Horn mouth structure, shroud, blower device, outdoor unit, air conditioner, and refrigeration cycle device

Abstract

The invention provides a bell mouth structure. A bell mouth structure (15) according to the present embodiment comprises: a cylindrical part (30) configured so as to surround a fan (1), the cylindrical part (30) having an outer wall surface (30a); a base section (31) extending outward from one end (L) of the cylindrical section (30); and reinforcing members (32, 33, 34, 35) coupled to the base section (31) and the cylindrical section (30). The reinforcing members (32, 33, 34, 35) continuously extend while being displaced in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical section (30) along the outer wall surface (30a) of the cylindrical section (30) from one end (L) toward the other end (U) in the central axis direction of the cylindrical section (30) from the base section (31).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bell mouth structure, a protective cover, an air supply device, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a refrigeration cycle device. Background Art

[0002] In the past, a roughly cylindrical bell mouth was provided on the upper part of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner such as a multi-split air conditioner for a building in such a way as to surround a fan provided at an air outlet. In order to ensure the performance of the air blower, it is preferred to minimize the interval between the fan and the bell mouth. On the other hand, when the bell mouth is made of a resin material, it is easy to deform due to changes in the surrounding temperature. However, if the interval between the fan and the bell mouth becomes narrower due to thermal deformation, the fan and the bell mouth contact, resulting in a malfunction. Therefore, there is a tendency for the interval between the fan and the bell mouth to expand in anticipation of thermal deformation.

[0003] In the past, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-143847 (Patent Document 1) was known about the bell mouth. The prior art of Patent Document 1 discloses the following structure: a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending in parallel with the central axis of the cylindrical portion and a plurality of transverse ribs extending in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion are formed in the cylindrical portion of the bell mouth, and the longitudinal ribs are formed in a total of eight locations along the center line of the depth direction passing through the center of the cylindrical portion and the center line of the width direction and along the four locations of the inclined direction line segment passing through the center of the cylindrical portion and the corner of the plate-like portion. In the prior art of Patent Document 1, the longitudinal ribs have a surface orthogonal to the base, and a plurality of them are provided in the circumferential direction.

[0004] Furthermore, in recent years, in order to reduce costs, a structure in which the bell mouth and the shroud of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner are integrally formed has also been adopted.

[0005] Under the above technical background, it is desired to develop a technology that can suppress the deformation of the bell mouth due to ambient temperature changes, thereby suppressing the expansion of the gap between the fan and the bell mouth with high rigidity and high reliability, thereby suppressing the reduction in air supply performance.

[0006] Prior art literature

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-143847 Summary of the invention

[0009] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0010] The present disclosure is completed in view of the above points, and the purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a bell mouth structure with high rigidity and high reliability that suppresses deformation of the bell mouth caused by temperature changes, and to provide a bell mouth structure, a hood having the bell mouth structure, an air supply device having the bell mouth structure, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner having the air supply device, an air conditioner and a refrigeration cycle device, which can suppress the performance reduction of the air supply device constructed using the bell mouth structure by suppressing the expansion of the gap between the fan and the bell mouth.

[0011] Solutions to Solve Problems

[0012] In the present disclosure, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a bell-mouth structure having the following characteristics is provided. The bell-mouth structure includes: a cylindrical portion, which is configured to surround a fan and has an outer wall surface; a base portion, which extends outward from one end of the cylindrical portion; and a reinforcing member, which is combined with the base portion and the cylindrical portion. The reinforcing member is characterized in that the reinforcing member is displaced from the base portion in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion from one end toward the other end along the outer wall surface of the cylindrical portion in the direction of the central axis of the cylindrical portion and extends continuously.

[0013] In the present disclosure, there are also provided a hood having the above-mentioned bell-mouth structure, an air supply device having a fan and a bell-mouth structure, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner having the above-mentioned air supply device, an air conditioner having an indoor unit and the above-mentioned outdoor unit, and a refrigeration cycle device having the above-mentioned air supply device.

