JP2024052186A - Heat pump equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] The present disclosure provides a heat pump device that can suppress the intrusion of refrigerant into an electrical box. [Solution] The heat pump device of the present disclosure includes a machine chamber in which a compressor and an expansion device are disposed, and a blower chamber in which a heat exchanger and a blower are disposed, and uses a flammable refrigerant, and includes an electrical box, the electrical box including an electrical box body and a cover member, the electrical box body having a through opening formed therein, a lead wire relay module for drawing in a plurality of lead wires being disposed in the through opening, the lead wire relay module including a plurality of insertion openings into which lead wire blocks are inserted, and the lead wire block including a fixing sleeve and an insertion sleeve disposed in close contact with the fixing sleeve and sealingly holding the lead wires. [Selected Figure] Figure 9

Description

The present invention relates to a heat pump device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a heat pump device that includes a refrigerant circuit that circulates a flammable refrigerant, a heat medium circuit that circulates a heat medium, a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium, an outdoor unit that houses the refrigerant circuit and the heat medium heat exchanger, and an indoor unit that houses a part of the heat medium circuit, and the outdoor unit has at least one of a pressure relief valve and an air vent valve provided in the heat medium circuit as a refrigerant release valve, and the refrigerant release valve is provided outside the housing of the outdoor unit.

European Patent Application Publication No. 3312531

This disclosure provides a heat pump device that can prevent refrigerant from entering the interior of an electrical box when refrigerant leaks from a refrigerant circuit.

The heat pump device in the present disclosure includes a machine chamber in which a compressor and an expansion device are disposed, and a blower chamber in which a heat exchanger and a blower are disposed within a housing, and the heat pump device uses a flammable refrigerant. The heat pump device includes an electrical box, the electrical box includes an electrical box body and a cover member, the electrical box body is formed with a through opening, and a lead wire relay module is provided in the through opening to draw in multiple lead wires, the lead wire relay module includes multiple insertion openings into which lead wire blocks are inserted, and the lead wire block includes a fixing sleeve and an insertion sleeve that is disposed in close contact with the fixing sleeve and seals and holds the lead wires.

According to the present disclosure, if refrigerant leaks from the refrigerant circuit, it is possible to prevent the refrigerant from entering the interior of the electrical box.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a heat pump device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a heat pump device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a front view showing a state in which a front panel of a heat pump device according to a first embodiment is removed; A circuit diagram showing a refrigerant circuit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an electrical box according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an electrical box according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an electrical box according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lead relay module according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lead wire relay module according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a lead wire relay module according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lead relay module according to the first embodiment;

(Knowledge and other information that forms the basis of this disclosure)
At the time when the inventors came up with the idea of the present disclosure, there was a technique for preventing a flammable refrigerant from igniting in a heat pump device.
The heat pump device includes a refrigerant circuit that circulates a flammable refrigerant, a heat medium circuit that circulates a heat medium, a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium, an outdoor unit that houses the refrigerant circuit and the heat medium heat exchanger, and an indoor unit that houses a part of the heat medium circuit. The outdoor unit has at least one of a pressure relief valve and an air vent valve provided in the heat medium circuit as a refrigerant release valve, and the refrigerant release valve is provided outside the housing of the outdoor unit.
In the heat pump device, a machine room is provided in the outdoor unit, and the machine room contains devices such as a compressor and a heat medium heat exchanger that constitute a refrigerant circuit, and an electrical equipment box that houses electrical equipment. The electrical equipment in the electrical equipment box is electrically connected to the various devices in the machine room by lead wires.
However, the inventors discovered a problem with this configuration in that if refrigerant leaks from the refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant will fill the machine chamber and there is a risk that the refrigerant will enter the electrical box through the part where the lead wires are pulled into the electrical box. In order to solve this problem, the inventors came up with the subject matter of the present disclosure.
In view of the above, the present disclosure provides a heat pump device that can suppress the intrusion of refrigerant into an electrical equipment box when refrigerant leaks from a refrigerant circuit.

Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.
It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
[1-1. Configuration]
[1-1-1. Configuration of heat pump device]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the heat pump device 1 according to the embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the heat pump device 1 according to the embodiment 1. Fig. 3 is a front view showing a state in which a front panel 16 of the heat pump device 1 according to the embodiment 1 is removed.
The heat pump device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an outdoor unit that can be used as a so-called heat pump hot water heater.
1 to 3, the heat pump device 1 includes a box-shaped housing 10. In this embodiment, each part of the housing 10 is formed of a steel plate.

