JP2002277003A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve safety by discharging a refrigerant leaked due to a fault of a duct connector at the rear side of an indoor unit out of a room. SOLUTION: One set of connecting tubes 7, 8 is extended from an indoor heat exchanger to the back surface side of the indoor unit to tube connector side. One set of connecting tubes 3, 4 is extended from an outdoor unit to the back surface side of the indoor unit through a hole provided at a wall by using a flared connector 15 and a flare nut 16. These tubes are covered with a heat insulator 17 having sealability. Outsides of the heat insulators 18 and 11 covering the tube connector and the tubes 3, 4 from the insulator 17 to the outdoor are covered with a gas leakage preventive tube 19 for preventing the gas leakage into the room. One side of the tube 19 is closely contacted with the insulator 17 by using an adhesive material or a band, and the other side is opened toward the outdoor.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner using a flammable refrigerant, and more particularly, to a safety device in which a refrigerant leaks from a pipe connection at the rear of an indoor unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An air conditioner includes, for example, an indoor unit 1 as shown in FIG. 1, an outdoor unit 2 as shown in FIG. 2, and connecting pipes 3 and 4 connecting these two units. There is. FIG. 1 shows a rear side of the indoor unit 1. One side of the indoor unit 1 is connected to an inlet and an outlet of an indoor heat exchanger (not shown), and the other side is a rear surface of the indoor unit 1. A pair of connecting pipes (an inlet pipe 7 and an outlet pipe 8) extending to a pipe storage section 5 formed at a lower portion and covered with a heat insulating material 6 is provided. Drain hose connecting portions 10a and 10b for selectively connecting a drain hose 9 for guiding defrost water of the indoor heat exchanger to the outside are provided on the left and right sides of the pipe housing portion 5, respectively.

On the other hand, on one side of the interior of the outdoor unit 2 shown in FIG. 2, there are two valve bodies (not shown) for connecting one side of a pair of connection pipes 3 and 4 covered with a heat insulating material 11, respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, the other sides of the connection pipes 3 and 4 respectively connected to the two valve bodies are extended into the room through holes 14 provided in the wall 13 of the room to be air-conditioned 12, and the corresponding connection pipes are provided. The members 3, 7, 4 and 8 are connected to each other in a form as shown in FIG. 5 using a predetermined connecting device (for example, a flare connecting device 15 and a flare nut 16 as shown in FIG. 4), and the outside is made of a heat insulating material. The indoor unit 1 is housed in a pipe storage unit 5 formed at the lower rear portion of the indoor unit 1, and the indoor unit 1 is locked to a mounting plate fixed to the wall 13.

[0004]

By the way, the use of chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC-22) in the refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner for the purpose of protecting the ozone layer has been banned for the purpose of protecting the ozone layer. For example, switching to propane, which has a very small conversion coefficient, has been considered. However, since propane has toxicity and flammability, in the air conditioner, gas is connected at a pipe connection located on the rear side of the indoor unit 1. Leaks can cause gas poisoning or gas explosion, which is dangerous. Therefore, in the present invention, it is needless to say that gas leakage is not generated at the pipe connection part, but even if there is a gas leak at the pipe connection part, the air conditioner is absolutely prevented from leaking into the room. It is intended to provide.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and comprises a wall-mounted indoor unit, an outdoor unit installed outdoors, and one side provided in the indoor unit. A pair of connecting pipes each connected to an inlet and an outlet of the indoor heat exchanger, extending the other side to a pipe housing formed at a lower rear portion of the indoor unit, and covered with a heat insulating material; Are connected to the high pressure side valve element and the low pressure side valve element provided in the outdoor unit, respectively, and the other side is extended into the room through a hole provided in the wall, and is covered with another heat insulating material. Consisting of pipes, connecting the corresponding connecting pipes with a predetermined connecting device,
In an air conditioner in which the connecting portion is protected by a heat insulating material and housed in the pipe housing portion, at least a tip of the heat insulating material covering the connecting pipe from the indoor heat exchanger near the connecting device is confidential. While using a heat insulator having a, a gas leakage prevention tube having confidentiality is put on the outside of the heat insulating material covered by the connection device and the connection pipe from the heat insulation to the outside, and one side of the gas leakage prevention tube is put on the outside. It is configured to be in close contact with the heat insulator and open to the outside on the other side.

