US20160131404A1 - Outdoor unit and air-conditioning apparatus - Google Patents

Outdoor unit and air-conditioning apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US20160131404A1
US20160131404A1 US14/897,692 US201414897692A US2016131404A1 US 20160131404 A1 US20160131404 A1 US 20160131404A1 US 201414897692 A US201414897692 A US 201414897692A US 2016131404 A1 US2016131404 A1 US 2016131404A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
refrigerant
outdoor unit
indication
hexagonal
sealing nut
Prior art date
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Abandoned
Application number
US14/897,692
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English (en)
Inventor
Tatsuya Mochizuki
Yoshihiro Tanabe
Kenta Kawahara
Toshiyuki KUBONO
Hiroyuki JINNAI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Publication date
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Assigned to MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION reassignment MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JINNAI, HIROYUKI, KUBONO, TOSHIYUKI, KAWAHARA, KENTA, MOCHIZUKI, TATSUYA, TANABE, YOSHIHIRO
Publication of US20160131404A1 publication Critical patent/US20160131404A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/06—Separate outdoor units, e.g. outdoor unit to be linked to a separate room comprising a compressor and a heat exchanger
    • F24F1/26—Refrigerant piping
    • F24F1/32—Refrigerant piping for connecting the separate outdoor units to indoor units
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B45/00—Arrangements for charging or discharging refrigerant
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/06—Separate outdoor units, e.g. outdoor unit to be linked to a separate room comprising a compressor and a heat exchanger
    • F24F1/26—Refrigerant piping
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/89—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B41/00—Fluid-circulation arrangements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus including a compression refrigeration cycle, and particularly relates to an outdoor unit and an air-conditioning apparatus that provide improved safety and reliability during installation of the air-conditioning apparatus and during service work thereon.
  • R32 difluoromethane
  • hydrofluoroolefin-based refrigerants such as HFO1234yf, and HFO1234ze
  • refrigerant mixtures containing R32 and any HFO-based refrigerant and natural refrigerants such as R290 (propane) and R600a (isobutane).
  • R290 propane
  • R600a isobutane
  • the HFC-based refrigerant R32 and the HC-based refrigerant R290 (propane) have come to attract attention as alternative refrigerants.
  • the refrigerants R32 and R290 have global warming potentials (hereinafter referred to as GWPs) much lower than those of other refrigerants such as R22 and R410A, when released into the atmosphere.
  • GWPs global warming potentials
  • the refrigerants such as R32 and R290 are flammable, products that use these refrigerants need to be designed with full consideration for safety.
  • the refrigerant R290 is highly flammable, and needs to be handled with special care.
  • the refrigerant R32 is less flammable than R290, and therefore product design relatively similar to that for the non-flammable refrigerants R22 and R410A is possible.
  • R32 is flammable, safety design is needed. Therefore, in the case of using a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290, a certain amount of money needs to be spent in order to improve the safety.
  • An air-conditioning apparatus includes a compression refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a four-way valve, a pressure reducing device, and so on are connected to each other by refrigerant pipes. Therefore, in the case of an air-conditioning apparatus using a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290, safety design is particularly necessary in view of situations such as when charging refrigerant into the refrigerant circuit during installation of the air-conditioning apparatus or during service work on the air-conditioning apparatus, for example.
  • a cooling apparatus having an inlet port for charging refrigerant into a refrigerant circuit, the cooling apparatus including an indication portion that is disposed in the vicinity of the inlet port and that indicates the type of refrigerant used” (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
  • Patent Literature 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-311629 (see FIG. 2 etc.)
  • the type of refrigerant used is indicated in the vicinity of the inlet port (service port) for charging refrigerant.
  • the type of refrigerant is indicated to the operator.
  • the air-conditioning apparatus may have to be installed under unfavorable conditions (for example, the work site is dark, or the operator needs to perform work in an unnatural posture). Then, the operator might overlook the indication and use a wrong refrigerant. Therefore, simply indicating the type of refrigerant according to the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is not sufficient enough to inform the operator of the content of the indication with 100% reliability.
  • the existing air-conditioning apparatuses using R22 or R410A do not have safety design for flammable refrigerants.
  • a flammable refrigerant is mistakenly charged into such an existing air-conditioning apparatus. Then, if the refrigerant leaks while installation work or service work is performed, or if the refrigerant leaks due to damage to the refrigerant circuit while the air-conditioning apparatus is used, a flammable concentration may be reached in the ambient air. Thus, if there is any ignitable matter, the refrigerant might catch fire, resulting in a serious incident.
  • the port diameter of a charging portion of a refrigerant charging port may be changed in accordance with the type of refrigerant. This can be a straightforward measure to prevent a wrong refrigerant from being charged.
  • the port diameter of the charging portion of the refrigerant charging port is changed in accordance with the type of refrigerant, the types of a charging hose for charging refrigerant, a tank (cylinder) for storing refrigerant, and equipment for vacuuming the refrigerant circuit also need to be changed. Accordingly, the equipment service provider that offers installation work and service work needs to prepare new appropriate equipment, leading to a significant cost increase. Moreover, if the operator goes to an installation site or a service site without taking such equipment, the operator cannot perform the expected work, leading to a serious trouble.
  • the present invention has been made to overcome the above problems, and aims to provide an outdoor unit and an air-conditioning apparatus that provide increased safety and reliability by making the operator (the operator who performs installation work, the operator who performs service work, and the operator who performs recycling work) surely recognize the type of refrigerant.
  • An outdoor unit includes a refrigerant pipe connecting valve having a refrigerant charging service port which is sealed by a hexagonal sealing nut that is removed when charging refrigerant.
