JP2024002277A - Duct structure and air conditioner including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a duct structure which enables easy attachment/detachment and can efficiently supply cool air or hot air to multiple sites needing cooling or heating, and to provide an air conditioner including the duct structure.

SOLUTION: A duct structure includes a duct 40 which is attached to a movable air conditioner 1 and guides air cooled or heated to an air-conditioned space. The duct has: an upper member 43 forming an upper half when the duct is placed horizontally; and a lower member 47 forming a lower half. In the upper member and the lower member, side parts along an air blowing direction are detachably connected by connecting members 44, 48, 48. The structure allows the duct to be easily formed by overlapping the upper member and the lower member and connecting the connecting members of the side parts. Further, cold air or hot air can be blown from an opening formed by partially peeling the upper member and the lower member at arbitrary positions. Thus, cool air or hot air can be supplied to multiple sites needing cooling or heating directly and efficiently to perform highly efficient air conditioning operation.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a duct structure for an air conditioner and an air conditioner provided with the duct structure, and particularly relates to a duct structure for a movable air conditioner in which a user side unit and a heat source side unit are integrally provided.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a mobile air conditioner that uses a refrigeration cycle is known, in which a user side unit and a heat source side unit are provided on a single movable frame.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes an indoor unit that includes an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor blower fan that sends air flowing through the indoor heat exchanger indoors, and an outdoor unit that is connected to the indoor heat exchanger so that refrigerant can circulate therein. An outdoor unit includes a heat exchanger, an outdoor fan that sends air flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor unit that has movable wheels and has an inlet of an indoor heat exchanger and an inlet of an outdoor heat exchanger. An air conditioner is disclosed that includes a pedestal on which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are placed so as to face each other.

This type of air conditioner is used in large spaces where it is difficult to install a regular air conditioner, such as factories, workshops, distribution warehouses, gymnasiums, etc., by blowing cold or warm air near workers, etc. It is used for spot air conditioning to efficiently cool or heat the air.

Further, for example, Patent Document 2 describes a wind conduit connection structure connected to this type of air conditioner, which includes an air supply duct that guides air cooled or heated by an air conditioner installed outdoors into a room. and a return air duct that guides indoor air to the air conditioner, and a wind conduit connection plate formed with an air supply port to which the supply air duct is connected and a return air port to which the return air duct is connected. However, a wind pipe connection structure is disclosed in which a wind pipe connection plate is removably placed in an opening connected to a room.

With such a configuration, air cooled or heated by the air conditioner installed outdoors can be efficiently circulated indoors through the air supply duct and the return air duct. Therefore, even if it is a transport type air conditioner where the user side unit and heat source side unit are placed together outdoors, it is different from a general air conditioner where the indoor unit is installed indoors and the outdoor unit is installed outdoors. Highly efficient circulating cooling or circulating heating can be performed.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-11984 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-173444

However, in the mobile air conditioner of the above-mentioned prior art, there are points that should be improved so that cold air or hot air can be efficiently sent to a place in the air-conditioned space that requires cooling or heating.

Specifically, the air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 has excellent performance in powerfully blowing cold air from an indoor unit as a user unit toward a space to be air-conditioned during cooling operation in a large space such as a factory. has. However, with conventional air conditioners, it is not easy to efficiently supply cold air to multiple slightly distant locations. For example, in a factory, distribution warehouse, or the like that is an air-conditioned space, multiple workers may be working at slightly distant locations. In such cases, although it is possible to blow cold air toward a work site where many workers are located, it is difficult to directly send cold air or hot air to each work site located at a separate location.

In addition, by adopting the wind conduit connection structure disclosed in Patent Document 2, air cooled or heated by the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit is circulated to the air-conditioned space via the supply air duct and the return air duct. This enables efficient air conditioning operation. However, with the wind pipe connection structure disclosed in the same document, even if the entire interior of the air-conditioned space can be cooled or heated, the cooled or heated air is directly distributed to multiple locations within the air-conditioned space. It was not easy to supply. Therefore, with only such a wind conduit connection structure, it is difficult to perform highly efficient spot air conditioning that sends cold or warm air only to the vicinity of multiple locations that require cooling or heating.

In addition, as a conventional general air conditioning duct structure, a configuration is known that has a main pipe and multiple branch pipes branching from the main pipe, and can supply cold air or hot air to multiple rooms. There is. However, conventional air conditioning ducts are made of aluminum, steel, etc. in the shape of a circular or rectangular tube, and are not easy to install. It wasn't the composition.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a device that is easy to install and remove and efficiently supplies cold or hot air to multiple locations that require cooling or heating. An object of the present invention is to provide a duct structure that enables highly efficient air conditioning operation, and an air conditioner equipped with the duct structure.

The duct structure of the present invention includes a duct that is attached to a mobile air conditioner and guides air cooled or heated by the air conditioner to a space to be air-conditioned, and the duct is arranged above the air conditioner when placed horizontally. It has an upper member constituting a half, and a lower member constituting a lower half, and the upper member and the lower member are removably connected at their sides along the air blowing direction by a connecting member. It is characterized by

Moreover, the air conditioner of the present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned duct structure is provided.

