ES2612778T3 - Indoor unit of air conditioning equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

An indoor unit of an air conditioning unit comprising: a front panel (2) attached so that it can be opened and closed to a front portion of an indoor unit body (1); a light emitting device (9) controllable on and off of it mounted on a display plate (14), and a fixed display plate element (15) that holds the display plate (14) and on which a viewing window (16) is formed through which a light emitted from the light emitting device passes, characterized in that the front panel (2) is formed of a transparent or translucent material and is provided with a decorative layer ( 10) on the back of the same by painting, printing or gluing a printed sheet, preventing the decorative layer (10) that an interior of the indoor unit body (1) is seen through it from the outside of the indoor unit body ( 1) when the light emitting device (9) is turned off, the display window (16) is arranged to oppose the decorative layer (10) on the rear face of the front panel, when the light emitting device (9) emits light l Light emitted from the light emitting device (9) passes through the decorative layer (10) as well as the viewing window (16), and by means of the light transmitted through the decorative layer (10), predetermined information related to the operation of the air conditioning equipment is displayed on the surface of the front panel (2).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Indoor unit of air conditioning equipment Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner capable of improving design quality of the front side of an indoor unit body.

Description of the related technique

In a conventional indoor unit of an air conditioner, a housing that serves as the body of the indoor unit includes a front portion consisting of a front frame, a front panel and a display cover, and a rear portion consisting of a frame base. The front panel joins the front frame and serves as the design surface. The display lid is attached to a lower portion of the front panel to extend in lateral directions from the center in the direction of the width thereof, and serves as a display member. The base frame houses a heat exchanger, an air fan, etc.

In such an indoor unit, the display lid is formed of a transparent or translucent synthetic resin that allows the transmission of light through it and is fixed to the front panel by means of a cradle member. In addition, the display cover is provided with a plurality of display portions on the external surface (the front surface) or the internal surface (the rear surface) thereof. The display portions are provided laterally by printing or similarly and highlighted by a light applied from the rear side. In addition, a word or phrase that explains the content of the information displayed by each of the display portions, for example, letters such as OPERATION, TIMER, INTERNAL CLEANING, MOISTURE, EXTERIOR, FILTER, ODOR, VENTILATION and POWDER, is printed in a position above in the vicinity of the display portion on the front surface. Thus, the presence of the display portions is visually recognized even in a state with lights off. In addition, within the indoor unit of the air conditioner, a light emitting device such as an LED (light emitting diode) is provided to be located on the rear side of the display cover. When the light emitted from the light emitting device is transmitted through the display lid, the respective display portions printed on the display lid and the content of the corresponding displayed information are selectively illuminated to highlight the corresponding information (document of Patent No. 1, for example).

Patent documents No. 1: Publication of Japanese unexamined patent application No. 2005-147432 (Figures 2 to 4).

Summary of the invention

Problems to be solved

In recent years, the indoor units of air conditioning equipment have been provided with a variety of functions other than heating and cooling functions, such as an air cleaning function, a deodorizing function and an automatic cleaning function. filter. Consequently, the information to be displayed on the body of the indoor unit of the air conditioning unit has increased. Furthermore, in order to cope with the increase in the population of the elderly, an increase in the size of the visualization element for the improvement of the visibility of the visualization element has been desired. However, in the visualization structure of the conventional indoor unit of an air conditioner, textual information, etc. they are printed on the front or rear surface of the display cover integrated in the front panel, as described above. Thus, textual information, etc. It is always visible even in the off state of the light emitting device. Therefore, such a visualization structure imposes a significant design restriction on the visualization of a multitude of visualization portions.

Such a problem can be overcome by, for example, providing a semi-mirror film to a surface of the display element to make the display element shape invisible in the off state of the light emitting device. In this case, however, another problem arises because the half-mirror imposes another design restriction. In the air conditioning equipment of the last years, to hide the presence of the indoor unit, the dominant color of the indoor unit is white according to the color of the wallpaper of a room. However, the semi-mirror, which is similar to a mirror surface, on the contrary, emphasizes the presence of the indoor unit. In addition, if the front surface includes a curved portion, an object reflected by the half-mirror appears in a size larger or smaller than the original size thereof, and thus, the presence of the indoor unit is further emphasized. As a result, another problem arises in terms of the design restriction because the front surface can be formed only by a flat surface.

