JP4706305B2 - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner including a heat exchanger and a blower in a casing.

  Conventionally, as this type of air conditioner, for example, an indoor unit of an air conditioner as described in Patent Document 1 (hereinafter referred to as “first conventional air conditioner”) is known. In the first conventional air conditioner, a heat exchanger is disposed in the box-shaped casing so as to face the suction port on the front surface of the casing, and a centrifugal blower is disposed on the back side of the heat exchanger. The air sucked into the casing through the suction port as the centrifugal blower is driven is adjusted in temperature through the heat exchanger, and then provided on the upper surface and the left and right surfaces of the casing. The air is blown out of the casing from the air outlet.

In addition to the first conventional air conditioner that uses a centrifugal blower as the blower, as described in, for example, Patent Document 2, an indoor unit for air conditioning that uses a crossflow blower as a blower (hereinafter referred to as “second conventional air conditioner”). Also known as “air conditioner”. In this second conventional air conditioner, a cross flow blower is arranged at the upper part in a box-shaped casing, and a heat exchanger is arranged at a position in the casing below the blower. And after the air sucked into the casing from the intake grill provided at the front upper portion of the casing in accordance with the rotational drive of the cross flow blower passes through the heat exchanger, the temperature of the casing is adjusted. The air is blown out of the casing from a blow grill provided at the lower part of the front surface.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-122589 (Claim 1, paragraph number [0026], FIG. 2) JP-A-9-217942 (Claim 1, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2)

  By the way, recent air conditioners are required to be compact in the depth direction, that is, to be thin and compact from the viewpoint of reducing the installation space. In particular, when the air conditioner is configured as a wall-mounted indoor unit installed on an indoor wall surface or the like, there is a high demand for such a thin and compact design in order to improve indoor interior characteristics.

  In this regard, in the case of the first conventional air conditioner, since the heat exchanger and the centrifugal blower are arranged in the depth direction in the casing, they are sufficiently responding to the demand for thin and compact design. It was hard to say. On the other hand, in the case of the second conventional air conditioner, the heat exchanger and the cross-flow blower are arranged in the casing so as to overlap each other in the vertical direction. To meet the needs. However, in order to reduce the thickness and size of the second conventional air conditioner, it is conceivable to reduce the fan diameter of the crossflow blower. However, in such a case, the air volume decreases and the performance as an air conditioner is reduced. Therefore, it is not easy to reduce the thickness and size while maintaining the performance.

  An object of the present invention is an air conditioner in which a heat exchanger and an air blower are arranged in a casing, and the depth direction is made compact (thin and compact) without reducing the performance as an air conditioner. An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that can sufficiently meet the demand.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a centrifugal blower is disposed in a casing provided with an air inlet and an outlet, respectively, such that the rotational axis of the centrifugal blower is along the depth direction of the casing, and a heat exchanger. Is an air conditioner arranged so as to at least partially overlap the centrifugal blower in a direction orthogonal to the rotational axis of the centrifugal blower, and forms a suction port on the front surface of the casing and is adjacent to the front surface. A suction port is also formed on a side surface, and the suction port formed on the front surface of the casing is an air conditioner at least partially facing the air suction port of the centrifugal blower .

In the present invention, the centrifugal blower and the heat exchanger are not arranged in the casing in the depth direction of the casing, but are arranged in the direction perpendicular to the depth direction of the casing. It is possible to suitably meet the demand for compactness, that is, thinning. In addition, since the suction port is formed on the front surface of the casing and the side surface adjacent to the front surface, the size of the suction port (air suction area) should be increased compared to the case where the suction port is formed only on the front surface. Can do. This makes it easier for the intake air to enter the casing and the pressure loss of the intake air is kept low, so that the input (driving power, etc.) of the centrifugal blower can be reduced, and as a result, noise is reduced. Energy saving can be realized .

