Transport refrigeration unit

Abstract

This transport refrigeration unit comprises: a casing that has a back-surface plate fixed to the front surface of a trailer; an electrical box that is provided inside the casing and in which electrical components are accommodated; a first fixing part that fixes the electrical box to the back-surface plate; and a second fixing part that fixes the electrical box to the casing more forward than the back-surface plate.

Description

Transport refrigeration unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to transport refrigeration units.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigeration unit installed in a refrigerated vehicle that tows a trailer. The refrigeration unit includes a control box (electrical box) attached to a front panel of the front wall of the trailer and accommodating various electrical components such as a control board, and a housing (casing) that covers the control box from the outside. In addition to the control box, the housing also accommodates heavy components such as a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger. The housing also has an outdoor air intake (suction port). An outdoor heat exchanger fan (fan) is provided between the outdoor air intake and the outdoor heat exchanger to introduce outdoor air into the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-177857

[0004] However, the container refrigeration unit described in Patent Document 1 sometimes fails to ensure sufficient strength to support a heavy load housed within the casing. Furthermore, the container refrigeration unit described in Patent Document 1 does not disclose in detail the outlet for discharging air that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger to the outside of the casing. Therefore, depending on the location of the outlet, the flow of air that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger may be obstructed by various devices within the casing. In other words, the pressure loss of the air flowing within the casing increases, leaving room for improvement in terms of improving the cooling performance of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a transport refrigeration unit that can improve the strength of the casing. The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a transport refrigeration unit that can improve the cooling performance of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the transport refrigeration unit of the present disclosure comprises a casing having a back panel that is fixed to the front of a trailer, an electrical box that is provided inside the casing and that houses electrical equipment, a first fixing part that fixes the electrical box to the back panel, and a second fixing part that fixes the electrical box to the casing forward of the back panel.

[0007] The transport refrigeration unit of the present disclosure comprises a casing and an electrical box provided inside the casing and housing electrical components, the casing having a back panel fixed to the front of the trailer, a bottom panel extending forward from the back panel, a front panel on the front side of the electrical box, an intake port provided on the front panel for introducing air into the casing, and an upper panel facing above the lower panel, and further comprising a fan provided on the upper panel for exhausting air from inside the casing to the outside, and the upper surface of the electrical box is formed so as to move away from the top panel as it moves forward.

[0008] According to the transport refrigeration unit of the present disclosure, the strength of the casing can be improved, and the cooling performance of the outdoor heat exchanger can be improved.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a refrigerated vehicle equipped with a transport refrigeration unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a refrigeration unit main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 is a view of an indoor unit and the interior of a refrigeration unit main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as seen from above. Fig. 4 is a view of the interior of a refrigeration unit main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as seen from the front. Fig. 5 is a view of the interior of a refrigeration unit main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as seen from the left. Fig. 6 is a view of a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as seen from the left.

[0010] (Refrigerated vehicle) A refrigerated vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. As shown in Figure 1, the refrigerated vehicle 1 includes a tractor 2, a trailer 3, and a transport refrigeration unit 7. Hereinafter, the vertical up-down direction will be simply referred to as the "up-down direction", one of the directions perpendicular to the up-down direction will be referred to as the "front-rear direction", and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-rear direction will be referred to as the "left-right direction". The traveling direction of the refrigerated vehicle 1 coincides with the front-rear direction. The front, rear, left, and right are defined relative to the driver's seat of the refrigerated vehicle 1.

[0011] The tractor 2 includes a cab 4 as a driver's seat, and is driven by a traction engine (not shown). The tractor 2 tows a trailer 3.

[0012] The trailer 3 includes a trailer body 5 and a chassis 6. The trailer body 5 is a box-shaped container supported from below by the chassis 6. The trailer body 5 extends in the front-to-rear direction. A space for accommodating cargo (not shown) is formed inside the trailer body 5. The trailer body 5 has a front wall 5a disposed on the tractor 2 side, a top wall 5b connected to the upper end of the front wall 5a, a left wall 5c connected to the left ends of the front wall 5a and the top wall 5b, and a right wall 5d connected to the right ends of the front wall 5a and the top wall 5b.

[0013] (Transport Refrigeration Unit) The transport refrigeration unit 7 has a refrigeration unit main body 8 and an indoor unit 9. The refrigeration unit main body 8 is disposed outside the trailer body 5. The refrigeration unit main body 8 is fixed to the upper part of the front surface of the front wall 5a of the trailer body 5. As shown in Figures 2 to 4 , the refrigeration unit main body 8 includes a casing 10, an accumulator 53, a compressor 51, a fan 40, an outdoor heat exchanger 52, a receiver 54, an electrical box 20, a first fixing portion 61, a second fixing portion 62, and a heat sink 30. A space is formed inside the casing 10 to accommodate the devices that make up the refrigeration unit main body 8.

