 and a heat exchanger chamber 107 located at the rear of the housing 101. The partition plate 103 has opposite ends coupled to the left wall 101c and the right wall 101d, respectively.
In the blower chamber 105, two blowers 110 are provided. Each blower 110 of the present embodiment is a sirocco fan. Each blower 110 includes a blower fan 115. Each blower fan 115 is coupled to a fan motor 111 via a drive shaft 113 and is rotated when driven with the fan motor 111.
When each blower fan 115 is driven, each blower 110 blows air in the blower chamber 105 flowing into the heat exchanger chamber 107 through a plurality of vent ports 103a provided in the partition plate 103. At this time, air flows from outside of the housing 101 into the blower chamber 105 through a suction port 106 provided in the bottom panel 101f. This air passes through a suction duct coupled to the suction port 106 and flows inside from the space to be conditioned, outdoors or the like.
The configuration of the blower chamber 105 in the present embodiment is one example, and the number of the blowers 110 and the number of the fan motors 111 are not limited to the above configuration.
The heat exchanger chamber 107 is the internal space of the housing 101 in which the heat exchanger 120 is housed.
In each of the front wall 101a, the left wall 101c, and the right wall 101d, a heat insulating material is provided in a location facing the heat exchanger chamber 107. The heat insulating material is formed of, for example, Styrofoam or the like and molded in a shape that does not interfere with various members, piping, and the like housed in the heat exchanger chamber 107.
A drain pan 121 is provided in an entire location of the bottom panel 101f that faces the heat exchanger chamber 107. The drain pan 121 is a flat plate-shaped member that functions as a water receiving unit to receive drain water generated in the heat exchanger chamber 107. The drain pan 121 is formed of, for example, Styrofoam or the like. The drain pan 121 and a location of the bottom panel 101f in which the drain pan 121 is provided are both provided removably from the housing 101.
The heat exchanger 120 is a utilization side heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit, or a condenser that condenses the refrigerant.
The heat exchanger 120 of the present embodiment is a so-called fin tube type heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger 120 is entirely formed into a long flat plate shape by joining a plurality of metal fins to a copper refrigerant pipe.
The heat exchanger 120 is placed in a longitudinal direction extending along the left-right direction of the heat exchanger chamber 107. The heat exchanger 120 placed in this way has an upper edge supported on the heat insulating material provided in the front wall 101a and the top panel 101e, and the heat exchanger 120 has a lower edge supported on a location of the drain pan 121 that is located on a partition plate 103 side. For this reason, the heat exchanger 120 is placed in a tilted state from a front wall 101a side toward the partition plate 103 side as being from the upper edge toward the lower edge.
Specifically, the heat exchanger 120 is placed in the up-down direction that is diagonal relative to the up-down direction of the partition plate 103 in a side view of the indoor unit 100. For this reason, the heat exchanger 120 is placed with one flat surface facing the partition plate 103 and each vent port 103a and the other flat surface facing the air outlet 108.
The heat exchanger 120 performs heat exchange between air sent from the blower chamber 105 and the refrigerant flowing inside from external piping for refrigerant via a refrigerant piping connecting portion 150. Thereby, the heat exchanger 120 functions as the evaporator during a cooling operation of the indoor unit 100, and functions as the condenser during a heating operation of the indoor unit 100. The air that exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 120 passes through the air outlet 108 and is blown to the outside of the housing 101.
The drain pan 121 is provided to cover a substantially entire lower surface of the heat exchanger 120 and receives drain water generated in the heat exchanger 120.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a vent portion 140 seen from above.
As shown in Fig. 5, the vent portion 140 is provided in an end portion of the heat exchanger 120 that is located on a right wall 101d side.
The vent portion 140 is a piping connecting portion formed by bending the refrigerant pipe included in the heat exchanger 120 and connecting pipe ends to each other by welding or the like. The vent portion 140 is provided entirely in the up-down direction of the heat exchanger 120. Specifically, the heat exchanger 120 includes respective piping connecting portions at opposite ends of the heat exchanger in a longitudinal direction.
The vent portion 140 on the front wall 101a side is covered with a mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger. The mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger is a plate-shaped member that covers the heat exchanger 120 entirely in the up-down direction in the end portion of the heat exchanger 120 so as to cover the whole vent portion 140. The mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger has an upper edge supported on a heat insulating material provided in the front wall 101a and the top panel 101e and a lower edge supported on the drain pan 121. Further, the mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger is coupled to a fin placed in an end portion of the heat exchanger 120 that is located on the right wall 101d side and supports the heat exchanger 120 from the front wall 101a side.
The vent portion 140 on the right wall 101d side is covered with a heat exchanger support plate 142 provided on the right wall 101d. The heat exchanger support plate 142 is a plate-shaped member that covers the heat exchanger 120 entirely in the up-down direction in the end portion of the heat exchanger 120 so as to cover the whole vent portion 140. Also, an edge portion of the heat exchanger support plate 142 that is located on the front wall 101a side is entirely coupled to the mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger.
Thereby, the vent portion 140 is placed in a space surrounded with the mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger support plate 142. The vent portion 140 is surrounded with the mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger support plate 142 and is thereby partitioned from the front wall 101a side inside the housing 101.
Hereinafter, the space, which is formed by being surrounded with the mounting plate 141 in the end portion of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger support plate 142 and in which the vent portion 140 is placed, will be referred to as a placement space S1.