A partition plate 11 extending in the vertical direction is provided inside the housing 10. The partition plate 11 divides the internal space of the housing 10 into a blower chamber 12 and a machine chamber 13.
The housing 10 comprises a bottom plate 14 that forms the bottom surface of the housing 10, a pair of side panels 15 that cover the machine chamber 13 of the housing 10 from the front and rear, a front panel 16 that covers the front surface of the blower chamber 12, and a top plate 17 that covers the top surface of the housing 10.
The front panel 16 is provided with a ventilation section 18 formed in a mesh shape to allow air to pass through.

The blower chamber 12 is provided with a heat exchanger 20 and a blower 21 .
The heat exchanger 20 of this embodiment extends almost to the full height of the housing 10 and is formed in an approximately L-shape when viewed in a plane of the housing 10 so as to face the rear surface 10A and the side surface 10B of the housing 10.
The heat exchanger 20 may be, for example, a fin-tube type heat exchanger.
For example, an axial flow fan having a propeller-shaped impeller is used as the blower 21. The blower 21 is disposed such that the axial flow direction faces the ventilation section 18.

The interior of the machine room 13 accommodates various devices that form a refrigerant circuit, such as a compressor 22, a water heat exchanger (heat medium heat exchanger) 23, and an expansion device 24 (see FIG. 4), as well as refrigerant piping 25 that connects these devices to each other.
The water heat exchanger 23 may be, for example, a plate heat exchanger.
A cutout portion 26 is formed in the upper portion of the partition plate 11, and an electrical equipment box 30 is installed in this cutout portion 26.

[1-1-2. Configuration of the refrigerant circuit]
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the refrigerant circuit according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 4, the compressor 22, the four-way valve 27, the water heat exchanger 23, the expansion device 24 and the heat exchanger 20 are connected in a ring shape via a predetermined refrigerant pipe 25 to form a refrigerant circuit.
A predetermined water supply pipe 28 is connected to the water heat exchanger 23, and heat exchange between the water heat exchanger 23 and the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit is performed in the water heat exchanger 23.
The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 22 to a high temperature and high pressure flows as shown by the solid arrow in Fig. 4 and is sent to the water heat exchanger 23, where it is cooled and condensed by heat exchange with water flowing through the water supply pipe 28. The water becomes hot water by receiving heat from the refrigerant, and is supplied to, for example, a user device (not shown).
The refrigerant discharged from the water heat exchanger 23 is decompressed and evaporated in the expansion device 24, and undergoes heat exchange in the heat exchanger 20 to become a gas refrigerant, which is then returned to the compressor 22 again.

4, the refrigerant flows, exchanges heat with outside air in the heat exchanger 20, is decompressed in the expansion device 24, and is sent to the water heat exchanger 23, thereby cooling the water flowing through the water supply pipe 28. The cold water is supplied to a user device (not shown).
In this embodiment, a flammable refrigerant is used as the refrigerant. The flammable refrigerant is R32 or a mixed refrigerant containing 70 weight percent or more of R32, or propane or a mixed refrigerant containing propane.
In addition, a non-flammable refrigerant may be used as the refrigerant instead of a flammable refrigerant.

[1-1-3. Configuration of electrical box]
Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the electrical equipment box 30 of the embodiment 1. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the electrical equipment box 30 of the embodiment 1. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the electrical equipment box 30 of the embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the electrical equipment box 30 is disposed above the blower chamber 12 and the machine chamber 13, straddling the machine chamber 13 and the blower chamber 12.
The electrical box 30 is installed in the cutout portion 26 at the top of the partition plate 11 and is supported by the partition plate 11. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the electrical box 30 includes a box-shaped electrical box body 32 made of sheet metal having an opening 31 with an open top, and a resin lid member 33 formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape that closes the opening 31. The electrical box body 32 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as a metal material. The lid member 33 is attached to the electrical box body 32 via an O-ring 38.

In this embodiment, the entire electrical box body 32 is made of a metal material, but only the portion located in the blower chamber 12 may be made of a metal material.

As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the electrical box body 32 has a rectangular blower side portion 32A located on the blower room 12 side, and a substantially trapezoidal machine side portion 32B located on the machine room 13 side. The cover member 33 has a rectangular blower side portion 33A located on the blower room 12 side, and a substantially trapezoidal machine side portion 33B located on the machine room 13 side.

A control board 40 consisting of a printed circuit board is installed in the blower side portion 32A of the electrical box body 32.

