JP2002295866A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent water in a drain tank from dropping or flowing over the drain tank during transportation, even if an air conditioner is operated in a state with the drain tank filled completely with water. SOLUTION: An evaporator 16, a drain pan 9 receiving drain produced from the evaporator 16, and a drain tank 29 being fixed removably from the front face 5a of a body case 5 and storing condensate dripping from a drain outlet 10 made in the drain pan 9 are disposed in the body case 5; a float part 31 is provided in the drain tank 29 and a stop part 12 for opening/closing the drain outlet 10 is provided; and when the drain tank 29 fixed to the body case 5 is in low level water state, the float part 31 makes the stop part 12 move in the direction of opening the drain outlet 10, and when the drain tank is filled with drain, the drain outlet 10 is closed by the stop part 12. Condensate can be prevented from flowing into the drain tank by the stop part even if operation is continued after the drain tank is filled with condensated water, and the water in the drain tank can be prevented surely from dropping due to rolling of water level, at discharging of the water in the drain tank.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner having a drain tank for storing dew water generated in an evaporator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional air conditioner is disclosed in JP-A-8-312.
As shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 993 (F24F7 / 00), a water receiving tray for receiving dew water generated in the evaporator is provided below the evaporator, and the dew water is dropped and stored from a drain port of the water receiving tray below the water receiving tray. A drainage tank is provided, and a water-stop portion for opening and closing the drainage port is provided at the drainage port by attaching and detaching the drainage tank. Driving can be continued.

[0003] However, if the drain tank is full and the user forgets to remove the drain tank from the main body, the drain port is left open. It will flow inside. In this case, even if the drainage tank is subsequently taken out, the water level is higher than the predetermined water level, and the water surface shakes during transportation and may fall. In an extreme case where the operation is continued without removing the drainage tank for a long time, water may overflow from the drainage tank.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an air conditioner capable of reliably preventing water in a drain tank from spilling during transportation or overflowing from the drain tank even when the air conditioner is operated in a full state. The task is to provide.

[0005]

Means for solving the above problems are as follows. An evaporator, a drain pan for receiving dew condensation water generated in the evaporator, and a drain pan are attached to and detached from one side of the main body case. A drain tank for storing dew condensation water dropped from a drain port formed in the drain pan, and in an air conditioner provided with a float portion in the drain tank, a water stop portion for opening and closing the drain port is provided; When the drainage tank mounted on the case is in a drought state, the water stop section is moved in the float portion in a direction to open the drain port, and when the water tank is full, the drain port is closed by the water stop section. It is.

[0006] In the above configuration, a detecting means for detecting the full state is provided, and the operation is stopped after a predetermined time elapses after the full state is detected by the detecting means.

[0007] If it is detected by the detection means that the full state is released within the predetermined time, it is desirable to continue the operation even after the predetermined time has elapsed. More specifically, the float portion is rotatably supported by the drainage tank, and a float that operates at a water level in the drainage tank at one end moves the water stop portion to the other end. Moving means are provided respectively.

Preferably, a rib for supporting the float side of the float portion is formed in the drainage tank.

[0009] Further, a guide portion for vertically moving the water stop portion is formed, and the drain port is closed by the weight of the water stop portion.

It is desirable that the water stopping portion is formed in a spherical shape.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 6 show an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, which will be described below with reference to these drawings. Hereinafter, the front-rear and left-right relationship is based on the state of FIG. 1, and a portion located on the lower side of FIG.

Reference numeral 1 denotes an air conditioner main body (here, a dehumidifier, hereinafter referred to as a main body) which is formed shorter in the left-right direction than in the front-rear direction. The outer surface of the main body 1 is made of synthetic resin as shown in FIG. , A main case 5 including a left case 2, a right case 3, and a bottom plate 4. As shown in FIG. 2, grille intake ports 6a and 6b are formed at the upper part of the front face 5a and the upper part of the rear face 5b of the main body case 5, respectively, and the exhaust port 7 is formed at the rear corner of the upper surface of the main body case 5. Have been. Also, in the approximate center of the upper surface of the main body case 5, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a handle 8 for moving the main body 1 is provided so as to be stowable, and is pulled out and used when the main body 1 is moved.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a drain pan provided in the main body case 5, which divides the inside of the main body case 5 into an upper part and a lower part as shown in FIGS. A drain port 10 is formed in the drain pan 9 below an evaporator 16 to be described later, and the drain pan 9 has a water receiving portion 11 formed in a funnel shape toward the drain port 10. .

Reference numeral 12 denotes a spherical water-stop portion for closing the drain port 10 by its own weight, which is guided by a guide portion 13 extending above the periphery of the drain port 10 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Further, a magnet sensor 14 is provided on the lower surface side of the drain pan 9 at a position facing a magnet 35 provided on a float portion 31 described later.

Reference numeral 15 denotes an air passage formed at an upper portion in the main body case 5 partitioned by the drain pan 9.
a, 6b and the exhaust port 7. A filter (not shown) for removing dust in the air sucked from the air inlets 6a, 6b is provided near the air inlets 6a, 6b in the air passage 15, and cools the air thus removed. An evaporator 16 that dehumidifies the air, a condenser 17 that heats the air dehumidified by the evaporator 16, and a blower 18 are provided.