[0006] Further, the heat insulating body and the gas leakage prevention tube are in close contact with each other by using an adhesive.

[0007] Further, a band is used for tight contact between the heat insulator and the gas leakage prevention tube.

[0008] Further, the connecting device comprises a flare connecting tool and a flare nut.

Further, the heat insulating body is provided with a set of holes through which a connection pipe from the indoor heat exchanger passes, and the outside is formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0010] Further, a pair of holes for passing a connecting pipe from the indoor heat exchanger is provided on one side of the heat insulator, and two housings for housing the connecting devices are provided on the other side on the coaxial line. Configuration.

[0011] Further, the heat insulating body has a configuration in which an annular concave portion is formed on the outer periphery.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The air conditioner includes, for example, an indoor unit 1 as shown in FIG. 1 and an outdoor unit 2 as shown in FIG.
And connecting pipes 3 and 4 for connecting the two. FIG. 1 shows a rear side of the indoor unit 1. One side of the indoor unit 1 is connected to an inlet and an outlet of an indoor heat exchanger (not shown), and the other side is a rear surface of the indoor unit 1. The heat insulating material 6 extends to a pipe storage portion 5 formed at a lower portion.
Is provided with a pair of connection pipes 7 and 8. Also,
Drain hose connecting portions 10a and 10b are provided on the left and right sides of the pipe housing portion 5 so as to selectively connect a drain hose 9 for guiding the defrost water of the indoor heat exchanger to the outside.

On the other hand, on one side of the interior of the outdoor unit 2 shown in FIG. 2, two valve bodies (not shown) for connecting one side of a pair of connection pipes 3 and 4 covered with a heat insulating material 11, respectively. The other side of the connection pipes 3 and 4 respectively connected to these two valve bodies is provided with a wall 13 of an air-conditioned room 12 as shown in FIG.
And the corresponding connecting pipes 3, 7, 4 and 8 are respectively connected to predetermined connecting devices (for example, a flare connecting device 15 and a flare nut 1 as shown in FIG. 4).
6), the pipe connection parts (15, 16) and their peripheral parts are covered with a heat insulating material and housed in the pipe storage part 5 in a general connection form. However, this alone does not allow the gas leaking from the pipe connection (15, 16) to escape outside the room. Therefore, in the present invention, the gas leaked from the pipe connection portions (15, 16) is reliably discharged to the outside by means described below.

FIG. 6 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. The connecting pipes 7 and 8 extending from the indoor heat exchanger are covered with a heat insulating material 6 as shown in FIG. However, the heat insulating material 6 does not always have high confidentiality. Therefore, in the present invention, a heat-insulating body 17 having airtightness is used at a tip portion near a pipe connection portion composed of at least a flare connector 15 and a flare nut 16, and the pipe connection portion from the heat insulator 17 to the outside is used. (15, 16) and the outside of the heat insulating materials 18 and 11 covered by the connecting pipes 3 and 4 are covered with a gas leak preventing tube 19 for preventing gas leakage into the room, and one side of the gas leak preventing tube 19 is insulated. The body 17 is adhered to the body 17 using an adhesive or a band tightened from the outside, and the other side is open to the outside of the room.