  • the outdoor unit includes at least one of: a structure that makes the hexagonal sealing nut different from another hexagonal sealing nut which is provided on a refrigerant charging service port used for another type of refrigerant, in at least one of outer diameter, shape, and appearance; and attention attracting means that requires an operation by an operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut.
  • An air-conditioning apparatus includes the outdoor unit described above, and an indoor unit that is connected to the outdoor unit.
  • the outdoor unit according to the present invention since the above-described outdoor unit is provided, it is possible to suppress a reduction in performance and quality.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall configuration of an air-conditioning apparatus including an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of an indoor unit of the air-conditioning apparatus including the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating a part of a side surface of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for explaining the procedure of charging refrigerant.
  • FIG. 6 is a further enlarged view illustrating a part of the side surface of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 10 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 12 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of the pipe connecting valve of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 14 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of the pipe connecting valve of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 15 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 16 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of the pipe connecting valve of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 17 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of the pipe connecting valve of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 18 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit according to Embodiment 9 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 19 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of the pipe connecting valve of the outdoor unit according to Embodiment 9 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall configuration of an air-conditioning apparatus A including an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of an indoor unit 1 .
  • FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the outdoor unit 2 .
  • the configuration of the air-conditioning apparatus A will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 is configured such that the operator (for example, the operator who installs the air-conditioning apparatus A, the operator who performs service work on the air-conditioning apparatus A, and the operator who performs recycling work on the air-conditioning apparatus A) surely recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in the air-conditioning apparatus A.
  • the air-conditioning apparatus A is applied as, for example, a separate-type home air-conditioning apparatus, and includes the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 2 .
  • the indoor unit 1 is hung and fixed on an installation plate 21 that is fixed to, for example, an indoor wall with screws 59 or the like.
  • the indoor unit 1 supplies conditioned air into an air-conditioned space.
  • the outdoor unit 2 is placed and fixed on support blocks 51 that are disposed in a space (for example, an outdoor space) different from the air-conditioned space.
  • the outdoor unit 2 supplies cooling energy or heating energy to the indoor unit 1 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 is preferably installed at, for example, a position where an air passage is reserved during operation and which is not very far from the indoor unit 1 .
  • a liquid-side pipe connecting joint 12 and a gas-side pipe connecting joint 13 are connected to the indoor unit 1 .
  • a liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 and a gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 are connected to the outdoor unit 2 .
  • the liquid-side pipe connecting joint 12 of the indoor unit 1 and the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by a flared extension pipe (refrigerant pipe) 7 .
  • the gas-side pipe connecting joint 13 of the indoor unit 1 and the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by another flared extension pipe 7 .
  • the components of the indoor unit 1 and the components of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by piping, whereby a refrigerant circuit is formed.
  • a terminal block 20 of the indoor unit 1 and a terminal block 17 of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by a VVF cable 22 .
  • the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 , the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 , and the terminal block 17 of the outdoor unit 2 are disposed at positions where the intended work can be performable by detaching a pipe decorative cover 10 from the outdoor unit 2 . That is, the pipe decorative cover 10 is detachably attached to a side surface of the outdoor unit 2 .
  • the indoor unit 1 includes a base 52 , an indoor heat exchanger 11 , an indoor blower motor 18 , a blower fan 19 , an electric component box 53 , a casing 54 , and an openable and detachable front design panel 55 .
  • the base 52 is fixed to the installation plate 21 .
  • the indoor heat exchanger 11 , the indoor blower motor 18 , the blower fan 19 , the electric component box 53 , and the terminal block 20 are attached to the base 52 .
  • the casing 54 is fixed to the base 52 by screws. That is, the indoor heat exchanger 11 , the indoor blower motor 18 , the blower fan 19 , the electric component box 53 , and the terminal block 20 are covered with the casing 54 .
  • the front design panel 55 is attached to the casing 54 .
  • the indoor heat exchanger 11 functions as a condenser (radiator) during a heating operation, and as an evaporator during a cooling operation.
  • the indoor blower motor 18 and the blower fan 19 are disposed in front of the indoor heat exchanger 11 , and send air to the indoor heat exchanger 11 .
  • the electric component box 53 accommodates an indoor driving device 56 that drives the indoor blower motor 18 .
  • the terminal block 20 is for electrical connection to the outdoor unit 2 .
  • the indoor unit 1 has an air inlet 57 for introducing air from the air-conditioned space.
  • the air inlet 57 is formed in the upper surface of the casing 54 .
  • the indoor unit 1 also has an air outlet 58 formed at the lower front of the casing 54 .
  • the air taken from the air inlet 57 passes through the indoor heat exchanger 11 , where the air exchanges heat. Then, the conditioned air is blown from the air outlet 58 into the air-conditioned space.
  • the outdoor unit 2 includes a compressor 3 that compresses the refrigerant and is of, for example, a variable rotation speed type, a four-way valve 4 that switches the flow of the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger 5 that functions as an evaporator during a heating operation and as a condenser (radiator) during a cooling operation, a flow rate control device 6 (a pressure reducing device) that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant, and an outdoor blower motor 15 and an outdoor fan 16 that send air to the outdoor heat exchanger 5 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 has a casing that includes a panel 62 defining the front surface and one side surface, a top plate 65 defining the top surface, and a side panel 66 defining another side surface.
  • the panel 62 has an opening 63 at a position facing the outdoor fan 16 .
  • the opening 63 allows air to pass therethrough.
  • a fan guard 64 that is formed of wires is attached on the opening 63 .
  • the side panel 66 has an opening 68 from which the VVF cable 22 is exposed.
  • the VVF cable 22 exposed from the opening 68 of the side panel 66 is covered with a cable cover 67 .
