TWI706088B - air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that suppresses the deterioration of the fan cleaning part and improves the quietness. The solution of the present invention is an air conditioner (100), which is provided with: an indoor heat exchanger (15), an indoor fan (16), and the indoor heat exchanger (15) and the indoor fan (16) The fan cleaning part (24) of the indoor fan (16) is cleaned in between. The fan cleaning part (24) contacts the indoor fan (16) after the rotation of the indoor fan (16) starts. In addition, the indoor fan (16) is a structure that rotates with a shaft as a center, rotates in the same direction as the rotation direction of the indoor fan (16), and contacts the indoor fan (16).

Description

air conditioner

The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

As a technique for cleaning an indoor fan (fan) of an air conditioner, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a "fan cleaning device for removing dust from a fan". In addition, Figure 1 of Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which the fan cleaning device is installed near the air outlet of the indoor fan. [Prior Technical Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] JP 2007-71210 A

[The problem to be solved by the invention]

In the technique described in Patent Document 1, the fan cleaning section abuts on the fan before the rotation of the fan starts. Therefore, when the fan starts to rotate, a load is applied to the fan cleaning part, which easily deteriorates the fan cleaning part. In addition, the increase in the number of rotations of the fan increases the noise, which may cause discomfort to the user.

Therefore, the subject of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that suppresses the deterioration of the fan cleaning portion and improves the quietness. [Technical means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the air conditioner of the present invention is characterized by comprising: an indoor heat exchanger having a front indoor heat exchanger and a rear indoor heat exchanger, a blower fan, and the front indoor heat exchanger and the aforementioned indoor heat exchanger. The fan cleaning section of the blower fan is cleaned between the blower fans; when the blower fan is cleaned by the fan cleaning section, the blower fan rotates in the opposite direction from the normal air conditioner operation, and the fan cleaning section is on the blower fan. In the reverse rotation after the start of the reverse rotation, it contacts the blower fan.

In addition, the air conditioner of the present invention is characterized by comprising: an indoor heat exchanger having a front indoor heat exchanger and a rear indoor heat exchanger, a blower fan, and a combination of the front indoor heat exchanger and the blower fan. The fan cleaning part of the blowing fan is cleaned from time to time; when the fan cleaning part cleans the blowing fan, the blowing fan rotates in the opposite direction of the normal air conditioner operation, and the fan cleaning part is in the reverse direction of the blowing fan During the reverse rotation before the end of the rotation, it is separated from the blower fan. [Effects of Invention]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner that suppresses the deterioration of the fan cleaning part and improves the quietness.

"Implementation form" ＜Configuration of air conditioner＞ Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the refrigerant circuit Q of the air conditioner 100 of the embodiment. The solid arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the flow of refrigerant during heating operation. The dotted arrow in Figure 1 shows the flow of refrigerant during cooling operation. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 100 includes a compressor 11, an outdoor heat exchanger 12, an outdoor fan 13, and an expansion valve 14. In addition to the aforementioned configuration, the air conditioner 100 includes an indoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger) 15, an indoor fan (blower fan) 16, and a four-way valve 17.

The compressor 11 is a device that compresses and discharges a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant as a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant by the drive of the compressor motor 11a. The outdoor heat exchanger 12 is a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant circulating in the heat pipe (not shown in the figure) and the outside air sent in from the outdoor fan 13.

The outdoor fan 13 is a fan that sends outside air to the outdoor heat exchanger 12 by the driving of the outdoor fan motor 13 a, and is installed near the outdoor heat exchanger 12. The expansion valve 14 is a valve for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant condensed in the "condenser" (outdoor heat exchanger 12 during cooling operation, indoor heat exchanger 15 during heating operation). The refrigerant decompressed in the expansion valve 14 is introduced to the "evaporator" (the indoor heat exchanger 15 during cooling operation, and the outdoor heat exchanger 12 during heating operation).

The indoor heat exchanger 15 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant circulating in the heat pipe g (refer to FIG. 2) and the indoor air (air in the air-conditioned space) sent from the indoor fan 16 . The indoor fan 16 is a fan that sends indoor air to the indoor heat exchanger 15 driven by an indoor fan motor 16c (refer to FIG. 5), and is installed near the indoor heat exchanger 15.

The four-way valve 17 is a valve that switches the flow path of the refrigerant according to the operation mode of the air conditioner 100. For example, during cooling operation (refer to the dashed arrow in Figure 1), the compressor 11, the outdoor heat exchanger 12 (condenser), the expansion valve 14 and the indoor heat exchanger 15 (evaporator) are separated by a four-way valve 17 In the refrigerant circuit Q connected in sequence and ring, the refrigerant is circulated by a refrigeration cycle.

On the other hand, during heating operation (refer to the solid arrow in Figure 1), the compressor 11, the indoor heat exchanger 15 (condenser), the expansion valve 14 and the outdoor heat exchanger 12 (evaporator) are separated by four In the refrigerant circuit Q formed by connecting the through valves 17 sequentially and annularly, the refrigerant circulates in a refrigeration cycle.

In the example of FIG. 1, the compressor 11, the outdoor heat exchanger 12, the outdoor fan 13, the expansion valve 14, and the four-way valve 17 are installed in the outdoor unit Uo. On the other hand, the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16 are installed in the indoor unit Ui.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the indoor unit Ui. FIG. 2 shows a state where the indoor fan 16 has not been cleaned by the fan cleaning unit 24. In addition to the aforementioned indoor heat exchanger 15 or indoor fan 16, the indoor unit Ui is further equipped with: a drain pan 18, a frame base 19, filters 20a, 20b, a front panel 21, and left and right wind direction plates 22, and The up and down wind direction board 23 and the fan cleaning part 24.

