JPH07324777A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the connecting operation of a refrigerant pipeline when an indoor machine and an outdoor machine are actually installed and to provide an air conditioner having a pipeline connecting structure without deteriorating a good appearance by previously buring at least a part of the pipeline. CONSTITUTION:An air conditioner comprises an indoor machine 1 and an outdoor machine 3 which communicate with each other through a refrigerant pipeline 5. At least a part of the refrigerant pipeline through which the indoor machine 1 communicates with the outdoor machine 3 is buried in walls 2, 4 and 8 of a building. The end of the buried refrigerant pipeline is provided with a pipeline connecting means directly connected to the indoor machine 1 or the outdoor machine 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner composed of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and more particularly, to improvement of connection processing of a refrigerant pipe to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a general air conditioner, a model in which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are separated is often used. According to this type of configuration, there is an advantage that the installation space can be minimized and the living space can be secured, for example, the indoor unit can be wall-mounted.

The indoor unit and the outdoor unit are communicated with each other via a refrigerant pipe. The work of connecting the end portion of the refrigerant pipe to the indoor and outdoor units is performed when the air conditioner is installed. That is, in particular, the indoor unit is provided with a short auxiliary pipe,
The end portion of the refrigerant pipe and the end portion of the auxiliary pipe are butted against each other, and these end portions are connected to each other through a pipe connector such as a union.

[0004]

As described above, there is no problem as a result of communicating the indoor unit and the outdoor unit through the refrigerant pipes, but the pipe connection work and the finish thereof are improved. There is room for.

That is, for example, at a corner of an upper end of a room of a building, a sleeve is provided which has both ends open to the inside and the outside and penetrates a wall. When the air conditioner is not installed, both end openings of the sleeve are closed by caps.

When installing the air conditioner, the cap is removed and the refrigerant pipe is inserted into the sleeve. Since the cap is exposed to the inside of the room, if the cap is removed and the refrigerant pipe is inserted instead, naturally a part of the refrigerant pipe is exposed to the inside of the room, which spoils the aesthetics of the room.

In some rooms, the sleeve is not provided. At this time, after the mounting position of the indoor unit is determined, the wall portion in the vicinity thereof is perforated with a tool such as a drill, and the refrigerant pipe is inserted into this hole.

[0008] However, in the wall, there may be embedded reinforcements such as columns and braces, wiring cords such as electricity and telephones, or pipes such as gas pipes and water pipes. .

Therefore, if the hole is easily drilled, the above-mentioned buried object may be damaged, and it is necessary to confirm the building structure in advance. For workers, workability is poor because they must perform careful construction work.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to bury at least a part of the refrigerant pipe in the wall in advance, and to actually use the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. When installing the machine, it is only necessary to connect the end of the refrigerant pipe to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit to facilitate piping work and improve workability, and at the same time, connect the pipe without impairing its aesthetic appearance. It is intended to provide an air conditioner having a structure.

[0011]

In order to satisfy such an object, an air conditioner according to the present invention comprises an indoor unit and an outdoor unit as claimed in claim 1, and the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are provided with a refrigerant. An air conditioner that communicates via a pipe, at least a part of the refrigerant pipe that communicates the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is buried in the wall of the building, at the end of the buried refrigerant pipe. , While being mounted and fixed in the wall,
It is characterized in that a pipe connector directly connected to the indoor unit or the outdoor unit is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner comprising an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit being communicated with each other through a refrigerant pipe, and the indoor unit and the outdoor unit being communicated with each other. At least a part of the refrigerant pipe is embedded in the wall of the building, and the end of the embedded refrigerant pipe is embedded in the wall, and the front surface of the refrigerant pipe is detachably closed in a housing. At the end of the refrigerant pipe that is accommodated and accommodated in the casing, a pipe connector that is mounted and fixed in the casing and is directly connected to the indoor unit or the outdoor unit is provided.

Claims 1 and 2 are defined as Claim 3.
The pipe connector according to any one of items 1 to 5 is characterized in that it is attached and fixed to a mounting plate. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the mounting plate according to the third aspect is divided into two, and the pipe connecting tool is sandwiched and supported by the divided mounting plate.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the mounting plate according to the third aspect is provided in a surface direction orthogonal to the surface direction of the wall, and the pipe connector is provided on the mounting plate in a surface direction of the mounting plate. It is characterized in that it is provided so as to extend in a direction parallel to the surface direction of the wall, which is the orthogonal direction.