On the control board 40, although not shown, electronic components such as semiconductor chips such as a CPU, transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc. are mounted to form electric circuits.
A heat sink 41 having a plurality of fins is attached to the underside of the control board 40, and the control board 40 is installed so as to protrude downward from a bottom opening 35 provided on the bottom of the blower side section 32A. The heat sink 41 is disposed on the bottom of the blower side section 32A close to the machine side section 32B of the electrical box main body 32. In this embodiment, one end of the heat sink 41 is located at the boundary between the machine side section 32B and the blower side section 32A. In other words, it is located at the boundary separated by the partition plate 11.
A sealant 42 is disposed around the periphery of the bottom opening 35 , and the control board 40 is fixed in place with the bottom opening 35 closed via the sealant 42 .

The machine side portion 32B of the electrical box body 32 is provided with a main power line relay section 50 located at the front side and a lead wire relay section 53 located at the back side. The main power line relay section 50 is provided with a terminal block 51 for connecting the main power line and a cable gland 52 that draws in and seals the main power line. The cable 45 drawn into the cable gland 52 is connected to a specified device such as the compressor 22. The lead wire relay section 53 is provided with a lead wire relay module 55 for drawing in the lead wire.

A terminal block 51 for connecting the cable (main power line) 45 is arranged in the main power line relay section (space) 50. The main power line relay section 50 in which the terminal block 51 is arranged is partitioned by a partition plate 154, and the main power line relay section 50 is sealed within the electrical box body 32. The terminal block 51 is arranged on the partition plate 154A formed at an angle, and faces a window opening 152 formed on the side of the electrical box body 32. A window cover 155 for sealing the main power line relay section 50 is screwed into the window opening 152 with a sealant (not shown) sandwiched therebetween.

The cover member 33 is fixed to the upper end of the electrical box body 32 by fixing screws 37A to 37F via an O-ring 38. This makes the inside of the electrical box body 32 a sealed space. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a flange 32F formed by bending sheet metal is formed on the periphery of the upper end of the electrical box body 32. As shown in FIG. 5, an O-ring groove 36 is formed on the periphery of the underside of the cover member 33, and an O-ring 38 is fitted into the O-ring groove 36, and the cover member 33 is fixed to the flange 32F by six fixing screws 37A to 37F. The O-ring 38 is made of foam rubber or chloroprene rubber.

The cover member 33 is fixed to the flange 32F of the machine side portion 32B of the electrical box body 32 with four fixing screws 37A to 37D, and is fixed to the flange 32F of the blower side portion 32A of the electrical box body 32 with two fixing screws 37E and 37F.

The electrical box body 32 has a volume occupied by the machine side portion 32B that is smaller than the volume occupied by the blower side portion 32A, and the machine side portion 32B of the electrical box body 32 is formed into a trapezoidal shape by cutting the corners of the machine side portion 32B.
As a result, the length of the seal portion between the electrical box body 32 and the cover member 33 in the machine side portion 32B of the electrical box body 32 (the length of the O-ring 38) is set short.
In addition, the pitches P1 to P3 of the fixing screws 37A to 37D that fix the machine side portion 32B are set shorter than the pitches P4 to P6 of the fixing screws 37D to 37F that fix the blower side portion 32A. Since the machine side portion 32B has a short sealing length and the pitches P1 to P3 of the fixing screws 37A to 37D are set short, the sealing performance between the electrical box main body 32 and the lid member 33 in the machine side portion 32B can be improved.

The heat exchanger 20 is formed in an L-shape facing the rear surface 10A and the side surface 10B of the housing 10. A shielding member 60 is provided between the header pipe of the heat exchanger 20 facing the rear surface 10A of the housing 10 and the machine side portion 32B of the electrical box body 32, as shown in FIG. 7. By providing the shielding member 60 near the seal portion of the machine side portion 32B near the header pipe, even if the refrigerant is ejected from the refrigerant circuit, the phenomenon of the refrigerant directly colliding with the vicinity of the seal portion is suppressed, and the mass transfer rate at which the refrigerant permeates the O-ring 38 can be reduced.

As shown in FIG. 3, a space through which ventilation can be performed is formed between the underside of the top plate 17 of the housing 10 and the upper surface of the cover member 33. As shown in FIG. 2, a partition member 39 is provided on the upper surface of the cover member 33. The partition member 39 is arranged in a form that closes the above-mentioned space at the boundary between the blower side portion 33A and the machine side portion 33B. The partition member 39 has a plurality of openings (not shown) formed at equal intervals, and ventilation can be performed between the machine chamber 13 and the blower chamber 12 through the openings.

