Ceiling recessed air conditioner indoor unit

Abstract

The indoor unit of a ceiling-mounted air conditioner includes: a housing having an intake port formed at the rear when viewed from the front and an outlet formed at the front, and is embedded in the ceiling; a fan that draws air from the intake port into the housing and blows it out of the outlet; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the air drawn from the intake port into the housing by the fan and the refrigerant; and a drain pan disposed within the housing below the heat exchanger to collect the drain water from the heat exchanger, a portion of which faces the intake port, and the lower surface of the portion facing the intake port is inclined away from the intake port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the indoor unit of a ceiling-embedded air conditioner, and in particular to the construction of a drain pan. Background Technology

[0002] There is an indoor unit of a ceiling-mounted air conditioner that includes a heat exchanger housed within a casing and a drain pan for receiving condensation dripping from the heat exchanger (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the past, in the indoor unit of such ceiling-embedded air conditioners, there was a desire to increase the water retention capacity of the drain pan and to reduce the size of the casing. In order to meet these expectations, a wide drain pan was housed in the miniaturized casing.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-210246

[0005] However, in existing ceiling-mounted air conditioner indoor units, part of the drain pan covers the intake port of the casing, causing a portion of the intake air to be blocked by the drain pan. As a result, there are issues of increased air resistance, increased power consumption, and reduced noise levels. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure was made to solve the problems mentioned above, and aims to provide an indoor unit of a ceiling-mounted air conditioner that increases the water retention capacity of the drain pan, reduces the size of the casing, and suppresses the increase of air resistance.

[0007] The indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner disclosed herein comprises: a housing having an intake port formed at the rear when viewed from the front and an outlet formed at the front, and being embedded in the ceiling; a fan that blows air drawn into the interior of the housing from the intake port out of the outlet to the exterior of the housing; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the air drawn into the interior of the housing from the intake port by the fan and a refrigerant; and a drain pan disposed within the housing below the heat exchanger to collect wastewater discharged from the heat exchanger, a portion of the drain pan being opposite the intake port, and the lower surface of the portion opposite the intake port being inclined away from the intake port.

[0008] According to the indoor unit of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner disclosed herein, a portion of the drain pan is opposite to the suction inlet, and the lower surface of the portion opposite to the suction inlet is inclined away from the suction inlet. In this way, by making the lower surface of the portion of the drain pan opposite to the suction inlet inclined away from the suction inlet, even if the drain pan is enlarged to increase the water retention capacity of the drain pan, or the casing is miniaturized and the drain pan covers the suction inlet, the increase in air resistance can be suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a side view of the cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 1.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a side view of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the first variation of Embodiment 1.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1, viewed from the side.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a rear view of the drain pan of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the drain pan of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1.

[0014] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the drain pan of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1 is installed horizontally.

[0015] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the drain pan of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1 is inclined toward the drain pump side.

[0016] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the drain pan of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1 is inclined to the side opposite to the drain pump.

[0017] Figure 9 This is a side view of the cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 2.

[0018] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the airflow of the air passage formed inside the casing of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 2.

[0019] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the first modified example of Embodiment 2, viewed from the side.

[0020] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the airflow of the air passage formed inside the housing of the indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the first variation of Embodiment 2.

[0021] Figure 13This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the airflow through the air duct formed inside the casing of an existing ceiling-mounted air conditioner. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the size relationships of the structural components in the following drawings may differ from actual dimensions.

[0023] Implementation method 1.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 1, viewed from the side.

[0025] The structure of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 will be described below. In the following description, for ease of understanding, terms indicating direction, such as "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," and "back," are appropriately used; however, these are illustrative terms and do not limit the implementation. Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner viewed from the front... Figure 1 In the A-direction view state, use "up", "down", "right", "left", "forward", "backward", etc.

[0026] The indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner is installed within the ceiling, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the housing 1 has a box-shaped structure embedded in the ceiling. An intake 5 for drawing in indoor air is formed on the lower rear surface of the housing 1, and an outlet 8 for blowing out air-conditioned air is formed on the lower front surface of the housing 1. The intake 5 is provided with a flat intake grille 6 with an opening that forms the exterior surface, and a filter 7 covering the opening of the intake grille 6. Therefore, indoor air drawn in from the intake 5 is drawn into the interior of the housing 1 through the opening of the intake grille 6 and the filter 7. The outlet 8 is provided with upper and lower blades 9 that change the airflow direction within a predetermined range in the vertical direction.