  • the cable cover 67 is further covered with the pipe decorative cover 10 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 also includes a driving device 14 that drives the compressor 3 , the four-way valve 4 , and the outdoor blower motor 15 , and the terminal block 17 that is for electrical connection to the indoor unit 1 .
  • the indoor heat exchanger 11 of the indoor unit 1 , the compressor 3 , the four-way valve 4 , the outdoor heat exchanger 5 , and the flow rate control device 6 of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by piping, whereby a refrigerant circuit is formed.
  • the refrigerant circuit is configured such that the refrigerant flows through the compressor 3 , the four-way valve 4 , the indoor heat exchanger 11 , the flow rate control device 6 , and the outdoor heat exchanger 5 in this order during a heating operation, whereas the refrigerant flows through the compressor 3 , the four-way valve 4 , the outdoor heat exchanger 5 , the flow rate control device 6 , and the indoor heat exchanger 11 in this order during a cooling operation.
  • the four-way valve 4 may be omitted, and thus only one of the cooling operation and the heating operation may be performed.
  • the four-way valve 4 may be replaced with, for example, a plurality of two-way valves or three-way valves that are configured to be capable of switching the flow of the refrigerant in the same way.
  • refrigerant that circulates through the refrigerant circuit of the air-conditioning apparatus A examples include the flammable refrigerant R32.
  • the refrigerant to be used in the air-conditioning apparatus A is not limited to R32.
  • any of the following refrigerants may be employed: other flammable refrigerants (such as R290); natural refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), hydrocarbons, and helium; and chlorine-free refrigerants including alternative refrigerants such as R410A, R407C, and R404A.
  • the installation plate 21 for fixing the indoor unit 1 is fixed to the indoor wall with the screws 59 or the like.
  • the indoor unit 1 is hung and fixed on the installation plate 21 .
  • the liquid-side pipe connecting joint 12 of the indoor unit 1 and the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by one of the flared extension pipes 7 .
  • the gas-side pipe connecting joint 13 of the indoor unit 1 and the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by the other one of the flared extension pipes 7 .
  • the terminal block 20 of the indoor unit 1 and the terminal block 17 of the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other by the VVF cable 22 .
  • the pipe decorative cover 10 is attached to the side surface of the outdoor unit 2 so as to cover the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 , the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 , and the terminal block 17 of the outdoor unit 2 .
  • FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating a part of the side surface of the outdoor unit 2 .
  • FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for explaining the procedure of charging refrigerant. A typical procedure for charging refrigerant will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 .
  • the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 has a refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • a charging hose 26 connected to a vacuum pump 25 is connected to the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • a pressure gauge 27 is connected between the vacuum pump 25 and the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 has a gas-pipe-side stem 30 , in addition to the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • a hexagonal sealing nut (cap) 24 that seals the refrigerant charging service port 23 is disposed on the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • a push-pin valve 33 is disposed in the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • a hexagonal stem nut (cap) 28 is disposed on the gas-pipe-side stem 30 .
  • the gas-pipe-side stem 30 is operable with a hexagonal key 29 .
  • the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 has a liquid-pipe-side stem 32 .
  • a hexagonal stem nut (cap) 31 is disposed on the liquid-pipe-side stem 32 .
  • the liquid-pipe-side stem 32 is operable with the hexagonal key 29 .
  • the extension pipes 7 and the pipes included in the indoor heat exchanger 11 of the indoor unit 1 are filled with air. Therefore, the air needs to be released.
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 disposed on the refrigerant charging service port 23 of the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 is removed, and the charging hose 26 of the vacuum pump 25 is connected to the refrigerant charging service port 23 . Then, vacuuming is performed. Completion of the vacuuming is determined using the pressure gauge 27 or the like.
  • the hexagonal stem nut 28 on the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 is removed, and the gas-pipe-side stem 30 is operated with the hexagonal key 29 , whereby the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 is opened.
  • the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 is opened in the same manner. That is, the hexagonal stem nut 31 is removed, and the liquid-pipe-side stem 32 is operated with the hexagonal key 29 , whereby the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 is opened.
  • the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 and the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 are opened, the refrigerant that is charged in the outdoor unit 2 in advance at the time of manufacture fills the extension pipes 7 and the indoor heat exchanger 11 .
  • the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 2 are connected to each other, whereby a refrigerant circuit is formed.
  • the amount of refrigerant charged in the outdoor unit 2 in advance at the time of manufacture may be insufficient.
  • an additional amount of refrigerant needs to be charged.
  • the operator charges a required amount of refrigerant from a refrigerant cylinder that is prepared in advance through the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • the operator needs to carefully check that the type of refrigerant contained in the air-conditioning apparatus A and the type of refrigerant contained in the prepared refrigerant cylinder are the same.
  • FIG. 6 is a further enlarged view illustrating a part of the side surface of the outdoor unit 2 . The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in the air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIG. 6 .
  • the liquid-side pipe connecting valve 8 and the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 are provided on the side surface of the outdoor unit 2 .
  • the refrigerant charging service port 23 is provided in the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 .
  • the operator removes the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , and then attaches the charging hose 26 for charging refrigerant to the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • the push-pin valve 33 disposed in the refrigerant charging service port 23 is opened so as to allow the refrigerant to be charged.
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 that is used in the currently most widely used R410A air-conditioning apparatuses is of the 1 ⁇ 2 inch thread specifications. Further, the hexagonal sealing nut 24 has a width across flats of 17 mm. However, if the hexagonal sealing nut 24 with such specifications is used, in the case where a type of refrigerant different from R410A is contained in the installed air-conditioning apparatus, the operator is likely to charge a wrong type of refrigerant.
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 corresponds to a “hexagonal sealing nut which is provided on another refrigerant charging service port” of the present invention.