When the heat pump device 1 is in operation, the blower device 21 is operated, creating a negative pressure inside the blower chamber 12. This causes air from the machine chamber 13 to flow through the multiple openings in the partition member 39 to the blower chamber 12 side. This air flow cools the entire top surface of the lid member 33 with air.

[1-1-4. Configuration of lead wire relay module]
5 to 7 , in the lead wire relay portion 53, a through opening 34a is formed in the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box 30. The through opening 34a is a hole that communicates between the inside and the outside of the electrical box 30 and is substantially rectangular in a plan view. The through opening 34a is covered from above, i.e., from the inside of the electrical box 30, by the lead wire relay module 55.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the lead wire relay module 55. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the lead wire relay module. The lead wire relay module 55 is a module that draws multiple lead wires connecting the control board 40 and various devices such as the compressor 22 into the interior of the electrical box. The lead wire relay module 55 has a fixed frame 70 fixed to the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box and lead wire blocks 100a, 100b inserted into the fixed frame 70. The lead wire blocks 100a, 100b have insertion sleeves 80a, 80b that are in close contact with the lead wires and fixing sleeves 90a, 90b that are in close contact with the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b. The lead wire relay module 55 seals and holds the lead wires by tightly contacting the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b, thereby preventing the refrigerant from entering the interior of the electrical box 30.

The fixed frame 70 is a frame made of resin and has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view with one corner cut off. The fixed frame 70 has a frame portion 71 and a flange portion 73.
The frame portion 71 is provided at the center of the fixed frame 70, and is a portion into which the lead wire blocks 100a and 100b are inserted. The frame portion 71 has an outer frame portion 71a that is a rectangular cylindrical portion in a plan view and a plate-shaped partition plate portion 71b that divides the outer frame portion 71a into two portions, front and rear, and is provided in an area surrounded by the outer frame portion 71a and the partition plate portion 71b. Two insertion openings Sa and Sb that penetrate the fixed frame 70 from top to bottom are formed in the area surrounded by the outer frame portion 71a and the partition plate portion 71b. The upper ends of the insertion openings Sa and Sb open into the electrical box 30, and the lower ends communicate with the through opening portion 34a. In addition, the frame portion 71 has an edge 71d that protrudes approximately horizontally along the inner circumferential surface 71a1 and the lower end of the partition plate portion 71b.

The flange portion 73 is a plate-like portion that surrounds the frame portion 71 and has fixing holes 73a for screw fastening. The flange portion 73 is screwed to the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box, thereby fixing the fixing frame 70 to the electrical box 30.

The insertion sleeves 80a and 80b are made of rubber and are placed in the insertion openings Sa and Sb of the frame 71. The insertion sleeves 80a and 80b have main body parts 85a and 85b that extend in the front-rear direction and have both ends abutting the inner circumferential surface 71a1 of the frame 71. In addition, protrusions 81A and 81B and protrusions 81C and 81D that protrude in the left-right direction are formed in the center of the front-rear direction of the main body parts 85a and 85b. The protrusions 81A to 81D are each approximately trapezoidal in a plan view, and the protrusions 81A to 81D have the same external shape. At the tips of the protrusions 81A to 81D, holes 81A1 to 81D1 that penetrate the protrusions 81A to 81D from top to bottom are formed, respectively. The holes 81A1 to 81D1 are open at the tips of the protrusions 81A to 81D, and the lead wires are sandwiched from the open parts from the front to the back. Each of the holes 81A1 to 81D1 is designed to have a cross-sectional shape that matches the shape of the lead wire to be clamped.

The fixing sleeves 90a, 90b are sleeves that are placed in the insertion openings Sa, Sb of the frame 71, and each has a pair of sleeve bodies 91A, 91B and sleeve bodies 91C, 91D. The sleeve bodies 91A-91D are resin members, and each has a recess 93A-93D into which the protrusions 81A-81D of the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b are fitted. The recesses 93A-93D penetrate the sleeve bodies 91A-91D from top to bottom, and are recessed in the same shape corresponding to the protrusions 81A-81D, which are each the same shape. Therefore, each of the sleeve bodies 91A-91D can be fitted with any one of the protrusions 81A-81D. This allows the protrusions 81A and the sleeve body 91B to be fitted in combinations other than those shown in FIG. 8, for example, and therefore makes it easy to assemble. Additionally, grooves 95A-95D are formed in the recesses 93A-93D, penetrating the sleeve bodies 91A-91D vertically. The grooves 95A-95D connect to the holes 81A1-81D1 when the projections 81A-81D and the recesses 93A-93D are fitted together.