[0027] Inside the housing 1 are: a blower fan 2, configured to rotate freely and generate airflow; a motor (not shown), connected to and driving the blower fan 2; a heat exchanger 3, configured at an angle relative to the horizontal plane, to exchange heat between the indoor air drawn into the housing 1 by the blower fan 2 from the intake 5 and the refrigerant, producing air-conditioned air; and a drain pan 4, located below the heat exchanger 3, to collect the drain water from the heat exchanger 3. Furthermore, an airflow path 20 is formed inside the housing 1 such that air flows from the intake 5 through the heat exchanger 3 to the outlet 8, and the blower fan 2 and heat exchanger 3 are disposed on the airflow path 20.

[0028] Next, the operation of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 will be explained.

[0029] If the motor rotates, the blower fan 2 connected to the motor rotates, drawing in indoor air from the intake port 5. The indoor air passes through the filter 7 and is drawn into the interior of the housing 1. The indoor air drawn in by the blower fan 2 is blown towards the heat exchanger 3, where it undergoes heat exchange to become conditioned air and is blown into the room from the outlet 8. At this time, the direction of the conditioned air blown out from the outlet 8 changes according to the direction of the upper and lower blades 9.

[0030] Next, the construction of the drainage tray 4 in Embodiment 1 will be described.

[0031] The drainage tray 4, when viewed from above, has a rectangular shape and includes a bottom surface 4a and ribs 4b. The ribs 4b are respectively provided at the ends of the long side of the bottom surface 4a, extending upwards. Furthermore, the ribs 4b are respectively positioned along the long side (…). Figure 1 The drain pan 4 is positioned (orthogonal to the paper). A drain pump 30 (described later) is provided on the shorter side of one of the drain pan 4 to draw water accumulated in it. Figure 6 (etc.), and a float sensor (not shown) for detecting the water level of the drained water. Additionally, the shape of the drain pan 4 can be loosely rectangular when viewed from above. Furthermore, the shorter side of the drain pan 4 on which the drain pump 30 is installed will be referred to as the drain pump 30 side, and the shorter side of the other drain pan 4 will be referred to as the opposite side of the drain pump 30.

[0032] The drain tray 4 is configured such that a portion of it covers the suction port 5 in the vertical direction. That is, a portion of the drain tray 4 is opposite to the suction port 5. Moreover, the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain tray 4 opposite to the suction port 5 is inclined in a manner that moves away from the suction port 5 as it moves rearward.

[0033] In this way, the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain tray 4 opposite the intake port 5 is inclined away from the intake port 5 as it moves rearward. This way, even if the drain tray 4 is enlarged to increase its water retention capacity and the housing 1 is miniaturized so that the intake port 5 is covered by the drain tray 4, the increase in air resistance can be suppressed. Furthermore, by suppressing the increase in air resistance, the increase in power consumption and the decrease in noise reduction can be suppressed. In addition, since the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain tray 4 opposite the intake port 5 is inclined, this lower surface 4c gradually moves away from the intake port 5, making it difficult to visually identify the drain tray 4 from the intake port 5, thus also suppressing a decrease in aesthetics.

[0034] Figure 2This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the first modified embodiment of implementation 1, viewed from the side.

[0035] In the first variation of implementation 1, such as Figure 2 As shown, the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain plate 4 opposite to the suction port 5 is inclined away from the suction port 5. Furthermore, one of the two ribs 4b of the drain plate 4 is opposite to the suction port 5, and the rib 4b on the side opposite to the suction port 5 has an arc shape that curves toward the rear, opposite to the bottom surface 4a.

[0036] Thus, the rib 4b on the side opposite to the intake 5 is designed with an arc shape that curves backward. This allows indoor air drawn into the housing 1 from the intake 5 to flow easily along the rib 4b, making it difficult for air to separate and thus further suppressing increased air resistance. Furthermore, by further suppressing increased air resistance, it is possible to further suppress increased power consumption and decreased noise reduction. In addition, since the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain tray 4 opposite to the intake 5 is inclined, this lower surface 4c gradually moves away from the intake 5, making it difficult to visually identify the drain tray 4 from the intake 5, thus also suppressing a decrease in aesthetics.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1, viewed from the side. Figure 4 This is a rear view of the drain pan 4 of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1. Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the drain pan 4 of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1.