On the heat exchanger support plate 142, a refrigerant sensor 143 that detects the refrigerant is provided. The refrigerant sensor 143 includes a sensor body housed in a box body. The refrigerant sensor 143 is placed inside the placement space S1.
Thereby, in the indoor unit 100, when the refrigerant leaks in the vent portion 140, the refrigerant sensor 143 can detect the leaked refrigerant.
In general, the refrigerant has a larger specific gravity than air, and hence it is desirable that the refrigerant sensor 143 is placed below the heat exchanger support plate 142, that is, at a position close to the drain pan 121.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the indoor unit 100 seen from above, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the indoor unit 100 seen from below. Fig. 6 does not show the top panel 101e, and Fig. 7 does not show the bottom panel 101f.
As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in the end portion of the heat exchanger 120 that is located on the right wall 101d side in the heat exchanger chamber 107, the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 is provided, which is the piping connecting portion connecting the heat exchanger 120 and external refrigerant piping of the indoor unit 100.
The refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 includes a liquid connection pipe 155 and a gas connection pipe 157. Each of the liquid connection pipe 155 and the gas connection pipe 157 forms the refrigerant piping. The liquid connection pipe 155 is also connected to liquid refrigerant piping outside the indoor unit 100, and the gas connection pipe 157 is connected to gas refrigerant piping outside the indoor unit 100. Each of the liquid connection pipe 155 and the gas connection pipe 157 is branched in the heat exchanger chamber 107 of the housing 101 and connected to the heat exchanger 120.
Hereinafter, in the internal space of the housing 101, a space in which the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 is placed will be referred to as a placement space S2.
The placement space S2 is provided in a corner portion surrounded with the front wall 101a and the left wall 101c in the housing 101.
In the present embodiment, the left wall 101c is formed by a board support plate 131 and a side plate 151.
The board support plate 131 is a plate-shaped member that straddles the left wall 101c from the back wall 101b to the partition plate 103 and extends to the heat exchanger chamber 107. The board support plate 131 includes a support portion 131a along a front-rear direction of the indoor unit 100, and bent portions 131b bent in an outside direction of the housing 101 in opposite end portions of the support portion 131a in the front-rear direction. To the support portion 131a, a board 133 is mounted.
Further, the board support plate 131 is covered with an electrical cover 137 shown with a two-dot chain line in Fig. 4, to form an electrical box 130. Specifically, the board support plate 131 forms a bottom surface of the electrical box 130. The board support plate 131 is located on an inner side of the housing 101 than the side plate 151. Therefore, the electrical box 130 is prohibited from bulging outward from the side plate 151, and space in the indoor unit 100 can be saved.
Also, the support portion 131a of the board support plate 131 is located on a left side compared with a left end of the heat exchanger 120. Specifically, the blower chamber 105 is provided to a left side compared with the left end of the heat exchanger 120.
The side plate 151 is a plate-shaped member being connected to the board support plate 131 and extending to the front wall 101a. The side plate 151 includes a side plate main body 152 along the front-rear direction of the indoor unit 100 and a bent portion 154 bent in two stages. The side plate main body 152 of the side plate 151 is located on an outer side of the housing 101 than the support portion 131a of the board support plate 131.
The bent portion 154 is provided in a rear end portion of the side plate main body 152. The bent portion 154 includes an inner bent portion 154a bent inward from the side plate main body 152 in the left-right direction, and a rear bent portion 154b bent rearward from the inner bent portion 154a. The inner bent portion 154a has a surface in contact with each bent portion 131b, and the rear bent portion 154b has a surface in contact with the support portion 131a.
The rear bent portion 154b is coupled to a left end of the partition plate 103.
Fig. 8 is a front view of the left wall 101c, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the side plate 151 seen from left front. Fig. 9 does not show a drain pump support plate 160 and a piping support plate 168.
As shown in Fig. 9, the bent portion 131b at a front end of the board support plate 131 includes a first opening 131c, and the inner bent portion 154a of the side plate 151 includes a second opening 154c. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the first opening 131c and the second opening 154c overlap with each other and form an opening A. The opening A communicates between the inside of the electrical box 130 and the heat exchanger chamber 107. A wiring 135 connected to the board 133 is inserted into the opening A and thereby drawn into the heat exchanger chamber 107.
As shown in Fig. 9, a cutout 153 that is an opening is provided in the side plate main body 152. The liquid connection pipe 155 and the gas connection pipe 157 extend from the cutout 153 outside the housing 101. The cutout 153 includes a first pressing portion 153c and a second pressing portion 153d each of which is a semicircular recess. In the cutout 153, the drain pump support plate 160 shown with a dashed line in the drawing and the piping support plate 168 shown with a one-dot chain line in the drawing are mounted. In addition, a lower part of the cutout 153 is covered with a side plate lower panel 152a mounted to the side plate 151.
As shown in Fig. 8, the drain pump support plate 160 includes a drain pump support portion 161 and a drain water discharge portion 163. The drain pump support portion 161 (dashed line in the drawing) supports a drain pump 123 (one-dot chain line in the drawing) inside the heat exchanger chamber 107 via the cutout 153.
The drain pump 123 pumps up drain water received by the drain pan 121. The pumped-up drain water flows sequentially through a drain piping 125 (two-dot chain line in the drawing) and the drain water discharge portion 163 and is discharged from the outside of the housing 101 via a drain hose coupled to the drain water discharge portion 163.