[0014] 3, the indoor unit 9 includes an expansion valve 55, an indoor heat exchanger 56, and an indoor fan 57. The refrigeration cycle 50 of the transport refrigeration unit 7 includes an accumulator 53, a compressor 51, an outdoor heat exchanger 52, a receiver 54, the expansion valve 55, the indoor heat exchanger 56, and the indoor fan 57.

[0015] The accumulator 53 is housed within the casing 10. The accumulator 53 is connected to the indoor heat exchanger 56 in a state where it can receive the refrigerant that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger 56. The compressor 51 is housed within the casing 10 and connected to the accumulator 53. The compressor 51 compresses the gas phase refrigerant supplied from the accumulator 53.

[0016] The fan 40 is housed within the casing 10. The fan 40 takes in air into the casing 10 and expels the air within the casing 10 to the outside.

[0017] The outdoor heat exchanger 52 is housed within the casing 10. The outdoor heat exchanger 52 is connected to the compressor 51 in a state in which it can receive the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 51. The outdoor heat exchanger 52 is a condenser that cools and condenses the gas-phase refrigerant supplied from the compressor 51 using outside air drawn into the casing 10 by the fan 40. The gas-phase refrigerant supplied from the compressor 51 is converted into a liquid-phase refrigerant by the outdoor heat exchanger 52. The outdoor heat exchanger 52 is connected to the receiver 54 in a state in which it can supply the cooled refrigerant to the receiver 54.

[0018] The receiver 54 is housed within the casing 10. The receiver 54 temporarily stores the liquid-phase refrigerant supplied from the outdoor heat exchanger 52 and absorbs fluctuations in the flow rate of the refrigerant in the cooling cycle 50. The receiver 54 is connected to the expansion valve 55 in a state in which the stored liquid-phase refrigerant can be supplied.

[0019] The expansion valves 55 are housed within the trailer body 5. One expansion valve 55 is provided on the left side and one on the right side of the trailer body 5. The two expansion valves 55 are arranged symmetrically when viewed from above and have the same configuration. Below, we will explain the left expansion valve 55 of the two expansion valves 55, and will omit explanation of the right expansion valve 55.

[0020] The expansion valve 55 is disposed at the upper part (close to the top wall 5b) of the corner formed by the left wall 5c and the front wall 5a. The expansion valve 55 expands (depressurizes) the liquid-phase refrigerant supplied from the receiver 54. The expansion valve 55 is connected to the indoor heat exchanger 56 in a state in which the expanded liquid-phase refrigerant can be supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 56.

[0021] The indoor heat exchangers 56 are housed within the trailer body 5. One indoor heat exchanger 56 is provided on the left side and one on the right side of the trailer body 5. The two indoor heat exchangers 56 are disposed symmetrically when viewed from above and have the same configuration. Below, we will explain the left indoor heat exchanger 56 of the two indoor heat exchangers 56, and will omit explanation of the right indoor heat exchanger 56.

[0022] The indoor heat exchanger 56 is disposed near the expansion valve 55. The indoor heat exchanger 56 is an evaporator that exchanges heat between the air around the indoor heat exchanger 56 and the liquid-phase refrigerant supplied from the expansion valve 55, thereby evaporating the liquid-phase refrigerant. The gas-phase refrigerant supplied from the expansion valve 55 is converted into liquid-phase refrigerant by the indoor heat exchanger 56. At this time, heat is absorbed by the refrigerant in the air around the indoor heat exchanger 56. In this way, the air around the indoor heat exchanger 56 is cooled.

[0023] The indoor fans 57 are housed within the trailer body 5. One indoor fan 57 is provided on the left side and one on the right side of the trailer body 5. The two indoor fans 57 are arranged in symmetrical positions when viewed from above and have the same configuration. Below, we will explain the left indoor fan 57 of the two indoor fans 57, and will omit explanation of the right indoor fan 57.

[0024] The indoor fan 57 is disposed near the indoor heat exchanger 56. The indoor fan 57 circulates the air cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 56 within the trailer body 5, thereby cooling the inside of the trailer body 5.

[0025] (Details of Refrigerator Unit Body) Hereinafter, details of the refrigerator unit body 8 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. FIG.

[0026] 2 to 5, the casing 10 is cubic. The casing 10 includes a back panel 11 fixed to the front surface of the front wall 5a of the trailer body 5, a front panel 12 arranged facing the back panel 11 in the longitudinal direction, a lower panel 13 connected to the lower ends of the back panel 11 and the front panel 12, an upper panel 14 connected to the upper end of the front panel 12 of the back panel 11, and a left panel 15 and a right panel 16 arranged facing each other in the transverse direction and connected to the back panel 11 and the front panel 12, the lower panel 13, and the upper panel 14. The casing 10 also includes an intake port 19 for introducing external air into the casing 10. The intake port 19 includes a cooling intake port 19a and a main intake port 19b.

[0027] The casing 10 is formed to be thin in the vertical direction, and is formed so that the ratio of the height in the vertical direction to the width in the horizontal direction and the depth in the front-rear direction is, for example, 50% or less.