Claims 6 to 5 are defined as claim 6.
The pipe connector according to any one of the, while penetrating the mounting plate, a nut portion is integrally provided in advance on one side of the mounting plate, a jam nut is screwed to the other side of the mounting plate,
Further, it is characterized in that the mounting plate is clamped from both sides by being fastened.

[0016]

The pipe connector is provided at the end of the refrigerant pipe buried in the wall, and the pipe connector is directly connected to the indoor unit or the outdoor unit when the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are installed. Therefore, it is similar to the relationship between a plug connected to an electric appliance and an outlet provided on a wall.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a so-called wall-hanging type indoor unit that is attached to the upper part of the inner wall 2 of the room R to be conditioned. An outdoor unit 3 is arranged outside the building along the outer wall 4.
The indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 3 constitute an air conditioner.

The indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 3 are communicated with each other through a refrigerant pipe 5. This refrigerant pipe 5 is provided, for example, during construction of a building. That is, it is prepared in advance before installing the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 3.

Then, the positions where the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 3 are arranged are planned, and particularly on the indoor unit 1 side, within a connectable range of an auxiliary pipe (not shown) extending from this indoor unit. , Defines the end of the refrigerant pipe 5.

At the end of such a refrigerant pipe 5, a refrigerant pipe connecting device 6 described later is provided. Here, the refrigerant pipe 5 is guided from the outdoor unit 3 side along the space between the outer wall 4 and the inner wall 2, and is embedded in the wall of the building.

However, the refrigerant pipe 5 is connected to the indoor unit 1 from the inside of the partition wall 8 which partitions the room R to be air-conditioned and the corridor 7, for example.
Exits from the partition wall 8 in the vicinity of and is guided to the ceiling 9 of the corridor 7. Here, it is bent in a U-turn shape and extended to the connecting device 6.

That is, in view of the construction of the connection device 6 on the indoor unit 1 side, the refrigerant pipe 5 must come out of the wall 8 and be connected to the refrigerant pipe connection device 6. Next, the refrigerant pipe connecting device 6 will be described. This is as shown in FIG. 2, and reference numeral 1 in the figure denotes a housing 10 embedded in the partition wall 8. The front surface has an opening and faces the room R to be air-conditioned. The front opening 10a of the housing 10 is closed by the decorative cover 11 in a state where the indoor unit 1 is not installed.

That is, the decorative cover 11 is attached to the housing 10 by the fixing screw 12 when the indoor unit 1 is not installed and is exposed to the wall surface of the room R to be air-conditioned as it is, but does not impair the aesthetics of the room. Material and color are selected.

A mounting plate 13 is removably mounted in the housing 10 with a fixed distance from the bottom plate 10b via fixing screws 12. The mounting plate 13 is provided with a pair of pipe connectors 14, 14 here. As the pipe connector 14, a bulkhead union as shown in FIG. 6B is used.

That is, 15 is the union body,
A threaded portion 16 is provided on the peripheral surface and penetrates the mounting hole 13 a of the mounting plate 13. A nut portion 17 is integrally formed with a substantially intermediate portion of the screw portion 16. Therefore, the surface of the nut portion 17 contacts the surface of the mounting plate 13 with the union body 15 penetrating the mounting hole 13a.

In this state, a separate jam nut 18 is screwed from the end portion on the opposite side to the nut portion 17 and firmly fastened. Therefore, the nut portion 17 and the jam nut 18 of the union body 15 are provided on both sides of the mounting plate 13, and the mounting plate is sandwiched.

Both end portions of the screw portion 16 are nut portions 17
And the jam nuts 18, and the cap nuts 19, 19 are screwed therein. Such a union body 15
Is connected to one end of the refrigerant pipe 5, and the other end is connected to the auxiliary pipe 1a of the indoor unit 1. That is, the refrigerant pipe 5 and the auxiliary pipe 1a
Are connected to each other by flaring the connection side end, engaging the cap nut 19 and screwing the screw nut 16 into the screw nut 16.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, when mounting the indoor unit 1, here, the decorative cover 11 is removed from the housing 10, the mounting plate 13 is further removed and pulled out to the front side, and the pipe connector 14 is used to assist the indoor unit 1. The pipe 1a is connected.

Holes are provided in the bottom plate 10b, and the refrigerant pipes 5 preliminarily connected to the respective connection pipe tools 14 penetrate therethrough. As described in FIG. 1, the refrigerant pipe 5
In the vicinity of the indoor unit 1, the U-turn is bent out of the partition wall 8 and reaches the refrigerant pipe connecting device 6 by attaching the mounting plate 13 in the same plane direction as the wall 8 surface. And the pipe connector 14 provided on this mounting plate
Is for the direction orthogonal to the plane direction of the mounting plate.