[0038] In the second variation of embodiment 1, such as Figure 3 As shown, the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain plate 4 opposite the suction port 5 is inclined in a manner that moves away from the suction port 5 as it faces rearward. Furthermore, one of the two ribs 4b of the drain plate 4 is opposite the suction port 5, as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the rib 4b on the side opposite to the suction port 5 is configured to have different heights along its long side and its upper surface is inclined. Specifically, the rib 4b on the side opposite to the suction port 5 is configured to increase in height from the drain pump 30 side of the drain pan 4 toward the opposite side of the drain pump 30.

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the drain pan 4 of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1 is horizontally installed. Figure 7This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the drain pan 4 of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1 is inclined toward the drain pump 30. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the drain pan 4 of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner in a second variation of Embodiment 1, which is inclined towards the side opposite to the drain pump 30. Furthermore, Figures 6-8 The arrow indicates the flow of discharged water when the drain pump 30 is driven.

[0040] Here, since there is a possibility that the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner is tilted relative to the horizontal direction, there is a possibility that the drained water may accumulate on the shorter side, biased towards the drain pan 4. Furthermore, a water level detection unit 31, such as a float sensor, is provided around the drain pump 30, and the drain pump 30 is driven by water level detection performed by this water level detection unit 31. Therefore, in order to drive the drain pump 30, water level detection by the water level detection unit 31 is required, and a certain water level is required around the water level detection unit 31. Moreover, as... Figure 6 As shown, when the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner is horizontally installed, the drained water accumulates equally on both the drain pump 30 side and the opposite side of the drain pan 4. Therefore, the water level from the bottom surface 4a becomes the same on both the drain pump 30 side and the opposite side of the drain pan 4, and there is sufficient clearance from the water surface to the upper end of the rib 4b on both sides of the drain pan 4. In contrast, as... Figure 7 As shown, when the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner is tilted towards the drain pump 30, drained water tends to accumulate around the drain pump 30 side of the drain pan 4, i.e., around the water level detection unit 31, and the water level from the bottom surface 4a tends to rise. Therefore, the amount of water required for the water level detection unit 31 to detect the water level is reduced, so even if the height of the rib 4b on the drain pump 30 side is set lower than the opposite side of the drain pump 30, drained water will not overflow from the drain pan 4. On the other hand, as... Figure 8 As shown, when the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner is tilted towards the opposite side of the drain pump 30, drained water is difficult to accumulate around the drain pump 30 side of the drain pan 4, i.e., around the water level detection unit 31, and the water level is difficult to rise from the bottom surface 4a. Therefore, the amount of water required for the water level detection unit 31 to detect the water level increases, and thus the distance from the water surface to the upper end of the rib 4b on the opposite side of the drain pump 30 becomes shorter. Therefore, if the height of the rib 4b on the opposite side of the drain pump 30 is lowered, drained water will easily overflow from the drain pan 4.

[0041] In order to prevent water from overflowing from the drain pan 4, the height of the rib 4b on the opposite side of the drain pump 30 needs to be higher than that on the side of the drain pump 30. On the other hand, even if the height of the rib 4b on the side of the drain pump 30 is lower than that on the opposite side of the drain pump 30, water will not overflow from the drain pan 4. In addition, the height of the rib 4b on the side opposite the suction port 5 is as low as possible, thereby increasing the gap between the heat exchanger 3 and the drain pan 4. Since the air passage 20 is widened, airflow is less likely to be blocked, thus suppressing air resistance.

[0042] Therefore, by setting the rib 4b on the side opposite to the suction port 5 to have a different height along its long side, and by making the height of the rib 4b on the side of the drain pump 30 lower than that on the opposite side of the drain pump 30, it is possible to suppress the overflow of discharged water from the drain pan 4 and further suppress the increase in air resistance. Moreover, by further suppressing the increase in air resistance, it is possible to further suppress the decrease in power consumption and noise reduction.