The drain pump support plate 160 is mounted removably from the side plate main body 152. Specifically, when the drain pump support plate 160 is removed from the side plate main body 152, the drain pump 123 supported on the drain pump support plate 160 can be removed. In the indoor unit 100, the drain pump 123 can be easily inspected and replaced.
Also, in the indoor unit 100, an operator can easily access the placement space S2 via the cutout 153 by removing the drain pump support plate 160.
Also, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the piping support plate 168 includes a third pressing portion 165 and a fourth pressing portion 167. Each of the third pressing portion 165 and the fourth pressing portion 167 is a semicircular recess.
The side plate 151 and the drain pump support plate 160 hold the liquid connection pipe 155 between the first pressing portion 153c and the third pressing portion 165. Further, the side plate 151 and the drain pump support plate 160 support the gas connection pipe 157 between the second pressing portion 153d and the fourth pressing portion 167.
The front wall 101a has a front panel 170 in a connecting portion to the left wall 101c.
As shown in Fig. 2, the front panel 170 includes a front portion 171, a mounting hole 173, a mounting plate 175, and a heat exchanger support portion 177.
The front portion 171 faces the front of the housing 101 and is provided adjacent to the air outlet 108 on a left wall 101c side. The mounting hole 173 is a rectangular hole formed in the front portion 171. The mounting plate 175 is mounted to the front portion 171 by screw fastening so as to cover the mounting hole 173. The mounting plate 175 is provided removably from the front portion 171.
The heat exchanger support portion 177 is a triangular region formed by bending rearward the front portion 171 on an air outlet 108 side. The heat exchanger support portion 177 has an upper edge portion coupled to a left end front surface of the heat exchanger 120. Thereby, the heat exchanger support portion 177 supports the left end of the heat exchanger 120 from the front wall 101a side.
The placement space S2 is surrounded with the partition plate 103, the board support plate 131, the side plate 151, the front portion 171, the mounting plate 175, and the heat exchanger support portion 177.
The placement space S2 between the heat exchanger support portion 177 and the left wall 101c has a width dimension in the left-right direction that is determined by a width dimension of the heat exchanger 120 in the left-right direction. In addition, the heat exchanger support portion 177 is provided independently of the board support plate 131. Therefore, the width dimension of the placement space S2 in the left-right direction and a width dimension of the blower chamber 105 in the left-right direction that is determined by the placement of the board support plate 131 can be designed independently of each other. Thereby, in the indoor unit 100, securing of the placement space S2 is easily compatible with highly efficient air conditioning achieved by widening the blower chamber 105.
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the indoor unit 100 seen from behind.
As shown in Fig. 10, a refrigerant sensor 180 and a sterilization unit 190 are mounted inside the mounting plate 175, that is, to the surface of the mounting plate 175 that is located inside the housing 101. The mounting plate 175 is placed facing the placement space S2, and hence the refrigerant sensor 180 and the sterilization unit 190 are placed in the placement space S2. The refrigerant sensor 180 and the sterilization unit 190 can be removed from the housing 101 by removing the mounting plate 175 from the front portion 171.
The refrigerant sensor 180 is a sensor that detects the refrigerant in the same manner as in the refrigerant sensor 143, and the refrigerant sensor 180 has a sensor body housed in a box body. The refrigerant sensor 180 is connected to the wiring 135 and connected to the board 133 via the wiring 135.
The refrigerant sensor 180 is mounted to a lower part of the surface of the mounting plate 175 inside the housing 101.
On the surface of the mounting plate 175 inside the housing 101, a protruding piece 172 protruding from the mounting plate 175 is provided. The protruding piece 172 has a flat surface, and the flat surface is placed facing the drain pan 121. In addition, a threaded hole is provided in this flat surface.
In the refrigerant sensor 180, a mounting piece 182 is provided. The mounting piece 182 has a flat surface provided with a threaded hole.
The refrigerant sensor 180 is fixed to the mounting plate 175 by screwing a screw member 189 that is a fastening member into the threaded holes the flat surfaces have, in a state where the flat surface the mounting piece 182 has is in contact with the flat surface the protruding piece 172 has. As described above, since the flat surface of the protruding piece 172 faces the drain pan 121, the screw member 189 that fixes the refrigerant sensor 180 to the mounting plate 175 has a threaded head placed facing the drain pan 121 or the top panel 101e. In the present embodiment, the threaded head of the screw member 189 is placed facing the drain pan 121.
Thereby, in the indoor unit 100, when the bottom panel 101f and the drain pan 121 are removed to mount and remove the refrigerant sensor 180 from below the housing 101, the operator can easily mount and remove the screw member 189.
The sterilization unit 190 includes an electrostatic atomization device and a board for the electrostatic atomization device. The electrostatic atomization device is a device that generates mist containing charged particulate water. The mist containing the charged particulate water can suppress viruses, molds, substances that cause allergies, bacteria, and the like in air, and deodorize air. The charged particulate water contains active ingredients such as radicals that exhibit a sterilizing action, deodorizing action, or the like. The mist generated by the electrostatic atomization device of the sterilization unit 190 flows to the air outlet 108 and flows to the outside of the housing 101, together with air blown out of the air outlet 108.
The board for the electrostatic atomization device is a board for controlling the electrostatic atomization device. The electrostatic atomization device is connected to the wiring 135 and connected to the board 133 via the wiring 135.
In the mounting plate 175 mounted to the front portion 171, the refrigerant sensor 180 is mounted below the sterilization unit 190, that is, at a position close to the drain pan 121.
Thereby, the refrigerant sensor 180 can more reliably detect the refrigerant having the larger specific gravity than air. Also, in the indoor unit 100, when the leakage of the refrigerant occurs in the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150, the refrigerant sensor 180 can detect the leaked refrigerant.