In addition, as described above, in the conventional indoor unit of an air conditioner, the design surface of the front side consists of two components, that is, the front panel and the transparent or translucent display cover attached to the front panel and provided with the display portions. This structure is disadvantageous because the design surface includes a dividing line, which constitutes another

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Significant design restriction.

In view of the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to make a portion of visualization unrecognizable visually in a state of dull light, without being subjected to a design restriction.

An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from European patent document EP 1 703 222 A1.

Means to solve the problems

An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1.

Effects of the invention

According to the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present invention, the front panel is formed of transparent or translucent material. In addition, on the internal or external surface of the front panel or inside the front panel, the non-reflective decorative layer is provided which allows the transmission through it of the light emitted from the light emitting device, but which prevents the interior from the body of the indoor unit is seen through it from the outside of the indoor unit in the off state. In the off state of the light emitting device, therefore, no representation related to the display portion is shown on the front surface of the front panel. Thus, the content of the display element is represented on the front surface of the front panel only after switching on the light emitting device. Consequently, a design restriction imposed by the content of the display element is eliminated and the degree of design freedom is increased.

Description of preferred embodiments

First Embodiment: The present invention will be described below on the basis of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present embodiment, a housing of an indoor unit body 1 includes a front portion consisting only of a front frame 3 and a panel front 2 which is attached to the front frame 3 to be able to open and close with respect thereto and serves as a design surface, and a rear portion constituted by a base frame 6 to accommodate a heat exchanger 4, an air fan 5 , etc.

More specifically, the front panel 2 is formed of a transparent or translucent material that includes an ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) that has high chemical resistance and insolubility in a paint, etc. If the external surface (the front surface) or the internal surface (the rear surface) of the front panel 2 is not provided with anything, an object can be seen through the front panel 2, that is, the interior of the indoor unit body 1 It can always be seen through you. As illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, however, the front panel 2 is provided with a decorative layer 10, which is homogeneously painted or printed on the entire area (the entire surface) of a rear surface of the front panel 2 and which has low reflectivity and a high luminosity color, such as white or beige. Consequently, the interior of the indoor unit body 1 cannot be seen through the panel from the outside of the indoor unit. However, the light emitted from inside the indoor unit body 1 can be transmitted through the decorative layer 10, as described below.

That is, the decorative layer 10 is shaped to a thickness of 20 pm or more. If the decorative layer 10 conforms to a thickness of less than 20 pm, the interior of the indoor unit body 1 is seen through the layer. That is, the thickness of 20 pm or more of the decorative layer 10 is a minimum thickness necessary to prevent the inside of the indoor unit body 1 from being seen from the outside of the indoor unit. The upper limit of the thickness of the decorative layer 10 varies slightly depending on the color of the paint used, etc. Regardless of the color to be used, however, it is not necessary to say that the upper limit is set to a thickness that allows the light emitted from a light emitting device 9 described later to be transmitted through the decorative layer 10. The decorative layer 10 may, alternatively, be provided on the front surface of the front panel 2.

Meanwhile, in the formation of the front panel 2 using the transparent material, it is necessary to prevent the flow direction of the resin from being generated as a line in a molding process and to make the resin flow easily. To meet the requirements, it is preferred to set the thickness of the front panel 2 at 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm. In particular, when the thickness was set at 3 mm, the molding process was carried out as easily as possible.

In addition, the rear surface of the front panel 2 requires shaped portions to secure the front panel 2 to the front frame 3. If the front panel 2 is formed to be transparent, however, the shaped portions for fixing are seen through it the exterior of the indoor unit, even if the aforementioned paint has been applied to the rear surface around the portions formed for fixing to the front frame 3. In view of this, each of the lateral ends of the internal surface of the front panel 2 is equipped with a front panel support 13, which is provided with a support arm 11 and a locking pin 12 for attaching the front panel 2 to the front frame 3, to prevent the shaped portions for

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fixing be seen from the outside of the indoor unit. In the present example, portions of the front panel 2 for installing the front panel brackets 13 have also been provided, previously, with the decorative layer 10 such that the presence of the front panel brackets 13 in the portions is hidden from the exterior of the indoor unit. Alternatively, the color of the front panel supports 13 can be made the same as the color of the decorative layer 10. As described above, the front panel 2 is fixed to the front frame 3 via the support arm 11 and the pin lock 12 provided on each of the front panel supports 13 and can be attached and separated from the front panel 3 and opened and closed with the support arm 11 functioning as a fulcrum.