[0043] Furthermore, a downwardly recessed portion 4d is provided on a portion of the bottom surface 4a of the drain pan 4. The front end 30a of the drain pump 30 is positioned on the recess 4d, located below the water level detection unit 31. This lowers the bottom surface 4a of the drain pan 4 surrounding the drain pump 30, making the drain pan 4 deeper, and positions the front end 30a of the drain pump 30 below the water level detection unit 31. This allows drained water to easily accumulate at the front end 30a of the drain pump 30, thus preventing the drain pump 30 from running dry.

[0044] The indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 includes: a housing 1 having an intake 5 formed at the rear when viewed from the front and an outlet 8 formed at the front, and is embedded in the ceiling; a fan 2 that blows air drawn into the housing 1 from the intake 5 out through the outlet 8 to the outside of the housing 1; a heat exchanger 3 that performs heat exchange between the air drawn into the housing 1 from the intake 5 by the fan 2 and the refrigerant; and a drain pan 4 disposed in the housing 1 below the heat exchanger 3 to collect the drained water from the heat exchanger 3, a portion of the drain pan 4 being opposite the intake 5, and the lower surface 4c of the portion opposite the intake 5 being inclined away from the intake 5.

[0045] According to Embodiment 1, in the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner, a portion of the drain tray 4 faces the intake 5, and the lower surface 4c of the portion facing the intake 5 is inclined away from the intake 5. This inclines the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain tray 4 facing the intake 5 away from the intake 5. By doing so, even if the drain tray 4 is enlarged to increase its water retention capacity or the housing 1 is miniaturized to cover the intake 5, an increase in air resistance can be suppressed. Furthermore, by suppressing an increase in air resistance, an increase in power consumption and a decrease in noise reduction can be suppressed. In addition, since the lower surface 4c of the portion of the drain tray 4 facing the intake 5 is inclined, this lower surface 4c gradually moves away from the intake 5, making it difficult to visually identify the drain tray 4 from the intake 5, thus suppressing a decrease in aesthetics.

[0046] In addition, in the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the first variation of Embodiment 1, the drain pan 4 has a rib 4b extending upward at the end of the portion opposite to the suction port 5, and the rib 4b has an arc shape that curves backward.

[0047] According to the first variation of Embodiment 1, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner has a rib 4b on the side opposite to the intake 5 that is curved in a rearward manner. This design allows indoor air drawn into the housing 1 from the intake 5 to flow easily along the rib 4b, making it difficult for air to separate and thus further suppressing increased air resistance. Furthermore, by further suppressing increased air resistance, it is possible to further suppress increased power consumption and decreased noise levels. Additionally, since the lower surface 4c of the drain pan 4 opposite to the intake 5 is inclined, this lower surface 4c gradually moves away from the intake 5, making it difficult to visually identify the drain pan 4 from the intake 5, thus also suppressing a decrease in aesthetics.

[0048] In addition, in the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1, the drain pan 4 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above, and has a rib 4b extending upward at the end of the portion opposite to the suction port 5, with the rib 4b having a different height along its long side.

[0049] In addition, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1 includes a drain pump 30 for drawing out drain water stored in the drain pan 4, and the height of the rib 4b on the side of the drain pump 30 is lower than that on the opposite side of the drain pump 30.

[0050] According to the second variation of Embodiment 1, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner has ribs 4b at the end of the portion opposite to the suction inlet 5, which have different heights along their long sides. Furthermore, the height of the ribs 4b on the drain pump 30 side is lower than that on the opposite side of the drain pump 30. Thus, because the ribs 4b at the end of the portion opposite to the suction inlet 5 have different heights along their long sides, and the height of the ribs 4b on the drain pump 30 side is lower than that on the opposite side of the drain pump 30, it is possible to suppress the overflow of drain water from the drain pan 4 and further suppress the increase in air resistance. Moreover, by further suppressing the increase in air resistance, it is possible to further suppress the decrease in power consumption and noise reduction.

[0051] Furthermore, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the second variation of Embodiment 1 includes a drain pump 30 for drawing out drain water stored in the drain pan 4, and a water level detection unit 31 for detecting the water level of the drain water. Moreover, a downwardly recessed portion 4d is provided on the bottom surface 4a of the drain pan 4, and the front end 30a of the drain pump 30 is disposed on the recessed portion 4d in a manner lower than the water level detection unit 31.

[0052] According to the second variation of Embodiment 1, in the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner, the front end 30a of the drain pump 30 is disposed on the recess 4d in a manner lower than the water level detection unit 31. In this way, drained water can easily accumulate at the front end 30a of the drain pump 30, thereby preventing the drain pump 30 from running dry.