[1-2. Operation]

Description will be made as to an operation of the indoor unit 100 including the above configuration.
When the indoor unit 100 performs an air conditioning operation, each of a gas refrigerant during the heating operation and a liquid refrigerant during the cooling operation flows into the heat exchanger 120 through the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150.
In the blower chamber 105, the blower 110 suctions air outside the housing 101 through the suction port 106, and the suctioned air flows into the heat exchanger chamber 107 through the vent port 103a.
Here, as described above, the blower chamber 105 is formed with a width in the left-right direction increasing to a left side from the left end of the heat exchanger 120. Therefore, in the blower chamber 105, outside air can be easily suctioned through the suction port 106.
The air flowing into the heat exchanger chamber 107 performs heat exchange with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 120 and is heated during the heating operation and cooled during the cooling operation. Thereafter, the air is blown out of the air outlet 108 to the outside of the housing 101.
At this time, the sterilization unit 190 provided on the mounting plate 175 of the front panel 170 generates the mist containing the charged particulate water. The generated mist is carried to the space to be conditioned by the flow of air blown out of the air outlet 108 and exerts a sterilization effect in the space to be conditioned.
On the side plate 151 facing the placement space S2 and the left wall 101c having the side plate 151, the drain pump 123, the electrical box 130 and others are provided. In the indoor unit 100, when the housing 101 has a size reduced or the electrical box 130 has a size increased, there is concern that a space in which another member is mounted to the side plate 151 is limited.
In the present embodiment, the refrigerant sensor 180 is mounted to the front panel 170 of the front wall 101a. Therefore, even when the space of the side plate 151 is limited, the refrigerant sensor 180 can be provided in the placement space S2.
Further, the refrigerant sensor 180 is provided on the mounting plate 175 that can be removed from the front panel 170, and hence the operator can easily remove the refrigerant sensor 180 from the housing 101, to perform an operation such as inspection or replacement.
In the present embodiment, the indoor unit 100 includes the decorative panel 102 that covers the front wall 101a. However, this is not limited, and an air supply duct may be mounted to the front wall 101a. This air supply duct may cover the whole front wall 101a, that is, up to the front panel 170.
Even in this case, in the indoor unit 100, the operator can access the refrigerant sensor 180 from below the housing 101 by removing the bottom panel 101f and the drain pan 121. For this reason, the operator can easily mount and remove the refrigerant sensor 180. Further, the threaded head of the screw member 189 that fixes the refrigerant sensor 180 to the mounting plate 175 is placed facing the drain pan 121. For this reason, in the indoor unit 100, the operator can easily mount and remove the screw member 189.
Specifically, the indoor unit 100 is formed so that the refrigerant sensor 180 can be accessed from three directions relative to the refrigerant sensor 180 on the front wall 101a side, a bottom panel 101f side and the left wall 101c side.