The indoor heat exchanger 15 has a plurality of fans f and a plurality of heat transfer pipes g penetrating the fans f. In addition, when describing from another viewpoint, the indoor heat exchanger 15 has the front side indoor heat exchanger 15a and the rear side indoor heat exchanger 15b. The front indoor heat exchanger 15a is arranged in front of the indoor fan 16. On the other hand, the rear indoor heat exchanger 15b is arranged behind the indoor fan 16. In addition, the upper end of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a is connected to the upper end of the rear indoor heat exchanger 15b.

The drain pan 18 receives the condensed water of the indoor heat exchanger 15, and is arranged below the indoor heat exchanger 15 (the front indoor heat exchanger 15a in the example shown in FIG. 2).

The indoor fan 16 is, for example, a cylindrical cross-flow fan, and is arranged in the vicinity of the indoor heat exchanger 15. The indoor fan 16 includes a plurality of fan blades 16a, a partition 16b provided with these fan blades 16a, and an indoor fan motor 16c as a driving source (refer to FIG. 5).

The indoor fan 16 is preferably coated with a hydrophilic coating agent. This coating material can be used, for example, by adding a binder (silicon compound with a hydrolyzable group), butanol, tetrahydrofuran, and an antibacterial agent to a silica gel dispersed in isopropanol as a hydrophilic material.

Thereby, since a hydrophilic film is formed on the surface of the indoor fan 16, the resistance of the surface of the indoor fan 16 is small, and dust does not easily adhere to the indoor fan 16. That is, during the driving of the indoor fan 16, static electricity caused by friction with the air is unlikely to be generated on the surface of the indoor fan 16, so it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the indoor fan 16. In this way, the aforementioned coating agent also functions as an antistatic agent for the indoor fan 16.

The frame base 19 shown in Fig. 2 is a frame in which equipment such as an indoor heat exchanger 15 or an indoor fan 16 is installed. The filter 20a removes dust from the air at the air suction port h1 facing the front side, and is installed on the front side of the indoor heat exchanger 15. The filter 20b removes dust from the air of the air suction port h2 facing the upper side, and is installed on the upper side of the indoor heat exchanger 15.

The front panel 21 is a panel installed so as to cover the filter 20a on the front side, and has the lower end as an axis and can be rotated forward. The front panel 21 may also be a non-rotating structure.

The left-right wind direction plate 22 is a plate-shaped member that adjusts the flow of the air blown into the room in the left-right direction along with the rotation of the indoor fan 16. The left-right wind direction board 22 is arrange|positioned in the blowing air path h3, and it rotates in the left-right direction by the motor 25 for left-right wind direction boards (refer FIG. 5). The up-and-down wind direction plate 23 is a plate-shaped member that adjusts the up and down flow of the air blown into the room in accordance with the rotation of the indoor fan 16. The up-and-down wind direction board 23 is arrange|positioned near the air blowing outlet h4, and is rotated in the up-and-down direction by the motor 26 for up-and-down wind direction boards (refer FIG. 5).

The air sucked in through the air suction ports h1 and h2 exchanges heat with the refrigerant circulating in the heat transfer pipe g of the indoor heat exchanger 15, and the heat-exchanged air is introduced into the blowing air path h3. The air that is blown out here in the air path h3 is guided in a predetermined direction by the left and right wind direction plates 22 and the up and down wind direction plates 23, and then blown out into the room through the air blowing outlet h4.

Along with the flow of air, most of the dust toward the air suction ports h1, h2 is collected by the filters 20a, 20b. However, fine dust may pass through the filters 20a and 20b and adhere to the indoor heat exchanger 15 or the indoor fan 16 in some cases. Therefore, it is preferable to clean the indoor heat exchanger 15 or the indoor fan 16 regularly. Therefore, in this embodiment, after cleaning the indoor fan 16 using the fan cleaning part 24 demonstrated below, the indoor heat exchanger 15 is cleaned with water.

The fan cleaning unit 24 shown in FIG. 2 cleans the indoor fan 16 and is arranged between the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor fan 16. In more detail, the fan cleaning part 24 is arranged in the recess r of the front side indoor heat exchanger 15a which is U-shaped when viewed in a longitudinal section. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the indoor heat exchanger 15 (the lower part of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a) exists below the fan cleaning part 24, and the drain pan 18 exists at the same time. The fan cleaning section 24 is made of nylon, for example.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the indoor unit Ui with a part cut away. In addition to the shaft portion 24a and the brush 24b shown in FIG. 3, the fan cleaning unit 24 also includes a fan cleaning motor 24c (refer to FIG. 5). The shaft portion 24a is a rod-shaped member parallel to the axial direction of the indoor fan 16, and both ends are pivotally supported.

The brush 24b removes the dust adhering to the fan blade 16a, and is provided in the shaft part 24a. The fan cleaning motor 24c (refer to FIG. 5) is, for example, a stepping motor, and has a function of rotating the shaft portion 24a by a predetermined angle.

When the indoor fan 16 is cleaned by the fan cleaning part 24, the fan cleaning motor 24c (refer to Fig. 5) is driven so that the brush 24b contacts the indoor fan 16 (refer to Fig. 7A), and the indoor fan 16 Reverse rotation. Then, when the cleaning of the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning unit 24 is completed, the fan cleaning motor 24c is driven again to rotate the brush 24b, and the brush 24b is separated from the indoor fan 16 (refer to FIG. 2).