[0053] Implementation method 2.

[0054] Hereinafter, Embodiment 2 will be described, but the description of content that is the same as that of Embodiment 1 will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same or equivalent parts as those of Embodiment 1.

[0055] Figure 9 This is a side view of the cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 2. Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the airflow of the air passage 20 inside the housing 1 of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 2. Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the airflow through the air duct 20 formed inside the casing 1 of the indoor unit of an existing ceiling-mounted air conditioner. Additionally, Figure 10 and Figure 13 The arrows indicate the flow of air.

[0056] like Figure 9As shown, a rear surface 10 and a top surface 12 are formed inside the housing 1, constituting an air passage 21 from the intake 5 toward the heat exchanger 3. Here, the air passage 21 is the portion between the intake 5 and the heat exchanger 3 in the air passage 20. The rear surface 10 is formed at a position rearward of the heat exchanger 3, and the top surface 12 is formed at a position above the heat exchanger 3. In addition, the rear surface 10 is formed in a straight line that slopes upward toward the rear end 11b of the top surface 12 from the peripheral portion 11a behind the intake 5 toward the rear end 11b of the top surface 12.

[0057] Here, as Figure 13 As shown, if there is a useless space 32 between the intake 5 and the heat exchanger 3, more air will not flow from the intake 5 to the blower fan 2, and this air will circulate within the useless space 32. Furthermore, when air flows into the heat exchanger 3 after passing through the intake 5, the circulating air becomes a resistance within the useless space 32 between the intake 5 and the heat exchanger 3, resulting in losses based on air resistance. Therefore, the rear surface 10 of the interior of the housing 1 is designed as a straight line that slopes upwards and forwards from the peripheral edge 11a behind the intake 5 toward the rear end 11b of the top surface 12. In this way, the useless space 32 between the intake 5 and the heat exchanger 3 can be reduced, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the air from the intake 5 is easily guided by the blower fan 2, thus reducing the amount of air that does not flow towards the blower fan 2. Therefore, less air circulation that becomes a drag is reduced, which can suppress air resistance. Moreover, by suppressing air resistance, power consumption can be reduced, thereby improving quietness.

[0058] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the first modified example of Embodiment 2, viewed from the side. Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the airflow through the air passage 20 inside the casing 1 of the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-recessed air conditioner in the first modification of Embodiment 2. Additionally, Figure 12 The arrows indicate the flow of air.

[0059] In the first variation of embodiment 2, such as Figure 11 As shown, the rear surface 10 is formed in an arc shape that curves backward from the peripheral portion 11a behind the intake port 5 toward the end portion 11b behind the top surface 12.

[0060] Thus, the rear surface 10 of the interior of the housing 1 is configured as an arc shape that curves rearward from the peripheral edge 11a behind the suction port 5 toward the rear end 11b of the top surface 12. This reduces the unused space 32 between the suction port 5 and the heat exchanger 3. Figure 12As shown, air from the intake 5 is easily guided by the blower fan 2, thus reducing the amount of air not flowing towards the blower fan 2. Therefore, less air circulation that creates resistance is reduced, thus suppressing air resistance. Furthermore, by making the rear surface 10 inside the housing 1 into the aforementioned arc shape, compared to the aforementioned straight shape, air from the intake 5 is more easily guided by the blower fan 2, resulting in less air circulation that creates resistance, and thus further suppressing air resistance. Moreover, by further suppressing air resistance, power consumption can be further reduced, resulting in improved quietness.

[0061] In the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 2, the housing 1 has a rear surface 10 that forms an air passage 21 from the intake 5 toward the heat exchanger 3 and is located behind the heat exchanger 3. The rear surface 10 is formed in a straight line that slopes upward toward the front.

[0062] According to Embodiment 2, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner has a rear surface 10 formed in a straight line that slopes upwards towards the front. By forming the rear surface 10 in a straight line that slopes upwards towards the front, the unused space 32 between the intake 5 and the heat exchanger 3 can be reduced. Since less air circulation that causes resistance is reduced, air resistance can be suppressed. Furthermore, by suppressing air resistance, power consumption can be reduced, and noise reduction can be improved.