[0028] The lower plate 13 extends forward from the lower end of the back plate 11. The thickness direction of the lower plate 13 coincides with the up-down direction. The lower plate 13 is provided with a cooling inlet 19a that penetrates the lower plate 13 and introduces air into the casing 10.

[0029] The lower panel 13 is formed integrally with the rear panel 11 and is formed in an L-shape when viewed from the left and right together with the rear panel 11. The lower panel 13, together with the rear panel 11, functions as a main frame that supports the contents inside the casing 10.

[0030] The upper plate 14 faces above the lower plate 13. The thickness direction of the upper plate 14 coincides with the vertical direction. The upper plate 14 is provided with two exhaust ports 14a that penetrate the upper plate 14 and exhaust air from the inside of the casing 10 to the outside. The two exhaust ports 14a are provided on the left and right sides of the upper plate 14. The left exhaust port 14a is provided so as to face the cooling intake port 19a in the vertical direction. The exhaust ports 14a penetrate the upper plate 14 in the vertical direction. The exhaust ports 14a are formed in a circular shape when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0031] The front panel 12 is provided on the front side of the electrical box 20. The front panel 12 and the right panel 16 are provided with a main suction port 19b that introduces air into the casing 10. The main suction port 19b is L-shaped when viewed from the top and bottom, and extends continuously from the front panel 12 to the right panel 16. The main suction port 19b penetrates the front panel 12 and the right panel 16. A wire mesh is attached to the main suction port 19b (see FIG. 2).

[0032] The casing 10 described above accommodates an accumulator 53, a compressor 51, a receiver 54, an electrical box 20, a heat sink 30, an outdoor heat exchanger 52, and a fan 40. More specifically, the accumulator 53, the compressor 51, and the receiver 54 are provided in a space on the right side of the casing 10. The electrical box 20 and the heat sink 30 are provided in a space on the left side of the casing 10. The outdoor heat exchanger 52 is provided in a position facing the main suction port 19b in the casing 10, and the fan 40 is provided in a position facing the exhaust port 14a in the casing 10.

[0033] (Electrical component box) The electrical component box 20 is disposed between the cooling inlet 19a and the left exhaust port 14a. A space capable of accommodating various devices is formed inside the electrical component box 20. The electrical component box 20 accommodates electrical components (not shown) such as power sources such as inverters and converters, and power drive system components.

[0034] The electrical box 20 is positioned biased to one side in the left-right direction (the left side in this embodiment) within the casing 10. The electrical box 20 is formed so that the vertical dimension H decreases toward the front. The electrical box 20 has a back plate 21 arranged opposite the rear plate 11 of the casing 10, a front plate 22 arranged opposite the back plate 21 in the front-to-rear direction, a lower plate 23 connected to the lower ends of the back plate 21 and the front plate 22, an upper plate 24 connected to the upper end of the front plate 22 of the back plate 21, and a left plate 25 and a right plate 26 arranged opposite each other in the left-to-right direction and connected to the back plate 21 and the front plate 22 and the lower plate 23 and upper plate 24.

[0035] The rear plate 21 is disposed at a position spaced forward from the rear plate 11 of the casing 10. The front plate 22 is disposed at a position spaced rearward from the front plate 12 of the casing 10.

[0036] The lower plate 23 is disposed in a state where it is floating above the lower plate 13 of the casing 10. The lower plate 23 is disposed so as to cover the cooling inlet 19a of the casing 10. The lower plate 23 is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction.

[0037] The rear end of the lower plate 23 is connected to the lower end of the back plate 21. The lower plate 23 and the back plate 21 are formed in an L shape when viewed from the left-right direction.

[0038] Heat from the electrical components housed in the electrical box 20 is transferred to the lower plate 23. For this reason, the lower surface of the lower plate 23 is located opposite the cooling inlet 19a and serves as a cooled surface 27 that is cooled by the air introduced into the casing 10 through the cooling inlet 19a being blown onto the cooled surface 27. The cooled surface 27 extends horizontally, and a constant distance is maintained between the cooled surface 27 and the lower plate 13 of the casing 10.

[0039] The upper plate 24 is disposed at a position spaced downward from the top plate 14 of the casing 10. The upper plate 24 is formed in a rectangular plate shape and is disposed so as to slope downward as it moves forward. In other words, the upper surface 24a of the upper plate 24 is formed so as to move downward away from the top plate 14 of the casing 10 as it moves forward.

[0040] The thickness direction of the left plate 25 coincides with the left-right direction. The left plate 25 extends in the front-rear direction. When viewed from the left-right direction, the left plate 25 is formed in a trapezoidal shape with the vertical dimension H tapering toward the front. When viewed from the left-right direction, the rear end of the left plate 25 and the lower end of the left plate 25 intersect at right angles in an L-shape. The rear end of the left plate 25 is connected to the left end of the back plate 21, and the lower end of the left plate 25 is connected to the left end of the lower plate 23.

[0041] The right plate 26 is formed in the same shape as the left plate 25. The rear end of the right plate 26 is connected to the right end of the back plate 21, and the lower end of the right plate 26 is connected to the right end of the lower plate 23.

