JPH0763367A - Front panel of air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To supplement an insufficient strength of a front panel and prevent any possible clearance from being produced between the body and the front panel by installing a panel reinforcing rib to a lower end of the rear surface of the front panel where the rib extends along the lower end and installing a notched part to the central part of the rib. CONSTITUTION:A panel reinforcing rib 300 is installed to the lower end of the rear side of a front panel 11 where the rib extends along the lower end. A notched part is installed to the central part of the rib 300. As a result, the stiffness of the front panel in its central part is lowered. Therefore, even if there exists any warped part on the front panel 11, the warped part can be adsorbed with the less stiff part of the front panel 11 while both ends of the front panel 11 can be latch-connected to the lower part of the body 200. It is also possible to connect firmly the central part of the front panel 11 to the lower part of the body 200. This construction makes it possible to prevent the generation of a clearance between both the front panel and the lower part of the main body as much as possible when closing the lower end of the front panel 11a at three locations and the lower part 200a of the body 200.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a front panel structure provided with reinforcing ribs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, there is known a front panel of an air conditioner in which an upper end of a main body of an indoor unit is hinge-coupled to an upper end and a lower end is latch-coupled to a lower part of the main body. The front panel is made of resin and is integrally molded using a mold.

If the front panel is made of resin, the strength may be insufficient and the front panel may be warped during molding.

[0004]

When the front panel is warped, when it is attached to the main body of the indoor unit,
There is a problem in that a gap is formed between the main body and the front panel, which impairs the appearance and causes the condensed water and the like adhering to the lower edge of the main body to easily leak from the gap.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, to make up for the lack of strength of the front panel, and to prevent almost no gap between the main body and the front panel. To provide a front panel of the air conditioner.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a front panel of an air conditioner in which an upper end of an indoor unit is hinged to an upper part of a main body and a lower end is latched to a lower part of the main unit. , A panel reinforcing rib extending along the lower edge of the lower surface of the back surface of the front panel,
A notch is provided at the center of the rib.

[0007]

According to the present invention, since the rib is provided on the back surface of the front panel, the rigidity of the front panel can be enhanced. Also,
A notch is provided in the central part of the rib, which reduces the rigidity of the central part of the front panel, so even if there is a warp in the front panel, while absorbing this warp in the part with low rigidity of the front panel, Both ends of the front panel are firmly latched to the lower portion of the main body, and the central portion of the front panel is also rigidly coupled to the lower portion of the main body. According to this, when the lower end of the front panel and the lower part of the main body are closed, it is possible to prevent a gap between them as much as possible.

[0008]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a so-called domestic air conditioner and shows a sectional structure of an indoor unit 1. As is well known, the indoor unit 1 includes a heat exchanger 5, a drain pan 7, a blower 9, and the like.

The indoor unit 1 is provided with a front panel 11 which will be described in detail later, and the suction port 1 of the front panel 11 is provided.
3, and the air sucked from the suction port 17 of the upper panel 15 passes through the heat exchanger 5, the blower 9, etc., as shown by the arrow in FIG.
Blown out from. In addition, a horizontal blade 21 for guiding the air blowing direction in the vertical direction is provided in the air outlet 19.
Longitudinal blades 23 for guiding in the left-right direction are provided.

The above is the schematic configuration of the air conditioner.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front panel 11 is opened and closed so as to flip up with respect to the upper end.

That is, the front panel 11 is provided with three brackets 100 in the depth direction of FIG. 2, and these brackets 100 are provided with holes 101 respectively, and these holes 101 are respectively provided in the main body of the indoor unit 1. Is hooked on a pin 103 (FIG. 2) provided on the upper part of

To hook the holes 101 on the pins 103, the front panel 11 is pushed toward the main body. Then, the pin 103 hits the bracket 100, and this pin 103
Flexes the bracket 100 laterally.

When this is pushed further in, the pin 103 fits into the hole 101 of the bracket 100, and the bracket 10
0 restores the original state. As a result, the hole 101 is caught in the pin 103.

FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the essential parts of this embodiment.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 200 denotes a main body of the indoor unit 1, and the main body 200 is provided with a frame 210 for supporting a filter (not shown). The pin 130 described above is provided on the upper portion of the main body 200, and the front panel 11 is hooked to the pin 130 as described above.