The light emitting device 9 is mounted on a display plate 14. In the present example, a white LED light is used as the light emitting device 9. However, the light emitting device 9 is not limited thereto. Thus, any controllable device can be used to turn it on and off. The display plate 14 is supported by a fixing member 15 of the display plate. The fixing member 15 of the display plate includes display windows 16 each formed in a desired manner to be represented in the illuminated state of the light emitting device 9. As illustrated in Figure 4, in the closed state of the front panel 2, the fixing member 15 of the display plate is constantly pushed forward by a helical spring 17 disposed on the rear side thereof and the display windows 16 are put in close contact with and fixed to the decorative layer 10 of the control panel 2. The size of each of the display windows 16, that is, the size of a word or phrase or a pictogram displayed on the surface of the front panel 2 needs to be 4 mm x 4 mm or More for your visibility. The upper limit of the size is preferred to be set at 50 mm x 50 mm or less, that is, a size not excessively large in terms of design. Consequently, the content of the display element can be easily recognized and an area provided with a necessary number of the contents of the display element can be easily set. In addition, the shape of each of the display windows 16 determines the shape to be displayed. Therefore, a highly accurate window shape can be easily obtained.

In addition, a constant illumination of a large-sized display portion during the operation of the air conditioner is unfavorable in terms of design and can cause a user to perceive glare at nighttime sleep, for example. Considering such a possibility, a switch capable of changing the illuminance of the display portion and turning off the light is provided in the indoor unit body 1 or in a remote control (not illustrated) of the air conditioning equipment. Consequently, it is possible to turn off the light of the display portion at nighttime bedtime, for example, and thus prevent the light from disturbing the user's sleep.

As illustrated in Figure 6, the present example includes four contents of the display element, that is, a temperature display 19, a presence detection display 20, an energy saving level display 21 and a cleaning display 22

The temperature display 19 displays the setpoint temperature and the sensitive temperature really felt by a person, which is based on the temperature of the room, the humidity and the temperature of the walls and floor, at intervals of 0.5 ° C according to the situation at any given time. As an alternative, the room temperature can be displayed instead of the sensitive temperature. In addition, 0.5 ° C intervals can be replaced by 1 ° C intervals. If the sensitive temperature is displayed at 0.5 ° C intervals, a subtle display of a temperature near the temperature actually felt by a person can be provided. Accordingly, the temperature adjustment suitable for the user can be easily performed while viewing the viewing portion of the indoor unit body 1. As a result, comfort is improved.

The presence detection display 20 displays the position and activity level of a person detected by an infrared sensor 50 provided in the indoor unit body 1. Accordingly, the user can visually understand the operational status of the indoor unit. In addition, the indoor unit may be provided with a function of detecting the position and activity level of a person through the infrared sensor 50 and automatically changing the direction of the air flow based on the information obtained from the detection and use presence detection display 20 to visualize the direction of air flow. In this case, the user can visually understand the operational status of the indoor unit.

The energy saving level display 21 displays the energy saving level by the number of sheets. The greater number of leaves indicates the highest energy saving level. In addition, the energy saving level can be set by the remote control and is changed depending on whether each of the walls and floor temperatures, the position of a person and the level of activity of a person is activated or not. Consequently, the energy saving level can be checked while viewing the display portion of the indoor unit body 1.

The cleaning display 22 that illuminates in an automatic cleaning operation of a filter and a drying operation of the heat exchanger 4.