[1-3. Effects and the like]

As described above, in the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 120 of the indoor unit 100 includes the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 that connects, to each other, refrigerant pipings through which the refrigerant flows. In the housing 101, the placement space S2 in which the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 is placed, and the front wall 101a are provided, the front wall surrounding the placement space S2, the front wall extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing 101. Then, on the front wall 101a, the refrigerant sensor 180 that detects the refrigerant is provided.
Thereby, even when the space of the side plate 151 is limited, the refrigerant sensor 180 can be provided inside the placement space S2. For this reason, in the indoor unit 100, the refrigerant leaked in the placement space S2 can be detected.
As in the present embodiment, at a position of the front wall 101a that corresponds to the placement space S2, the mounting plate 175 removable from the front wall 101a may be provided, and the refrigerant sensor 180 may be provided on the mounting plate 175.
Thereby, the refrigerant sensor 180 is provided removably from the front panel 170, together with the mounting plate 175. For this reason, the operator can easily remove the refrigerant sensor 180 from the housing 101 and perform the operation, such as the inspection or replacement.
As in the present embodiment, on the mounting plate 175, the sterilization unit 190 may be provided, and the refrigerant sensor 180 may be provided below the sterilization unit 190.
Thereby, the refrigerant sensor 180 can more reliably detect the refrigerant having a larger specific gravity than air. For this reason, in the indoor unit 100, when the leakage of the refrigerant occurs in the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150, the refrigerant sensor 180 can detect the leaked refrigerant.
As in the present embodiment, the refrigerant sensor 180 may be provided removably from a bottom surface side of the housing 101.
Thereby, in the indoor unit 100, the refrigerant sensor 180 can be mounted and removed from below the housing 101 by removing the bottom panel 101f and the drain pan 121. Therefore, in the indoor unit 100, the refrigerant sensor 180 can be accessed from three directions on the front wall 101a side, the bottom panel 101f side and the left wall 101c side.
As in the present embodiment, in the heat exchanger 120, the vent portion 140 and the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 are provided, and in the housing 101, a plurality of placement spaces S1, S2 are provided in which the vent portion 140 and the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 are placed. Then, the refrigerant sensor 143 may be provided in the placement space S1, and the refrigerant sensor 180 may be provided in the placement space S2, respectively.
Thereby, in the indoor unit 100, when the leakage of the refrigerant occurs in each of the vent portion 140 and the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 provided on opposite sides of the heat exchanger 120, the refrigerant sensor 143 and the refrigerant sensor 180 can detect the leaked refrigerant. For this reason, in the indoor unit 100, the leakage of the refrigerant can be detected at a plurality of locations in the heat exchanger 120.