[0042] (First fixing portion and second fixing portion) A first fixing portion 61 and a second fixing portion 62 are provided to fix the electrical box 20 to the casing 10. The first fixing portion 61 is provided at the rear of the electrical box 20, and the second fixing portion 62 is provided at the front of the electrical box 20. The first fixing portion 61 and the second fixing portion 62 are provided symmetrically on either side of the electrical box 20. The left and right first fixing portions 61 and second fixing portions 62 have the same configuration. Below, of the left and right first fixing portions 61 and second fixing portions 62, the first fixing portion 61 and second fixing portion 62 on the left side will be described, and a description of the right first fixing portion 61 and second fixing portion 62 will be omitted.

[0043] The first fixing portion 61 is provided at the rear end of the left plate 25 of the electrical box 20. A pair of first fixing portions 61 are provided spaced apart in the vertical direction. The first fixing portions 61 fix the electrical box 20 to the back plate 11 of the casing 10. The first fixing portions 61 fix the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 so that a space is formed between the back plate 21 of the electrical box 20 and the back plate 11 of the casing 10.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6 , the first fixing portion 61 includes a casing side member 63 joined to the casing 10 , an electrical box side member 64 joined to the electrical box 20 , and a bolt 65 .

[0045] The casing side member 63 has a fastening portion 63a and a joint portion 63b. When viewed from the left-right direction, the fastening portion 63a is formed in a U-shape that opens toward the back plate 11 of the casing 10. When viewed from the left-right direction, the joint portion 63b is provided at the open end of the fastening portion 63a and extends in a direction away from the fastening portion 63a. The joint portion 63b is joined to the back plate 11 by, for example, welding.

[0046] The electrical box side member 64 includes a fixing portion main body 66 and a rib 67. The fixing portion main body 66 is L-shaped when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The fixing portion main body 66 has a first piece 66a that fits along the back panel 11 of the casing 10 and a second piece 66b that fits along the left panel 25 of the electrical box 20. The first piece 66a is overlapped with the fastening portion 63a of the casing side member 63. The second piece 66b is joined to the left panel 25 of the electrical box 20. The rib 67 is provided at each end of the fixing portion main body 66 in the top-bottom direction. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the rib 67 is formed in the shape of a right triangle with a right-angled corner at the boundary between the first piece 66a and the second piece 66b. The rib 67 connects the first piece 66a and the second piece 66b and prevents the first piece 66a and the second piece 66b from bending inward.

[0047] The bolt 65 fastens and fixes the fastening portion 63 a of the casing side member 63 and the first piece 66 a of the electrical box side member 64 in an overlapping state.

[0048] The second fixing portion 62 is provided in front of the left plate 25 of the electrical box 20. The second fixing portion 62 fixes the electrical box 20 to the bottom plate 13 of the casing 10 forward of the back plate 11 of the casing 10. The second fixing portion 62 fixes the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 so that a space is formed between the bottom plate 23 of the electrical box 20 and the bottom plate 13 of the casing 10.

[0049] The second fixing portion 62 has the same configuration as the first fixing portion 61. That is, the second fixing portion 62 has a casing side member 63, an electrical box side member 64, and a bolt 65. Hereinafter, with regard to each component of the second fixing portion 62, the same components as those of the first fixing portion 61 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0050] The fastening portion 63a of the second fixing portion 62 is formed in a U-shape that opens toward the bottom plate 13 of the casing 10 when viewed from the left-right direction. The joining portion 63b of the second fixing portion 62 is joined to the bottom plate 13 by, for example, welding.

[0051] The fixing portion main body 66 of the second fixing portion 62 is formed in an L-shape when viewed from the front-rear direction. The fixing portion main body 66 of the second fixing portion 62 has a first piece 66a that fits along the bottom plate 13 of the casing 10 and a second piece 66b that fits along the left plate 25 of the electrical box 20. The ribs 67 of the second fixing portion 62 are provided on both ends of the fixing portion main body 66 in the front-rear direction. When viewed from the front-rear direction, the rib 67 of the second fixing portion 62 is formed in a right-angled triangle shape with a right-angled corner at the boundary between the first piece 66a and the second piece 66b.

[0052] Hereinafter, all of the first fixing portions 61 described above will be considered as a single unit, and the upper ends 61a and lower ends 61b of the first fixing portions 61 will be referred to as the upper end 61a of the first fixing portions 61. That is, in this embodiment, the upper end of the upper first fixing portion 61 of the pair of first fixing portions 61 will be referred to as the upper end 61a of the first fixing portion 61, and the lower end of the lower first fixing portion 61 of the pair of first fixing portions 61 will be referred to as the lower end 61b of the first fixing portion 61. In addition, with regard to the second fixing portions 62 described above, all of the second fixing portions 62 will be considered as a single unit, and the front ends and rear ends of the second fixing portion 62 will be referred to as the front end 62a and rear end of the second fixing portion 62. In this embodiment, since only one second fixing portion 62 is provided, the front end 62a and rear end of one second fixing portion 62 are defined for that second fixing portion 62.

