JP3139389B2 - Front panel mounting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a front panel mounting mechanism. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanism for attaching a front panel to a main body or the like of an indoor unit of an air conditioner so that the front panel can be opened and closed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent air conditioners, a front panel is detachably attached to a main body of an indoor unit so that the detached front panel can be washed independently with water. . Conventionally, such a front panel is mounted in a manner as shown in FIG. 5 or FIG.

[0005] In the method shown in FIG. 5, a hinge pin 123 formed on a support plate 122 on an upper rear surface of a front panel 102 is fitted into a concave portion 132 formed on an upper portion of a main body 103.
The upper end 142 of the locking member 104 allows the hinge pin 10
4 is locked so as not to separate from the recess 132 to the front. The lock member 104 itself is locked to the main body 103 by a claw 143 formed at a lower portion (curved portion) 141 thereof. When removing the front panel 102 from the main body 103, the user rotates the front panel 102 around the hinge pin 123 to open it, flexes the curved portion 141 upward so that the claw 143 comes off, and moves the lock member 104 to the main body 103. From the front panel 10
2 is moved forward so that the hinge pin 123
Pull out.

However, in this method, when the front panel 102 is attached to the main body 103, the user may close the front panel 102 only by fitting the hinge pin 123 into the recess 132, and forget to attach the lock member 104. is there. For this reason, the front panel 10
2 is opened next time, the front panel 102
There is a problem that it suddenly drops from 03.

The method shown in FIG. 6 is formed in grooves 233 and 234 formed in the upper portion of the main body 203 (formed between the main body top plate 232 and the guide 235 and between the guides 235 and 236, respectively). Then, the arm portions 222 and 223 formed on the upper rear surface of the front panel 202 are inserted, and the lock member 204 is moved to the upper locking position (indicated by a dashed line) A along the front edge of the main body, and the lock member 204 is moved. The upper end 242 restricts the forward movement of the projection 224 of the arm portion 223. To remove the front panel 202 from the main body 203, the user rotates the front panel 202 around its upper part to slightly open it, moves the lock member 204 to a lower release position (shown by a solid line) B, and By further rotating 202, the groove 23
The arm portions 222 and 223 are pulled out of the arm members 3 and 234.

In this system, when the front panel 202 is attached to the main body 203, the user operates the lock member 20.
If one forgets to move the front panel 4 to the locking position A, the front panel 202 cannot be completely closed even if it is to be closed. Projection 225 on the back of front panel 202
Is in contact with the lower portion 241 of the lock member 204 at the release position B (the position C of the projection 225 at that time is indicated by a two-dot chain line). Therefore, the user realizes that he has forgotten to move the lock member 204 to the locking position A, and can fix the lock member 204 to the correct position A. As a result, when the front panel 202 is opened next time, it is possible to avoid a situation where the front panel 202 suddenly falls off. However, in this method, the user has to move the lock member 204 to the locking position A every time the front panel 202 is mounted, so that the mounting operation is troublesome.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a front panel in which the front panel can be automatically engaged with the main body by the operation of closing the front panel, and the front panel can be freely opened and closed with respect to the main body by a simple mounting operation. To provide an attachment mechanism.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a front panel mounting mechanism for mounting a front panel on a main body in an openable and closable state. A hinge pin serving as a center of opening and closing is provided on the front panel, a concave portion capable of accommodating the hinge pin is formed in the main body, and a locking position for locking the hinge pin accommodated in the concave portion and a release position for releasing the hinge pin. A lock member that is movable between the lock member and the front panel. When the front panel is closed with respect to the main body, the lock member contacts the lock member and moves the lock member to the lock position. A contact portion is provided.

According to the front panel mounting mechanism of the first aspect, when the front panel is mounted on the main body, the hinge pin of the front panel is housed in the concave portion of the main body and locked by the lock member at the locking position. ing. When removing the front panel from the main body, the user rotates the front panel around the hinge pin to open it, moves the lock member to the release position, and releases the hinge pin of the front panel from the concave portion of the main body. Thereby, the front panel can be removed from the main body.
When attaching the front panel to the main unit,
The hinge pin of the front panel is housed in the recess of the main body, and the front panel is closed with respect to the main body. At this time, the contact portion of the front panel contacts the lock member, and moves the lock member to the locking position. Then, the hinge pin is locked by the lock member, and the hinge pin is not separated from the concave portion. Thereby, the front panel is automatically engaged with the main body. Therefore, when the front panel is opened next time, the situation where the front panel falls off suddenly does not occur. In this way, the front panel can be freely opened and closed with respect to the main body with a simple mounting operation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the front panel mounting mechanism according to the first aspect, wherein the locking member is provided at a front portion of the main body between the locking position and the releasing position. And a sliding surface for sliding is formed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the user closes the front panel, the contact portion of the front panel comes into contact with the lock member, and the lock member slides on the sliding surface. It moves smoothly to the locking position. Therefore, the front panel is securely engaged with the main body.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a front panel mounting mechanism according to the first or second aspect, wherein the lock member is made of a flexible material.

