JP2024013075A - air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operationality of an air conditioner while securing the flow of air to be blown by reducing windage loss in a casing without hindering the downsizing of the air conditioner.

SOLUTION: An air conditioner 1 includes a casing 10 storing a refrigerant circuit including a compressor 20, a heater 40, a decompression part 70, and a cooler 30, the casing having a blowout port 12 for blowing air cooled by the cooler to the outside of the casing, and an operation panel for receiving operation for the air conditioner, in the same plane. A center line O_V extending in the air distribution direction of the blowout port is offset from a center line O_E extending in the air distribution direction of the cooler to the opposite side to the operation panel in the cross direction of the cooler.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

Conventionally, there have been small air conditioners that house a complete set of equipment necessary for air conditioning, such as the equipment that makes up the refrigerant circuit (compressor, condenser, evaporator, depressurizer, etc.) and blower, as well as the control device that controls them. Are known.

As an example of such an air conditioner, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner that houses internal components including a compressor inside a housing, and that has an exhaust air conditioner installed at an air conditioner vent outside the housing via an exhaust hose adapter. A wind hose blows out cold air.

China Utility Model Publication No. 203421776

By the way, the above-mentioned small air conditioner is installed and used in a relatively narrow limited space, and further miniaturization is required, so it is necessary to change the layout of the equipment housed in the case, There are restrictions on changing the layout of the air outlet, inlet, switches, and various operation buttons provided in the housing.

Generally, in an air conditioner, in order to ensure the volume of temperature-controlled air blown out, the center line of the air outlet provided in the casing in the air blowing direction and the center line of the heat exchanger inside the casing in the air blowing direction must be aligned. It is preferable to arrange the outlet and the heat exchanger so that they are located on the same straight line. Further, in view of the operability of the air conditioner, it is preferable to secure an area in the housing where switches and various operation buttons can be arranged as an operation panel in one place.

However, there is a trade-off between reducing the size of the air conditioner and arranging the heat exchanger and the air outlet as described above and securing an area for arranging the operation panel. That is, if the heat exchanger and the air outlet are arranged as described above while reducing the size of the air conditioner, it is difficult to secure an area for the operation panel. If priority is given to the positional relationship between the heat exchanger and the air outlet, for example, switches and various buttons provided on the outside of the housing will be placed apart from each other, which will reduce the operability of the air conditioner.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to reduce the windage loss inside the casing and secure the airflow volume without hindering the miniaturization of the air conditioner, and to improve the operability of the air conditioner. The challenge is to improve it.

An air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention is an air conditioner in which a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a heater, a pressure reducing part, and a cooler is housed in a housing, wherein the housing is cooled by the cooler. an air outlet that blows out the air to the outside of the casing, and an operation panel that receives operations for the air conditioner in the same plane, and a center line of the air outlet that extends in the air flow direction The cooling device is offset toward the opposite side of the operation panel in the width direction of the cooler with respect to a center line extending in the air flow direction of the cooler.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the windage loss inside the casing, ensure the amount of air blown, and improve the operability of the air conditioner without hindering the miniaturization of the air conditioner.

1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic internal configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a front view showing a schematic internal configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a reference diagram showing the flow of air in the AA cross-sectional view of FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 4 is a reference diagram showing the flow of air in the BB sectional view of FIG. 3. FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals indicate parts with the same function, and redundant explanations in each figure will be omitted as appropriate.

1 to 7 show schematic configurations of an air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment. The air conditioner 1 includes a housing 10, a compressor 20 housed in the housing 10, a cooler (evaporator) 30, a heater (condenser) 40, a first blower 50, a second blower 60, and a pressure reducer 70. , and a control device 80. The compressor 20, the cooler 30, the heater 40, and the pressure reducer 70 are connected by refrigerant pipes 92 to 94, forming a refrigerant circuit in which refrigerant circulates.

In the air conditioner 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, air passes through the cooler 30 and the heater 40 along the front-rear direction of the air conditioner 1. That is, in the air conditioner 1, the front-rear direction of the air conditioner 1 is the direction of air flow in the cooler 30 and the heater 40. By circulating air from the back to the front of the cooler 30 and circulating air from the front to the back of the heater 40, the heat between the air passing through the cooler 30 and the heater 40 and the refrigerant is reduced. Let the exchange take place.