[0053] In this embodiment, when viewed from the left-right direction, an imaginary triangle T is formed by the upper end 61a and lower end 61b of the first fixing portion 61 and the front end 62a of the second fixing portion 62.

[0054] 4 and 5 , the heat sink 30 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the surface to be cooled 27 of the electrical box 20 and the cooling inlet 19a of the casing 10. The heat sink 30 has a cooling plate 31 and a plurality of fins 32. The cooling plate 31 is disposed along the surface to be cooled 27 of the electrical box 20. The cooling plate 31 is fixed to the electrical box 20 with its upper surface in close contact with the surface to be cooled 27.

[0055] The fins 32 are arranged so as to protrude from the cooling plate 31 and extend along the cooling plate 31. The extending direction of the fins 32 coincides with the left-right direction.

[0056] (Compressor) The compressor 51 is disposed inside the casing 10, biased toward the other side in the left-right direction (the right side in this embodiment).

[0057] (Outdoor Heat Exchanger) The outdoor heat exchanger 52 is provided between the electrical box 20 and the main suction port 19b. When viewed from the top and bottom, the outdoor heat exchanger 52 has a shape similar to that of the main suction port 19b. When viewed from the top and bottom, the outdoor heat exchanger 52 has an L-shape, for example. The outdoor heat exchanger 52 exchanges heat between the air introduced from the main suction port 19b and the refrigerant flowing through the refrigeration cycle 50.

[0058] The outdoor heat exchanger 52 is disposed across the main suction port 19b. The compressor 51 faces the main suction port 19b via the outdoor heat exchanger 52. Furthermore, the right side of the electrical box 20 faces the main suction port 19b via the outdoor heat exchanger 52.

[0059] (Fan) The fan 40 is provided on the opposite side of the electrical box 20 from the cooled surface 27. The fan 40 exhausts air inside the casing 10 to the outside. The fan 40 is provided on the top plate 14 of the casing 10. More specifically, the fan 40 includes a first fan 41 arranged opposite the left-side outlet 14a of the two outlets 14a of the casing 10, and a second fan 42 arranged opposite the right-side outlet 14a. The axial direction of the fan 40 coincides with the up-down direction.

[0060] The first fan 41 is provided on the opposite side of the electrical box 20 from the cooling inlet 19a. The second fan 42 faces the accumulator 53, the compressor 51, and the receiver 54.

[0061] (Position of Overall Center of Gravity of Casing and Contents Inside Casing) Hereinafter, the position of the overall center of gravity G of the casing 10 and the contents inside the casing 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG.

[0062] 3 and 4 , the center of gravity G of the entire casing 10 and the contents contained therein is located rearward of the fixing point of the second fixing portion 62. In other words, the second fixing portion 62 fixes the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 forward of the center of gravity G of the entire casing 10 and the contents contained therein.

[0063] Furthermore, when viewed from the top and bottom, the center of gravity G of the entire casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 is located inside the electrical box 20.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 5, when viewed from the left and right, the center of gravity G of the entire casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 is located inside the imaginary triangle T described above.

[0065] (Operation and Effect) In the transport refrigeration unit 7 described above, air flows within the casing 10 as follows: As shown in Figures 4 and 5, when the fan 40 is operated, air within the casing 10 is exhausted to the outside and air is introduced into the casing 10 through the suction port 19.

[0066] Air introduced into the casing 10 through the cooling inlet 19a of the inlet 19 is blown onto the cooling plate 31 of the heat sink 30. The air blown onto the cooling plate 31 flows along the fins 32 and is guided to both left and right ends of the cooling plate 31. The air guided to both left and right ends of the cooling plate 31 flows so as to bypass the electrical box 20. More specifically, the air flows along the left wall 5c or the right wall 5d of the electrical box 20, then flows along the slope of the upper surface 24a of the electrical box 20, and is drawn into the fan 40 disposed at the top of the casing 10. The air introduced into the casing 10 through the cooling inlet 19a and bypassing the electrical box 20 is drawn into the fans 40, mainly the first fan 41. The air drawn into the fan 40 is discharged to the outside of the casing 10 through the outlet 14a.

[0067] Furthermore, air introduced into the casing 10 from the main suction port 19b of the suction ports 19 passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 52. The air that passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 52 flows along the surface of the compressor 51 or the electrical box 20. The compressor 51 and the electrical box 20 are cooled by the air flowing along their surfaces. The air introduced toward the electrical box 20 flows along the slope of the upper surface 24a of the electrical box 20 and is drawn into the fan 40 located at the top of the casing 10. The air drawn into the fan 40 is discharged to the outside of the casing 10 through the outlet 14a.

[0068] In this embodiment, the transport refrigeration unit 7 includes a first fixing portion 61 that fixes the electrical box 20 to the back panel 11, and a second fixing portion 62 that fixes the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 forward of the back panel 11.

[0069] This allows the overall load of the casing 10 and the contents contained therein to be distributed to the back plate 11 of the casing 10 and the portion of the casing 10 forward of the back plate 11 via the electrical box 20. Therefore, the electrical box 20 functions as a strength member of the casing 10, thereby improving the strength of the casing 10.