  • a hexagonal nut (hereinafter referred to as a hexagonal sealing nut (cap) 34 ) having a width across flats of 18 mm or greater, which is greater than that of the currently most widely used hexagonal sealing nut 24 , is used in the outdoor unit 2 .
  • the use of the hexagonal sealing nut 34 prevents the use of a wrench that is usually used for the hexagonal sealing nut 24 by the operator. That is, the operator needs to use a wrench (tool) dedicated to the hexagonal sealing nut (cap) 34 . Therefore, in the step in which the operator removes the hexagonal sealing nut 34 , it is possible to make the operator recognize that a type of refrigerant different from the conventional refrigerant is used, and thus the effect of attracting attention can be expected.
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 34 makes it possible to create a safety design particularly for the case where a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290 is used, without spending a large amount of money.
  • FIG. 6 has been described in conjunction with the example in which R32 is used, the type of refrigerant used is not limited to R32. However, the advantageous effects are enhanced in the case where a flammable refrigerant, such as R32 and R290, is used that requires a large amount of money for safety design. Further, the width across flats of the hexagonal sealing nut 34 is not limited to the value that is given as an example.
  • the outdoor unit 2 by changing the configuration of a part (hexagonal sealing nut) that the operator always holds in their hand when charging refrigerant, it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A. In particular, in the case where a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290 is used, this provides a great effect in terms of safety, and also contributes to suppression of global warming.
  • a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290
  • the indication 35 may include not only the type of refrigerant, but also a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, initials, and textual precautions. Further, engraving is more suitable for the indication 35 than printing, in terms of being hard to fade away. For example, engraving is suitable when identifying the type of refrigerant upon collecting refrigerant in recycle centers. Printing is suitable for indicating precautions clearly and in detail, whereas marks and initials are suitable in the case of marketing the apparatuses globally. These forms may be used in accordance with the purpose of use.
  • the type of refrigerant and precautions are information to be provided to the operator who performs installation or service work.
  • the information indicated on the gas-side pipe connecting valve 9 can be viewed when the pipe decorative cover 10 is removed from the outdoor unit 2 . Accordingly, unnecessary information is not provided to general users, and thus there is no risk of causing confusion.
  • slightly flammable refrigerants such as R32, although having flammable properties, are significantly less likely to catch fire. Therefore, as long as the operator does not use fire therearound during installation of the air-conditioning apparatus and during service work thereon, there is no risk of an accident due to fire.
  • the mechanism that provides precautions only to the operator is suitable for particularly the apparatuses using slightly flammable refrigerants, since the mechanism does not create unnecessary concerns for general users.
  • a thread with a thread diameter of 1 ⁇ 2 inch that is the same as that for the conventional refrigerant R410A is used. Accordingly, the operator only needs to prepare the charging hose 26 , the vacuum pump 25 , the pressure gauge 27 , and so on that are the same as those having been used, and there is no need to prepare (buy) such equipment especially for R32. Therefore, the operator does not particularly need to spend money and time to develop infrastructure, and the air-conditioning apparatus A using a refrigerant having a low global warming potential can be expected to spread quickly.
  • Embodiment 1 has been described in conjunction with the example in which the air-conditioning apparatus A is applied to a separate-type home air-conditioning apparatus, the air-conditioning apparatus A is not limited to a separate-type home air-conditioning apparatus.
  • the air-conditioning apparatus A is also applicable to an industrial air-conditioning apparatus, a refrigeration apparatus, and so on as long as the refrigerant charging service port 23 is provided in the outdoor unit 2 .
  • FIG. 7 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIG. 7 .
  • FIG. 7 (a) illustrates an enlarged view of a side surface of the outdoor unit 2 ; (b) illustrates a perspective view of an indication plate 36 ; and (c) illustrates a perspective view of an indication plate 37 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiment 1.
  • the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 2 is different from the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 in that the indication plate 36 or the indication plate 37 is provided as attention attracting means.
  • the indication plate 36 or the indication plate 37 indicating the refrigerant name as the type of refrigerant is disposed on at least one of surfaces defining a hexagonal prism shape of a hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 may or may not be replaced with the hexagonal sealing nut 34 illustrated in Embodiment 1.
  • the indication plate 36 includes an indication portion 36 a indicating the refrigerant name, and a projection portion 36 b extending from an end of the indication portion 36 a in a direction orthogonal to the indication surface of the indication portion 36 a .
  • the projection portion 36 b is provided with a C-shaped attachment portion 36 c .
  • the indication portion 36 a is formed of, for example, a planar member.
  • On a surface of the indication portion 36 a which faces outward when the indication plate 36 is attached the refrigerant name “R32” is indicated.
  • the attachment portion 36 c is fitted on the neck of a thread portion of a refrigerant charging service port 23 , using the elastic force of the attachment portion 36 c .
  • the indication portion 36 a and the projection portion 36 b may be integrally formed of resin or the like, or may be separately formed of different materials and combined together.
  • the projection portion 36 b is formed of an elastic material.
  • the projection portion 36 b may be formed by bending one lateral end portion of the indication portion 36 a as illustrated in FIG. 7( a ) .
  • the projection portion 36 b may be formed by bending one lateral end portion of the indication portion 36 a which lateral end portion has a size smaller than the size of the indication portion 36 a in the height direction.
  • the indication plate 37 includes an indication portion 37 a indicating the refrigerant name, and a projection portion 37 b extending from an end of the indication portion 37 a in a direction orthogonal to the indication surface of the indication portion 37 a .
  • the projection portion 37 b is provided with a C-shaped attachment portion 37 c .
  • the indication portion 37 a is formed of, for example, a planar member.
  • On a surface of the indication portion 37 a which faces outward when the indication plate 37 is attached the refrigerant name “R32” and “a mark representing a flammable refrigerant” are indicated.