The display portion described above normally displays the current state of the interior of the room. Do not

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However, after the settings are changed, it is configured to display only a changed content of the settings for only a predetermined time. That is, after a change in the setpoint temperature, the temperature display 19 lights and displays the setpoint temperature changed for a predetermined time. Furthermore, after a change in the energy saving level, the energy saving level display 21 is illuminated and the energy saving level changed during a predetermined time is displayed. Consequently, the changed contents can be checked while viewing the display portion of the indoor unit body 1. In the present example, the color of the light emitting device 9 is all white to make the color of the decorative layer 10 appear on the front and to unify the color of the light emitted from the light emitting device 9. If a color other than white is used as the color of the light emitted from the light emitting device 9, and if the color of the light is different from the color of the decorative layer 10, the color that appears on the front is the mixture of the two colors. With the use of the white light color, the intended color (the color of the decorative layer 10) can be obtained and the design is simplified. In addition, the intended color (the color of the decorative layer 10) can also be obtained using the light emitting device 9 capable of creating the same color of light as the color of the decorative layer 10. In particular, when the color was used of white light and white decorative layer 10, a visualization was obtained with a sensation of the greatest category. In any case, the color that appears on the front does not necessarily need to be unified. Thus, the color can be changed according to the content of the display element to allow a visual distinction between the contents of the display element, as in the case in which the display of energy saving level 21 is displayed in one color. green, for example.

Subsequently, operations of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present embodiment will be described. First, as illustrated in Figure 5, in the off state of the light emitting device 9, no representation related to the display portion on the surface of the front panel 2 is shown and only the decorative layer 10 is visible. Therefore, the presence of the display portion goes unnoticed.

If the light emitting device 9 is illuminated, the generated light is transmitted through the display windows 16 and beyond through the decorative layer 10, as illustrated in Figure 6. Thus, the emitted light appears to have the shapes of display windows 16, as seen from the front side. In this case, the fixing member 15 of the display plate is pushed forward by means of the coil spring 17 and the display windows 16 are in close contact with and fixed to the decorative layer 10 of the front panel 2. Thus, there is no a free space that allows the escape and dispersion of the light between the decorative layer 10 and the viewing windows 16. Therefore, the contour (the display form) of each of the viewing windows 16 is clearly visualized without be hidden

At a low energy saving level, the temperature display 19 displays the sensitive temperature based on the room temperature and humidity. If the energy saving level is increased by one level with the use of the remote control, the temperature display 19 changes to the sensitive temperature display taking into account, in addition, the radiant heat of the walls and floor, etc. In addition, if the ground temperature is low in a cooling operation, the operating frequency is reduced to perform an energy saving operation and one of the leaves of the energy saving level display 21 is illuminated.

The presence detection display 20 visualizes the position and activity level of a person. If the energy saving level is increased by one level with the use of the remote control, the air flow is sent to the location of the person considering their position and the air conditioning is not performed in the area in which There is absence of people. In this way, the energy saving operation is performed and another of the sheets of the energy saving display 21 is illuminated. If the level of energy savings is increased by one more level, the amount of activity of a person is taken into consideration. Then, if the amount of activity is small, and if the cooling operation is being carried out, the setpoint temperature is slightly raised to perform the energy saving operation and another of the sheets of the energy saving level display is illuminated. energy 21.

In addition, if the user perceives that the illumination of the display portion is unfavorable in terms of design, the reduction of the illuminance and the switching off of the light can be performed with the use of the switch provided in the indoor unit body 1 or the control remote air conditioning equipment. Consequently, the problem of design restriction does not arise.

As described above, the front panel 2 is formed of the transparent or translucent material and the rear surface of the front panel 2 is provided with the decorative layer 10 by painting or printing. In addition, the light emitting device 9 is illuminated from the rear side of the front panel 2 through the display windows 16 and the decorative layer 10 prevents the interior of the indoor unit body 1 from being seen through it, but allows the transmission through you of the light emitted from the light emitting device 9. In the off state of the light emitting device 9, therefore, no representation is shown that relates to the display portion on the front surface of the panel front 2 and the contents of the display element can be represented on the front surface of the front panel 2 only after the light emitting device 9 is illuminated. Consequently, the design restriction imposed by the contents of the display element

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it is removed and thus an unrestricted design can be obtained.

In addition, the design surface of the front side is constituted only by the only front panel 2. Therefore, the dividing line formed by the structure constituted by a plurality of components is not generated and, thus, a design can be obtained are restrictions . In addition, the number of components is reduced and thus the costs can be reduced.