In this embodiment, except during the cleaning of the indoor fan 16, as shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the brush 24b faces the indoor heat exchanger 15. As shown in FIG. Specifically, when the indoor fan 16 is being cleaned (including during normal air-conditioning operation), the brush 24b is separated from the indoor fan 16 in a state of facing the lateral direction (substantially horizontal). Hereinafter, FIG. 4 is used to explain the reason for disposing the fan cleaning unit 24 in this way.

Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air in the vicinity of the fan cleaning unit 24 during air-conditioning operation. The directions of the arrows shown in Figure 4 show the direction of air flow. In addition, the length of each arrow indicates the flow rate of air. During normal air-conditioning operation, the indoor fan 16 rotates forward, and the air passing through the gap of the fan f of the front indoor heat exchanger 15 a faces the indoor fan 16. In particular, in the vicinity of the recess r of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a, as shown in FIG. 4, air flows laterally (in a substantially horizontal direction) toward the indoor fan 16.

In this recessed part r, as mentioned above, the fan cleaning part 24 is arrange|positioned in the state where the brush 24b faced the horizontal direction. In other words, during normal air-conditioning operation, the direction of the brush 24b is parallel to the flow direction of the air. In this way, since the extending direction of the brush 24b is substantially parallel to the flow direction of the air, the fan cleaning section 24 hardly obstructs the flow of air.

In addition, the fan cleaning unit 24 is not arranged in the upstream zone and the downstream zone (near the air blowing port h4 shown in FIG. 2) in the air flow when the indoor fan 16 rotates in the forward direction. In addition, the air that circulates laterally along the brush 24b is accelerated by the fan blade 16a, and the accelerated air is directed toward the air outlet h4 (refer to FIG. 2). In this way, since the fan cleaning unit 24 is arranged in the upstream area where the air flows at a relatively low speed, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the air volume caused by the fan cleaning unit 24. Even when the indoor fan 16 is stopped, the fan cleaning unit 24 can be maintained in the same state as in FIG. 4.

Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of the air conditioner 100. In addition to the aforementioned configuration, the indoor unit Ui shown in FIG. 5 also includes a remote control transmitting and receiving unit 27 and an indoor control circuit 31. The remote control transmitting and receiving unit 27 communicates information with the remote control 40. The indoor control circuit 31, although not shown in the figure, it includes CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), various It is composed of electronic circuits such as interfaces. Then, the program stored in the ROM is read and accessed in the RAM, and the CPU performs various processing.

As shown in Fig. 5, the indoor control circuit 31 includes a memory unit 31a and an indoor control unit 31b. In addition to the predetermined program, the memory portion 31a also stores the data received by the remote control transmitting and receiving portion 27 or the detection values of various sensors (not shown in the figure). The indoor control unit 31b executes control of the fan cleaning motor 24c, the indoor fan motor 16c, the left and right wind direction board motors 25, the up and down wind direction board motors 26, etc., based on the data stored in the memory unit 31a.

In addition to the aforementioned configuration, the outdoor unit Uo also includes an outdoor control circuit 32. The outdoor control circuit 32, although not shown in the figure, is composed of electronic circuits including CPU, ROM, RAM, various interfaces, etc., and is connected to the indoor control circuit 31 via a communication line. As shown in Fig. 5, the outdoor control circuit 32 includes a memory unit 32a and an outdoor control unit 32b.

In addition to a predetermined program, the memory portion 32a also stores data received from the indoor control circuit 31. The outdoor control unit 32b controls the compressor motor 11a, the outdoor fan motor 13a, the expansion valve 14 and the like based on the data stored in the memory unit 32a. Hereinafter, the indoor control circuit 31 and the outdoor control circuit 32 are collectively referred to as the "control unit 30".

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of the processing executed by the control unit 30 (refer to Fig. 2 as appropriate). At the time of "start" in Fig. 6, the air-conditioning operation is not performed, and the front end of the brush 24b faces the front indoor heat exchanger 15a (the state shown in Fig. 2).

In step S101 in FIG. 6, the control unit 30 cleans the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning unit 24. As a trigger condition for starting the cleaning of the indoor fan 16, for example, a condition that the accumulated time of the air-conditioning operation from the previous cleaning reaches a predetermined time, but it is not limited to a specific condition.

FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the indoor fan 16 during cleaning. In Fig. 7A, the indoor heat exchanger 15, the indoor fan 16, and the drain pan 18 are shown, and other components are omitted in the figure. The control unit 30 causes the indoor fan 16 to rotate in the opposite direction (reverse rotation) during normal air-conditioning operation, and when the indoor fan 16 reaches the set number of revolutions, the fan cleaning unit 24 contacts the indoor fan 16.

That is, the control unit 30 faces the indoor heat exchanger 15 from the front end of the brush 24b (refer to FIG. 2), and rotates the brush 24b about 180° with the shaft 24a as the center, so that the front end of the brush 24b faces the room. Fan 16 (refer to Figure 7A). Thereby, the brush 24b is brought into contact with the blade 16a of the indoor fan 16.

In the example of FIG. 7A, as shown by the single-dotted broken line L, there is an indoor heat exchanger 15 (front-side indoor heat exchanger 15a) below the contact position K in a state where the fan cleaning portion 24 is in contact with the indoor fan 16. ), and there is also a drip tray 18.

As described above, since the indoor fan 16 rotates in the reverse direction, the front end of the brush 24b is bent along with the movement of the blade 16a, and the brush 24b is pressed tightly by touching the back of the blade 16a. Then, the dust accumulated near the front end (end in the radial direction) of the blade 16a is removed by the brush 24b.