10 is a cross-sectional view of the lead wire relay module 55, showing a vertical cross section taken along the left-right direction of the insertion opening Sa. The inside of the insertion opening Sa will be described below with reference to FIG. 10, but the same applies to the insertion opening Sb.
10, the sleeve bodies 91A, 91B are inserted from above downward into the insertion opening Sa and are fixed to the fixed frame 70 in a state of abutting against the edge 71d. The insertion sleeve 80a is also inserted from above downward into the insertion opening Sa and is fixed to the fixed frame 70 by fitting the protrusions 81A, 81B into the recesses 93A, 93B of the sleeve bodies 91A, 91B.

The side surface (outer periphery) 87a of the insertion sleeve 80a has a tapered structure narrowing from above to below, i.e., toward the insertion direction of the insertion sleeve 80a. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the insertion sleeve 80a becomes smaller toward the insertion direction of the insertion sleeve 80a. In addition, the side surfaces (outer periphery) 92A, 92B of the sleeve bodies 91A, 91B have a tapered structure inclined to a shape along the side surface 87a of the insertion sleeve 80a, and the recesses 93A, 93B narrow from above to below. Therefore, when the insertion sleeve 80a is pushed in the insertion direction, the side surface 87a is pushed inward by the side surfaces 92A, 92B. As a result, the insertion sleeve 80a is compressed horizontally, and the inner surfaces of the holes 81A1, 81B1 are easily attached to the lead wires. In addition, surface pressure is applied between the side surface 87a of the insertion sleeve 80a and the side surfaces 92A, 92B of the sleeve bodies 91A, 91B, so that the side surface 87a and the side surfaces 92A, 92B are more closely attached to each other.

As shown in FIG. 10, the fixed frame 70 has a guide portion 76 that is inserted into the through opening 34a. The guide portion 76 is a cylindrical portion that is formed in approximately the same shape as the inner peripheral edge of the through opening 34a in a plan view and protrudes downward. The guide portion 76 is formed in a position that surrounds the frame portion 71 in a plan view, so that the frame portion 71 is positioned so that it overlaps vertically with the through opening 34a by inserting the guide portion 76 from above downward into the through opening 34a. This allows the insertion openings Sa, Sb in the frame portion 71 to communicate with the through opening 34a, making it possible to route lead wires inside and outside the electrical box 30.

11 is a perspective view of the lead wire relay module 55, showing the lead wire relay module 55 as seen from below. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, an O-ring groove 77 recessed upward is formed on the outer side of the guide portion 76 at the lower end of the fixed frame 70. The inner peripheral side of the O-ring groove 77 is formed along the outer surface of the guide portion 76. A rubber O-ring 77a is placed in the O-ring groove 77. The O-ring 77a is positioned in a position surrounding the through opening 34a by inserting the guide portion 76 from above downward into the through opening 34a. In addition, the O-ring 77a is crushed between the O-ring groove 77 and the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box by fixing the fixed frame 70 to the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box, and the fixed frame 70 closes the gap between the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box. This makes it difficult for refrigerant to enter the electrical box 30 through the gap between the fixed frame 70 and the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box.

The rubber used for the O-ring 77a is chloroprene rubber, which has a particularly low permeability to the propane contained in the refrigerant. This makes it even more difficult for the refrigerant to enter the electrical box 30.

The chloroprene rubber used for the O-ring 77a is foamed rubber. Therefore, when the O-ring 77a is crushed, it easily deforms along the O-ring groove 77 and the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box, and can closely adhere to the O-ring groove 77 and the bottom surface 34 of the electrical box. Also, because the O-ring 77a is made of foamed rubber, even if the cross-sectional area of the O-ring 77a is increased, it easily fits into the O-ring groove 77 when crushed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cross-section of the O-ring 77a is set to a size that protrudes downward from the O-ring groove 77, increasing the adhesion force.

The length of O-ring 77a is set shorter than the length of O-ring groove 77. Specifically, the length of the inner circumference of O-ring 77a when O-ring 77a is not stretched is shorter than the length of the inner circumference of O-ring groove 77. Therefore, when placed in O-ring groove 77, the inner circumference of O-ring 77a is in close contact with the side of the inner circumference of O-ring groove 77, making it difficult for a gap to form between O-ring 77a and O-ring groove 77.

[1-2. motion]
Next, the operation of the heat pump device 1 configured as above will be described.
When the heat pump device 1 is driven, the compressor 22 and the blower device 21 are operated, and the axial flow fan also starts to operate.
As a result, when hot water is used, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 22 to a high temperature and pressure flows as shown by the solid arrow in FIG. 4 and is sent to the water heat exchanger 23. The water is cooled by heat exchange with water flowing through a water supply pipe 28 by the refrigerant 23, and the water is heated by the heat of the refrigerant and is supplied to a predetermined location.
The refrigerant discharged from the water heat exchanger 23 is decompressed in the expansion device 24, undergoes heat exchange in the heat exchanger 20, and becomes a gas refrigerant, which is returned to the compressor 22 again.