The duct structure of the present invention includes a duct that is attached to a mobile air conditioner and guides air cooled or heated by the air conditioner to a space to be air-conditioned, and the duct is arranged above the air conditioner when placed horizontally. It has an upper member constituting a half, and a lower member constituting a lower half, and the upper member and the lower member are removably connected at their sides along the air blowing direction by a connecting member. . With such a configuration, it is possible to easily form a duct by overlapping the upper member and the lower member and joining the joining members on the sides. That is, the air blown out from the air conditioner can be efficiently sent to the space requiring air conditioning without performing large-scale renovation work on the space to be air-conditioned, such as a factory or warehouse. Further, the duct formed by being removably connected by the connecting member is easy to disassemble into an upper member and a lower member, transport, and store. Further, since the side portions of the upper member and the lower member connected by the connecting member are detachable, the upper member and the lower member can be partially peeled off at any location to form an opening. That is, in the vicinity of a place that requires cooling or heating, the sides of the upper and lower members are partially peeled off to form an opening, and cold or warm air can be blown out from the opening. Therefore, according to this duct mechanism, cold air or hot air can be directly and efficiently supplied to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, and even in large spaces, it is possible to provide high efficiency. Air conditioning operation can be performed.

Further, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the upper member and the lower member are provided with an inlet coupling member at the ends forming the inlet opening of the duct, and the duct is provided with the inlet coupling member. The air conditioner may be detachably connected to the air conditioner. This makes it easy to attach and detach the duct to the air conditioner. The air conditioner and the duct can be easily moved and installed at a location that requires air conditioning, and suitable cold or warm air can be sent to multiple locations close to each worker.

Further, the duct structure of the present invention includes a branch duct connected to the duct and blowing air into the air-conditioned space, and an end of the branch duct on the inlet side is provided with a branch inlet coupling that is coupled to the coupling member. A member may be provided, and the branch duct may be removably held between the upper member and the lower member by coupling the coupling member and the branch entrance coupling member. With such a configuration, the duct can be provided with a plurality of branch ducts, and the cold air or hot air required for air conditioning can be directly supplied even to a place remote from the duct. A plurality of branch ducts can be provided in the duct, and the positions where the branch ducts are connected are also arbitrary. Therefore, the air required for cooling or heating can be sent suitably to multiple work places that require cooling or heating, and is suitable for each worker in a large space such as a factory. Air conditioning operation can be performed efficiently and with low energy consumption.

Further, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the upper member and the lower member are provided with an outlet coupling member at the end portions forming the outlet opening of the duct, and the duct is provided with the outlet coupling member. 2. The duct structure according to claim 1, wherein the upper member and the lower member are detachably connected to each other so that the outlet opening can be used in a closed state. Thereby, the amount of air blown out from the outlet opening at the end of the duct can be reduced, and the amount of air sent to each location from the openings formed on the sides of the duct can be suitably adjusted. Therefore, a suitable amount of cold air or hot air can be supplied to each work place that requires air conditioning, and highly efficient air conditioning can be performed with less waste.

Further, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the branch duct includes an upper branch member that constitutes an upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower branch member that constitutes a lower half, and The member and the lower branching member may be removably coupled to each other at their side portions along the air blowing direction by a branching duct coupling member. With such a configuration, a branch duct can be easily formed by overlapping the branch upper member and the branch lower member and coupling the branch duct coupling members on the sides. In other words, it is possible to easily create a ventilation path that efficiently sends air to multiple locations that require air conditioning, without carrying out large-scale renovation work or the like. The air blown out from the air conditioner can be efficiently sent to multiple locations requiring air conditioning via the branch duct. In addition, the branch duct formed by being detachably connected by the branch duct coupling member allows easy disassembly, transportation, storage, etc. of the branch upper member and the branch lower member. In addition, the sides of the upper branch member and lower branch member connected by the branch duct coupling member are removable, so the upper branch member and the lower branch member can be peeled off at any location to form an opening. . That is, in the vicinity of a place that requires cooling or heating, the sides of the upper branch member and the lower branch member can be partially peeled off to form a partial opening for blowing out cold air or hot air. Therefore, according to this duct mechanism, cold air or hot air can be directly and efficiently supplied to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, and even in large spaces, it is possible to provide high efficiency. Air conditioning operation can be performed.

Further, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the branch upper member and the branch lower member are provided with a branch outlet coupling member at an end on the outlet side of the branch duct, and the branch duct is connected to the branch outlet. The upper branch member and the lower branch member may be detachably coupled to each other by an outlet coupling member, so that the outlet side can be used in a closed state. This reduces the amount of air blown out from the opening at the outlet end of the branch duct, and reduces the amount of air sent to each location from the opening formed on the side of the branch duct or the openings of other branch ducts. The amount can be suitably adjusted. Therefore, a suitable amount of cold air or hot air can be supplied to each work place that requires air conditioning, and highly efficient air conditioning can be performed with less waste.