In addition, the decorative layer 10 is formed of the paint that has low reflectivity. Therefore, diffuse reflection is not caused by the decorative layer 10. Thus, it is possible to suppress the escape of the light emitted from the light emitting device 9 towards the outside of the viewing portion. Consequently, the front panel 2 can be shaped in a curved shape and the design restriction on the shape of the front panel 2 is eliminated. As a result, the degree of design freedom is increased.

Second Embodiment: Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale illustrating a display portion of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from a lateral side. In the drawing, the same components as the components of the first embodiment described above, illustrated in Figure 4, are assigned with the same reference numbers.

As illustrated in Figure 7, in the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present embodiment, the display windows 16 are formed in simple shapes such as squares and circles and a display sheet 18 as a mask, from which portions that have the desired shapes to be represented have been trimmed, and the remaining portion of which can block the light, is adhered on the front side of the viewing windows 16. It goes without saying that the above relationship can inverted, that is, the portions having desired shapes to be represented may be formed by the display sheet 18 which can block the light, and the light can be transmitted through the surroundings of the portions. The other parts of the configuration of the present embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment described above.

In the indoor unit of an air conditioning equipment according to the present embodiment, the display portion is formed by the display sheets 18 capable of blocking the light, in which the portions having desired shapes to be represented have been cut out. or left. Consequently, in addition to effects similar to the effects of the first embodiment described above, the present embodiment can simplify the structure of the display windows 16 and easily obtain minimal display forms.

Third Embodiment: In the first and second embodiments described above, the description has been made around, as an example, the configuration in which the front or rear surface of the front panel 2 is provided with the decorative layer 10 by painting or printing. Similar effects can be expected by adhering a printed sheet to obtain an action similar to that of decorative layer 10 in terms of translucency, etc. or by inserting such a sheet at the same time as the molding of the front panel 2.

Due to the adhesion of the printed sheet or of the insertion of the sheet at the same time as the molding of the front panel 2, a desired motif, such as a wood grain motif or a marble motif, can be easily represented.

Fourth Embodiment: In recent years, it has been said that the air conditioning equipment is the appliance that consumes the greatest amount of electrical energy among domestic appliances. This is attributed to the fact that an air conditioner, which had been installed by each home, in recent years has been installed by each room. Therefore, the air conditioning equipment is subject to energy regulation under the Energy Saving Law and technologies for energy saving consumed by the air conditioning equipment are under development.

However, the improvement of technologies is close to their limit. In the future, therefore, substantial energy savings cannot be expected from the improvement of the efficiency of the apparatus. Consequently, to drastically suppress global warming, it has become a social proposal to encourage the user who consumes electricity to become aware of energy savings.

In view of the above, for the purpose of making the user aware of energy savings, Figure 8 illustrates an example in which the energy consumption W during the operation of the air conditioning equipment is displayed on the front panel 2 as a visualization of energy consumption 23.

A display device calculates the energy consumption W from a relational expression of W = VIr | using the value I emitted from a circuit that detects the intensity during the operation of the air conditioning equipment, the value of the predetermined power factor n based on the operational rotation speed or the intensity value of a compressor and the voltage of V supply of the device.

With the energy consumption during operation thus displayed prominently on the front panel 2 as the display of energy consumption 23, it can be understood at a glance by the user how much energy is used at the time by the air conditioning equipment. It is possible, therefore, to raise awareness towards saving

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of January and give rise to actions to save Jan, such as a moderate setting of the setpoint temperature of the air conditioning equipment and frequent shutdown of the air conditioning equipment in the absence of people in the room. As a result, energy savings can be achieved.

Figure 9 illustrates an example in which a cumulative amount of electric energy consumption since the start of the operation or the cumulative amount of energy consumption consumed since Start up until the end of the operation. Aqm, the energy consumption W detected as described above and the operating time h are multiplied to calculate the cumulative amount of energy consumption in kWh.