The blower 18 comprises a motor 20 mounted on a fan guide 19 erected on the drain pan 9 and a sirocco fan 21 mounted on a rotating shaft of the motor 20. The fan guide 19 has an intake hole 22.
Are formed, and the spaces partitioned by the fan guide 19 communicate with each other. The motor 2 is located above the fan guide 19.
A control unit (not shown) for controlling the compressor 0, the compressor, a full-water display unit 39 described later, and the like are housed and arranged in the housing case 23. The storage case 23 is attached to an upper part of the fan guide 19, and the fan guide 19 is fixed by fixing the storage case 23 to the right case 2 and the left case 3. Then, on the lower surface of the storage case 23,
The evaporator 16 together with the claws 24 standing on the upper surface of the drain pan 9
And the claw 25 which clamps the condenser 17 is integrally formed.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a partition plate which stands upright from the bottom plate 4 and supports the drain pan 9. A storage chamber 27 having an opening on the front surface 5 a is formed on the front side thereof, and the evaporator 1 is provided on the rear side.
6 that constitutes a refrigeration cycle together with the condenser 6 and the condenser 17 and circulates the refrigerant through the evaporator 16 and the condenser 17 and the like.
8 are arranged.

Reference numeral 29 denotes a drainage tank which is detachably mounted in the storage chamber 27, is formed in a box shape opening upward, and is located below the drainage port 10. A handle (not shown) is formed at a substantially central portion of a lower portion of the front surface of the drainage tank 29, and the drainage tank 29 can be detached from the opening on the front surface 5a side of the storage room 27 with the handle. I have. In the drain tank 29, a rib 30 as a support portion stands upright from the bottom surface.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a shaft hole (not shown) of the drainage tank 29.
The float portion 31 is pivotally supported by inserting the shaft 32 into the shaft 32. The float portion 31 is turned upward from the water level in the drainage tank 29 about the shaft 32 to the front side of the shaft 32 as shown in FIG. A movable float 33 is provided, and an arm 34 extends rearward of the shaft 32. The float 31 has a center of gravity on the float 33 side, and the lower end of the float 33 is supported by the rib 30. The arm 34 is provided with a magnet 35 which is detected by the magnet sensor 14 provided on the drain pan 9, and a rib 36 as a moving means for moving the water stop portion 12 up and down projects upward.

Reference numeral 37 denotes an operation unit provided on the front surface 5a side of the upper surface of the main body case 5 on an inclined surface descending toward the front surface 5a, and an operation switch 3 for driving and stopping the main body 1 as shown in FIG.
8 and the full-water display section 3 that indicates the full state of the drainage tank 29
9 and the like are arranged.

Next, the operation of the main body 1 configured as described above will be described.

The drainage tank 29 in a dry state is replaced with the main body case 5.
Is mounted in the storage chamber 27, the magnet 35 of the float portion 31 is detected by the magnet sensor 14, and it is detected that the drain tank 29 is mounted and the inside of the drain tank 29 is in a dry state, and the rib 36 of the float portion 31 is detected. , The water stop portion 12 is pushed up, and the drain port 10 is opened as shown in FIG.

In this state, when the operation switch 38 is pressed, the operation is started, and the compressor 28 is driven by the control unit, and the refrigerant passes through the condenser 17, the evaporator 16, etc.
The evaporator 16 performs a heat absorbing operation, and the condenser 17 performs a heat releasing operation. At the same time, the motor is driven by the control unit, and the indoor air is supplied to the intake ports 6 a provided on the front surface 5 a and the rear surface 5 b of the main body case 5.
After being taken into the main body 1 from 6b and dust is removed by a filter (not shown), it is cooled and dehumidified when passing through the evaporator 16. Cold air after dehumidification is condenser 1
After being heated in 7, it is returned to the room through the exhaust port 7.

The water condensed in the evaporator 16 becomes water droplets and falls from the evaporator 16 to the drain pan 9. And it is guided to the drain port 10 by the water receiving part 11 of the drain pan 9,
The water is dropped from the drain port 10 to the drain tank 29 and stored.

When the dehumidified water is accumulated in the drain tank 29 in a predetermined amount or more, the float 33 is pushed upward by the dew condensation water, and the arm 34 rotates downward. With the rotation of the arm 34, the water stopping portion 12 is guided by the guide portion 13 and moves downward while being in contact with the rib 36 of the arm 34. When the dew condensation water further accumulates and the arm 34 pivots downward by a predetermined distance, the water stop portion 12 closes the drain port 10 by its own weight as shown in FIG. And the full state is detected.

When a full state is detected, the control section displays a full level display section 39 to urge the user to discard the water in the drain tank 29, and the operation is continued for a predetermined time. If the water in the drainage tank 29 is not discarded and remains in this state for a predetermined time, the compressor 28 is stopped, and then when the water in the drainage tank is discarded and reinstalled, the compressor 28 is turned off. It operates again and operation is resumed.