(About the layout of the outside of the housing)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an operation panel 11 is provided on the front of the casing 10 at a position corresponding to the accommodation position (described later) of the control device 80, and a position adjacent to the operation panel 11 for cooling. The air outlet 12 is provided so as to correspond to the housing position of the container 30 and to the air outlet opening 31 of the duct 303 (described later). That is, the operation panel 11 and the air outlet 12 are arranged within the same plane of the housing. A surface including the operation panel 11 and the air outlet 12 is inclined so that the air outlet faces upward from the horizontal direction. Further, an air suction port 13 is provided at a position corresponding to the housing position of the second blower 60.

On the back surface of the casing 10, an air suction port (not shown) is provided at a position corresponding to the housing position of the first blower 50, and an air exhaust port (not shown) is provided at a position corresponding to the housing position of the heater 40. It is being

(About the layout inside the casing)
Next, the layout of each device within the casing 10 of the air conditioner 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, in the casing 10 of the air conditioner 1, a compressor 20, a heater 40, and a second blower 60 are arranged on the bottom plate 15, and a cooler is placed above these (on the upper side in the vertical direction). 30, a first blower 50, a pressure reducer 70, and a control device 80 are arranged.

In particular, in the direction orthogonal to the flow direction of the air passing through the cooler 30 and in the horizontal direction of the cooler 30 (left-right direction when viewed from the front), the pressure reducer 70 is located on one side of the cooler 30 (left side when viewed from the front). The compressor 20 is arranged on the other side of the cooler 30 (on the right side when viewed from the front) and below the cooler 30 (on the lower side in the vertical direction). Further, a control device 80 is arranged above the compressor 20 and adjacent to the cooler 30. Note that an accumulator 22 is arranged in front of the compressor 20.

More specifically, on the bottom plate 15, the compressor 20 is arranged on the right side of the heater 40 when viewed from the front, and the second blower 60 is arranged on the front side of the heater 40. The cooler 30 is disposed above the heater 40 and slightly forward of the heater 40 so as to partially overlap the heater 40 in the vertical direction.

When viewed from the front, the pressure reducer 70 is placed on the left side of the cooler 30, the control device 80 is placed on the right side, and the first blower 50 is placed on the back side of the cooler 30. A duct 303 connecting the cooler 30 and the air outlet 12 is provided on the front side of the cooler 30 . A blowout opening 31 connected to the blowout port 12 of the housing 10 is provided on the front side of the duct 303 . Details of the duct 303 and the positional relationship among the cooler 30, the duct 303, and the air outlet 12 will be described later.

A refrigerant inlet 32 is provided on the upper surface of the cooler 30 on one side of the cooler 30 (left side in front view), that is, on the pressure reducer 70 side, through which the refrigerant that has passed through the pressure reducer 70 flows into the cooler 30. ing. Further, on the upper surface of the cooler 30, a refrigerant outlet 33 for the refrigerant that passes through the cooler 30 and returns to the compressor 20 is provided on the rear side of the refrigerant inlet 32.

That is, in the cooler 30, the refrigerant inlet 32 is provided so that the refrigerant flows in from the upper surface of the cooler 30, and the refrigerant outlet 33 is provided so that the refrigerant flows out from the upper surface of the cooler 30. . The refrigerant outlet 33 and the compressor 20 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 94. The refrigerant pipe 94 is routed from the refrigerant outlet 33 to the back side of the control device 80 , and then passes below the control device 80 and is connected to the front side of the compressor 20 .

A refrigerant inlet 42 is provided on the upper surface of the heater 40 on one side of the heater 40 (on the left side when viewed from the front) and on the rear side of the heater 40, through which the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 20 flows. ing. Further, on the upper surface of the heater 40 , a refrigerant outlet 43 is provided on the front side of the refrigerant inlet 42 so as to pass through the heater 40 and flow out toward the pressure reducer 70 .

That is, in the heater 40, the refrigerant inlet 42 is provided so that the refrigerant flows in from the upper surface of the heater 40, and the refrigerant outlet 43 is provided so that the refrigerant flows out from the upper surface of the heater 40. .
The compressor 20 and the refrigerant inlet 42 of the heater 40 are connected by a refrigerant pipe (not shown), the refrigerant outlet 43 and the pressure reducer 70 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 92, and the refrigerant of the pressure reducer 70 and the cooler 30 is connected. It is connected to the inlet 32 by a refrigerant pipe 93. Both the refrigerant pipe 92 and the refrigerant pipe 93 are located on the pressure reducer 70 side with respect to the cooler 30.