In particular, dust tends to accumulate near the tip of the blade 16a. This is due to the fact that during air conditioning operation in which the indoor fan 16 is rotating in the forward direction (refer to FIG. 4), air is blown against the vicinity of the front end of the ventral portion of the fan blade 16a and dust is attached to the vicinity of the front end. The air blown against the vicinity of the front end of the fan blade 16a follows the curved surface of the blade belly of the fan blade 16a and passes through the gap between the fan blades 16a and 16a.

In this embodiment, as described above, the indoor fan 16 is rotated in the reverse direction, and when the indoor fan 16 reaches the set number of revolutions, the fan cleaning portion 24 is brought into contact with the fan blade 16a. Thereby, the brush 24b is brought into contact with the vicinity of the front end of the back surface of the fan blade 16a, and the dust accumulated in the vicinity of the front end of the back surface of the fan blade 16a is removed. As a result, most of the dust accumulated in the indoor fan 16 can be removed.

In addition, by rotating the indoor fan 16 in the reverse direction, the indoor unit Ui (refer to FIG. 2) generates a slow air flow in the reverse direction when it rotates in the forward direction (refer to FIG. 4). Therefore, the dust j removed from the indoor fan 16 does not go to the air outlet h4 (refer to FIG. 2), but passes through the gap between the front indoor heat exchanger 15a and the indoor fan 16 as shown in FIG. 7A. It is guided to the drip tray 18.

In more detail, the dust j removed from the indoor fan 16 by the brush 24b is gently pressed against the front indoor heat exchanger 15a by wind pressure. Furthermore, the aforementioned dust j falls into the drain pan 18 along the inclined surface (the edge of the fan f) of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a (refer to the arrow in FIG. 7A). Therefore, the dust j is hardly attached to the inner surface of the up-and-down wind direction plate 23 (refer to FIG. 2) through the minute gap between the indoor fan 16 and the drain pan 18. This prevents dust j from being blown into the room during the next air-conditioning operation.

A part of the dust j removed from the indoor fan 16 may not fall into the drain pan 18 and may adhere to the front indoor heat exchanger 15a. The dust j attached to the front indoor heat exchanger 15a in this way is cleaned in the process of step S103 described later.

In addition, during the cleaning of the indoor fan 16, the control unit 30 can drive the indoor fan 16 by the rotation speed in the medium and high speed region, and can also drive the indoor fan 16 by the rotation speed in the low speed region. The range of the rotation speed in the high-speed area of the indoor fan 16 is, for example, 300 min ^-1 or more and less than 1700 min ^-1 . In this way, by rotating the indoor fan 16 in the medium-to-high speed region, the dust j is easily directed toward the front indoor heat exchanger 15a, and therefore it is difficult for the dust j to adhere to the inner surface of the vertical wind direction plate 23 (refer to FIG. 2) as described above. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the dust j from being blown into the room during the next air-conditioning operation.

In addition, the range of the rotation speed of the low-speed region of the indoor fan 16 is, for example, 100 min ^-1 or more and less than 300 min ^-1 . In this way, by rotating the indoor fan 16 in a low-speed area, the indoor fan 16 can be cleaned with low noise.

After finishing the processing of step S101 in FIG. 6, in step S102, the control unit 30 moves the fan cleaning unit 24. That is, the control unit 30 faces the indoor fan 16 from the front end of the brush 24b (refer to FIG. 7A), and rotates the brush 24b about 180° with the shaft 24a as the center, so that the front end of the brush 24b faces the indoor heat. Switch 15 (refer to Figure 7B). This prevents the fan cleaning section 24 from becoming an obstruction to the flow of air during the subsequent air-conditioning operation.

Next, in step S103, the control unit 30 sequentially freezes and unfreezes the indoor heat exchanger 15. First, the control unit 30 causes the indoor heat exchanger 15 to function as an evaporator, and frosts and freezes moisture contained in the air entering the indoor unit Ui. The process of freezing the indoor heat exchanger 15 also includes the matter of "adhering condensate to" the indoor heat exchanger 15.

When freezing the indoor heat exchanger 15, the control unit 30 preferably lowers the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 15. That is, when the control unit 30 causes the indoor heat exchanger 15 to function as an evaporator and freezes the indoor heat exchanger 15 (allows condensate to adhere), the evaporation temperature of the refrigerant is lower than that during normal air-conditioning operation. In this way, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 15 is adjusted.

For example, the control unit 30 may reduce the opening degree of the expansion valve 14 (refer to FIG. 1) to allow a refrigerant with a low evaporation temperature to flow into the indoor heat exchanger 15 at a low pressure. Thereby, since frost or ice (symbol i shown in FIG. 7B) easily grows in the indoor heat exchanger 15, a large amount of water can be used to clean the indoor heat exchanger 15 in the subsequent thawing.

In addition, in the indoor heat exchanger 15, the area below the fan cleaning portion 24 is preferably not a downstream area (that is, an upstream area or a midstream area) where the refrigerant flowing in the indoor heat exchanger 15 flows. Thereby, since the low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows at least below the fan cleaning portion 24 (lower side), the thickness of frost or ice adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be increased. Therefore, a large amount of water can be used to clean the indoor heat exchanger 15 in the subsequent thawing. In the area below the fan cleaning unit 24 in the indoor heat exchanger 15, dust scraped off from the indoor fan 16 by the fan cleaning unit 24 is likely to adhere. Therefore, by flowing the low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant in the area below the fan cleaning part 24 in the indoor heat exchanger 15, frost or ice can easily grow, and the frost or ice can be appropriately melted. The dust in the indoor heat exchanger 15 is cleaned.