[0070] In this embodiment, the second fixing portion 62 fixes the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 forward of the center of gravity G of the entire casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 .

[0071] This allows the overall load of the casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 to be distributed to the front and rear of the electrical box 20. Therefore, the strength of the casing 10 can be further improved.

[0072] In this embodiment, when viewed from the left-right direction, an imaginary triangle T is formed by the upper end 61a and lower end 61b of the first fixing portion 61 and the front end 62a of the second fixing portion 62.

[0073] As a result, the total load of the casing 10 and the contents contained therein can be distributed to three parts of the electrical box 20 and transmitted to the casing 10 via the electrical box 20. This further improves the strength of the casing 10.

[0074] In this embodiment, the center of gravity G of the entire casing 10 and the contents contained in the casing 10 is located inside the imaginary triangle T when viewed from the left-right direction.

[0075] This makes it possible to prevent the load from being distributed unevenly by the electrical box 20. Therefore, the strength of the casing 10 can be further improved.

[0076] In this embodiment, the center of gravity G of the entire casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 is located inside the electrical box 20 when viewed from the top and bottom.

[0077] This allows the electrical box 20, which functions as a strength member, to more reliably distribute the overall load of the casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10. Therefore, the strength of the casing 10 can be further improved.

[0078] In this embodiment, the electrical box 20 may be formed so that the vertical dimension H decreases toward the front.

[0079] This allows the center of gravity of the electrical box 20 to be closer to the back plate 11 of the casing 10 compared to when the vertical dimension H of the electrical box 20 is constant in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the overall center of gravity G of the casing 10 and the contents contained therein can be closer to the back plate 11 of the casing 10.

[0080] In this embodiment, the second fixing portion 62 fixes the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 so that a space is formed between the electrical box 20 and the casing 10 .

[0081] This forms an air flow path around the electrical box 20. Therefore, the air flow rate around the electrical box 20 can be increased, and the cooling performance of the electrical box 20 can be improved.

[0082] In this embodiment, the electrical box 20 is disposed offset to one side in the left-right direction, and the compressor 51 is disposed offset to the other side in the left-right direction. The electrical box 20 and the compressor 51 face the air intake 19 with the outdoor heat exchanger 52 interposed therebetween.

[0083] As a result, the air that has been introduced into the casing 10 and has exchanged heat with the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 52 can be used to cool the electrical box 20 and the compressor 51. This improves the cooling performance of the electrical box 20 and the compressor 51.

[0084] In this embodiment, transport refrigeration unit 7 further includes a fan 40 that is provided on top plate 14 of casing 10 and exhausts air from inside casing 10 to the outside. Top surface 24a of electrical box 20 is formed so as to move away from top plate 14 of casing 10 toward the front.

[0085] As a result, the air introduced into the casing 10 from the air inlet 19 can be guided to the fan 40 by the inclination of the upper surface 24a of the electrical box 20. This reduces the pressure loss of the air flowing inside the casing 10 and increases the flow rate of the air inside the casing 10. This improves the cooling performance of the outdoor heat exchanger 52.

[0086] Other Embodiments While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and design modifications and the like are also included within the scope of the present disclosure. While the above embodiments have been described with the casing 10 being hexahedral, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the casing 10 may be formed in a tetrahedral shape having a back panel 11 and a bottom panel 13.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the electrical box 20 is described as being hexahedral, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the electrical box 20 may be formed in a tetrahedral shape having a back plate 21 and a bottom plate 23.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the first fixing portion 61 and the second fixing portion 62 are provided symmetrically on either side of the electrical box 20, but this is not limited thereto. It is sufficient that the first fixing portion 61 fixes the electrical box 20 to the back plate 11 of the casing 10, and the second fixing portion 62 fixes the electrical box 20 to a portion of the casing 10 forward of the back plate 11. For example, the second fixing portion 62 may fix the left plate 25 or the right plate 26 of the electrical box 20 to the top plate 14 of the casing 10. The positions and numbers of the first fixing portion 61 and the second fixing portion 62 can be changed as appropriate.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the compressor 51 faces the main suction port 19b via the outdoor heat exchanger 52, and the right side of the electrical box 20 faces the main suction port 19b via the outdoor heat exchanger 52, but this is not limited to this. Only one of the compressor 51 and the outdoor heat exchanger 52 may be provided to face the main suction port 19b via the outdoor heat exchanger 52.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the electrical box 20 is formed such that the upper surface 24a is spaced downward from the top plate 14 of the casing 10 as it extends forward, but this is not limited to this. The electrical box 20 may be formed in a cubic shape with a constant distance between the upper surface 24a and the top plate 14 of the casing 10.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the cooled surface 27, which is the lower surface of the electrical box 20, extends horizontally, but this is not limited to this. The cooled surface 27 may be inclined downward away from the top plate 14 of the casing 10, similar to the upper surface 24a of the electrical box 20.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the first fixing portions 61 are provided as a pair spaced apart in the vertical direction, but this is not limited thereto. For example, only one first fixing portion 61 may be provided on the upper part of the electrical box 20. In this case, an upper end 61 a and a lower end 61 b ​​of each first fixing portion 61 are defined. In this case, the first fixing portion 61 may be formed in a shape that extends in the vertical direction.