(About the flow of refrigerant)
In the refrigerant circuit connected as described above, the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 20 and discharged as a high-pressure gas refrigerant. The high-pressure gas refrigerant passes through the refrigerant pipe 91 and flows into the heater 40 via the refrigerant inlet 42, and radiates heat by exchanging heat with the air blown from the second blower 60 and passing through the heater 40. .

The high-pressure refrigerant flowing out from the refrigerant outlet 43 of the heater 40 passes through the refrigerant pipe 92, flows into the pressure reducer 70, is depressurized by the pressure reducer 70, expands, and becomes a low-pressure refrigerant. The refrigerant whose pressure has become low in the pressure reducer 70 passes through the refrigerant pipe 93 and flows into the cooler 30 from the refrigerant inlet 32 . The low-pressure refrigerant flowing into the cooler 30 absorbs heat by exchanging heat with the air blown by the first blower 50 and passing through the cooler 30, and flows out through the refrigerant outlet 33 of the cooler 30. The refrigerant flowing out of the cooler 30 flows through the refrigerant pipe 94 and returns to the compressor 20 via the accumulator 22. The refrigerant that has flowed into the compressor 20 is compressed again, and the above circulation is repeated.

(About the duct and the arrangement of the cooler and duct)
As mentioned above, the duct 303 is provided between the cooler 30 and the air outlet 12. The cooler 30 is configured by housing a cooler main body 301 in a cooler case 302, and the duct 303 is connected to a first duct member 304 that is continuous with the cooler case 302, and is removably attached to the first duct member 304. and a second duct member 305 having a blowout opening 31. The duct 303 is a cooler by attaching the second duct member 305 to the first duct member 304 and connecting the air outlet 12 to the air outlet 31 provided on the front side of the second duct member 305. Air cooled by the main body 301 is guided to the air outlet 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, the center line _OV of the outlet 12 extending in the air flow direction is relative to the center line _OE of the cooler 30 extending in the air flow direction in the width direction of the cooler 30 (cooling It is offset to the opposite side of the operation panel 11, that is, to the pressure reducer 70 side in the direction perpendicular to the air flow direction and the vertical direction with respect to the container 30. By doing so, the air outlet 12 can be shifted to the end regardless of the air outlet position of the cooler 30, and an area for arranging the operation panel can be secured.
Note that it is preferable that the offset amount D between the center line _OV of the air outlet 12 and the center line _OE of the cooler 30 extending in the air flow direction is approximately half or less of the width of the cooler 30.
Here, it is preferable that the center line _OE of the cooler 30 extending in the air flow direction is a line passing through the center of the heat exchange section that exchanges heat with the air.

Then, the windage loss caused by offsetting the center line _OV of the air outlet 12 and the center line _OE extending in the air flow direction of the cooler 30 in the width direction of the cooler 30 is reduced. In order to suppress this, the duct 303 is configured as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the duct 303 has a first side wall 341 and a second side wall 342 that are provided along the vertical direction. The first side wall 341 is located on the operation panel 11 side with respect to the blow-off opening 31 when viewed from the front, is inclined toward the center of the air flow path, and is continuous with the base of the blow-off opening 31 . The second side wall 342 is located on the side opposite to the operation panel 11 with the blow-off opening 31 in between, that is, on the pressure reducer 70 side, and is inclined toward the outside of the airflow passage. Continuous to the base.

The angle of inclination of the second side wall with respect to the air flow direction is larger than the angle of inclination of the first side wall 341 with respect to the air flow direction, and the second side wall 342 is located on the upstream side of the first side wall 341 in the air flow direction in the air flow path. It is provided.

By offsetting the center line _OV of the outlet 12 extending in the air flow direction and the center line _OE of the cooler 30 extending in the air flow direction in the width direction of the cooler 30, the air flow path is The air volume of the air outlet 12 may decrease due to a change in the cross-sectional area of the air outlet 12. However, by making the angle of inclination of the second side wall 341 with respect to the air flow direction larger than the angle of inclination of the first side wall 341 with respect to the air flow direction, this can be reduced. Decrease in air volume can be suppressed.
Also, by providing the second side wall 342 on the upstream side of the first side wall 341 in the air flow direction, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the air volume of the outlet due to a change in the cross-sectional area of the air flow path.

Further, a third side wall 343 is provided at the lower part of the blow-off opening 31 on the front side of the duct 303 . As shown in FIG. 5, the third side wall 343 connects the bottom and the lower part of the blow-off opening 31, and directs the air flowing below the cooler 30 to the blow-out opening 31 through the blow-off opening 31. I will guide you to. Note that the center line _OV of the blow-off opening 31 and the blow-off port 12 is set upward from the horizontal direction so that the air cooled by the cooler 30 is blown upward from the horizontal direction. It is sloping. Therefore, the third side wall 343 is also inclined upward relative to the horizontal direction.