  • the attachment portion 37 c is fitted on the neck of the thread portion of the refrigerant charging service port 23 , using the elastic force of the attachment portion 37 c . By fitting the attachment portion 37 c onto the neck of the thread portion of the refrigerant charging service port 23 , it is possible to hold the indication portion 37 a on at least one surface of the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagon
  • each of the indication plate 36 and the indication plate 37 is one of ancillary parts that need to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 of Embodiment 2 by providing an ancillary part (the indication plate 36 or the indication plate 37 ) that needs to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A. In particular, in the case where a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290 is used, this provides a great effect in terms of safety, and also contributes to suppression of global warming.
  • a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290
  • FIG. 8 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIG. 8 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiments 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiments 1 and 2.
  • the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 is different from the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 in that an indication plate 38 is provided as attention attracting means. As illustrated in FIG. 8 , in the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 3, the indication plate 38 indicating the refrigerant name is disposed on a hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of a hexagonal sealing nut 24 . Note that the hexagonal sealing nut 24 may or may not be replaced with the hexagonal sealing nut 34 illustrated in Embodiment 1.
  • the indication plate 38 includes an indication portion 38 a indicating the refrigerant name, and a projection portion 38 b extending from an end of the indication portion 38 a in a direction orthogonal to the indication surface of the indication portion 38 a .
  • the projection portion 38 b is provided with a ring-shaped attachment portion 38 c corresponding to the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the indication portion 38 a is formed of, for example, a planar member.
  • the attachment portion 38 c is fitted on the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , so that the projection portion 38 b is attached to the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the indication portion 38 a and the projection portion 38 b may be integrally formed of resin, metal, or the like, or may be separately formed of different materials and combined together. Further, similar to the indication plate 37 described in Embodiment 2, not only the type of refrigerant, but also a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, and initials may be added. Further, textual precautions may be displayed.
  • the outdoor unit 2 of Embodiment 3 by providing an ancillary part (the indication plate 38 ) that needs to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A. In particular, in the case where a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290 is used, this provides a great effect in terms of safety, and also contributes to suppression of global warming.
  • a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290
  • FIG. 9 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIG. 9 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiments 1 through 3 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiments 1 through 3.
  • the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 4 is different from the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 in that an indication plate 40 is provided as attention attracting means.
  • an indication plate 40 is provided as attention attracting means.
  • FIG. 9 in the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 4, a circumferential groove 39 is provided in a hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of a hexagonal sealing nut 24 , and the indication plate 40 indicating the refrigerant name is disposed in the groove 39 .
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 may or may not be replaced with the hexagonal sealing nut 34 illustrated in Embodiment 1.
  • the groove 39 does not have to be circumferential, and may be formed to have about the height that allows a projection portion 40 b to be attached on at least a part of the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the indication plate 40 includes an indication portion 40 a indicating the refrigerant name, and the projection portion 40 b extending from the back of the indication portion 40 a in a direction orthogonal to the indication surface of the indication portion 40 a .
  • the projection portion 40 b is provided with a C-shaped attachment portion 40 c .
  • the indication portion 40 a is formed of, for example, a planar member.
  • On a surface of the indication portion 40 a which faces outward when the indication plate 40 is attached the refrigerant name “R32” is indicated.
  • the attachment portion 40 c is fitted in the groove 39 , using the elastic force of the attachment portion 40 c . By fitting the attachment portion 40 c into the groove 39 , it is possible to hold the indication portion 40 a on the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the indication portion 40 a and the projection portion 40 b may be integrally formed of resin or the like, or may be separately formed of different materials and combined together.
  • the projection portion 40 b is formed of an elastic material.
  • the indication plate 37 described in Embodiment 2 not only the type of refrigerant, but also a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, and initials may be added. Further, textual precautions may be displayed.
  • the indication plate 40 is provided, in the case of charging refrigerant during installation of the outdoor unit 2 or during service work thereon, the operator needs to remove the indication plate 40 before removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 from the refrigerant charging service port 23 . This is because, unless the indication plate 40 is removed, it is not possible to hold the hexagonal sealing nut 24 with a wrench. That is, the indication plate 40 is one of ancillary parts that need to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 of Embodiment 4 by providing an ancillary part (the indication plate 40 ) that needs to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A. In particular, in the case where a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290 is used, this provides a great effect in terms of safety, and also contributes to suppression of global warming.
  • a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290
  • FIG. 10 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIG. 10 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiments 1 through 4 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiments 1 through 4.
  • the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 5 is different from the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 in that an indication cover 41 is provided as attention attracting means.
  • the indication cover 41 having a cylindrical shape and indicating the refrigerant name is disposed on a hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of a hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 may or may not be replaced with the hexagonal sealing nut 34 illustrated in Embodiment 1.
  • the indication cover 41 indicates the refrigerant name “R32”, and is configured to cover the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 . That is, the indication cover 41 is configured to allow the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 to be inserted therein, and thus cover the outer periphery of the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the two cylindrical ends may be open, or only one cylindrical end into which the hexagonal sealing nut 24 is inserted may be open.
  • the indication cover 41 is preferably formed of an elastic member made of resin, metal, rubber, or the like. Further, similar to the indication plate 37 described in Embodiment 2, not only the type of refrigerant, but also a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, and initials may be added. Further, textual precautions may be displayed.
  • the indication cover 41 is provided, in the case of charging refrigerant during installation of the outdoor unit 2 or during service work thereon, the operator needs to remove the indication cover 41 before removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 from the refrigerant charging service port 23 . This is because, unless the indication cover 41 is removed, it is not possible to hold the hexagonal sealing nut 24 with a wrench. That is, the indication cover 41 is one of ancillary parts that need to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 of Embodiment 5 by providing an ancillary part (the indication cover 41 ) that needs to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A. In particular, in the case where a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290 is used, this provides a great effect in terms of safety, and also contributes to suppression of global warming.