[0063] In addition, in the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in Embodiment 2, the housing 1 has a top surface 12 that forms an air passage 21 from the intake port 5 toward the heat exchanger 3 and is located above the heat exchanger 3, and the rear surface 10 is formed as an end portion 11b from the peripheral portion 11a behind the intake port 5 toward the rear of the top surface 12.

[0064] According to Embodiment 2, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner has a rear surface 10 formed such that the peripheral portion 11a behind the intake 5 extends towards the rear end 11b of the top surface 12. Therefore, the unused space 32 between the intake 5 and the heat exchanger 3 can be reduced more efficiently, and since less air circulation becomes a drag, air resistance can be further suppressed. Furthermore, by further suppressing air resistance, power consumption can be further reduced, resulting in improved quietness.

[0065] In addition, in the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner in the first variation of Embodiment 2, the housing 1 has a rear surface 10 that forms an air passage 21 from the intake 5 toward the heat exchanger 3 and is formed at a position behind the heat exchanger 3. The rear surface 10 is formed in an arc shape that curves backward.

[0066] According to the first variation of Embodiment 2, the indoor unit 100 of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner has a rear surface 10 formed in an arc shape that curves backward. By forming the rear surface 10 in an arc shape that curves backward, the unused space 32 between the intake 5 and the heat exchanger 3 can be reduced. Since less air circulation that causes resistance is reduced, air resistance can be suppressed. Furthermore, by making the rear surface 10 inside the housing 1 arc-shaped as described above, compared to the straight shape, less air circulation that causes resistance is achieved, thus further suppressing air resistance. Moreover, by further suppressing air resistance, power consumption can be further reduced, and quietness can be improved.

[0067] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0068] 1…Housing; 2…Air blower; 3…Heat exchanger; 4…Drain tray; 4a…Bottom surface; 4b…Rib; 4c…Lower surface; 4d…Recess; 5…Inlet; 6…Inlet grille; 7…Filter; 8…Outlet; 9…Upper and lower blades; 10…Rear surface; 11a…Periphery; 11b…End; 12…Top surface; 20…Air duct; 21…Air duct; 30…Drain pump; 30a…Front end; 31…Water level detection unit; 32…Unused space; 100…Indoor unit.

Claims

1. An indoor unit of a ceiling-embedded air conditioner, characterized by comprising: have: The housing has an intake port formed at the rear when viewed from the front and an exhaust port formed at the front, and is embedded in the ceiling; An air supply fan draws air from the intake port into the interior of the housing and blows it out from the outlet port to the exterior of the housing. A heat exchanger that facilitates heat exchange between air and refrigerant drawn into the interior of the housing by the blower fan from the intake port; A drain pan, disposed within the housing below the heat exchanger, collects the drain water from the heat exchanger and has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. as well as A drain pump, located on the shorter side of one of the drain pans, draws up the discharged water accumulated in the drain pans. A portion of the drain tray is opposite the suction port, and the drain tray includes: a bottom surface and ribs extending upward from the ends of the long side of the bottom surface. The ribs on the side opposite the suction inlet have different heights along their long sides, and their upper surfaces are arranged such that they slope from one short side of the drain tray towards the other short side, with the lowest height on the short side of the drain tray. The front end of the drain pump, which serves as the suction inlet, is disposed on the short side of one of the drain pans.

2. The indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rib on the side opposite the inlet has an arc shape that curves backward.

3. The indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, have: The water level detection unit detects the water level of the discharged water. A downward-facing recess is provided on the bottom surface of the drainage tray. The front end of the drainage pump is positioned on the recess in a manner that is lower than the water level detection unit.

4. The indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The housing has an internally formed airflow path from the intake port toward the heat exchanger, and a rear surface located further back than the heat exchanger. The rear surface is formed as a straight line that slopes upwards and forwards.

5. The indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The housing has an internally formed airflow path from the intake port toward the heat exchanger, and a rear surface located further back than the heat exchanger. The rear surface is formed into an arc shape that curves backward.

6. The indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, The housing has an internal air passage forming from the intake port toward the heat exchanger, and is formed on a top surface located above the heat exchanger. The rear surface is formed as an end portion extending from the rear periphery of the inlet toward the rear of the top surface.

7. The indoor unit of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The lower surface of the portion of the drain pan opposite the suction port is inclined away from the suction port.

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