In addition, when cold water is used, by switching the four-way valve 27, the refrigerant flows as shown by the dashed arrows in Figure 4, exchanges heat with the outside air in the heat exchanger 20, is reduced in pressure in the expansion device 24, and is sent to the water heat exchanger 23, thereby cooling the water flowing through the water supply pipe 28.
During these operations, the blower device 21 is operated, so that air flows toward the electrical equipment box 30 located in the blower chamber 12 .

In addition, since a space allowing ventilation is formed between the lower surface of the top plate 17 of the housing 10 and the upper surface of the cover member 33 of the electrical box 30 , air also flows over the upper surface of the cover member 33 .
These air flows allow the entire surface of the electrical box 30 to be cooled by air, and the temperature rise of the electronic components housed inside the electrical box 30 can be suppressed.

In addition, air flows through the heat sink 41 due to the operation of the blower 21. This allows the heat sink 41 to be cooled, and the control board 40 to be cooled.

[1-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, in this embodiment, the heat pump device 1 includes an electrical box 30, which includes an electrical box main body 32 and a cover member 33. The electrical box main body 32 includes a lead wire relay module 55 that draws in multiple lead wires into the through opening 34a. The lead wire relay module 55 includes multiple insertion openings Sa, Sb into which the lead wire blocks 100a, 100b are inserted. The lead wire blocks 100a, 100b include fixing sleeves 90a, 90b and insertion sleeves 80a, 80b that are arranged in close contact with the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b and seal and hold the lead wires.
This allows the lead wires to be drawn into the electrical box 30 while improving the airtightness of the electrical box 30. This makes it possible to prevent the intrusion of refrigerant into the electrical box 30. In this embodiment, each lead wire block 100a, 100b seals and holds multiple lead wires. This makes it easy to assemble the lead wire relay module 55.

In this embodiment, the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b are divided into a plurality of sleeve bodies 91A to 91D, and the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b are sandwiched and fastened by the plurality of sleeve bodies 91A to 91D.
This improves the adhesion between the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b and the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b, and suppresses the intrusion of the refrigerant into the electrical box 30. In this embodiment, the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b are clamped by a pair of sleeve bodies 91A, 91B and sleeve bodies 91C, 91D so as to be sandwiched from both the left and right sides. This makes it easier to improve the adhesion between the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b and the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b.

In addition, in this embodiment, the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b and the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b have a tapered structure that brings the side surfaces 92A, 92B and the side surface 87a into close contact with each other as the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b are inserted into the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b.
As a result, the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b and the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b come into closer contact with each other as the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b are inserted, which makes it possible to suppress the intrusion of refrigerant into the electrical box 30. In addition, in this embodiment, as the insertion sleeve 80a is inserted into the holes 81A1, 81B1 that come into close contact with the lead wire, the insertion sleeve 80a tends to come into close contact with the lead wire in the hole 81A1.

In addition, in this embodiment, the insertion openings Sa, Sb are formed in a resin fixed frame 70, the fixed frame 70 has an O-ring groove 77 into which an O-ring 77a is inserted, and the fixed frame 70 is fixed to the through opening 34a of the electrical box main body 32 with the O-ring 77a sandwiched between them.
As a result, the gap between the fixed frame 70 and the electrical box body 32 is blocked by the O-ring 77a, which makes it possible to suppress the intrusion of the refrigerant into the electrical box 30. In the present embodiment, the fixed frame 70 also has a guide portion 76, which makes it possible to easily position the fixed frame 70 with respect to the through opening 34a.

In this embodiment, the O-ring 77a is made of foam rubber.
As a result, the O-ring 77a becomes easily deformed, and the gap between the fixed frame 70 and the electrical box main body 32 is easily blocked by the O-ring 77a. This makes it possible to suppress the intrusion of refrigerant into the electrical box 30. In addition, in this embodiment, since the O-ring 77a made of foamed rubber, which is easily deformed, is used, even if the cross-sectional area of the O-ring 77a is large, the O-ring 77a is easily accommodated in the O-ring groove 77 when it is crushed by the electrical box main body 32. Therefore, an O-ring 77a with a large cross-sectional area that protrudes from the O-ring groove 77 can be used, and the adhesion force of the O-ring 77a is increased.