When removing the front panel from the main body, the user rotates the front panel around the hinge pin and opens it, forgets to move the lock member to the release position, and moves the lock member to the lock position. The front panel may be forcibly pulled while it is left. In such a case, in the front panel mounting mechanism according to the third aspect, since the lock member is made of a flexible material, the hinge pin of the front panel bends the contact portion of the lock member and separates from the recess. can do. Therefore,
The front panel can be removed from the main body without breaking any of the lock member, the front panel, and the main body.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a front panel mounting mechanism according to the present invention will be described below in detail.

FIG. 1 shows a central portion of an indoor unit 1 of an air conditioner to which the present invention is applied as viewed obliquely, and FIG. 2 shows a central portion of the indoor unit 1 viewed from the front. . As shown in these figures, the indoor unit 1 has a main body 3
And a front panel 2 for covering the front surface thereof, and a main body 3
Locking member 4 arranged on a lattice 31 for reinforcing
It has. Note that, for convenience, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the front panel 2 and the body 3 on the near side in a cut-away state.

In the center of the upper part of the rear surface of the front panel 2,
A support plate 22 projecting rearward is integrally formed. Further, the front panel 2 is attached to the tip of the support plate 22.
A column-shaped hinge pin 23, which is the center of opening and closing, is formed. The hinge pin 23 is provided perpendicular to the plate surface of the support plate 22 and is disposed along the upper edge of the front panel 2.

A recess 33 is formed in the center of the main body 3 along the upper edge thereof so as to accommodate the hinge pin 23 from the front. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper wall 33a and the side wall 33b of the recess 33 are formed integrally with the top plate 32 of the main body 3,
The lower wall 33b of the recess 33 is formed by a part of the lattice 31. The surface of the grid 31 connected to the recess 33 has a recess 33
Slope 31a as a sliding surface inclined obliquely downward and forward from
31b are formed. These slopes 31a, 31b
Between them, a step 31c for locking the lock member 4 at a locking position (indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 3) A is formed.

The lock member 4 is made of a synthetic resin having flexibility, and slides on the upper slope 31a.
And a lower portion 42 that slides on the lower slope 31b, and a projection 43 that projects obliquely upward and forward from the lower portion 42. The lock member 4 is slidably disposed between a lock position A and a release position (shown by a solid line in FIG. 3) B along the slopes 31a and 31b. The lock member 4 locks the hinge pin 23 accommodated in the concave portion 33 by the upper end 41 a at the lock position A, and releases the hinge pin 23 at the release position B. In order to slide the lock member 4 along the slopes 31a and 31b, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a groove 34 having an inverted T-shaped cross section is provided along the slope 31a of the lattice 31, while the lock member 4 Protrusions 44 having an inverted T-shaped cross section may be provided on the lower surface, and these grooves 34 and protrusions 44 may be fitted.

The front panel 2 has a front grill 21 for sucking room air, and a front grill 21
A reinforcing rib 24 extending in the vertical direction is integrally formed on the back side of the main body. The rib 24 is a curved surface 2 as an abutting portion.
4a. The curved surface 24a is arranged such that when the front panel 2 is closed with respect to the main body 3, the curved surface 24a contacts the lock member 4 and moves the lock member 4 to the locking position A. Specifically, the lower part of the curved surface 24a,
That is, the portion facing obliquely upward and rearward comes into contact with the protrusion 43 of the lock member 4, and the lock member 4 is obliquely upward and rearward along the slopes 31 a and 31 b, and the upper end surface 42 a of the lower portion 42 of the lock member 4 becomes a step 31 c. Move until locked. Therefore, the lock member 4 can be smoothly and reliably moved to the locking position A.