Moreover, according to the duct structure of the present invention, at least one of the coupling member and the entrance coupling member may be a hook-and-loop fastener or a magnet. As a result, the duct can be easily assembled, installed and removed, and a duct with suitable strength that can withstand wind pressure can be obtained.

Further, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the upper member and the lower member may be formed from a synthetic resin sheet material or a woven or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic fibers. This makes it possible to obtain a high-performance duct that is easy to install and remove, transport, and store.

Moreover, the air conditioner of the present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned duct structure is provided. Thereby, the cold air or warm air blown out from the air conditioner can be branched and directly and efficiently supplied to a plurality of locations in the air-conditioned space. Therefore, highly efficient air conditioning operation can be performed.

Further, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, a user side unit provided with a user side heat exchanger and a user side blower fan, a heat source side unit provided with a heat source side heat exchanger and a heat source side blower fan, The heating device may include a pedestal on which the usage-side unit and the heat source-side unit are placed, and the duct may be connected to an air outlet of the usage-side unit. With such a configuration, it is possible to efficiently move and install the air conditioner and to attach and detach the duct. The air conditioner installed inside the air-conditioned space sends the low-temperature air cooled by the user-side heat exchanger or the heated high-temperature air to the duct, and then sends the air to the upper part of the air conditioner at multiple locations on the side of the duct. Air can be sent out from between the spacer and the lower member to each location that requires cooling or heating. Therefore, highly efficient spot air conditioning operation in a large space is possible.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a main body of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a duct portion of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded view showing a schematic configuration of a duct of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded view showing a schematic configuration of a branch duct of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an air conditioner 1 having a duct structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1 is a mobile powerful spot air conditioner in which a user side unit 10 and a heat source side unit 20 are integrally provided on a pedestal 30. The air conditioner 1 includes a duct 40 connected to the user unit 10.

The air conditioner 1 is a movable device that cools or heats large spaces where it is difficult to install an air conditioner such as a regular package air conditioner. used.

The duct 40 is a main duct that is attached to the main body 2 of the air conditioner 1 and guides air cooled or heated by the air conditioner 1 to an air-conditioned space. Specifically, the duct 40 is detachably connected to the air outlet 16 of the user unit 10 that blows out cooled or heated air, and distributes the cooling and heating air blown out from the air outlet 16 to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space. supply to.

The duct 40 is provided with a plurality of branch ducts 50 that send cold air or warm air flowing through the duct 40 to a predetermined location within the air-conditioned space. The branch duct 50 is detachably connected to any location of the duct 40 and sends the air cooled or heated by the user unit 10 to the vicinity of each location that requires cooling or heating.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the main body 2 of the air conditioner 1. As shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, the user unit 10 is a device that cools or heats and supplies air on the user side. The user unit 10 has a configuration corresponding to an indoor unit of a general package air conditioner.

Specifically, the user-side unit 10 has a housing 11 as a user-side housing that is a substantially box-shaped case formed from a metal plate material, etc., and is a component that constitutes a refrigeration cycle inside the housing 11. A user-side heat exchanger 12 and a user-side blower fan 13 are provided.

The heat source side unit 20 is a device that radiates or absorbs heat from the air on the exhaust side. The heat source side unit 20 has a configuration corresponding to an outdoor unit of a general package air conditioner.

Specifically, the heat source side unit 20 has a housing 21 as a user side housing, which is a substantially box-shaped case formed from a metal plate material, etc., and is a component that configures a refrigeration cycle inside the housing 21. A heat source side heat exchanger 22 and a heat source side blower fan 23 are provided.

The user side heat exchanger 12 of the user side unit 10 is connected to the heat source side heat exchanger 22 of the heat source side unit 20 via a refrigerant pipe 28. Specifically, the user-side heat exchanger 12 and the heat source-side heat exchanger 22 include a compressor (not shown) that compresses low-pressure refrigerant to make it high-pressure, an expansion valve (not shown) that expands high-pressure refrigerant to make it low-pressure, and refrigerant piping. 28 and other refrigerant pipes (not shown), forming a vapor compression type refrigeration cycle circuit. The refrigerant used in the refrigeration cycle is, for example, HFC refrigerant.

The user unit 10 is formed with an inlet 15 for sucking air and an outlet 16 for blowing out air. A user-side heat exchanger 12 is provided inside the suction port 15 for exchanging heat between air sucked in from the outside of the housing 11 and a refrigerant. As a result, for example, during cooling operation, the user-side heat exchanger 12 serves as an evaporator, and the air sucked in from the outside of the housing 11 is cooled by the refrigerant that evaporates within the user-side heat exchanger 12.