In this embodiment, the O-ring 77a is made of chloroprene rubber.
This makes it difficult for a flammable refrigerant, such as propane gas, to pass through the O-ring, and therefore the refrigerant is less likely to enter the electrical equipment box.

In this embodiment, the length of the O-ring 77 a is set to be shorter than the length of the O-ring groove 77 .
With this configuration, the O-ring 77a is inserted in a stretched state into the O-ring groove 77. This makes it easier for the O-ring 77a to fit tightly into the O-ring groove 77 without loosening, thereby preventing the refrigerant from entering the electrical box 30.

In the present embodiment, the electrical equipment box 30 is disposed above the machine chamber 13 and the blower chamber 12 , straddling the machine chamber 13 and the blower chamber 12 .
This makes it easier for the electrical box 30 to be cooled by blowing air in the portion located in the blower chamber 12, and also makes it possible to pull the lead wires extending from each device in the machine chamber 13 into the interior of the electrical box 30 via the lead wire relay module 55.

Other Embodiments
As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first embodiment to create a new embodiment.
Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

In the above-described first embodiment, the heat pump device 1 is an outdoor unit that can be used for a so-called heat pump hot water heater. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the heat pump device 1 can be applied to various devices equipped with a refrigerant circuit, such as a water heater or an air conditioner.

In the above embodiment, the O-ring 77a is described as being foamed chloroprene rubber, but this is just one example. For example, the O-ring 77a may be made of rubber other than chloroprene rubber, and may not be foamed. However, when foamed chloroprene rubber is used as the O-ring 77a, as in this embodiment, the O-ring 77a tends to adhere closely to the O-ring groove 77 and the electrical box body 32, and is less likely to allow propane to pass through.

In the embodiment described above, the fixed frame 70 has two insertion openings Sa, Sb, and the lead wire relay module 55 has two lead wire blocks 100a, 100b, but this is just an example. For example, the fixed frame 70 may have one or three or more insertion openings, and the lead wire relay module 55 may have one or three or more lead wire blocks.

In the above-described embodiment, the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b are each composed of two sleeve bodies 91A-91D, but this is only one example. For example, the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b may each be composed of one sleeve body, or three or more sleeve bodies. However, if the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b are each composed of one sleeve body, it is difficult to sandwich the insertion sleeves 80a, 80b between the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b. Also, if the fixing sleeves 90a, 90b are each composed of three or more sleeve bodies, the installation of the lead wire blocks 100a, 100b becomes more complicated than in the above-described embodiment.

The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology disclosed herein, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

(Additional Note)
(Technology 1) A heat pump device using a flammable refrigerant, the heat pump device having a housing including a machine chamber in which a compressor and an expansion device are disposed, and a blower chamber in which a heat exchanger and a blower are disposed, the heat pump device further including an electrical box, the electrical box including an electrical box main body and a cover member, the electrical box main body having a through opening formed therein, the through opening being provided with a lead wire relay module for drawing in a plurality of lead wires, the lead wire relay module including a plurality of insertion openings into which lead wire blocks are inserted, the lead wire block including a fixing sleeve, and an insertion sleeve disposed in close contact with the fixing sleeve and sealingly holding the lead wires.
With this configuration, the lead wires can be led into the electrical box while improving the airtightness of the electrical box, thereby making it possible to prevent the coolant from entering the electrical box.

(Technology 2) A heat pump device according to Technology 1, characterized in that the fixing sleeve is divided into a plurality of sleeve bodies, and the insertion sleeve is clamped and fastened by the plurality of sleeve bodies.
This configuration allows the sleeve body and the insertion sleeve to be in close contact with each other from multiple directions, improving the close contact between the fixing sleeve and the insertion sleeve and suppressing the intrusion of the refrigerant into the electrical box.

(Technology 3) A heat pump device described in Technology 1 or 2, characterized in that the fixing sleeve and the insertion sleeve have a tapered structure that brings their outer peripheries into close contact with each other as the insertion sleeve is inserted into the fixing sleeve.
With this configuration, the fixing sleeve and the insertion sleeve come into closer contact with each other as the insertion sleeve is inserted, thereby making it possible to suppress the intrusion of the refrigerant into the electrical equipment box.

(Technology 4) A heat pump device described in any one of Technologies 1 to 3, characterized in that the insertion opening is formed in a resin fixing frame, the fixing frame has an O-ring groove into which an O-ring is inserted, and the fixing frame is fixed to the through opening of the electrical box main body with the O-ring sandwiched between them.
With this configuration, the gap between the fixing frame and the electrical box body is sealed by the O-ring, making it possible to prevent the coolant from entering the electrical box.