When the front panel 2 is attached to the main body 3, the hinge pins 23 of the front panel 2 are housed in the recesses 33 of the main body 3 and are locked by the upper end 41 a of the lock member 4 at the locking position A. I have. When removing the front panel 2 from the main body 3, the user rotates the front panel 2 around the hinge pin 23 to open it, moves the lock member 4 to the release position B, and moves the hinge pin 23 of the front panel 2 to the main body 3. Remove from the concave portion 33. Thereby, the front panel 2 can be removed from the main body 3. Conversely, when attaching the front panel 2 to the main body 3, the user accommodates the hinge pin 23 of the front panel 2 in the recess 33 of the main body 3 and closes the front panel 2 with respect to the main body 3. At this time, the curved surface 24a of the front panel 2 abuts the projection 43 of the lock member 4 from obliquely below, and moves the lock member 4 to the locking position A. Then, the hinge pin 23 is moved to the upper end 41 of the lock member 4.
a, and is not separated from the concave portion 33. Thus, the front panel 2 can be automatically engaged with the main body 3. Therefore, when the front panel 2 is opened next time, it is possible to avoid a situation where the front panel 2 suddenly falls off. In this manner, the front panel 2 can be freely opened and closed with respect to the main body 3 with a simple mounting operation.

Since the lock member 1 is made of a flexible synthetic resin, the user moves the lock member 4 to the release position B after rotating the front panel 2 around the hinge pin 23 to open it. When the front panel 2 is forcibly pulled while the lock member 4 is in the locking position A, the hinge pin 2 of the front panel 2
3 can bend the upper end 41 a of the lock member 4 to be separated from the concave portion 33. Therefore, the front panel 2 can be removed from the main body 3 without breaking any of the lock member 4, the front panel 2, and the main body 3.

Further, since the mounting mechanism only needs to dispose the lock member 4 at one central portion of the main body 3, it can be composed of relatively few parts.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above description, the front panel mounting mechanism according to the first aspect of the present invention has a front panel provided with a hinge pin serving as a center for opening and closing, and a recess formed in the main body for accommodating the hinge pin. A lock member movable between a locking position for locking the hinge pin housed in the concave portion and a release position for releasing the hinge pin is provided, and the front panel is closed on the front panel with respect to the main body. In this case, since the contact portion is provided to contact the lock member and move the lock member to the locking position, the front panel can be automatically engaged with the main body. Therefore, the front panel can be freely opened and closed with respect to the main body by a simple mounting operation.

According to the front panel mounting mechanism of the present invention, when the user closes the front panel, the contact portion of the front panel comes into contact with the lock member, and the lock member slides on the sliding surface. It moves smoothly to the locking position. Therefore, the front panel can be reliably engaged with the main body.

In the front panel mounting mechanism according to the third aspect, since the lock member is made of a flexible material, the user rotates the front panel around the hinge pin to open it, and then releases the lock member to the release position. When the front panel is forcibly pulled while the lock member is in the locking position, the hinge pin of the front panel bends the contact portion of the lock member and detaches from the recess. Can be. Therefore, the front panel can be removed from the main body without breaking any of the lock member, the front panel, and the main body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a central portion of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a central portion of the indoor unit.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a central portion of the indoor unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a means for sliding a lock member.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a conventional front panel mounting method.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a conventional front panel mounting method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Indoor unit 2 Front panel 3 Main body 4 Lock member 23 Hinge pin 33 Recess

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A front panel (2) mounting mechanism for mounting a front panel (2) in an openable and closable manner on a main body (3), wherein a hinge pin (23) serving as a center of opening and closing is provided on the front panel (2). A concave portion (33) capable of accommodating the hinge pin (23) is formed in the main body (3), and the concave portion (33) is formed.
A locking member (4) movable between a locking position (A) for locking the hinge pin (23) housed in the housing and a release position (B) for releasing the hinge pin (23); (2) When the front panel (2) is closed with respect to the main body (3), the front panel (2) comes into contact with the locking member (4) to move the locking member (4) to the locking position (A). A mounting mechanism for a front panel, comprising a contact portion (24a) to be moved. 2. The front panel mounting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is disposed at a front portion of the main body so that the locking member is positioned between the locking position and the releasing position. A mounting mechanism for a front panel (2), wherein sliding surfaces (31a, 31b) for sliding between them are formed. 3. The front panel mounting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the lock member is made of a flexible material.