  • a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290
  • FIG. 11 is an explanatory view for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIG. 11 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiments 1 through 5 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiments 1 through 5.
  • the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 6 is different from the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 in that an indication plate 42 is provided as attention attracting means. As illustrated in FIG. 11 , in the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 6, the indication plate 42 indicating the refrigerant name is disposed on the neck of a thread portion of a refrigerant charging service port 23 . Note that the hexagonal sealing nut 24 may or may not be replaced with the hexagonal sealing nut 34 illustrated in Embodiment 1.
  • the indication plate 42 includes an indication portion 42 a indicating the refrigerant name, and a projection portion 42 b extending from an end of the indication portion 42 a in such a direction that the indication surface of the indication portion 42 a extends.
  • the projection portion 42 b is provided with a ring-shaped attachment portion 42 c corresponding to the neck of the thread portion of the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • the indication portion 42 a is formed of, for example, a planar member. On a surface of the indication portion 42 a which faces the direction of a hexagonal sealing nut 24 when the indication plate 42 is attached, the refrigerant name “R32” is indicated.
  • the attachment portion 42 c is fitted on the neck of the thread portion of the refrigerant charging service port 23 .
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 is attached to the refrigerant charging service port 23 , while the indication plate 42 is attached to the neck of the thread portion of the refrigerant charging service port 23 . Accordingly, the hexagonal sealing nut 24 prevents the indication plate 42 from coming off. Further, the operator sees the indication portion 42 a of the indication plate 42 when holding the hexagonal sealing nut 24 with a wrench.
  • the indication portion 42 a and the projection portion 42 b may be integrally formed of resin, metal, or the like, or may be separately formed of different materials and combined together. Further, similar to the indication plate 37 described in Embodiment 2, not only the type of refrigerant, but also a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, and initials may be added. Further, textual precautions may be displayed.
  • the indication plate 42 is provided, in the case of charging refrigerant during installation of the outdoor unit 2 or during service work thereon, the operator sees the indication plate 42 when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 from the refrigerant charging service port 23 . This is because the indication plate 42 is attached while being prevented by the hexagonal sealing nut 24 from coming off. Further, when attaching the charging hose 26 , the indication plate 42 often needs to be removed. This is because, the charging hose 26 needs to be securely attached to the refrigerant charging service port 23 . That is, the indication plate 42 is one of ancillary parts that need to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • FIGS. 12 through 14 are explanatory views for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention. The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIGS. 12 through 14 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiments 1 through 6 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiments 1 through 6.
  • the indication cover 43 includes an indication portion 43 a indicating the refrigerant name and detachably covering the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , an extension portion 43 b extending from a part of the indication portion 43 a to the refrigerant pipe connecting port 45 , a ring-shaped attachment portion 44 that is provided at an end of the extension portion 43 b and is attached to the base portion of the refrigerant pipe connecting port 45 , a flexing portion 46 that flexibly couples the extension portion 43 b and the attachment portion 44 to each other, and a projection 47 that is formed at a side opposite to the side at which the extension portion 43 b of the indication portion 43 a is formed and that abuts the hexagonal sealing nut 24 when the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 is covered with the indication cover 43 .
  • extension portion 43 b corresponds to a “holding portion” of the present invention.
  • the extension portion 43 b connects the indication portion 43 a and the attachment portion 44 to each other.
  • the length of the extension portion 43 b is about a length that extends from the refrigerant pipe connecting port 45 to the neck of the thread portion of the refrigerant charging service port 23 , for example.
  • FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate an example in which the extension portion 43 b has a shape extending from one surface of the indication portion 43 a toward the refrigerant pipe connecting port 45
  • the extension portion 43 b may have the shape of, for example, a string made of resin, fiber, metal, or the like as illustrated in FIG. 14 .
  • the attachment portion 44 is configured to be attached to the refrigerant pipe connecting port 45 while the refrigerant pipe connecting port 45 is inserted through the ring-shaped portion thereof.
  • the flexing portion 46 is a hinge, and is configured to move the indication portion 43 a and the extension portion 43 b while the attachment portion 44 is attached to the base portion of the refrigerant pipe connecting port 45 . Note that as illustrated in FIG. 14 , in the case where the extension portion 43 b has the shape of a string, there is no need to provide the flexing portion 46 .
  • the projection 47 is formed so as to project toward the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , at the side opposite to the side at which the extension portion 43 b of the indication portion 43 a is formed, that is, at a position where the projection 47 is caught by the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 when removing the indication portion 43 a from the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 . That is, with the indication portion 43 a and the projection 47 , the indication cover 43 fits on the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , and thus covers the hexagonal sealing nut 24 . Note that as illustrated in FIG. 14 , in the case where the indication portion 43 a has the shape of a cap, there is no need to provide the projection 47 .
  • the indication cover 43 opens via the flexing portion 46 toward the side opposite to the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the indication portion 43 a , the extension portion 43 b , the attachment portion 44 , and the projection 47 may be integrally formed of resin, metal, or the like, or may be separately formed of different materials and combined together.
  • the projection 47 is formed of an elastic material. Further, similar to the indication plate 37 described in Embodiment 2, not only the type of refrigerant, but also a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, and initials may be added. Further, textual precautions may be displayed.
  • the indication cover 43 Since the indication cover 43 is provided, in the case of charging refrigerant during installation of the outdoor unit 2 or during service work thereon, the operator needs to remove the indication portion 43 a of the indication cover 43 before removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 from the refrigerant charging service port 23 . This is because, unless the indication portion 43 a is removed, it is not possible to hold the hexagonal sealing nut 24 with a wrench. That is, the indication cover 43 is one of ancillary parts that need to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 of Embodiment 7 by providing an ancillary part (the indication cover 43 ) that needs to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A. In particular, in the case where a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290 is used, this provides a great effect in terms of safety, and also contributes to suppression of global warming.