The heat insulator 17 and the gas leak prevention tube 19 are made of, for example, neoprene rubber having confidentiality.
The heat insulator 17 is provided with a pair of holes 17a and 17b through which the connection pipes 7 and 8 from the indoor heat exchanger pass.
17a and 17b have the minimum necessary hole diameter in order to enhance the adhesion to the connection pipes 7 and 8. With the configuration described above, even if gas leaks from the pipe connection parts (15, 16), the gas is prevented from leaking into the room by the heat insulator 17 and the gas leak prevention tube 19. Insulation 11 and gas leakage prevention tube 19 covered on connection pipes 3 and 4
It will be discharged outside from the gap 20 between them.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment.
The difference from the former is that one side of the heat insulator 17A is provided with a pair of holes 17a and 17b through which the connection pipes 3 and 4 from the indoor heat exchanger pass, while the other side on the coaxial line has the flare connector 15 and the flare nut. 16
Two housings for housing the pipe connection sections consisting of
17c and 17d are provided. With such a configuration, the heat insulating material 18 as shown in FIG.
It is not necessary to cover it, and labor can be saved and the number of parts can be reduced.

Although the outer shape of each of the heat insulators 17 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is cylindrical, the present invention is not limited to this shape. In a configuration using an adhesive, an elliptical shape may be used.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment.
The difference from the former (FIG. 7) is that an annular concave portion 17e is provided on the outer periphery of the heat insulator 17B. This recess 17e is a heat insulator 17B
This is effective when the band 21 is used for the close contact between the gas leak preventing tube 19 and the gas leak preventing tube 19. By fastening the band 21 in accordance with the concave portion 17e, the close contact between the heat insulator 17B and the gas leak preventing tube 19 can be further enhanced.

[0019]

According to the air conditioner using the refrigerant leakage prevention means as described above, the refrigerant leaking from the pipe connection portion is discharged outside without being leaked into the room, thereby preventing explosion and poisoning. It is a safe product with little danger.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of an indoor unit according to the present invention and a conventional example.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an outdoor unit according to the present invention and a conventional example.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of mounting and piping connections between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of use of a flare connection device and a flare nut.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a connection configuration of piping.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a main part showing a first embodiment based on the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part showing a second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a main part showing a third embodiment based on the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Indoor unit 2 Outdoor unit 3 and 4 Connection pipe 5 Pipe storage part 6 Insulation material 7 and 8 Connection pipe 10a and 10b Drain hose connection part 11 Insulation material 12 Air-conditioned room 13 Wall 14 Hole 15 Flare connection tool 16 Flare nut 17, 17A, 17B Insulators 17a, 17b Holes 17c, 17d Housing 17e Recess 18 Insulation 19 Gas leak prevention tube 20 Gap 21 Band

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A wall-mounted indoor unit, an outdoor unit installed outdoors, and one side connected to an inlet and an outlet of an indoor heat exchanger provided in the indoor unit, and the other side connected to the indoor unit. A pair of connecting pipes extending to a pipe housing formed at the lower rear portion of the outdoor unit and covered with a heat insulating material, and one side is connected to a high-pressure side valve element and a low-pressure side valve element provided in the outdoor unit. Connect each,
The other side extends into the room through a hole provided in the wall, and comprises another set of connecting pipes covered with a heat insulating material. The corresponding connecting pipes are connected to each other by a predetermined connecting device, and the connecting portion is insulated. In an air conditioner protected by a material and housed in the pipe housing portion, a heat insulator having confidentiality is provided at least at a tip end near the connection device of heat insulation material to cover a connection pipe from the indoor heat exchanger. While using, a gas leakage prevention tube having confidentiality is put on the outside of the heat insulating material covered by the connection device and the connection pipe from the heat insulator to the outside, and one side of the gas leak prevention tube is in close contact with the heat insulator. An air conditioner characterized by being open to the outside with the other side facing out. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive is used for tightly contacting the heat insulator and the gas leakage prevention tube. 3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a band is used for closely adhering the heat insulator and the gas leakage prevention tube. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the connection device comprises a flare connection tool and a flare nut. 5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulating body is provided with a set of holes through which a connection pipe from the indoor heat exchanger passes, and the outside is formed in a cylindrical shape. 6. A pair of holes for passing a connecting pipe from the indoor heat exchanger is provided on one side of the heat insulator, and two housings for housing the connecting devices are provided on the other side of the coaxial line. The air conditioner according to claim 1, comprising: 7. The air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein an annular concave portion is formed on an outer periphery of the heat insulator.