[0093] <Additional Notes> The transport refrigeration unit 7 described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0094] (1) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the first aspect comprises a casing 10 having a back panel 11 fixed to the front of the trailer 3, an electrical box 20 provided inside the casing 10 and housing electrical components, a first fixing portion 61 that fixes the electrical box 20 to the back panel 11, and a second fixing portion 62 that fixes the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 forward of the back panel 11.

[0095] This allows the overall load of the casing 10 and the contents contained therein to be distributed to the back plate 11 of the casing 10 and the portion of the casing 10 forward of the back plate 11 via the electrical box 20. Therefore, the electrical box 20 functions as a strength member of the casing 10.

[0096] (2) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the second aspect is the transport refrigeration unit 7 of (1), and the second fixing portion 62 may fix the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 forward of the overall center of gravity G of the casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10.

[0097] This allows the overall weight of the casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 to be distributed to the front and rear of the electrical box 20.

[0098] (3) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the third aspect may be the transport refrigeration unit 7 of (1) or (2), and when viewed from the left-right direction, an imaginary triangle T may be formed by the upper end 61a and lower end 61b of the first fixing portion 61 and the front end 62a of the second fixing portion 62.

[0099] This allows the total load of the casing 10 and the contents contained in the casing 10 to be transmitted to the casing 10 via the electrical box 20 by distributing the load acting on the electrical box 20 into three parts.

[0100] (4) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the fourth aspect is the transport refrigeration unit 7 of (3), and when viewed from the left-right direction, the overall center of gravity G of the casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 may be located inside the virtual triangle T.

[0101] This makes it possible to prevent the load distributed by the electrical box 20 from becoming uneven.

[0102] (5) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the fifth aspect is any one of the transport refrigeration units 7 described in (1) to (4), and when viewed from the top and bottom, the overall center of gravity of the casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 may be located inside the electrical box 20.

[0103] This allows the electrical box 20, which functions as a strength member, to distribute the overall load of the casing 10 and the contents contained within the casing 10 more reliably.

[0104] (6) A transport refrigeration unit 7 according to a sixth aspect is any one of the transport refrigeration units 7 of (1) to (5), and the electrical box 20 may be formed so that the vertical dimension H decreases toward the front.

[0105] This allows the center of gravity of the electrical box 20 to be closer to the back plate 11 of the casing 10 compared to when the vertical dimension H of the electrical box 20 is constant in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the overall center of gravity G of the casing 10 and the contents contained therein can be closer to the back plate 11 of the casing 10.

[0106] (7) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the seventh aspect is any one of the transport refrigeration units 7 of (1) to (6), and the second fixing portion 62 may fix the electrical box 20 to the casing 10 so that a space is formed between the electrical box 20 and the casing 10.

[0107] This forms an air flow path around the electrical box 20. Therefore, the air flow rate around the electrical box 20 can be increased.

[0108] (8) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the eighth aspect is a transport refrigeration unit 7 according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the casing 10 is provided with an intake 19, and further comprises a compressor 51 provided inside the casing 10 and an outdoor heat exchanger 52 facing the intake 19, wherein the electrical box 20 is positioned offset to one side in the left-right direction and the compressor 51 is positioned offset to the other side in the left-right direction, and at least one of the electrical box 20 and the compressor 51 faces the intake 19 via the outdoor heat exchanger 52.

[0109] This allows the air that has been introduced into the casing 10 and has undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 52 to be used to cool at least one of the electrical box 20 and the compressor 51.

[0110] (9) A transport refrigeration unit 7 according to a ninth aspect is a transport refrigeration unit 7 according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the casing 10 has a bottom panel 13 extending forward from the back panel 11, a front panel 12 on the front side of the electrical box 20, an intake port 19 provided on the front panel 12 for introducing air into the casing 10, and a top panel 14 facing above the bottom panel 13, and further comprises a fan 40 provided on the top panel 14 for exhausting air from inside the casing 10 to the outside, and the top surface 24a of the electrical box 20 may be formed so as to move away from the top panel 14 as it moves forward.

[0111] As a result, the air introduced into the casing 10 from the air inlet 19 can be guided to the fan 40 by the inclination of the upper surface 24a of the electrical box 20. This reduces the pressure loss of the air flowing inside the casing 10, and increases the flow rate of air inside the casing 10.

[0112] (10) A transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the tenth aspect comprises a casing 10 and an electrical box 20 arranged inside the casing 10 and housing electrical components, the casing 10 having a back panel 11 fixed to the front of the trailer, a bottom panel 13 extending forward from the back panel 11, a front panel 12 on the front side of the electrical box 20, an intake port 19 arranged on the front panel 12 for introducing air into the casing 10, and an upper panel 14 facing above the lower panel 13, and further comprising a fan 40 arranged on the top panel 14 for exhausting air from inside the casing 10 to the outside, and the top surface 24a of the electrical box 20 is formed so as to move away from the top panel 14 as it moves forward.