  • a flammable refrigerant such as R32 and R290
  • FIGS. 15 through 17 are explanatory views for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention. The following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIGS. 15 through 17 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiments 1 through 7 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiments 1 through 7.
  • the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 8 is different from the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 in how the indication cover 41 described in Embodiment 5 is attached.
  • the indication cover 41 of Embodiment 8 is referred to as an indication cover 41 A so as to be distinguished from the indication cover of Embodiment 5.
  • the indication cover 41 A having a cylindrical shape and indicating the refrigerant name is disposed on a hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of a hexagonal sealing nut 24 , as described in Embodiment 5.
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 may or may not be replaced with the hexagonal sealing nut 34 illustrated in Embodiment 1.
  • the indication cover 41 A indicates the refrigerant name “R32”, and is configured to cover the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 . That is, the indication cover 41 A is configured to allow the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 to be inserted therein, and thus covers the outer periphery of the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 . In the indication cover 41 A, the two cylindrical ends may be open, or only one cylindrical end into which the hexagonal sealing nut 24 is inserted may be open.
  • the indication cover 41 A is preferably formed of an elastic member made of resin, metal, rubber, or the like. Further similar to the indication plate 37 described in Embodiment 2, not only the type of refrigerant, but also a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, and initials may be added. Further, textual precautions may be displayed.
  • the indication “R32” is preferably engraved (hereinafter referred to as an engraved indication 80 ). If the engraved indication 80 is displayed on a bottom surface of the indication cover 41 A, the engraved indication 80 is hard to be seen when the indication cover 41 A is attached. Therefore, the engraved indication 80 is preferably displayed at a position from which the engraved indication 80 is easily seen and which is on the near side of a side surface of the indication cover 41 A.
  • the indication cover 41 A When the indication cover 41 A is removed during installation work or during service work, the indication cover 41 A might be lost and fail to play the role of a refrigerant identification part. In view of that, the indication cover 41 A is attached to the side panel 66 via a string-shaped coupling portion 70 . Thus, it is not possible to remove the indication cover 41 A from the side panel 66 , and therefore the indication cover 41 A will be present when charging refrigerant after some years.
  • the coupling portion 70 is excessively short, it becomes difficult to attach and detach the indication cover 41 A. Further, if the coupling portion 70 is excessively long, the coupling portion 70 disturbs the work. In view of that, as illustrated in FIG. 16 , it is preferable that the coupling portion 70 be formed integrally with the indication cover 41 A, and have a length of 3 to 5 times the size (height dimension) of the indication cover 41 A. Thus, the workability is not reduced. Note that the coupling portion 70 and the indication cover 41 A may be formed separately. In any case, a proximal end of the coupling portion 70 only has to be coupled to the indication cover 41 A.
  • a distal end (an end not in contact with the indication cover 41 A) of the coupling portion 70 is attached to the side panel 66 .
  • the distal end of the coupling portion 70 is preferably fixed to the side panel 66 by a screw or the like so as to prevent the indication cover 41 A from being removed.
  • fixing of the distal end of the coupling portion 70 is not limited to fixing by a screw.
  • the distal end of the coupling portion 70 may be configured to have a shape illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 .
  • the coupling portion 70 includes a body portion 74 that connects between the distal end side and the proximal end side, a distal locking portion 71 having the shape of an arrow, a rib 72 that is disposed at the proximal end side (the indication cover 41 A side) with respect to the distal locking portion 71 and that serves as a stopper, and a connecting portion 73 that connects the distal locking portion 71 and the rib 72 to the body portion 74 .
  • the distal end of the coupling portion 70 includes the distal locking portion 71 and the rib 72 . If all the elements of the coupling portion 70 are integrally formed, there is no need to provide the connecting portion 73 .
  • the distal locking portion 71 is inserted in a hole formed in the side panel 66 , and thus serves to lock the entire coupling portion 70 onto the side panel 66 .
  • the distal locking portion 71 is formed such that its diameter increases from the distal end toward the proximal end.
  • the distal locking portion 71 is elastically deformed by the hole.
  • the distal locking portion 71 is released from the elastic deformation, so that the proximal end portion of the distal locking portion 71 abuts the inner wall of the side panel 66 .
  • the distal locking portion 71 is locked on the side panel 66 , so that the entire coupling portion 70 is attached to the side panel 66 . Further, the proximal end portion of the distal locking portion 71 abuts the inner wall of the side panel 66 , thereby preventing coming-off.
  • the rib 72 is formed in the shape of a bowl, and is located on the outer side of the side panel 66 when the distal locking portion 71 is locked on the side panel 66 . More specifically, the rib 72 has a function of a suction cup, and adheres to the outer surface of the side panel 66 so as to serve as a stopper for maintaining the coupling portion 70 attached to the side surface.
  • the connecting portion 73 connects the distal locking portion 71 and the rib 72 to the body portion 74 .
  • the connecting portion 73 is formed in a shape that extends beyond the outer periphery of the body portion 74 , and is reinforced such that the distal locking portion 71 and the rib 72 are not easily removed from the body portion 74 .
  • the body portion 74 is deformable, and is coupled to the indication cover 41 .
  • the outdoor unit 2 of Embodiment 8 by providing an ancillary part (the indication cover 41 A) that needs to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A.
  • FIGS. 18 and 19 are explanatory views for explaining the specifications of a pipe connecting valve of an outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 9 of the present invention.
  • the following describes how the operator recognizes the type of refrigerant contained in an air-conditioning apparatus A, with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19 .