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that a space for suction air is formed between a suction port formed on a side surface of the casing and a shroud of the centrifugal blower.
In the present invention, since the space for the intake air is formed, it becomes easier for the intake air to enter the casing, and the pressure loss of the intake air is further suppressed. Therefore, it becomes possible to further reduce the input of the centrifugal blower, and the noise reduction effect and the energy saving effect can be further improved. In addition, the space between the side surface of the casing and the shroud of the centrifugal fan is a space that is not so effectively used as the blowing operation of the centrifugal fan, so that the performance of the centrifugal fan is not reduced and the casing is enlarged. The space for intake air can be formed without this.
The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a flap can be opened and closed at a suction port formed on the front surface of the casing, and the suction port side formed on the side surface of the casing is opened.
In the present invention, by providing a flap at the suction port formed on the front surface of the casing, the intake air from the front suction port is less likely to enter the casing, but the air is taken in from the suction port on the side surface. It can be efficiently taken into the casing.

According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, it is possible to suitably cope with a request for downsizing of the air conditioner, that is, a reduction in thickness. Moreover, since the suction port is formed in the front surface of the casing and the side surface adjacent to the front surface, the suction air easily enters the casing, and the pressure loss of the suction air is kept low. As a result, it is possible to reduce the input (driving power, etc.) of the centrifugal blower, thereby reducing noise and realizing energy saving .

According to the invention of claim 2, since the space for intake air is formed, the noise reduction effect and the energy saving effect can be further improved. Moreover, the space for intake air can be formed, without reducing the performance of a centrifugal blower and without enlarging a casing.
Moreover, according to the invention which concerns on Claim 3, even when a flap is formed in the suction inlet of the front surface of a casing, suction air can be efficiently taken in in a casing.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an indoor unit of an air conditioner will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air conditioner 10 of the present embodiment includes a horizontally long box-shaped casing 11, and the back surface (rear surface) of the casing 11 is shaped like a horizontal beam near an indoor wall surface (for example, close to the ceiling). It is configured as a wall-mounted thin indoor unit that is installed in a state of being opposed to a narrow vertical wall surface portion.

  The casing 11 includes a casing main body 12 having an open front side and a front panel 13 that closes the front side of the casing main body 12. A front side suction port 14a in which a plurality of long flaps 9 are arranged in the vertical direction is provided at two positions spaced apart in the left-right direction on the front surface side (front side) of the front panel 13. Further, upper suction ports 14b are respectively provided at positions corresponding to the front-side suction ports 14a at two positions separated in the left-right direction on the upper surface of the casing body 12. In the present embodiment, a case where a blower outlet is formed on the upper surface as a side surface adjacent to the front surface of the casing 11 will be described.

  Further, air outlets 15 in which a plurality of short flaps 8 are arranged in the vertical direction are provided at three locations between the two front side suction ports 14a and the outside (right side and left side) of each front side suction port 14a. Each is provided. In FIG. 2, the short flap 8 is omitted for the center and right outlets 15, and the long flap 9 and an air filter 17 (described later) are omitted for the right front side inlet 14 a.

  Next, the member arrangement configuration in the casing 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the casing body 12 is divided into an upper storage portion 2 and a lower storage portion 3 by a horizontal partition plate 1. An electrical component box 4, a refrigerant pipe 5, a drain pipe 6, and the like are arranged in the lower storage portion 3 in the casing 11.

  On the other hand, in the upper storage portion 2 in the casing body 12, a plurality of (a pair of left and right) centrifugal blowers 18 have the front suction ports 14 a in a state where the rotation axis P is along the front-rear direction, that is, the depth direction of the casing 11. And are arranged so as to face each other. Between the front suction port 14a and the centrifugal fan 18 facing each other, a bell mouth 19 that is an air guide having an annular shape in front view is arranged so as to be coaxial with each centrifugal fan 18. Yes.