The accumulated amount of energy consumption is displayed when the user is pressed a button 26 for displaying energy consumption on the remote control 25. However, the display of the accumulated amount of energy consumption is not limited thereto. For example, the cumulative amount of energy consumption consumed from the start to the end of the last operation can be displayed for a predetermined time after the shutdown of the air conditioner. Alternatively, the cumulative amount of energy consumption can be constantly displayed during operation. In addition, it can be configured in such a way that the cumulative amount of energy consumption consumed in the last operation is displayed when the user is pressed the power consumption display button 26 after the shutdown of the air conditioner.

In addition, it can be configured such that the cumulative amount of energy consumption in each operation is stored to selectively display, for example, the cumulative amount of energy consumption used in the past month, the cumulative amount of energy consumption from a date arbitrary until the current date and the cumulative amount of energy consumption in a predetermined period of time in the past.

With the cumulative amount of energy consumption thus displayed prominently on the front panel 2 as a display of energy consumption 24, the user can check the cumulative amount of energy consumption since the start of the operation or the cumulative amount of energy consumption. energy from the start to the end of the operation. Therefore, similar to the visualization of energy consumption 23 (Figure 8), it is possible to obtain the effects of raising user awareness towards energy consumption and giving rise to user actions for energy saving, such such as the moderate setting of the setpoint temperature of the air conditioning equipment and the frequent shutdown of the air conditioning equipment in the absence of people in the room.

Figure 10 illustrates an example in which the display of the cumulative amount of energy consumption as described above is displayed in another way. In the example illustrated here, the cost of electricity accumulated from the start of the operation or the cost of the electricity accumulated from the start to the stop (or the end) of the operation is displayed on the front panel 2 as a cost display of electricity 27. Specifically, the cumulative amount of energy consumption calculated as described above becomes the cost of electricity at a rate of 22 yen per kWh, for example, to calculate and display the cost of electricity for the operation.

With the cost of electricity thus displayed prominently on the front panel 2 as a visualization of the cost of electricity 27, it is possible to raise user awareness towards energy consumption and give rise to user actions for energy saving, so similar to the display of the cumulative amount of energy consumption (figure 9).

In addition, if compared to the display of the accumulated amount of energy consumption (figure 9), the visualization of the cost of electricity used is the visualization of the numerical value related to the daily life for the user. Thus, it becomes easier for the user to understand or interpret the content of the display element. As a result, it is possible to obtain the effects of raising the user's awareness towards energy saving and giving rise to user actions to save energy.

Similar to the display of the cumulative amount of energy consumption as described above, the electricity cost is displayed by pressing a button 28 for displaying the cost of electricity on the remote control 25 by the user. This is also the case, however, the visualization of the cost of electricity is not limited to it. For example, the cost of electricity used in the last operation can be displayed for a predetermined time after the shutdown of the air conditioner. As an alternative, the cost of electricity can be constantly visualized during the operation. In addition, it can be configured in such a way that the cost of electricity used in the last operation is visualized by pressing the button 28 for displaying electricity by the user after the shutdown of the air conditioning equipment.

In addition, it can be configured so that the cumulative amount of energy consumption of each operation is stored to selectively display the cost of electricity per month, the cost of electricity from an arbitrary date to the current date and the cost of electricity in a period of default time in the past.

In particular, the visualization of the cost of electricity per month clarifies the proportion of the cost of electricity of the air conditioning equipment in the cost of electricity paid each month for a dwelling. Consequently, it is possible to substantially raise user awareness towards energy saving of air equipment

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conditioned.

Figure 11 illustrates an example in which the display of the cumulative amount of energy consumption as described above is displayed in another way. Here, the cumulative amount of energy consumption used since the start of the operation is converted into the amount of CO2 emissions (carbon dioxide) and the converted value is displayed on the front panel 2 as a visualization of the amount of CO2 emissions 29 Specifically, the visualization of CO2 emissions 29 visualizes the amount of CO2 generated to produce the electricity used (consumed) in the operation of the air conditioning equipment. The cumulative amount of energy consumption used is converted to the proportion of 0.4 kg per kWh, for example, to calculate and display the amount of CO2 emissions.