A user-side blower fan 13 is provided inside the air outlet 16 to blow out the air inside the housing 11 that has exchanged heat with the user-side heat exchanger 12 to the outside. The user-side ventilation fan 13 is, for example, a propeller fan or the like, and is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown).

The air conditioner 1 according to the present embodiment is equipped with a particularly powerful user-side ventilation fan 13. Specifically, the user-side blower fan 13 has a strong blowing ability that blows air out from the outlet 16 at a wind speed of 8 m/s. Thereby, strong wind with strong straightness can be delivered far from the air outlet 16, and a large room can be efficiently cooled or heated.

The air outlet 16 is provided with a wind direction guide 14 for adjusting the flow direction of the air sent by the usage side fan 13. The wind direction guide 14 has an outer periphery that surrounds the outer periphery of the user-side blower fan 13 and has, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape. The inside surrounded by the outer periphery of the wind direction guide 14 is an opening connected to the air outlet 16, and a variable wind direction adjusting plate (not shown) may be provided therein to adjust the flow of air.

A duct support portion 17 for connecting a duct 40 (see FIG. 1) is provided on the outer periphery of the wind direction guide 14. The duct support portion 17 is, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener, and more specifically, it may be a hook-and-loop fastener having a male surface. The duct support portion 17 is detachably connected to a hook-and-loop fastener serving as an inlet coupling member 45 (see FIG. 4) provided on the inner peripheral surface of the inlet opening 41 (see FIG. 1) of the duct 40.

The heat source side unit 20 is formed with an inlet 25 for sucking air and an outlet 26 for blowing out air. A heat source side heat exchanger 22 is provided inside the suction port 25 to exchange heat between air sucked in from the outside and a refrigerant. Thereby, for example, during cooling operation, the refrigerant in the heat source side heat exchanger 22 is cooled by the air flowing in from the suction port 25. In other words, the air sucked in from the suction port 25 exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the heat source side heat exchanger 22 and is heated.

A heat source side blower fan 23 is provided inside the air outlet 26 to blow out the air inside the housing 21 that has exchanged heat with the heat source side heat exchanger 22 to the outside. The heat source side blower fan 23 is, for example, a propeller fan or the like, and is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown). For example, two heat source side blower fans 23 are provided, one above the other.

Further, the air outlet 26 may be provided with a wind direction guide 24 for adjusting the blowing direction of the air sent by the heat source side blower fan 23. The wind direction guide 24 has, for example, a substantially rectangular outer frame that surrounds the outer periphery of the heat source side blower fan 23, and is made of a metal plate material, a resin plate material, or the like. For example, a pair of wind direction guides 24 are provided, one above the other, corresponding to the two heat source side blower fans 23 provided above and below.

The pedestal 30 is a pedestal that integrally supports the user unit 10 and the heat source unit 20. The frame 30 is made of, for example, angle steel, channel steel, other steel materials, or the like. A base 31 is formed at the bottom of the pedestal 30. The base 31 has an outer periphery shaped like a substantially rectangular frame when viewed from above. The heat source side unit 20 is fixed to the upper part of the base 31.

A user-side unit installation stand 32 on which the user-side unit 10 is installed is formed on the pedestal 30 . The user-side unit installation stand 32 is formed to protrude upward from the top of the base 31 so that the bottom of the user-side unit 10 can be supported at a higher position than the bottom of the heat source-side unit 20.

By providing the usage side unit installation stand 32 on the upper part of the base 31, the usage side unit 10 is fixed at a higher position than the heat source side unit 20. As a result, the position of the air outlet 16 of the user unit 10 is raised, and even when the duct 40 is not connected, air can be widely and efficiently distributed to work spaces that require cold air or hot air for air conditioning. You can blow it away.

Further, the user unit 10 is provided on the upper part of the user unit installation stand 32, and the upper surface of the user unit 10 and the upper surface of the heat source unit 20 are approximately at the same height. The upper part of the usage side unit 10 and the upper part of the heat source side unit 20 are connected and fixed by a connecting member 33. The connecting member 33 supports the upper part of the user side unit 10 and the upper part of the heat source side unit 20, and suppresses deformation of the air conditioner 1 due to the load of the duct 40, vibrations during transportation, use, etc.

A drain pan (not shown) may be provided below the user side unit 10 and the heat source side unit 20. The drain pan is a member that receives moisture that adheres to and drips on the user-side heat exchanger 12 of the user-side unit 10 or the heat-source-side heat exchanger 22 of the heat source-side unit 20 and drains it to a water pipe (not shown). By providing a drain pan, moisture dripping from the user-side heat exchanger 12 or the heat source-side heat exchanger 22 can be collected and properly drained, and it is possible to prevent moisture from scattering into the work space etc. .

Wheels 34 are provided near the lower corners of the base 31 . The wheels 34 are, for example, casters having rubber wheels or the like, and one end side may be a fixed wheel movable in one predetermined direction, and the other end side may be a flexible wheel whose direction can be changed. By providing the wheels 34, the pedestal 30 is configured to be movable while integrally supporting the user unit 10 and the heat source unit 20.