  Each bell mouth 19 is formed so as to form a divergent shape from the rear side on the centrifugal blower 18 side to the front side on the front side suction port 14a side, that is, the front side in the depth direction of the casing 11. The edge is fixed to the casing 11 by being supported by the front panel 13 on the back side of the front side suction port 14a. Further, the upper end edge of the bell mouth 19 extends to the upper suction port 14b. As shown in FIG. 4, a grill 16 is formed in the upper suction port 14b. Each bell mouth 19 has a rear end edge formed smaller in diameter than the front end edge thereof and extends to the vicinity of the front end of the centrifugal blower 18 and flows into the casing 11 from the front side suction port 14a and the upper suction port 14b. Air is smoothly guided toward the centrifugal blower 18. An air filter 17 is disposed on the front end side of the bell mouth 19.

  The centrifugal blower 18 includes a blade portion 22 including a hub 20 having a substantially disk shape, and a plurality of arc-shaped blades 21 projecting forward from the front surface of the outer peripheral portion of the hub 20, and the blade A motor 23 for rotating the portion 22 and a shroud 24 disposed on the front end side of the blade portion 22 are provided. The centrifugal blower 18 has a centrifugal blower function that blows air out of the centrifugal blower 18 in a centrifugal direction (radial direction) perpendicular to the rotation axis P by a centrifugal force generated based on the rotational drive of the blade portion 22. It is. Each centrifugal blower 18 has a motor 23 fixed to the rear side wall surface of the casing 11 and a support shaft 23a projecting from the motor 23 forward so as to coincide with the axis of rotation P. The blade portion 22 of each centrifugal blower 18 is rotatably supported at the front end portion of the centrifugal fan 18.

  Further, in the casing body 12, a pair of left and right heat exchangers 25 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the centrifugal blower 18 so as to sandwich the centrifugal blower 18 from both the left and right sides. Each heat exchanger 25 is configured by stacking a plurality of heat transfer plates and arranging a plurality of fins between the heat transfer plates in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the heat transfer plates. In the present embodiment, in each heat exchanger 25, the stacking direction of the heat transfer plates is parallel to the rotation axis P of the centrifugal blower 18, and the fin arrangement direction is parallel to the vertical plane including the rotation axis P of the centrifugal blower 18. It is arranged to be.

  That is, each heat exchanger 25 is arranged so that the center of each heat exchanger 25 is located at a position with an angular interval of 180 degrees with respect to the rotation axis P of the centrifugal blower 18. The heat exchangers 25 that are paired with each other are arranged in an arrangement manner that is plane-symmetric when the vertical plane including the rotation axis P of the centrifugal blower 18 is a symmetry plane. And by setting it as such an arrangement | positioning aspect, each heat exchanger 25 overlaps with this centrifugal blower 18 partially in the direction orthogonal to the rotating shaft P of the centrifugal blower 18, respectively. In the present embodiment, when the direction along the rotation axis P of the centrifugal blower 18 is the depth direction, the entire length in the depth direction of the centrifugal blower 18 overlaps a part of the length in the depth direction of the heat exchanger 25. Has been.

  In the casing body 12, a guide block 26 having an arcuate guide surface 26 a on the surface facing the heat exchanger 25 on the back side of the heat exchanger 25 when viewed from the centrifugal blower 18. Each is arranged. And between each guide block 26 and each heat exchanger 25, the air blowing flow path 27 connected to the blower outlet 15 is provided. Therefore, after the air blown in the radial direction from the centrifugal blower 18 passes between the fins of the heat exchanger 25, the air blowing flow smoothly blows out along the guide surface 26 a in the air blowing flow path 27. Guided in 15 directions.

  Next, the operation in the air conditioner 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. When the air conditioning operation is instructed, the long flap 9 disposed on the front side of the front side suction port 14a is opened and the short flap 8 is opened. Thereafter, when the blade portion 22 of the centrifugal blower 18 is rotationally driven based on the driving force of the motor 23, air is sucked into the casing 11 from the front side suction port 14a as indicated by arrows A1 and A2 in FIG. At the same time, as indicated by an arrow A3 in FIG. 3, air is also sucked from the upper suction port 14b.