The amount of CO2 emissions is displayed by pressing a button 30 for displaying the amount of CO2 emissions on the remote control 25 by the user. This is also the case, however, the visualization of the amount of CO2 emissions is not limited to this. For example, the amount of CO2 emissions in the last operation can be displayed for a predetermined time after the shutdown of the air conditioner. Alternatively, the amount of CO2 emissions can be displayed continuously during the operation. In addition, it can be configured in such a way that the amount of CO2 emissions in the last operation is displayed by pressing the button 30 for displaying the amount of CO2 emissions by the user after the stop of the air conditioning equipment.

In addition, it can be configured such that the cumulative amount of energy consumption of each operation is stored to selectively display the amount of CO2 emissions per month, the amount of CO2 emissions from an arbitrary date to the current date and the amount of CO2 emissions in a predetermined period of time in the past.

With regard to the suppression of global warming, the government asks people to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions by 1 kg per person per day. If the cumulative amount of energy consumption used is converted to the amount of CO2 emissions and is prominently displayed on the front panel 2 as the display of amount of CO2 emissions 29, as described above, the effect of raise user awareness towards reducing the amount of CO2 emissions. That is, the user can capture the amount of CO2 emissions as a specific numerical value. Therefore, the user is motivated to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions by, for example, moderately setting the setpoint temperature of the air conditioning equipment and frequently turning off the air conditioning equipment in the absence of people in the room. Consequently, it is possible that the user contributes to the suppression of global warming.

As described above, with the configuration in which the front panel 2 prominently displays the energy consumption during the operation of the air conditioning equipment, the cumulative amount of energy consumption used in the operation, the cost of electricity or the amount of CO2 emissions, the user's awareness is raised towards energy saving and global warming prevention, and the user is motivated to actually perform the energy saving operation.

A specific example related to the display of a variety of information on the front panel 2 will be described here. During the operation of the air conditioning equipment, the operational states of the air conditioning equipment are displayed, such as the temperature status of the room at the time, the area treated with the air conditioning, the location of a person and the status of energy saving operation. With this configuration, the user is enabled to check if the energy saving operation is activated in the operational state at the moment or not. If the energy saving operation is off, the user aware of the off state is motivated to take action to turn on the energy saving operation.

In addition, the present example is configured to display the cumulative amount of energy consumption used in the operation, the cost of electricity or the amount of CO2 emissions for a predetermined period of time after the stop of the operation. With this configuration, the user can capture the result of his efforts for the energy saving operation as a specific numerical value. Consequently, it is possible to raise the user's awareness towards the energy saving operation and provide the user with a feeling of achievement and satisfaction for their energy saving actions.

As described above, the variety of information can be displayed prominently on the front panel 2 of the indoor unit body 1. Therefore, the visibility of the information for the user is improved and the user can be provided with a greater amount of information. Consequently, it is possible to raise user awareness towards the energy saving operation as described above. In addition, the visualization of the information enables the user to check the result of the energy saving operation. Therefore, the user can obtain the feeling of achievement and satisfaction for their energy saving actions. As a result, energy savings can be further promoted.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a front panel separated from the

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indoor unit;

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from a side side;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the front panel of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from a rear side;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale illustrating a display portion of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from a side side;

Figure 5 is a front view illustrating an off state of the display portion of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a front view illustrating an illuminated state of the display portion of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale illustrating a display portion of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from a side side;

Figure 8 is a front view illustrating an example of visualization of energy consumption in a display portion of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a front view illustrating the relationship between a remote control and an example of display of energy consumption in the display portion of the indoor unit of the air conditioning equipment according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 10 is a front view illustrating the relationship between the remote control and an example of visualization of electricity cost in the display portion of the indoor unit of the air conditioning equipment according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Y

Figure 11 is a front view illustrating the relationship between the remote control and an example of visualization of the amount of CO2 emissions in the display portion of the indoor unit of the air conditioning equipment according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. .

Reference numbers

1: indoor unit, 2: front panel, 3: front frame, 6: base frame, 9: emitting device, 10: decorative layer, 11: support arm, 12: locking pin, 13: front panel support, 14: display plate, 15: display plate fixing member, 16: display window, 17: coil spring (push device), 18: display plate, 19: temperature display, 20: detection display of presence, 21: visualization of energy saving level, 22: visualization of cleaning, 23: visualization of energy consumption, 24: visualization of energy consumption, 27: visualization of electricity cost, 29: visualization of quantity of emissions CO2, 50: infrared sensor.