[0113] (11) The transport refrigeration unit 7 according to the eleventh aspect is the transport refrigeration unit 7 of (9) or (10), further comprising a compressor 51 provided inside the casing 10 and an outdoor heat exchanger 52 facing the suction port 19, wherein the electrical box 20 is positioned offset to one side in the left-right direction and the compressor 51 is positioned offset to the other side in the left-right direction, and at least one of the electrical box 20 and the compressor 51 faces the suction port 19 via the outdoor heat exchanger 52.

[0114] The present disclosure relates to a transport refrigeration unit, and to a method for improving the strength of a casing and the cooling performance of an outdoor heat exchanger.

[0115] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Refrigerated vehicle 2...Tractor 3...Trailer 4...Cab 5...Trailer body 5a...Front wall 5b...Top wall 5c...Left wall 5d...Right wall 6...Chassis 7...Transport refrigeration unit 8...Refrigeration unit body 9...Indoor unit 10...Casing 11...Rear panel 12...Front panel 13...Lower panel 14...Top panel 14a...Exhaust port 15...Left panel 16...Right panel 19...Suction port 19a...Cooling suction port 19b...Main suction port 20...Electrical box 21...Back panel 22...Front panel 23...Lower panel 24...Top panel 24a...Top surface 25...Left panel 26...Right panel 27...Cooled surface 30...Heat sink 31...Cooling plate 31a...Fin-free area 32...Fin 40...Fan DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 41...First fan 42...Second fan 50...Refrigeration cycle 51...Compressor 52...Outdoor heat exchanger 53...Accumulator 54...Receiver 55...Expansion valve 56...Indoor heat exchanger 57...Indoor fan 61...First fixing portion 61a...Upper end 61b...Lower end 62...Second fixing portion 62a...Front end 63...Casing side member 63a...Fastening portion 63b...Joint portion 64...Electrical box side member 65...Bolt 66...Fixing portion main body 66a...First piece 66b...Second piece 67...Rib G...Center of gravity H...Dimension T...Imaginary triangle

Claims

1. A transport refrigeration unit comprising: a casing having a back panel that is fixed to the front of a trailer; an electrical box that is provided inside the casing and that houses electrical equipment; a first fixing part that fixes the electrical box to the back panel; and a second fixing part that fixes the electrical box to the casing forward of the back panel.

2. A transport refrigeration unit according to claim 1, wherein the second fixing portion fixes the electrical box to the casing forward of the center of gravity of the casing and the contents contained within the casing.

3. A transport refrigeration unit as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein, when viewed from the left-right direction, the upper and lower ends of the first fixing portion and the front end of the second fixing portion form an imaginary triangle.

4. A transport refrigeration unit according to claim 3, wherein the center of gravity of the casing and the contents contained therein is located inside the imaginary triangle when viewed from the left and right.

5. A transport refrigeration unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the overall centre of gravity of the casing and the contents contained therein is located inside the electrical box when viewed from above.

6. A transport refrigeration unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the electrical box is formed so that its vertical dimension decreases toward the front.

7. A transport refrigeration unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second fixing portion fixes the electrical box to the casing so that a space is formed between the electrical box and the casing.

8. A transport refrigeration unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: an intake port provided in the casing; a compressor provided inside the casing; and an outdoor heat exchanger disposed opposite the intake port; wherein the electrical box is positioned offset to one side in the left-right direction; the compressor is positioned offset to the other side in the left-right direction; and at least one of the electrical box and the compressor faces the intake port via the outdoor heat exchanger.

9. A transport refrigeration unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the casing has a lower panel extending forward from the back panel, a front panel on the front side of the electrical box, an intake port provided on the front panel for introducing air into the casing, and an upper panel facing above the lower panel, and further comprises a fan provided on the upper panel for discharging air inside the casing to the outside, and the upper surface of the electrical box is formed so as to move away from the upper panel as it moves forward.

10. A transport refrigeration unit comprising: a casing; and an electrical box provided inside the casing and accommodating electrical equipment, wherein the casing has: a back panel fixed to the front of a trailer; a bottom panel extending forward from the back panel; a front panel on the front side of the electrical box; an intake port provided on the front panel for introducing air into the casing; and an upper panel facing above the lower panel, and further comprising a fan provided on the upper panel for discharging air inside the casing to the outside, wherein the top surface of the electrical box is formed so as to move away from the upper panel as it moves forward.

11. A transport refrigeration unit as described in claim 9 or 10, further comprising: a compressor provided inside the casing; and an outdoor heat exchanger disposed opposite the suction port, wherein the electrical box is positioned offset to one side in the left-right direction, the compressor is positioned offset to the other side in the left-right direction, and at least one of the electrical box and the compressor faces the suction port via the outdoor heat exchanger.

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