In addition, when the indoor heat exchanger 15 is made to function as an evaporator to freeze the indoor heat exchanger 15 (to adhere condensed water), the control unit 30 preferably closes the upper and lower wind direction plates 23 (refer to FIG. 2) or This is to make the angle of the up-and-down wind direction board 23 more upward than horizontal. Thereby, the low-temperature air cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be prevented from leaking into the room, and the freezing of the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be performed in a comfortable state for the user.

After freezing the indoor heat exchanger 15 in this way (step S103 in Fig. 6), the control unit 30 defrosts the indoor heat exchanger 15 (S103). For example, the control unit 30 naturally defrosts the indoor heat exchanger 15 at room temperature by maintaining the stopped state of each device. The frost or ice adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be melted by causing the control unit 30 to perform air blowing operation.

Fig. 7B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the indoor heat exchanger 15 is thawing. By thawing the indoor heat exchanger 15, the frost or ice adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 is melted, transmitted to the fan f, and a large amount of water w is dropped on the drain pan 18. Thereby, the dust j attached to the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be cleaned during air-conditioning operation.

In addition, along with the cleaning of the indoor fan 16 by the brush 24b, the dust j adhering to the front indoor heat exchanger 15a is also washed and dripped onto the drain pan 18 (refer to the arrow in FIG. 7B). The water w dropped on the drain pan 18 in this way, together with the dust j (refer to Fig. 7A) that fell directly on the drain pan 18 during the cleaning of the indoor fan 16, is discharged through a drain hose (not shown) external. As mentioned above, there is almost no doubt that a large amount of water drips from the indoor heat exchanger 15 during thawing, or that dust j blocks the drain hose (not shown in the figure).

Although omitted in FIG. 6, after freezing and thawing of the indoor heat exchanger 15 (S103), the control unit 30 can perform a blowing operation to dry the interior of the indoor unit Ui. This can suppress the growth of bacteria in the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the like.

＜Operation of fan cleaning section＞ Next, the operation of the fan cleaning unit 24 will be described using FIGS. 8 and 9. Fig. 8 is a flowchart of the processing executed by the control unit 30. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the indoor fan (blowing fan) 16 and the fan cleaning part 24 in the air conditioner 100.

In step S201, the control unit 30 controls the indoor fan motor 16c to start the rotation of the indoor fan 16 and accelerate the indoor fan 16.

In step S202, the control unit 30 determines whether the rotation speed (rotation speed) of the indoor fan 16 has reached the set rotation speed R _Th (for example, the set rotation speed R _Th = 800 min ^-1 ). When the control unit 30 determines that the number of revolutions of the indoor fan 16 has reached the set number of revolutions R _Th (step S202→Yes), the process proceeds to step S203. When the control unit 30 determines that the number of revolutions of the indoor fan 16 has not reached the set number of revolutions R _Th (step S202→No), the process proceeds to step S201.

In step S203, the control unit 30 controls the fan cleaning motor 24c so that the fan cleaning unit 24 abuts against the indoor fan 16. That is, the control unit 30 controls the fan cleaning motor 24c so that the fan cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16 are in contact with each other after the indoor fan 16 is accelerated. In addition, the control unit 30 controls the indoor fan motor 16c to rotate the indoor fan 16 in a state where the fan cleaning unit 24 is in contact with the indoor fan 16. Thereby, the durability of the fan cleaning part 24 can be improved, and the dust adhering to the blade of the indoor fan 16 can be removed. In addition, the control unit 30 controls the angle of the fan cleaning unit 24 such that the fan cleaning unit 24 touches the front end surface of the blade of the indoor fan 16 between the fan cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16 abutting. The angle of the fan cleaning unit 24 is preferably a state in which the fan cleaning unit 24 shown in FIG. 2 faces the horizontal direction, and the rotation direction (reverse rotation direction) of the indoor fan 16 during cleaning is a predetermined angle. Thereby, the quietness of the air conditioner 100 can be improved. Furthermore, the load applied to each motor can be reduced. In addition, the control unit 30 controls the motor 25 for the left and right wind direction plates to close the left and right wind direction plates 22 between the abutment of the fan cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16. Similarly, the control unit 30 controls the motor 26 for the vertical wind direction board to close the vertical wind direction board 23 between the abutment of the fan cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16. Thereby, the quietness of the air conditioner 100 can be improved, and the spread of dust can be prevented, and the user can be prevented from reaching into the indoor unit Ui.

In step S204, the control unit 30 determines whether the rotation time of the indoor fan 16 has reached the set time T _Th (for example, the set time T _Th = 5 seconds). That is, the control unit 30 determines the time when the fan cleaning unit 24 is in contact with the indoor fan 16. When the control unit 30 determines that the rotation time of the indoor fan 16 has reached the set time T _Th (step S204→Yes), the process proceeds to step S205. When the control unit 30 determines that the rotation time of the indoor fan 16 has not reached the set time T _Th (step S204→No), the process proceeds to step S203.

In step S205, the control unit 30 controls the fan cleaning motor 24c to separate the fan cleaning unit 24 from the indoor fan 16. In other words, the control unit 30 controls the fan cleaning motor 24c so that the fan cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16 are arranged in separate positions before the indoor fan 16 decelerates.

In step S206, the control unit 30 also controls the indoor fan motor 16c to decelerate the indoor fan 16 and end the rotation of the indoor fan 16.