When actually mounting the indoor unit 1, the decorative cover 11 is removed from the casing 10 of the refrigerant pipe connecting device 6 to expose the front opening 10a of the casing, and the mounting plate 13 is attached.
And the auxiliary pipe 1a protruding from the indoor unit 1 is connected to the pipe connector 14. After this work,
Pushing the mounting plate 13 into the housing 10 again, the bottom plate 10
It may be attached and fixed to b.

As described above, since the refrigerant pipe 5 having the refrigerant pipe connecting device 6 at the end is previously provided, when the indoor unit 1 is attached, this auxiliary pipe 1a is connected to the pipe connecting device 14 of the refrigerant pipe connecting device. You can connect it to, and it becomes as if it were a plug in an electric appliance and an outlet provided on the wall, and piping work is extremely easy.

A refrigerant pipe connecting device as shown in FIG. 3 may be used. In this case, the housing 10A has a frame shape in which both front and rear surfaces are open. However, especially at the four corners on the rear surface side, attachment piece portions 21 having screw holes 20 are integrally provided.

There is no change in that the decorative cover 11 is detachably attached to the front surface. Further, the pipe connector 14 housed in the housing 10A may be the same as that described above, and therefore, the same reference numeral is given and a new description is omitted.

However, when the indoor unit 1 is not mounted, the pipe connector 14 is divided into two mounting plates 13A,
It is attached to 13A. It should be noted that the semicircular recess 2 is formed on the mating surface of the two divided mounting plates 13A, 13A.
0, and the pipe connector 14 engages there, and is clamped from both sides to fix this.

The corners of the mounting plates 13A, 13A are removably mounted on the mounting pieces 21 provided on the bottom surface of the housing 10A via fixing screws. That is, the mounting plates 13A and 13A correspond to the bottom plate of the housing 10A.

When mounting the indoor unit 1, the decorative cover 11 is removed, the mounting plates 13A and 13A are removed, and the indoor unit 1 is pulled out to the front side. Then, the attached mounting plates 13A, 1
Separate 3A up and down and remove. In this state, the auxiliary pipe 1a of the indoor unit 1 is connected to the pipe connector 14.

Normally, when the necessary piping work is completed,
The connection confirmation (refrigerant leak test) of this connection portion is performed, but if the mounting plates 13A and 13A are divided into two parts and removed before connection confirmation, not only the auxiliary pipe 1a connection side of the pipe connector 14 but also the refrigerant pipe Since the 5 connection side can be confirmed, more reliable piping work can be performed.

The removed two-divided mounting plate 13A,
If 13A is attached and fixed to the inner upper surface of the housing 10A, for example, it can be used again.
The pipe connection structure of the refrigerant pipe 5A as shown in FIG. 4 may be used. In this case, the entire length of the refrigerant pipe 5A is embedded in the walls 2, 4 and 8 and extends along the wall. That is, unlike the refrigerant pipe 5 shown in FIG. 1, it is not necessary to temporarily take it out of the wall 8 and bend it.

The above refrigerant pipe connecting device 6A is shown in FIGS. Here again, a frame-shaped housing 10 whose front and rear surfaces are open
A, a mounting plate 13B which will be described later, a decorative cover (not shown), and a pipe connector 14 which is the same bulkhead union as the one described above.

The mounting plate 13B is provided at a substantially central portion in the left-right direction of the housing 10A and vertically in the upper and lower pieces. The plate surface is parallel to the front-back direction of the housing 10A. In other words, the surface direction of the mounting plate 13B is a direction orthogonal to the surface direction of the front surface of the housing 10A.

A plurality of mounting notches 21 ... Are provided in the direction from the front end to the rear end of the mounting plate 13B. That is, these notches 21 are provided at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction.

A plate piece 2 for inserting the indoor / outdoor wiring cord 22, the pipe connector 14, the drain hose 23, etc. into each notch 21 and closing the open end of the notch.
It is prevented from coming off by 4.

Since the refrigerant pipe connection device 6A is constructed as described above, all the attachment members such as the pipe connection tool 14 to the attachment plate 13B are provided so as to extend in a direction parallel to the surface direction of the front surface of the housing 10A. Become.

As shown in FIG. 6A, since the pipe connector 14 is attached and fixed to the mounting plate 13B in a state where the auxiliary pipe 1a extending from the indoor unit 1 is connected to the pipe connector 14. , The pipe connector 14 and of course the auxiliary pipe 1a
The positions of both the refrigerant pipe 5A and the refrigerant pipe 5A are fixed, and vibration does not occur even if a load is applied for some reason.