Claims (19)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 65 1. An indoor unit of an air conditioner comprising: a front panel (2) attached so that it can be opened and closed to a front portion of an indoor unit body (1); a light emitting device (9) controllable on and off thereof mounted on a display plate (14), and a fixed display plate element (15) that supports the display plate (14) and on which a display window (16) is formed through which a light emitted from the light emitting device, characterized by that The front panel (2) is formed of a transparent or translucent material and is provided with a decorative layer (10) on the back of the same by painting, printing or gluing a printed sheet, preventing the decorative layer (10) than an interior of the indoor unit body (1) seen through the outside of the indoor unit body (1) when the light emitting device (9) is turned off, the viewing window (16) is arranged to oppose the decorative layer (10) on the rear face of the front panel, when the light emitting device (9) emits light, the light emitted from the light emitting device (9) passes through the decorative layer (10) as well as the viewing window (16), and by means of the light transmitted through the decorative layer (10), predetermined information related to the operation of the air conditioning equipment is displayed on the surface of the front panel (2). 2. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the display sheet (18) that has a portion of a shape to be displayed on the surface of the front panel (2) is provided on the front of the display window (16), opposing the decorative layer (10 ). 3. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, in which the display window (16) or the display sheet (18) is adhered to the decorative layer (10) in the back of the front panel (2) under the condition in which at least the front panel (2) is closed. 4. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, in which a spring (17) provided on the rear side of the fixing member (15) of the display plate is provided and the display window or the display sheet (18) is adhered to the decorative layer (10) by the fixing member (15) of the display plate that is being pushed forward by the spring. 5. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the decorative layer (10) has a high luminosity color. 6. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 5, in which the entire decorative layer (10) is formed in a homogeneous layer with low reflectivity by means of painting or printing. 7. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 5, in which the decorative layer (10) has a thickness that can transmit the light emitted from the light emitting device (9) but cannot be seen through it the interior of the indoor unit body and, when the light emitting device ( 9) has no lighting, only the decorative layer (10) appears on a front surface of the front panel (2). 8. The indoor unit of an air conditioning equipment according to claim 7, wherein the decorative layer 10 is formed by painted to a thickness of 20 pm or more. 9. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the color of the light emitted from the light emitting device (9) is the same as that of the decorative layer (10) of the front panel (2). 10. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the color of the light emitted from the light emitting device (9) is changed according to the content displayed on the surface of the front panel (2) and the displayed contents are visually distinguished. 11. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, in which the size of a word or pictogram displayed on the surface of the front panel is 4 mm x 4 mm or more and 50 mm x 50 mm or less. 12. The indoor unit of an air conditioning equipment according to claim 3, wherein the front panel (2) is shaped into a curved surface shape. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 13. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the thickness of the front panel (2) is 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm. 14. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, in which the information displayed on the surface of the front panel (2) is a setpoint temperature, room temperature or sensitive temperature that is actually felt by a person in consideration of the room temperature, the humidity of the room and The radiant heat. 15. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the information displayed on the surface of the front panel (2) is energy consumption during the operation of the air conditioning equipment, the accumulated amount of energy consumption or the cost of electricity used in the operation of the air conditioning equipment or the amount of CO2 emissions converted from the cumulative amount of energy consumption. 16. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, in which, when the operating adjustment conditions of the established air conditioning equipment are changed by the operation of the user of remote controls or switches provided in the indoor unit body, the content of the changes of the adjustment conditions is displayed on the surface of the front panel (2) for a predetermined time. 17. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the reduction of the illuminance and the switching off of the light emitting device (9) can be carried out through the operation of the user of a remote control or switch provided in the indoor unit body (1). 18. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, further comprising supports (13) of the front panel which are provided on the rear of the front panel to join the front panel (2) to the front of the indoor unit body so that it can be opened and closed, in which the layer decorative (10) is also provided in the rear portion of the front panel (2) where the supports (13) of the front panel are provided, and the supports (13) of the front panel do not appear on the surface of the front panel (2) due to the decorative layer. 19. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 18, in which the supports (13) of the front panel are formed in the same color as the decorative layer.