The user side unit 10 and the heat source side unit 20 are provided on a pedestal 30 so that the suction port 15 for sucking air and the suction port 25 face each other. That is, the usage side unit 10 and the heat source side unit 20 are arranged so that the usage side heat exchanger 12 side and the heat source side heat exchanger 22 side face each other.

In other words, the user side unit 10 and the heat source side unit 20 are placed back to back so that the air outlet 16 of the user side unit 10 and the air outlet 26 of the heat source side unit 20 face in opposite directions so that each blows out air in opposite directions. It is located in

As described above, the user side unit 10 and the heat source side unit 20 are arranged back to back with the suction port 15 and the suction port 25 facing each other so that the air outlet 16 and the air outlet 26 blow out air in opposite directions. This enables efficient air conditioning for distribution warehouses, large-scale factories, gymnasiums, etc.

That is, the cooled or heated air can be efficiently and powerfully blown out from the air outlet 16 of the user unit 10 through the duct 40 into the air-conditioned space. Then, air unnecessary for air conditioning operation is blown out from the air outlet 26 of the heat source side unit 20 facing opposite to the air outlet 16 of the user side unit 10.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a duct portion of the air conditioner 1. As shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, duct 40 includes an upper member 43 that constitutes an upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower member 47 that constitutes a lower half. The upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are removably connected near each other's sides along the air blowing direction, and there is an air path through which air flows inside the duct 40 sandwiched between the upper member 43 and the lower member 47. is formed.

The branch duct 50 includes an upper branch member 53 that constitutes an upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower branch member 57 that constitutes a lower half. The upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 are detachably connected. Specifically, the upper branching member 53 and the lower branching member 57 are removably connected near their sides along the air blowing direction, and the branching duct sandwiched between the upper branching member 53 and the lower branching member 57 An air passage through which air flows is formed inside 50.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing a schematic configuration of the duct 40. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 have a substantially rectangular shape, and may be made of, for example, a synthetic resin sheet material or a woven or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic fibers. good. As a result, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are lightweight, foldable, and easy to transport and store.

Further, at least one of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 may be formed from a slightly breathable material. Thereby, for example, when cold air is flowed through the duct 40 during cooling operation, dew condensation on the surface of the duct 40 can be prevented.

Further, for example, in heating operation, only the lower member 47 may be made of a breathable material. Thereby, warm air can be supplied toward the floor surface of the air-conditioned space, and comfortable heating operation can be performed.

A coupling member 44 is provided near the side of the upper member 43 along the air blowing direction, and a coupling member 48 is provided near the side of the lower member 47 along the air blowing direction. The coupling members 44 and 48 are members that detachably couple the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners.

Specifically, the coupling member 44 provided on the upper member 43 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female surface on its inner peripheral surface, and the coupling member 48 provided on the lower member 47 is coupled to the coupling member 44 of the upper member 43. This is a hook-and-loop fastener that has a male surface on its inner peripheral surface. In addition, the male and female surfaces of the hook-and-loop fasteners of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 may have a configuration opposite to that described above.

Such a configuration makes it easy to assemble and disassemble the duct 40. Further, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 can be firmly connected with a simple operation so that the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 will not be separated by wind pressure.

Specifically, the duct 40 having a substantially cylindrical shape can be easily formed by overlapping the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 and joining the connecting members 44 and 48 near the sides. As a result, the air blown out from the main body 2 (see Fig. 2) of the air conditioner 1 (see Fig. 1) can be air-conditioned without the need for large-scale renovation work of factories, warehouses, etc. that are targeted for air conditioning. It can be efficiently sent to the desired space. Further, the duct 40 formed by being detachably connected by the connecting members 44 and 48 is easy to disassemble into the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, transport, and store.

Further, since the vicinity of the sides of the upper member 43 and lower member 47 connected by the connecting members 44 and 48 are removable, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 can be partially peeled off at any location to form an opening. You can also do that. That is, in the vicinity of a place requiring cooling or heating, an opening is formed by partially peeling off the sides of the upper member 43 and lower member 47, and cold or warm air can be blown out from the opening. Therefore, according to this duct mechanism, cold air or hot air can be directly and efficiently supplied to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, and even in large spaces, it is possible to provide high efficiency. Air conditioning operation can be performed.

Note that the coupling members 44 and 48 may employ coupling means that utilizes magnetic force. For example, the upper member 43 may include a magnet such as neodymium as the coupling member 44, and the lower member 47 may be provided with a magnetic material as the coupling member 48. Further, the object to which the magnet and the magnetic body are attached may be the opposite of the above. Even with such a configuration, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are strongly fixed so that they do not come off due to wind pressure, etc., and the work of joining the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 to form the duct 40 and the operation of the upper member 43 By separating the lower member 47, the duct 40 can be easily disassembled.