The front panel 11 is shown in FIGS.
It is opened and closed as shown in. When the front panel 11 is closed, the lower ends (3 places) of the front panel 11 are latched to the lower portion of the main body 200, as shown in FIG.

More specifically, three receiving portions 230 are provided in the lower portion of the main body 200 as shown in FIG. 3, and the front panel 11 has each receiving portion 2 as shown in FIG.
A Ω-shaped protrusion 330 that is fitted in 30 is provided.

The lower end of the front panel 11 is located at three places on the main body 20.
When it is connected to the lower portion of 0, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower edge portion 11a of the front panel 11 and the lower portion 200a of the main body 200 are in close contact with each other without a gap.

In this embodiment, however, a plurality of horizontally extending grooves 250 are provided in the lower portion 200a of the main body 200. For example, at the time of cooling operation, the lower part 2 of the main body 200
Dew adheres to 00a. The multiple grooves 250 function as a drain trap so that the dew does not leak downward.

The front panel 11 is integrally molded of resin, and as shown in FIG.
3 is provided.

By the way, when the front panel 11 is made of resin, the strength becomes insufficient and the front panel 1 is formed at the time of molding.
1 may be warped.

In order to prevent the occurrence of the warp, in the present embodiment, the rib 30 for reinforcing the panel extending along the lower edge of the rear surface of the front panel 11 as shown in FIG.
0 is provided, and a notch 3 is provided at the center of the rib 300.
10 are provided.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the main body 200 is provided with a laterally long groove 210 for receiving the rib 300 when the front panel 11 is closed.

When the rib 300 is received in the groove 210, even if the dew adheres to the lower portion 200a of the main body 200 during the cooling operation, for example, the groove 210 functions as a drain trap. It does not leak.

Further, the rigidity of the front panel 11 is the rib 30.
0, but this rib 300 has a notch 3
Since 10 is provided, the rigidity of the portion where the notch 310 is provided is low.

If the notch 310 is not provided and the rigidity of the front panel 11 is high in all parts, the lower end 11a of the front panel 11 may be closed when the front panel 11 is closed, depending on how the front panel 11 warps. Even if the three places and the lower portion 200a of the main body 200 are closed, there is a possibility that a gap may be formed in any part.

According to this embodiment, however, the rib 30
Since the notch 310 is provided in the central portion of 0, and the rigidity of the central portion of the front panel 11 is reduced by this, even if the front panel 11 has a warp, this warp is caused by the low rigidity portion of the front panel 11. Both ends of the front panel 11 can be firmly latched to the lower part of the main body 200 while absorbing at the center of the main body 200.
Can be firmly attached to the bottom of the.

According to this, the lower end 11 of the front panel 11 is
When the three parts of a and the lower part 200a of the main body 200 are closed, it is possible to prevent a gap between them as much as possible.

In short, according to this embodiment, the rib 30
Since 0 is provided, the strength of the front panel 11 is increased, and since the notch 310 is provided in the central portion of the rib 300, the lower end 11a of the front panel 11 and the main body 2 are provided.
When the lower part 200a of No. 00 is closed, there is almost no gap between the two and the external appearance can be obtained.

Although the present invention has been described based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, although the number of ribs 300 is one in the above-described embodiment, the number of ribs 300 is not limited to this, and a plurality of ribs may be used.

[0033]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the front panel is provided with the ribs, the strength of the front panel is increased, and moreover, the notch is provided at the central portion of the ribs. Therefore, when the lower end of the front panel and the lower part of the main body are closed, there is almost no gap between them.
This makes it possible to obtain a beautiful appearance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of an air conditioner of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view with a front panel opened.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the main body of the indoor unit.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a front panel.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the front panel, showing a rib.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Indoor Unit 5 Heat Exchanger 7 Drain Pan 11 Front Panel 200 Main Body 210 Groove 230 Receiving Part 250 Groove 300 Rib 310 Notch 330 Protrusion

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A front panel of an air conditioner in which an upper end is hinged to an upper part of a main body of an indoor unit and a lower end is latched to a lower part of the main body, and a lower edge of a rear surface of the front panel is along a lower edge thereof. A front panel of an air conditioner characterized in that a rib for extending the panel is provided, and a notch is provided in the center of the rib.