With this configuration, the cooler 30 introduces air blown from the first blower 50 through the air suction opening (not shown) of the cooler case 302, and transfers the taken air to the cooler main body. In this step, the cool air is exchanged with the heat medium and sent out from the blow-off opening 31 provided in the duct 303 to the blow-off port 12 provided in the housing 10 .

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, among the air exiting the cooler 30, the air on the operation panel side is guided by the first side wall 341 and led to the blowout opening 31. Further, among the air that has exited the cooler 30, the air on the pressure reducer 70 side is guided by the second side wall 342 and led to the blowout opening 31.

Furthermore, the air flowing downward in the duct 303 out of the air that has exited the cooler 30 is guided by the third side wall 343 and led to the blowout opening 31 . In this way, the air exiting the cooler 30 is guided by the first side wall 341, the second side wall 342, and the third side wall 343, so that it advances toward the pressure reducer 70 side and above the cooler 30 when viewed from the front. The air is guided to the blowout port 12 through the blowout opening 31 .

Similarly, the heater 40 is configured by housing a heater main body 401 in a heater case 402 (see FIG. 5).
The heater 40 introduces air blown from the second blower 60 through the air suction opening of the heater case 402, exchanges heat with the heat medium in the heater main body 401, and converts the air into an exhaust gas. It is sent out from the opening 41 through the exhaust port 14 of the casing 10.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the center line _OV of the air outlet 12 extending in the air circulation direction and the center line _OE of the cooler 30 extending in the air circulation direction are offset, and the air outlet By arranging 12 at the end of the surface of the casing 10, a region for arranging the operation panel can be secured, so that miniaturization of the air conditioner is not hindered.

The duct 303 is provided with a first side wall 341, a second side wall 342, and a third side wall 343 to efficiently guide the air coming out of the cooler 30 to the air outlet 12, thereby reducing wind loss inside the casing. It is possible to secure the blowout air volume.

Furthermore, various switches necessary for operating the air conditioner are integrated into the operation panel 11, and both the operation panel 11 and the air outlet 12 are arranged together on the same surface of the housing 10, so that the air conditioner can be operated. can improve sex.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and changes in design, etc. within the scope of the gist of the present invention may be made. Even if there is, it is included in the present invention.

1: Air conditioner, 10: Housing, 11: Operation panel, 12: Air outlet, 13: Suction port, 14: Exhaust port, 20: Compressor, 30: Cooler (evaporator), 31: Air outlet opening , 40: heater (condenser), 41: exhaust opening, 70: pressure reducer, 80: control device, 91 to 94: refrigerant piping, 301: cooler body, 302: cooler case, 303: duct, 304: First duct member, 305: Second duct member, 341: First side wall, 342: Second side wall, 343: Third side wall, D: Offset amount

Claims (6)

An air conditioner in which a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a heater, a pressure reduction part, and a cooler is housed in a housing,
The casing has, in the same plane, an air outlet that blows out air cooled by the cooler to the outside of the casing, and an operation panel that receives operations for the air conditioner;
A center line of the outlet extending in the air flow direction is offset from a center line of the cooler extending in the air flow direction to the opposite side of the operation panel in the width direction of the cooler. Air conditioner. comprising a duct that connects the cooler and the outlet and forms an air flow path that guides air cooled by the cooler to the outlet;
The duct is
a first side wall provided along the vertical direction, located on the operation panel side and inclined toward the center of the airflow passage;
a second side wall that is provided along the vertical direction, is located on the opposite side of the operation panel across the air outlet, and is inclined toward the outside of the airflow passage;
The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of the second side wall with respect to the air circulation direction is larger than an inclination angle of the first side wall with respect to the air circulation direction. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the second side wall is provided upstream of the first side wall in the air flow direction in the air flow passage. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the center line of the air outlet is inclined so that the air cooled by the cooler is blown upward rather than horizontally. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein a surface of the housing that includes the air outlet and the operation panel is inclined upward. comprising a duct that connects the cooler and the outlet and forms an air flow path that guides air cooled by the cooler to the outlet;
The duct is
The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a third side wall that connects the bottom of the duct and the lower part of the air outlet and guides air flowing vertically downward in the cooler to the air outlet.

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