Furthermore, an inlet coupling member 45 is provided in the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 near the ends that form the inlet opening 41 of the duct 40 . The inlet coupling member 45 is a member that removably connects the duct 40 to the main body 2 of the air conditioner 1, and is, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener.

Specifically, the hook-and-loop fastener as the entrance coupling member 45 is provided on the inner circumferential surfaces near the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and has a female surface on the inner circumferential surfaces. On the other hand, the hook-and-loop fastener serving as the duct support portion 17 provided in the user-side unit 10 (see FIG. 2) has a male surface on its outer peripheral surface. Note that the male and female surfaces of the hook-and-loop fastener only need to be able to connect the inlet coupling member 45 and the duct support portion 17, and a configuration opposite to the above may be adopted.

As described above, since the inlet coupling member 45 is provided on the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 of the duct 40, the user unit 10 and the duct 40 are connected to each other by the air sent from the user side ventilation fan 13 (see FIG. 2). It is firmly fixed so that it will not come off due to the pressure of the Further, the work of attaching and removing the duct 40 to the user-side unit 10 is easy. Therefore, the air conditioner 1 and the duct 40 can be easily moved and installed at a location that requires air conditioning.

Note that the duct 40 may be connected using a connection method using magnetic force. Specifically, a member containing neodymium or other magnets may be provided as the inlet coupling member 45 of the duct 40, and a magnetic material may be provided as the duct support portion 17 of the user unit 10. Furthermore, the configurations of the magnet and the magnetic body may be reversed. With such a configuration, the duct 40 can be easily and safely attached to the user unit 10, and can also be easily removed.

Near the end forming the outlet opening 42 of the duct 40, the upper member 43 is provided with an outlet coupling member 46, and the lower member 47 is provided with an outlet coupling member 49. The outlet coupling members 46 and 49 are members that detachably couple the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners.

Specifically, the outlet coupling member 46 provided on the upper member 43 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female surface on its inner peripheral surface, and the outlet coupling member 49 provided on the lower member 47 is a hook-and-loop fastener provided on the lower member 47. This is a hook-and-loop fastener that has a male surface on its inner peripheral surface so as to be coupled to the coupling member 46. The male and female surfaces of the hook-and-loop fastener may have the opposite configuration.
Note that the exit coupling members 46 and 49 may employ coupling means that utilizes magnetic force, similar to the coupling members 44 and 48 described above.

By providing the outlet coupling members 46 and 49 near the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are coupled near the outlet opening 42 of the duct 40, and the outlet opening of the duct 40 is connected. 42 can be closed.

Note that the outlet opening 42 does not have to be completely closed, and the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 may be partially connected near their ends so that the opening area is small. Specifically, the length L1 of the outlet coupling members 46, 49, that is, the length L1 of the outlet coupling members 46, 49 in the end side direction of the upper member 43 and lower member 47 is It may be shorter than the side length L2. For example, the length L1 of the outlet coupling members 46 and 49 may be 1/10 to 9/10, preferably 1/3 to 2/3, of the length L2 of the end sides of the upper member 43 and lower member 47. .

As described above, by providing the outlet connecting members 46 and 49 on the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are connected by the outlet connecting members 46 and 49, and the ends of the duct 40 are connected. Adjustments can be made to reduce or increase the amount of air blown out of outlet opening 42. Thereby, the amount of air sent to each location from the openings formed on the sides of the duct 40 can be suitably adjusted. Therefore, a suitable amount of cold air or hot air can be supplied to each work place that requires air conditioning, and highly efficient air conditioning can be performed with less waste.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing a schematic configuration of the branch duct 50. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 have a substantially rectangular shape and are made of a synthetic resin sheet material or a woven or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic fibers. . As a result, the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 are lightweight, foldable, and easy to transport and store.

Further, the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 may be formed from a material that has slight air permeability. Thereby, for example, when cold air is flowed through the branch duct 50 during cooling operation, dew condensation on the surface of the branch duct 50 can be prevented.

Further, for example, in heating operation, only the lower branch member 57 may be made of a breathable material. Thereby, warm air can be supplied toward the floor surface of the air-conditioned space, and comfortable heating operation can be performed.

The upper branch member 53 is provided with a branch duct connecting member 54 extending along the air blowing direction near the side, and the lower branch member 57 is provided with a branch duct connecting member 54 extending along the air blowing direction near the side. A coupling member 58 is provided. The branch duct coupling members 54 and 58 are members that are detachably coupled, and are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners, like the coupling members 44 and 48 described above.

Specifically, the branch duct coupling member 54 provided on the branch upper member 53 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female surface on the inner circumferential surface, and the branch duct coupling member 58 provided on the branch lower member 57 is a hook-and-loop fastener that has a female surface on the inner peripheral surface. This is a hook-and-loop fastener having a male surface on its inner peripheral surface so as to be coupled to the branch duct coupling member 54 of the member 53. Note that the configuration of the male surface and female surface of the hook and loop fastener may be reversed.