  Here, the intake air is examined. As shown in FIG. 5, the structure of the air conditioner may be a structure in which only the front side suction port 14a is formed without forming the upper suction port 14b. Since the front side suction port 14a is provided with the long flap 9 that opens upward, the intake air is guided from the top to the bottom by the long flap 9 and is taken into the casing 11. At this time, the amount of air sucked from the upper side of the front side suction port 14a tends to be smaller than the amount of air sucked from the lower side because the pressure loss increases because the upper end portion of the front panel 13 exists. Therefore, in the structure in which only the front side suction port 14a is formed, in order to take in a larger amount of air, it is necessary to increase the input (drive power, etc.) to the motor 23, noise increases, and energy consumption increases. The problem arises.

  On the other hand, in the structure in which the upper suction port 14b is formed as well as the front side suction port 14a as in the present embodiment, the suction area of the suction port becomes large, and the suction air is also taken in from the upper suction port 14b. A large amount of air can be taken in without increasing the input to the motor 23. Thereby, an increase in noise can be suppressed and energy saving can be achieved.

  The sucked air passes through the air filter 17 and is then smoothly guided to the centrifugal blower 18 along the inner surface of the bell mouth 19. Then, the air flowing into the centrifugal blower 18 is blown out in the radial direction orthogonal to the rotation axis P as indicated by an arrow a in FIG. 1 by the centrifugal blower function of the centrifugal blower 18.

  The air blown out from the centrifugal blower 18 passes between the fins of the respective heat exchangers 25 arranged upright in parallel on the left and right sides of the centrifugal blower 18, and at that time, the heat exchanger via the refrigerant pipe. The temperature is adjusted (heated or cooled) by heat exchange with the refrigerant flowing in 25. Here, the heat exchangers 25 arranged on the left and right sides of the centrifugal blower 18 are arranged in plane symmetry when the vertical plane including the rotation axis P of the centrifugal blower 18 is a symmetrical plane. Therefore, the air volume distribution of the air that passes through each heat exchanger 25 and is blown out from the back surface of each heat exchanger 25 is substantially uniform on the left and right.

  Thereafter, the air blown out from the back surface of each heat exchanger 25 flows into an air blowing channel 27 formed between each heat exchanger 25 and the guide block 26. In the air blowing flow path 27, as shown by an arrow b in FIG. 1, the air is directed to the front surface by a guide surface 26a having an arcuate surface formed on the inner surface side of the guide block 26. It is guided smoothly toward the air outlet 15 on the side. Therefore, the pressure loss of the air blowing flow in the air blowing flow path 27 is suitably reduced.

  Then, the air guided through the air outlet channel 27 to the outlet 15 is blown out of the casing 11 from the outlet 15. That is, in the air conditioner 10 of the present embodiment, the indoor air is sucked from the front side and the upper surface side of the casing 11, and the temperature-adjusted air is blown out from the front side of the casing 11 into the room. At that time, the temperature-adjusted air is blown out of the casing 11 from the air outlets 15 provided between the front side air inlets 14a and outside the front side air inlets 14a. It blows out in a wide range in the direction.

  Further, when the air conditioner 10 is installed on the indoor wall surface, the rear surface of the casing 11 (casing body 12) is fixed in a state of facing the indoor wall surface. Here, in the air conditioner 10, in the casing 11, the centrifugal blower 18 and the heat exchanger 25 are not arranged in the front-rear direction, which is the depth direction of the air conditioner 10, but in the left-right direction orthogonal to the depth direction. It is set as the arrangement | positioning aspect which overlaps partially. Further, the centrifugal blower 18 and the heat exchanger 25 are not arranged in the casing 11 so as to overlap in the vertical direction. Therefore, the size of the air conditioner 10 in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction is compact. It becomes possible to install without impairing the property.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In the above embodiment, the centrifugal blower 18 and the heat exchanger 25 are not arranged in the casing 11 so as to overlap in the front-rear direction of the casing 11 (the depth direction of the air conditioner 10). and Do Tsu the arrangement manner overlapping in lateral direction perpendicular to the P. Therefore, it is possible to suitably cope with a request for downsizing of the air conditioner 10 to improve indoor interior properties, that is, downsizing. Moreover, when setting it as such an arrangement | positioning aspect, since the centrifugal blower 18 is not reduced in size, a required and sufficient air volume can be ensured and the performance as the air conditioner 10 does not fall.