(Embodiment 2)

Hereinafter, Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 11.

[2-1. Overall Configuration]

An indoor unit 200 according to Embodiment 2 is different from the indoor unit 100 according to Embodiment 1 in that at least the refrigerant sensor 143 is not provided and a piping member 210 is provided.
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the indoor unit 200 according to the second embodiment. In Fig. 11, the same part as in Fig. 3 is denoted with the same reference signs and is not described.
As shown in Fig. 11, in a heat exchanger chamber 107 of a housing 101, the piping member 210 is provided. The piping member 210 is a tubular member being made of a flexible resin and having both ends open.
One end portion 212 of the piping member 210 is placed in the placement space S1.
The piping member 210 extending from the placement space S1 is disposed on an edge portion of a drain pan 121, pulled around along a right wall 101d, and then pulled around along a left-right direction of a partition plate 103. Then, another end portion 214 of the piping member 210 is placed in a placement space S2.
Thereby, the placement space S1 and the placement space S2 communicate by means of the piping member 210.
In addition, a blower 110 is a sirocco fan, and hence a volume of air increases on an upper edge side of a suction port 106. For this reason, it is desirable that the piping member 210 is placed so as to pass below the suction port 106.
The other end portion 214 of the piping member 210 may be coupled to a box body of a refrigerant sensor 180.

[2-2. Operation]

Description will be made as to an operation of the indoor unit 200 including the above configuration. An operation similar to the operation of the indoor unit 100 in Embodiment 1 is not described.
In the present embodiment, the piping member 210 that communicates between the placement space S1 and the placement space S2 is provided.
Thereby, air in the placement space S1 is supplied through the piping member 210 to the placement space S2. For this reason, when leakage of a refrigerant occurs in the placement space S1, air containing the leaked refrigerant in the placement space S1 is supplied to the placement space S2, and the refrigerant sensor 180 can detect the refrigerant. Specifically, in the indoor unit 200, one refrigerant sensor 180 can detect the leakage of the refrigerant that occurs not only in a refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 but also in a vent portion 140.