With such a configuration, the branch duct 50 can be easily formed by overlapping the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 and coupling the branch duct coupling members 54 and 58 near the sides. In other words, using conventional round or square air conditioning ducts made from common aluminum or steel materials, it can be used efficiently in multiple locations that require air conditioning without the need for large-scale renovation work. A ventilation path that sends air well can be formed with easy work.

Note that the branch duct coupling members 54 and 58 may be detachable coupling means that utilizes magnetic force, similar to the coupling members 44 and 48 of the duct 40. Thereby, the branch duct 50 can be easily assembled and disassembled, and the branch duct 50 can be obtained with suitable strength capable of withstanding wind pressure.

The branch upper member 53 is provided with a branch inlet coupling member 55 that is coupled to the coupling member 44 of the upper member 43 of the duct 40 near the end of the branch duct 50 on the inlet side, that is, on the branch inlet 51 side. The branch lower member 57 is provided with a branch entrance coupling member 59 that is coupled to the coupling member 48 of the lower member 47 of the duct 40 near the end on the branch entrance 51 side. The branch entrance coupling members 55 and 59 are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners.

Specifically, the branch entrance coupling member 55 provided on the branch upper member 53 is a hook-and-loop fastener that has a male surface on its outer peripheral surface and is coupled to the coupling member 44 of the upper member 43 of the duct 40 . The branch entrance coupling member 59 provided on the branch lower member 57 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female surface on its outer peripheral surface so as to be coupled to the coupling member 48 of the lower member 47 . Note that the configuration of the male and female surfaces of the hook-and-loop fastener can be reversed to the above according to the coupling members 44 and 48 of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47.

Further, the branch entrance coupling members 55 and 59 may have any structure as long as they can be detachably coupled to the coupling members 44 and 48 of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and a coupling means using magnetic force may be used. good. With such a configuration as well, the branch duct 50 can be easily attached and detached, and the branch duct 50 can be attached with suitable strength capable of withstanding wind pressure.

In this way, the branch duct 50 has branch entrance coupling members 55 and 59 that are detachable from the coupling members 44 and 48 of the upper member 43 and lower member 47 of the duct 40. Due to the coupling between the coupling members 44 and 48, the vicinity of the end on the side of the branch entrance 51 is removably sandwiched between the upper member 43 and the lower member 47.

With such a configuration, a plurality of branch ducts 50 are provided at appropriate positions of the duct 40, and the cold air necessary for air conditioning is blown out from the air conditioner 1 to a place distant from the duct 40 via the branch ducts 50. Alternatively, hot air can be supplied directly.

That is, the duct 40 can be easily provided with a plurality of branch ducts 50, and the positions where the branch ducts 50 are connected can be arbitrary. Therefore, the air necessary for cooling or heating can be sent suitably to multiple work places that require cooling or heating, and in large spaces such as factories, it is suitable for each worker and is efficient. air conditioning operation with low energy consumption.

Further, in the branch duct 50 formed by being detachably connected by the branch duct coupling members 54 and 58, the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 can be easily disassembled, transported, stored, and the like. Furthermore, the vicinity of the sides of the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 connected by the branch duct coupling members 54 and 58 are removable, so the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 can be peeled off at any location. The opening can be formed by

That is, in the vicinity of a place that requires cooling or heating, the vicinity of the sides of the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 can be partially peeled off to form a partial opening for blowing out cold or warm air. Therefore, according to the duct mechanism according to the present embodiment, cold air or hot air can be directly and efficiently supplied to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, even in large spaces. Highly efficient spot air conditioning operation can be performed.

Further, the upper branch member 53 is provided with a coupling member 56 for branch outlet near the end on the outlet 52 side of the branch duct 50, and the lower branch member 57 is provided with a coupling member 56 for branch outlet near the end on the outlet 52 side. A member 60 is provided. The branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60 are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners that detachably couple the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 near the end of the branch duct 50 on the outlet 52 side.

Specifically, the branch outlet coupling member 56 provided on the branch upper member 53 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female surface on the inner circumferential surface, and the branch outlet coupling member 60 provided on the branch lower member 57 is a hook-and-loop fastener that has a female surface on the inner peripheral surface. This is a hook-and-loop fastener having a male surface on its inner peripheral surface so as to be coupled to the branch outlet coupling member 56 of the member 53. The male and female surfaces of the hook-and-loop fastener may have the opposite configuration.

This makes it easy to connect and disassemble the branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60, and provides suitable strength that can withstand wind pressure. Note that the branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60 may be coupling means that utilizes magnetic force, similar to the coupling members 44 and 48 described above. A bonding means using magnetic force also provides high working efficiency and safe bonding strength.

By providing the branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60 near the ends of the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 in this way, the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 are coupled near the outlet 52 of the branch duct 50. As a result, the opening area of the branch duct 50 on the outlet 52 side can be reduced.