According to the above process, the control unit 30 from the time shown in FIG. 90 to the first during a period of time t ₁ (acceleration indoor fan 16) of the cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16 apart from the fan. Further, the control unit 30 from the time the first shown in FIG. 9 t ₁ to time t ₂ during a period of (the indoor fan 16 to set the rotation number of rotations R _TH), the fan 24 and the indoor fan cleaning portion 16 abuts. Further, the control unit 30 from time t of FIG. ₂ to 9, during a period of time t ₃ (reduction of the indoor fan 16) of the cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16 apart from the fan.

Thereby, during the acceleration when the indoor fan 16 starts to rotate or the deceleration when the indoor fan 16 finishes rotating, the fan cleaning part 24 can be separated from the indoor fan 16, so that the burden on the fan cleaning part 24 can be avoided. It is easy to deteriorate the fan cleaning part 24. In addition, the increase or decrease in the number of rotations of the indoor fan 16 can also avoid the increase or decrease in noise, which may cause discomfort to the user.

<Effects> According to the air conditioner 100 of the present embodiment, compared with the conventional air conditioner, since the contact time of the fan cleaning part 24 and the indoor fan 16 can be shortened, the deterioration of the fan cleaning part can be suppressed and an air conditioner with improved quietness can be realized .

According to the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, since the fan cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16 rotate in the same direction between the fan cleaning unit 24 and the indoor fan 16 abut, the durability of the fan cleaning unit 24 can be improved.

According to the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, since the angle of the fan cleaning part 24 is adjusted corresponding to the front end surface of the indoor fan 16 between the fan cleaning part 24 and the indoor fan 16, the quietness can be improved.

According to the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, since the left and right wind direction plates 22 and the up and down wind direction plates 23 are closed between the fan cleaning section 24 and the indoor fan 16 abut, the quietness of the air conditioner 100 can be improved while preventing dust And prevent the user from accidentally reaching into the interior of the indoor unit Ui.

According to this embodiment, since the indoor fan 16 is cleaned by the fan cleaning part 24 (step S101 in FIG. 6), it can suppress that dust j is blown indoors. In addition, since the fan cleaning unit 24 is disposed between the front indoor heat exchanger 15a and the indoor fan 16, the dust j scraped off from the indoor fan 16 by the brush 24b can be guided to the drain pan 18. In addition, during cleaning of the indoor fan 16, the control unit 30 rotates the indoor fan 16 in the reverse direction. This prevents the aforementioned dust j from heading toward the air outlet h4.

In addition, in the normal air-conditioning operation, since the brush 24b is in a laterally oriented state (refer to Fig. 4), the influence of the brush 24b hardly obstructs the flow of air. Furthermore, in accordance with the arrangement of the fan cleaning unit 24 on the upstream side of the flow of air, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the air volume caused by the fan cleaning unit 24 during normal air-conditioning operation, and it is also possible to suppress the increase in the power consumption of the indoor fan 16 .

Incidentally, when a large amount of dust adheres to the indoor fan 16, the air volume decreases, and the indoor heat exchanger 15 is in a supercooled (supercooled) state, and dripping may occur during cooling operation. In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the indoor fan 16 is cleaned appropriately as described above, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the air volume of the indoor fan 16 accompanying the adhesion of dust. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent dripping of dust caused by the indoor fan 16.

In addition, the control unit 30 sequentially freezes and unfreezes the indoor heat exchanger 15 (step S103 in FIG. 6), thereby washing the dust j attached to the indoor heat exchanger 15 with water w and dripping on the drain pan 18 . In this way, according to the present embodiment, the indoor fan 16 can be brought into a clean state, and the indoor heat exchanger 15 can also be brought into a clean state. Therefore, the air conditioner 100 can perform comfortable air conditioning. In addition, it is possible to reduce the effort and maintenance cost of the user required for cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 15 or the indoor fan 16.

"Modifications" The air conditioner 100 of the present invention has been described above with the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these descriptions, and various modifications can be made. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of an indoor unit UA1 of an air conditioner according to a modification. In the modification shown in FIG. 10, the groove member M, which is concave when viewed in the longitudinal section, is provided below the front indoor heat exchanger 15a. In addition, a rib 28 extending upward from the bottom surface of the groove member M is provided on the groove member M. The other points are the same as in the embodiment.

In the groove member M shown in FIG. 10, the portion on the front side of the rib 28 functions as a drain pan 18A that receives the condensed water of the indoor heat exchanger 15. In addition, in the groove member M, the part behind the rib 28 functions as a dust collecting part 29 that receives dust falling from the indoor heat exchanger 15 or the indoor fan 16. The dust collecting part 29 is arranged below the indoor heat exchanger 15.

In addition, the indoor heat exchanger 15 (the lower part of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a) exists below the fan cleaning part 24, and the dust collecting part 29 exists at the same time. In more detail, although omitted from the figure, there is an indoor heat exchanger 15 and a dust collecting part 29 below the contact position in a state where the fan cleaning part 24 is in contact with the indoor fan 16. Even with this configuration, the same effect as the aforementioned embodiment can be achieved. When the indoor heat exchanger 15 is thawed, water drops on the water receiving pan 18A, and the water also drops on the dust collecting part 29. Therefore, there is no doubt that the discharge of the dust accumulated in the dust collecting part 29 will be hindered.

In addition, in the example shown in FIG. 10, the upper end of the rib 28 does not contact the front indoor heat exchanger 15a, but it is not limited to this. That is, the upper end of the rib 28 can contact the front indoor heat exchanger 15a.