  (2) In the above embodiment, since the front side suction port 14a and the upper suction port 14b are formed, the size of the suction port (air suction area) is increased compared to the case of only the front side suction port 14a. can do. As a result, the intake air easily enters the casing 11 and the pressure loss of the intake air is suppressed to a low level, so that the input of the motor 23 of the centrifugal blower 18 can be reduced. As a result, noise can be reduced and energy saving can be realized. In addition, by providing the long flap 9 at the front side suction port 14a, the suction air from the front side suction port 14a is less likely to enter the casing 11, but the air is taken in from the upper suction port 14b. It can be efficiently taken into the casing 11.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
As shown in FIG. 6, a suction air space 28 may be formed between the upper suction port 14 b and the shroud 24 of the centrifugal blower 18. By forming the intake air space 28 in this manner, the intake air easily enters the casing 11, and the pressure loss of the intake air is further suppressed. Therefore, the input to the motor 23 of the centrifugal blower 18 can be further reduced, and the noise reduction effect and the energy saving effect can be further improved. Moreover, since the space between the upper surface of the casing 11 and the shroud 24 of the centrifugal blower 18 is a space that is not very effectively used as the blower operation of the centrifugal blower 18, without reducing the performance of the centrifugal blower 18, Moreover, the space 28 for intake air can be formed without enlarging the casing 11.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the upper air outlet 14b is formed on the upper surface as the side surface adjacent to the front surface is described, but the air outlet may be formed on the right side surface, the left side surface, or the lower surface as the side surface adjacent to the front surface. Good. In addition, when forming a blower outlet in a right side surface, a left side surface, or a lower surface, naturally arrangement | positioning of structural members, such as the centrifugal blower 18 and the heat exchanger 25, in the casing 11 is changed suitably.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the long flap 9 is disposed in the front side suction port 14a has been described, but a grill may be formed in the front side suction port 14a.

The cross-sectional view of the air conditioner which is one Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the external appearance of an air conditioner. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air conditioner. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the upper part of an air conditioner. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a comparative example. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the modification of an air conditioner.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 ... Short flap, 9 ... Long flap, 10 ... Air conditioner, 11 ... Casing, 12 ... Casing main body, 13 ... Front panel, 14a ... Front side inlet port, 14b ... Upper inlet port, 15 ... Air outlet, 16 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Grill, 17 ... Air filter, 18 ... Centrifugal blower, 19 ... Bell mouth, 20 ... Hub, 21 ... Blade, 22 ... Blade part, 23 ... Motor, 23a ... Support shaft, 24 ... Shroud, 25 ... Heat exchanger, 26 ... Guide block, 26a ... Guide surface, 27 ... Air blowing flow path, 28 ... Space for intake air, P ... Rotation axis.

Claims (3)

A centrifugal blower is disposed in a casing provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, respectively, such that the rotational axis of the centrifugal blower is along the depth direction of the casing, and the heat exchanger is disposed on the rotational axis of the centrifugal blower. An air conditioner arranged to at least partially overlap with the centrifugal blower in a direction orthogonal to
While forming a suction port on the front surface of the casing, forming a suction port also on the side surface adjacent to the front surface,
At least a part of the suction port formed in the front surface of the casing faces the air intake port of the centrifugal blower . The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a space for suction air is formed between a suction port formed on a side surface of the casing and a shroud of the centrifugal blower.   A flap can be opened and closed at a suction port formed on the front surface of the casing, and the suction port side formed on the side surface of the casing opens the flap.
  The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

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