[2-3. Effects and the like]

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the heat exchanger 120, the vent portion 140 and the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 are provided. Then, in the housing 101, a plurality of placement spaces S1, S2 in which the vent portion 140 and the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 are placed, and the piping member 210 are provided, the piping member communicating in a plurality of placement spaces S1, S2.
Thereby, air in the placement space S1 is supplied through the piping member 210 to the placement space S2. For this reason, when leakage of the refrigerant occurs in the placement space S1, the leaked refrigerant is supplied through the piping member 210 to the placement space S2. Then, in the indoor unit 200, the refrigerant sensor 180 detects the refrigerant, so that the leakage of the refrigerant occurring not only in the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 but also in the vent portion 140 can be detected. Specifically, in the indoor unit 200, even when the leakage of the refrigerant occurs in each of the vent portion 140 and the refrigerant piping connecting portion 150 provided on opposite sides of the heat exchanger 120, the leakage of the refrigerant can be detected.

(Other Embodiments)

As described above, Embodiments 1 and 2 have been described as illustrations of a technique disclosed in the present application. However, the technique in the present disclosure is not limited and is also applicable, for example, to a modified, replaced, added or omitted embodiment. The respective components described above in Embodiments 1 and 2 may be combined to constitute a new embodiment.
Therefore, other embodiments will be illustrated below.
According to Embodiments 1 and 2, in the indoor unit 100, 200, the heat exchanger chamber 107 is provided on the front wall 101a side, and the air outlet 108 is provided in the front wall 101a. However, this is not limited, and the blower chamber 105 may be provided on the front wall 101a side, and the heat exchanger chamber 107 may be provided on the back wall 101b side. In this case, the refrigerant sensor 180 is provided on the back wall 101b.
Since the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technique in the present disclosure, various changes, replacements, additions, omissions or the like can be performed within the scope of the claims or the equivalent.

Industrial Applicability

The present disclosure is applicable to an indoor unit in which a mounting position of a refrigerant sensor is limited. Specifically, the present disclosure is applicable to a duct type air conditioner, a built-in air conditioner, and the like.

Reference Signs List

100, 200: indoor unit
101: housing
101a: front wall
101f: bottom panel (bottom surface)
120: heat exchanger
140: vent portion (piping connecting portion)
143: refrigerant sensor
150: refrigerant piping connecting portion (piping connecting portion)
170: front panel
175: mounting plate
180: refrigerant sensor
190: sterilization unit (electrostatic atomization device)
210: piping member
S1: placement space
S2: placement space

Claims

An indoor unit comprising a housing (101) that houses inside a heat exchanger (120) comprising a refrigerant pipe, and a blower fan (115), characterized in that
the heat exchanger comprises a piping connecting portion (140, 150) that connects, to each other, refrigerant pipings through which a refrigerant flows,

in the housing, a placement space (S1, S2) in which the piping connecting portion is placed, and a front wall (101a) are provided, the front wall facing the placement space, the front wall extending along a longitudinal direction of the housing, and

on the front wall, a refrigerant sensor (180) that detects the refrigerant is provided.
The indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein
at a position of the front wall that corresponds to the placement space, a mounting plate (175) removable from the front wall is provided, and

the refrigerant sensor is provided on an inner side of the mounting plate.
The indoor unit according to claim 2, wherein
on the mounting plate, an electrostatic atomization device (190) is provided, and

the refrigerant sensor is provided below the electrostatic atomization device.
The indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
the refrigerant sensor is provided removably from a bottom surface side of the housing.
The indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
the piping connecting portion is provided on each of opposite sides of the heat exchanger,

in the housing, a plurality of placement spaces are provided in each of which the piping connecting portion is placed, and

the refrigerant sensor is provided in each of the plurality of placement spaces.
The indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
the piping connecting portion is provided on each of opposite sides of the heat exchanger, and

in the housing, a plurality of placement spaces in each of which the piping connecting portion is placed, and a piping member (210) are provided, the piping member communicating in the plurality of placement spaces.