Specifically, the outlet 52 of the branch duct 50 does not have to be completely closed, and the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 may be partially connected near their ends so as to reduce the opening area. The length L3 of the branch outlet coupling members 56, 60, that is, the length L3 of the branch outlet coupling members 56, 60 in the end side direction of the branch upper member 53 and branch lower member 57 is may be shorter than the length L4 of the end side. For example, the length L3 of the branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60 is from 1/10 to 9/10, preferably from 1/3 to 2/10, of the length L4 of the end sides of the upper branch member 53 and lower branch member 57. 3 is also fine.

As described above, by providing the branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60 on the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57, the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 can be coupled by the branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60. The amount of air blown out from the outlet 52 at the end of the branch duct 50 can be adjusted.

By adjusting the opening area using the branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60, the amount of air sent to each location from the opening formed on the side of the branch duct 50 or the outlet 52 of another branch duct 50 can be adjusted. It can be adjusted appropriately. Therefore, a suitable amount of cold air or hot air can be supplied to each work place that requires air conditioning, and highly efficient air conditioning can be performed with less waste.

In this way, the air conditioner 1 of the present invention has the duct 40 and the branch duct 50, so that the cold air or warm air blown out from the air conditioner 1 is divided and directly distributed to each of a plurality of locations in the air-conditioned space. It can be supplied efficiently. Therefore, highly efficient air conditioning operation can be performed.

As described above, the air conditioner 1 according to the present embodiment is easy to move and install, and the duct 40 and branch duct 50 can be assembled, disassembled, attached and removed efficiently. Then, the low-temperature air cooled by the use-side heat exchanger 12 or the heated high-temperature air is sent to the duct 40 as the main duct, and via the branch duct 50 detachably provided on the side of the duct 40, It can be sent to multiple locations that require cooling or heating. Therefore, highly efficient air conditioning operation in a large space is possible.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit thereof.

1 Air conditioner 2 Main body 10 Usage side unit 11 Housing 12 Usage side heat exchanger 13 Usage side ventilation fan 14 Wind direction guide 15 Suction port 16 Air outlet 17 Duct support part 20 Heat source side unit 21 Housing 22 Heat source side heat exchanger 23 Heat source Side ventilation fan 24 Wind direction guide 25 Suction port 26 Air outlet 28 Refrigerant piping 30 Frame 31 Base 32 User-side unit installation stand 33 Connecting member 34 Wheels 40 Duct 41 Inlet opening 42 Outlet opening 43 Upper member 44 Coupling member 45 Inlet coupling member 46 Outlet coupling member 47 Lower member 48 Coupling member 49 Outlet coupling member 50 Branch duct 51 Branch inlet 52 Outlet 53 Branch upper member 54 Branch duct coupling member 55 Branch inlet coupling member 56 Branch outlet coupling member 57 Branch lower member 58 Branch duct coupling member 59 Branch inlet coupling member 60 Branch outlet coupling member

Claims (10)

A duct that is attached to a mobile air conditioner and guides air cooled or heated by the air conditioner to an air-conditioned space,
The duct has an upper member that constitutes an upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower member that constitutes a lower half,
The duct structure is characterized in that the upper member and the lower member are removably connected to each other at their side portions along the air blowing direction by a connecting member. The upper member and the lower member are provided with an inlet coupling member at an end forming an inlet opening of the duct,
The duct structure according to claim 1, wherein the duct is detachably connected to the air conditioner by the inlet coupling member. A branch duct connected to the duct and blowing air into the air-conditioned space,
A branch inlet coupling member coupled to the coupling member is provided at the inlet side end of the branch duct,
The duct structure according to claim 1, wherein the branch duct is detachably held between the upper member and the lower member by coupling the coupling member and the branch entrance coupling member. The upper member and the lower member are provided with an outlet coupling member at an end forming an outlet opening of the duct,
2. The duct structure according to claim 1, wherein the upper member and the lower member of the duct are removably coupled by the outlet coupling member so that the outlet opening can be used in a closed state. The branch duct has an upper branch member that constitutes an upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower branch member that constitutes a lower half,
4. The duct structure according to claim 3, wherein the upper branch member and the lower branch member are removably connected to each other by a branch duct connecting member at their respective side portions along the air blowing direction. The upper branch member and the lower branch member are provided with a branch outlet coupling member at an end on the outlet side of the branch duct,
The duct according to claim 5, wherein the branch duct is configured such that the branch upper member and the branch lower member are removably coupled by the branch outlet coupling member so that the outlet side can be used in a closed state. structure. The duct structure according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the coupling member and the entrance coupling member is a hook-and-loop fastener or a magnet. The duct structure according to claim 1, wherein the upper member and the lower member are formed from a synthetic resin sheet material or a woven or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic fibers. An air conditioner comprising the duct structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8. a user-side unit provided with a user-side heat exchanger and a user-side blower fan;
a heat source side unit provided with a heat source side heat exchanger and a heat source side blower fan;
A pedestal on which the user side unit and the heat source side unit are mounted,
The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the duct is connected to an outlet of the user unit.

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