Fig. 11 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor fan 16 and a fan cleaning unit 24A included in an air conditioner of another modification. In the modification shown in Fig. 11, the fan cleaning portion 24A includes a rod-shaped shaft portion 24d parallel to the axial direction of the indoor fan 16, a brush 24e provided on the shaft portion 24d, and two shaft portions 24d. One end pair of supporting parts 24f, 24f. Although the others are not shown in the figure, the fan cleaning unit 24A also has a moving mechanism that moves the fan cleaning unit 24A upward in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 11, the length of the fan cleaning portion 24A in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the indoor fan 16 is shorter than the length in the axial direction of the indoor fan 16 itself. Then, during the cleaning of the indoor fan 16, the fan cleaning unit 24A moves in the axial direction of the indoor fan 16 (the left and right direction when viewed from the front of the indoor unit). That is, in the axial direction of the indoor fan 16, the indoor fan 16 is cleaned sequentially in each predetermined area corresponding to the length of the fan cleaning portion 24A. In this way, by adopting the configuration in which the fan cleaning section 24A having a relatively short length is moved, the manufacturing cost of the air conditioner can be reduced compared with the first embodiment.

A rod (not shown in the figure) extending in parallel with the shaft portion 24d can also be arranged near the fan cleaning part 24A (for example, the upper side of the shaft portion 24d), and a predetermined moving mechanism (not shown in the figure) is moved along the rod The fan cleaning unit 24A moves. In addition, after cleaning by the fan cleaning part 24A, the moving mechanism (not shown in the figure) can appropriately rotate or move the fan cleaning part 24A in parallel, so that the fan cleaning part 24A can withdraw from the indoor fan 16.

In addition, in the embodiment, the control unit 30 brings the fan cleaning unit 24 into contact with the indoor fan 16, and makes the indoor fan 16 rotate in the opposite direction (reverse rotation) during normal air conditioning operation, but it is not limited Here. That is, the control unit 30 may make the fan cleaning unit 24 contact the indoor fan 16 and rotate the indoor fan 16 in the same direction as that during normal air conditioning operation (forward rotation).

In this way, by making the brush 24b contact the indoor fan 16 and rotating the indoor fan 16 in the forward direction, the dust adhering to the vicinity of the front end of the ventral blade of the fan blade 16a can be effectively removed. In addition, since there is no need to use a circuit element for rotating the indoor fan 16 in a reverse direction, the manufacturing cost of the air conditioner 100 can be reduced. The rotation speed when the indoor fan 16 is rotated in the forward direction during cleaning is the same as in the embodiment, and may be any of a low-speed zone, a medium-speed zone, and a high-speed zone.

In addition, in the embodiment, the configuration in which the brush 24b is rotated around the shaft portion 24a of the fan cleaning portion 24 is described, but it is not limited to this. For example, when cleaning the indoor fan 16, the control unit 30 can move the shaft portion 24 a toward the indoor fan 16 and make the brush 24 b contact the indoor fan 16. Then, after the cleaning of the indoor fan 16 is completed, the control unit 30 retracts the shaft portion 24 a to separate the brush 24 b from the indoor fan 16.

In addition, in the embodiment, the configuration in which the fan cleaning unit 24 includes the brush 24b has been described, but it is not limited to this. That is, as long as it is a member which can clean the indoor fan 16, a sponge etc. can be used.

In addition, in the embodiment, the structure in the indoor heat exchanger 15 below the fan cleaning portion 24 has been described as being not a downstream area where the refrigerant flows, but it is not limited to this. For example, the area in the indoor heat exchanger 15 whose height is higher than that of the fan cleaning part 24 may be a configuration that is not a downstream area (that is, an upstream area or a midstream area) where the refrigerant flowing in the indoor heat exchanger 15 flows. In more detail, in the front indoor heat exchanger 15a, the area on the downstream side of the flow of air during normal air-conditioning operation and the area where the height is higher than the fan cleaning part 24 is preferably not in the indoor heat exchange The downstream area of the flow of refrigerant circulating in the device 15. According to this structure, in the front indoor heat exchanger 15a, the area on the downstream side of the flow of air during normal air-conditioning operation (the right part of the paper of the front indoor heat exchanger 15a shown in Figure 2), and this In the area where the height is higher than the fan cleaning part 24, thick frost adheres to the indoor heat exchanger 15 as it freezes. Then, when the indoor heat exchanger 15 is thawed, it is transmitted to the fan f, and a large amount of water drips. As a result, the dust (including dust removed from the indoor fan 16) adhering to the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be cleaned to the drain pan 18.

In addition, in the embodiment, while cleaning the indoor fan 16, the control unit 30 makes the brush 24b of the fan cleaning unit 24 contact the indoor fan 16, but it is not limited to this. That is, during the cleaning of the indoor fan 16, the control unit 30 may also bring the brush 24 b of the fan cleaning unit 24 close to the indoor fan 16. In more detail, the control unit 30 brings the brush 24b close to the indoor fan 16 to the extent that the dust accumulated at the front end of the fan blade 16a and grows radially outward from the front end can be removed. With this structure, the dust accumulated in the indoor fan 16 can also be appropriately removed.

In addition, in each embodiment, the process of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger 15 by freezing etc. of the indoor heat exchanger 15 was demonstrated, but it is not limited to this. For example, the indoor heat exchanger 15 may be condensed, and the indoor heat exchanger 15 may be cleaned by the dew condensation water (condensed water). For example, the control unit 30 calculates the dew point of the indoor air based on the temperature and relative humidity of the indoor air. Then, the control unit 30 controls the opening degree of the expansion valve 14 and the like so that the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 15 is below the aforementioned dew point and higher than a predetermined freezing temperature.

The aforementioned "freezing temperature" refers to the temperature at which moisture contained in the indoor air starts to freeze in the indoor heat exchanger 15 when the temperature of the indoor air is lowered. By condensing the indoor heat exchanger 15 in this way, the dust in the indoor heat exchanger 15 can be cleaned by the dew condensation water (condensed water).