  • elements that are the same as those described in Embodiments 1 through 8 are denoted by the same reference signs, and the description will focus on the differences from Embodiments 1 through 8.
  • the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 8 is different from the outdoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1 in the configuration of the indication cover 41 illustrated in Embodiment 5.
  • the indication cover 41 of Embodiment 9 is referred to as an indication cover 41 B so as to be distinguished from the indication cover of Embodiment 5.
  • the indication cover 41 B having a cylindrical shape and indicating the refrigerant name is disposed on a hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of a hexagonal sealing nut 24 , as described in Embodiment 5.
  • the hexagonal sealing nut 24 may or may not be replaced with the hexagonal sealing nut 34 illustrated in Embodiment 1.
  • the indication cover 41 B indicates the refrigerant name “R32”, and is configured to cover the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 . That is, the indication cover 41 B is configured to allow the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 to be inserted therein, and thus cover the outer periphery of the hexagonal-prism-shaped portion of the hexagonal sealing nut 24 .
  • the two cylindrical ends may be open, or only one cylindrical end into which the hexagonal sealing nut 24 is inserted may be open.
  • the indication cover 41 B is preferably formed of an elastic member made of resin, metal, rubber, or the like. Further, similar to the indication plate 37 described in Embodiment 2, not only the type of refrigerant, but a so a mark representing a flammable refrigerant, and initials may be added. Further, textual precautions may be displayed.
  • the indication “R32” is preferably an engraved indication 80 as in the case of the indication cover 41 A. If the engraved indication 80 is displayed on a bottom surface of the indication cover 41 B, the engraved indication 80 is hard to be seen when the indication cover 41 B is attached. Therefore, the engraved indication 80 is preferably displayed at a position from which the engraved indication 80 is easily seen and which is on the near side of a side surface of the indication cover 41 B.
  • the indication cover 41 B is often attached in an inclined manner to the hexagonal sealing nut 24 . If water droplets are condensed on the refrigerant charging service port 23 , water collects in the indication cover 41 B. When the water collects and remains in the indication cover 41 B without being discharged, the hexagonal sealing nut 24 might corrode. In view of that, a drain hole 81 is formed in the indication cover 41 B. Thus, it is possible to discharge the water collected in the indication cover 41 B, and prevent the hexagonal sealing nut 24 from corroding.
  • the indication cover 41 B it is more preferable to form the drain hole 81 with a cross-shaped reinforcing portion 82 therein as illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19 , than to form the drain hole 81 extending across the entire bottom surface (a surface opposite to the open surface) of the indication cover 41 B. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 19 , the indication cover 41 B may be attached to the side panel 66 using the coupling portion 70 described in Embodiment 8.
  • the outdoor unit 2 of Embodiment 9 by providing an ancillary part (the indication cover 41 B) that needs to be operated by the operator when removing the hexagonal sealing nut 24 , it is possible to more reliably make the operator recognize the type of refrigerant used, than by using the method of simply applying a sticker or the like indicating the type of refrigerant in the vicinity of a connecting valve. This prevents the operator from charging a wrong refrigerant when performing a refrigerant charging work, and makes it possible to increase the safety. Further, this eliminates the risk of a reduction in the performance and quality of the air-conditioning apparatus A.
  • Embodiments 2 through 9 there is no particular description of the exterior color of the indication plate 36 , the indication plate 37 , the indication plate 38 , the indication plate 40 , the indication cover 41 (including the indication cover 41 A and the indication cover 41 B), the indication plate 42 , and the indication cover 43 .
  • the exterior color of these indication plates and indication covers is preferably the same as the color of the refrigerant cylinder for easier recognition of the type of refrigerant.
  • the display color of the refrigerant cylinder for R32 is light blue, and therefore the color of the indication plates and indication covers is preferably light blue.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Other Air-Conditioning Systems (AREA)
  • Air Conditioning Control Device (AREA)
US14/897,692 2013-07-24 2014-03-26 Outdoor unit and air-conditioning apparatus Abandoned US20160131404A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

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JP2013-153762 2013-07-24
JP2013153762 2013-07-24
JP2013-222901 2013-10-28
JP2013222901A JP5984779B2 (ja) 2013-07-24 2013-10-28 室外機及び空気調和装置
PCT/JP2014/058628 WO2015011952A1 (ja) 2013-07-24 2014-03-26 室外機及び空気調和装置

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US20150338136A1 (en) * 2013-04-08 2015-11-26 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Refrigeration cycle apparatus
CN115143621A (zh) * 2021-03-30 2022-10-04 宁波奥克斯电气股份有限公司 一种空调端盖、中框组件及空调
US12203665B2 (en) 2021-12-30 2025-01-21 Midea Group Co., Ltd. Hybrid window air conditioning unit
US12222116B2 (en) 2021-12-30 2025-02-11 Midea Group Co., Ltd. Adjustable mounting assembly for air conditioning outdoor unit
US12234999B2 (en) 2022-03-02 2025-02-25 Midea Group Co., Ltd. Window-mounted air conditioner
US12235013B2 (en) 2022-12-15 2025-02-25 Midea Group Co., Ltd. Adjustable bracket for window air conditioner
US12529484B2 (en) 2021-12-30 2026-01-20 Midea Group Co., Ltd. Adjustable mounting assembly for air conditioning outdoor unit

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AU2014294470A1 (en) 2016-01-28
JP2015042933A (ja) 2015-03-05
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CN104344614A (zh) 2015-02-11
EP3026374A1 (en) 2016-06-01
AU2014294470B2 (en) 2016-07-14
WO2015011952A1 (ja) 2015-01-29
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CN104344614B (zh) 2017-06-27
EP3026374B1 (en) 2021-04-21

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