When the water in the drainage tank 29 is not thrown away and remains attached to the main body case 5 for a predetermined time as described above, since the drainage port 10 is closed by the water stopping portion 12, the dew condensation water is drained. 9 and drain tank 2
9 is blocked. As a result, the water level does not rise from the level when the full state of the drain tank 29 is detected, and it is possible to reliably prevent the water surface from swinging and spilling when the drain tank 29 is pulled out or while the drain tank 29 is being transported. .

Further, since the compressor 28 is stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed, dew water is not generated in the evaporator 16 after the compressor 28 is stopped, so that overflow of the dew water from the drain pan 9 can be prevented.

When the drainage tank 29 is pulled out of the main body case 5 within a predetermined time and the water in the drainage tank 29 is discarded and reinstalled, the rib 3 of the float portion 31 is removed.
6, the water stop portion 12 is pushed upward and the drain port 10
Is released, and the condensed water accumulated on the drain pan 9 flows into the drain tank 29. Further, the magnet 35 is detected by the magnet sensor 14, and it is detected that the full state is released. In response to this detection, the control unit does not stop the compressor 28 even after a predetermined time has elapsed, and continues the operation.

As described above, when the full state is released within the predetermined time, the compressor 28 is not stopped and the operation is continued after the predetermined time elapses, so that the full state is released from the full state. During this time, it is possible to prevent a time loss of stopping the compressor 28 from occurring.

As described above, the ribs 30 for supporting the float 33 of the float portion 31 are provided in the drainage tank 29 when the drainage tank 29 is in a dry state, so that the float 33 can be held at a predetermined position. A drain tank 29 can be attached, and the arm 34 of the float 31 is
The drainage tank 29 can be easily mounted without being caught by the water.

Further, by forming the water stopping portion 12 into a spherical shape, the floating portion 3
The water stop portion 12 can be easily lifted from the position where the drain port 10 is closed without being caught when the rib 36 of the first arm 34 contacts the water stop portion 12.

Further, since the guide portion 13 extends upward from the periphery of the drain port 10 and is guided by the guide portion 13 so that the water stop portion 12 can be moved up and down, the drain port 10 has a simple structure. Can be opened and closed.

[0034]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the inside of the drain tank becomes full, the water stoppage can prevent the dew condensation water from flowing into the drain tank. Even if operation is continued afterwards, dew condensation is collected on the drain pan to prevent the water level in the drain tank from rising, and the water level in the drain tank is reliably prevented from swaying and spilling when the water in the drain tank is discarded it can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent condensation water from overflowing from the drain pan.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the water in the drainage tank is discarded within a predetermined time and the drainage tank is reattached, so that the operation can be continued without stopping.
Time loss can be prevented.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the float of the float rises at the water level in the drainage tank, the water stop can be moved by the moving means on the opposite side of the float to open and close the drain outlet.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the drainage tank can be mounted on the main body case while the float portion is held at a predetermined position, so that the float portion does not catch on the main body case or the water stopping portion. Can be easily mounted.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the drain port can be opened and closed with a simple configuration.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, when the means for moving the float portion comes into contact with the water stop portion, the water stop portion can be easily moved from the position where the drain port is closed without being caught.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an air conditioner showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the air conditioner.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of the air conditioner.

FIG. 4 is a detailed enlarged view near the float in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detailed enlarged view of the vicinity of the float in a full state in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 5 Main body case 9 Drain pan 10 Drain port 12 Water stop section 13 Guide section 14 Magnet sensor (detection means) 16 Evaporator 29 Drain tank 30 Rib (supporting part) 31 Float part 33 Float 36 Rib (Move means)

The continuation of the front page F term (reference) 3L050 BD05 BE04

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An evaporator, a drain pan for receiving dew water generated by the evaporator, and dew water that is attached to and detached from one side of the main body case and drops from a drain port formed in the drain pan. In the air conditioner provided with a drainage tank for storing, and a float portion provided in the drainage tank, a water stop portion for opening and closing the drainage port is provided, and when the drainage tank attached to the main body case is in a dry state, An air conditioner characterized in that the water stop section is moved by the float section in a direction to open the drain port, and the drain port is closed by the water stop section when the water is full. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising detecting means for detecting the water-full state, wherein the operation is stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed after the water-full state is detected by the detecting means. 3. The air according to claim 2, wherein when the detection means detects that the full state is released within the predetermined time, the operation is continued even after the predetermined time has elapsed. Harmony machine. 4. The float unit is rotatably supported by the drainage tank, a float that operates at a water level in the drainage tank is provided at one end, and the water stop unit is moved to the other end. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a moving unit is provided. 5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein a rib for supporting a float side of the float portion is formed in the drainage tank. 6. The water outlet according to claim 1, wherein a guide portion is formed to move the water stop portion up and down, and the drain port is closed by the weight of the water stop portion. The air conditioner described in Crab. 7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the water stop portion is formed in a spherical shape.