In addition, the indoor heat exchanger 15 may be condensed by causing the control unit 30 to perform a cooling operation or a dehumidifying operation, and the indoor heat exchanger 15 may be cleaned by the condensed water (condensed water).

In addition, in the embodiment (refer to FIG. 2 ), the structure in which the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the drain pan 18 exist below the fan cleaning unit 24 has been described, but it is not limited to this. That is, it may be a structure in which at least one of the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the drain pan 18 exists below the fan cleaning part 24. For example, in a configuration in which the lower portion of the indoor heat exchanger 15 that is U-shaped when viewed in a longitudinal section extends in a straight direction, the drain pan 18 may be provided below (directly below) the fan cleaning portion 24.

In addition, in the modification shown in FIG. 10, the structure in which the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the dust collection part 29 exist below the fan cleaning part 24 was demonstrated, but it is not limited to this. That is, it may be a structure in which at least one of the indoor heat exchanger 15 and the dust collecting part 29 exists below the fan cleaning part 24.

In addition, in the embodiment, the structure in which one indoor unit Ui (refer to the first figure) and the outdoor unit Uo (refer to the same figure) are installed respectively has been described, but it is not limited to this. In other words, multiple indoor units connected in parallel can be installed, and multiple outdoor units connected in parallel can also be installed. In addition, in the embodiment, the wall-mounted air conditioner 100 is described, but it can also be applied to other types of air conditioners.

In addition, each embodiment is described in detail in order to explain the present invention more easily and clearly, but it is not necessarily limited to having all the structures described. In addition, for a part of the configuration of each embodiment, other configurations can be added, deleted, and replaced. In addition, the aforementioned institutions or structures are shown in consideration of the requirements of the description, but not necessarily all institutions or structures are shown in terms of products.

100‧‧‧Air conditioner 11‧‧‧Compressor 12‧‧‧Outdoor Heat Exchanger 13‧‧‧Outdoor fan 14‧‧‧Expansion valve 15‧‧‧Indoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger) 15a‧‧‧Front indoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger) 15b‧‧‧Rear indoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger) 16‧‧‧Indoor fan (supply fan) 17‧‧‧Four-way valve 18‧‧‧Water tray 22‧‧‧Left and right wind direction board 23‧‧‧Up and down wind direction board 24‧‧‧Fan Cleaning Department 24a‧‧‧Shaft 24b‧‧‧brush 29‧‧‧Dust Collection Department 30‧‧‧Control Department K‧‧‧Contact position Q‧‧‧Refrigerant circuit r‧‧‧recess

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the indoor unit included in the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view with a part of the indoor unit included in the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention cut away. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of air in the vicinity of the fan cleaning unit during air conditioning operation in the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a flowchart of processing executed by the control unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7A is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the indoor fan during cleaning in the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the indoor heat exchanger is thawing in the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 is a flowchart of processing executed by the control unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the period during which the fan cleaning portion during fan cleaning abuts or leaves the indoor fan in the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of an indoor unit included in an air conditioner according to a modification of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor fan and a fan cleaning unit included in an air conditioner according to another modification of the present invention.

Claims (9)

An air conditioner characterized by comprising: an indoor heat exchanger having a front indoor heat exchanger and a rear indoor heat exchanger, a blower fan, and an air blower arranged between the front indoor heat exchanger and the blower fan to clean the The fan cleaning section of the blower fan; when the blower fan is cleaned by the fan cleaning section, the blower fan is accelerated to rotate in the opposite direction to the normal air-conditioning operation at a predetermined speed. The fan cleaning section is After the number of revolutions of the blower fan reaches the predetermined number of revolutions, the blower fan contacts the blower fan during the reverse rotation after the reverse rotation of the blower fan starts. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the contact time between the fan cleaning section and the blowing fan is longer than the time after the rotation of the blowing fan starts to reach a predetermined number of revolutions. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: an indoor heat exchanger having a front indoor heat exchanger and a rear indoor heat exchanger, a blower fan, and an air blower arranged between the front indoor heat exchanger and the blower fan to clean the The fan cleaning part of the blower fan; When the blower fan is cleaned by the fan cleaning section, the blower fan is accelerated to rotate at a predetermined speed in the opposite direction to that during normal air-conditioning operation, and the fan cleaning section is rotated at the speed of the blower fan. After a predetermined number of revolutions, the blower fan is separated from the blower fan during the reverse rotation before the reverse rotation of the blower fan ends. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the contact time between the fan cleaning part and the blower fan is longer than the time required for the blower fan to decelerate from a predetermined number of revolutions to complete rotation. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the fan cleaning portion is a structure that rotates around a shaft portion, and the blades of the blower fan are convex with respect to the direction of rotation of the blower fan during cleaning, and the fan is cleaned When the section is in contact with the blower fan, the fan cleaning section is inclined relative to the horizontal direction to the side of the rotation direction of the blower fan during cleaning. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the fan cleaning portion is a structure that rotates around a shaft portion, and the blades of the blower fan have a convex shape with respect to the rotation direction of the blower fan during cleaning. When the section is in contact with the blower fan, the fan cleaning section moves relative to the horizontal direction to the direction of rotation of the blower fan during cleaning. Tilt to the side. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least a part of the fan cleaning part is nylon. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the fan cleaning part is in contact with the blower fan, the upper and lower wind direction plates are closed. The air conditioner according to claim 7, wherein when the fan cleaning section is in contact with the blower fan, the upper and lower wind direction plates are closed.

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