Further, in the pipe confirmation (refrigerant leak test) performed after the pipe connecting work is completed, the pipe connecting tool 14 becomes parallel to the surface direction of the front surface of the casing 10A by setting the mounting posture of the mounting plate 13B. Mounting plate 13 for workers
Since the pipe connection parts can be seen to the left and right of B, the confirmation becomes easier.

Mounting plate 13, 13A, 1 of any structure
Even if it is 3B, by using wood as the material thereof, it is possible to obtain high heat insulation and water retention, which is extremely advantageous.

That is, in the case of a heat pump type air conditioner, one of the pipe connectors 14 is a liquid side union and the other is a gas side union with the mounting plates 13, 13A and 13B in between.

Therefore, although there is a large temperature difference between the two sides, the use of wood has a high heat insulating property and can prevent the occurrence of adverse thermal effects, and especially for the piping on the indoor unit side during cooling operation. It can prevent the transmission of the attached dew.

Further, although all the above explanations have explained the refrigerant pipe connection structure on the indoor unit side, the present invention is not limited to this, and is applicable to the refrigerant pipe connection structure on the outdoor unit side.

In each embodiment, the refrigerant pipe 5,
Refrigerant pipe connecting device 6, 6A at the end of 5A
Although it is provided in the 0A, the present invention is not limited to this, and the housings 10 and 10A may be omitted when the mounting plates 13 and 13A can be directly fixed to a pillar or the like in the wall.

[0051]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least a part of the refrigerant pipe that communicates the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is buried in the wall of the building, and the end of the buried refrigerant pipe is connected. ,
Since the pipe connecting tool that is directly connected to the indoor unit or the outdoor unit is provided, the second invention is that at least a part of the refrigerant pipe that communicates the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is embedded in the wall of the building, The end portion of the refrigerant pipe to be embedded is embedded in a wall, and the front surface thereof is housed in a housing that is detachably closed by a decorative cover, and the end portion of the refrigerant pipe housed in the housing is, Since the pipe connecting tool is provided to be directly connected to the indoor unit or the outdoor unit, in any of the inventions, when actually installing the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the indoor unit or the outdoor unit and the refrigerant pipe end can be connected, This has effects such as facilitating piping work and providing a pipe connection structure that does not impair aesthetics.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an air conditioner and a piping structure thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pipe connecting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a pipe connecting device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of an air conditioner and its piping structure.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the pipe connecting device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a front view of the pipe connecting device of the embodiment. (B) is a front view in which the pipe connection tool and the connection pipe are disassembled.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Indoor unit, 3 ... Outdoor unit, 5, 5A ... Refrigerant piping, 2,
4, 8 ... (Building) wall, 14 ... Piping connection tool, 11 ... Decorative cover, 10, 10A ... Housing, 13, 13A, 13B ...
Mounting plate, 17 ... Nut part, 18 ... Jam nut.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An air conditioner comprising an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, wherein the indoor unit and the outdoor unit communicate with each other via a refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant for communicating the indoor unit with the outdoor unit. At least a part of the pipe is buried in the wall of the building, and at the end of the buried refrigerant pipe, there is provided a pipe connector that is attached and fixed in the wall and directly connected to the indoor unit or the outdoor unit. An air conditioner. 2. An air conditioner comprising an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, wherein the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are communicated with each other through a refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant for communicating the indoor unit with the outdoor unit. At least a part of the pipe is buried in the wall of the building, and the end of the buried refrigerant pipe is buried in the wall, and the front surface of the pipe is housed in a casing that is detachably closed with a decorative cover. An air conditioner characterized by being provided with a pipe connector that is mounted and fixed in the housing and is directly connected to an indoor unit or an outdoor unit at an end of the refrigerant pipe housed in the housing. 3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the pipe connector is attached and fixed to a mounting plate. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the mounting plate is divided into two, and the pipe connecting tool is sandwiched and supported by the mounting plate divided into two. 5. The mounting plate is provided in a plane direction orthogonal to the plane direction of the wall, and the pipe connector is attached to the mounting plate in a direction orthogonal to the plane direction of the mounting plate. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the air conditioner is provided so as to extend in a direction parallel to the surface direction. 6. The pipe connector penetrates the mounting plate, and a nut portion is previously integrally provided on one side of the mounting plate, and a jam nut is screwed and fastened to the other side of the mounting plate. Accordingly, the mounting plate is sandwiched from both sides, and the air conditioner according to any one of claims 3 to 5.