(Technology 5) The heat pump device according to Technology 4, characterized in that the O-ring is made of foam rubber.
With this configuration, the O-ring is easily deformed, so that the gap between the fixing frame and the electrical box body is easily blocked by the O-ring, thereby preventing the coolant from entering the electrical box.

(Technology 6) The heat pump device according to Technology 4 or 5, characterized in that the O-ring is made of chloroprene rubber.
With this configuration, a flammable refrigerant such as propane gas is less likely to permeate through the O-ring, and therefore the refrigerant is less likely to infiltrate into the electrical equipment box.

(Technology 7) A heat pump apparatus according to any one of Technologies 4 to 6, characterized in that the length of the O-ring is set shorter than the length of the O-ring groove.
With this configuration, the O-ring is inserted into the O-ring groove in a stretched state, which makes it easier for the O-ring to fit tightly into the O-ring groove without loosening, thereby preventing the coolant from entering the electrical equipment box.

(Technology 8) The heat pump apparatus according to any one of Technologies 1 to 7, characterized in that the electrical box is arranged above the machine room and the blower room, straddling the machine room and the blower room.
With this configuration, the electrical box is easily cooled by blowing air in the portion located in the blower room, and the lead wires extending from each device in the machine room can be drawn into the interior of the electrical box via the lead wire relay module.

This disclosure can be suitably used in heat pump devices that use flammable refrigerants.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 heat pump device 10 housing 11 partition plate 12 blower chamber 13 machine chamber 14 bottom plate 15 side panel 16 front panel 17 top plate 18 ventilation section 20 heat exchanger 21 blower device 22 compressor 23 water heat exchanger 24 expansion device 25 refrigerant piping 26 notch 27 four-way valve 28 water supply piping 30 electrical equipment box 31 opening 32 electrical equipment box body 33 cover member 34 electrical equipment box bottom 34a through opening 35 bottom opening 36 O-ring groove 38 O-ring 39 partition member 40 control board 41 heat sink 42 sealant 45 cable 50 power line relay section 51 terminal block 52 cable gland 53 lead wire relay section 55 Lead wire relay module 60 Shielding member 70 Fixed frame 71 Frame portion 73 Flange portion 76 Guide portion 77 O-ring groove 77a O-ring 80a Insertion sleeve 80b Insertion sleeve 87a Side surface (outer periphery)
90a: Fixing sleeve 90b: Fixing sleeve 91A: Sleeve body 91B: Sleeve body 91C: Sleeve body 91D: Sleeve body 92A: Side surface (outer periphery)
92B Side (Outer periphery)
100a Lead wire block 100b Lead wire block 152 Window opening 154 Partition plate 155 Window cover body Sa Insertion opening Sb Insertion opening

Claims (8)

A heat pump device using a flammable refrigerant, the heat pump device comprising: a machine chamber in which a compressor and an expansion device are disposed; and a blower chamber in which a heat exchanger and a blower are disposed, the machine chamber being disposed within a housing;
Equipped with an electrical box,
The electrical equipment box includes an electrical equipment box body and a cover member.
A through opening is formed in the electrical equipment box body,
a lead wire relay module for drawing in a plurality of lead wires is provided in the through opening;
the lead wire relay module includes a plurality of insertion openings into which the lead wire blocks are inserted;
The lead wire block includes a fixing sleeve and an insertion sleeve that is disposed in close contact with the fixing sleeve and seals and holds the lead wire.
A heat pump device comprising: The fixing sleeve is divided into a plurality of sleeve bodies, and the insertion sleeve is clamped and fastened by the plurality of sleeve bodies.
The heat pump device according to claim 1 . the fixing sleeve and the insertion sleeve have a tapered structure that brings their outer peripheries into close contact with each other as the insertion sleeve is inserted into the fixing sleeve;
The heat pump device according to claim 1 or 2. The insertion opening is formed in a resin fixed frame,
The fixing frame has an O-ring groove into which an O-ring is inserted, and the fixing frame is fixed to the through-opening of the electrical box body with the O-ring sandwiched therebetween.
The heat pump device according to claim 1 . The O-ring is made of foam rubber.
The heat pump device according to claim 4 . The O-ring is made of chloroprene rubber.
The heat pump device according to claim 4 . The length of the O-ring is set shorter than the length of the O-ring groove.
The heat pump device according to any one of claims 4 to 6. The electrical equipment box is disposed above the machine room and the blower room, straddling the machine room and the blower room.
The heat pump device according to claim 1 or 2.

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