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to the above structure, a bell mouth structure having high rigidity and high reliability and suppressing deformation of the bell mouth due to temperature change is provided, and by suppressing the expansion of the gap between the fan and the bell mouth, it is possible to suppress the performance reduction of the air supply device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner including a bell mouth structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 A perspective view of a shroud having a bell mouth structure according to one or more embodiments is shown.

[0018] Figure 3 A top view (a top view and a front view) of a shroud including a bell mouth structure according to one or more embodiments is shown.

[0019] Figure 4 A perspective view showing an outdoor unit of an air conditioner in which two shrouds according to the first embodiment of the present invention are connected and provided corresponding to two blowers.

[0020] Figure 5It is a diagram showing the results of simulating the characteristics of a shroud having a bell-mouth structure according to one or more embodiments.

[0021] Explanation of symbols

[0022] 10—outdoor unit, 11—air blower, 12—propeller fan, 13—motor, 14—support, 15—shield, 16—compressor, 17—outdoor heat exchanger, 18—electrical component box, 19—housing, 20—fan guard, 30—bell mouth, 30a—outer wall, 30b, 30c—end surface, 31—base, 32, 33, 34, 35—short side (inclined) ribs, 36, 37—short side (parallel) ribs, 38, 39, 41, 42—long side ribs (longitudinal ribs), 40, 43—long side ribs (transverse ribs). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described below. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same or corresponding parts.

[0024] The present disclosure targets a bell-mouth structure, a hood having the bell-mouth structure, an air supply device having the bell-mouth structure, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner having the air supply device, an air conditioner having the outdoor unit, and a refrigeration cycle device having the air supply device.

[0025] The bell mouth structure of the embodiment of the present invention is configured to include: a cylindrical portion (bell mouth portion) configured to surround the fan and having an outer wall surface; a base portion (base portion) extending outward from one end of the cylindrical portion; and a reinforcing member (inclined rib) combined with the base portion and the cylindrical portion. It is characterized in that in this structure, the reinforcing member (short side rib, inclined rib) is displaced from the base portion in the central axis direction of the cylindrical portion from one end toward the other end along the outer wall surface of the cylindrical portion in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion and extends continuously.

[0026] According to the above structure, in the bell mouth structure, the cylindrical part is combined with the base part and is continuously reinforced with a width in the circumferential direction, so that the deformation of the bell mouth caused by temperature changes can be appropriately suppressed and the rigidity can be improved. Furthermore, a bell mouth structure with high rigidity and high reliability is provided, which can suppress the performance reduction of the air supply device constructed using the bell mouth by suppressing the expansion of the gap between the fan and the bell mouth.

[0027] In a specific embodiment, the cylindrical portion, the base portion and the reinforcing member are made of a resin material, preferably molded from a resin material. In a more preferred embodiment, the cylindrical portion, the base portion and the reinforcing member are integrally molded from a resin material.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing member includes a first reinforcing member and a second reinforcing member, which are extended from one end of the cylindrical portion toward the other end in a circumferential direction close to each other. By setting it to this shape, it is possible to achieve both suppression of thermal deformation, high rigidity and low vibration.

[0029] In a more preferred embodiment, the reinforcing member further includes a third reinforcing member (parallel rib) which connects the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member to the ends thereof which are close to each other and is substantially parallel to the base portion. By setting this shape, it is possible to reinforce the cylindrical portion with a wider width in the circumferential direction.

[0030] In a more preferred embodiment, the cylindrical portion has a substantially cylindrical shape, the base portion, the first reinforcing member, and the second reinforcing member each have a substantially planar shape, and the surfaces of the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member are inclined relative to the plane of the base portion, or are inclined relative to a direction orthogonal to the plane of the base portion. This shape can be said to be a shape that makes it easy to mold the shield using a mold having a slider.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the first reinforcement member and the second reinforcement member extend from one end to a position where the inner diameter is the smallest in the central axis direction of the cylindrical portion. According to this structure, deformation can be sufficiently suppressed with a minimum amount of reinforcement.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing members are respectively provided at the positions on both sides of the long axis direction of the cylindrical portion. Even if the cylindrical portion is configured to be roughly circular, the rigidity of the root portion is uneven due to the shape of the base portion, so that the thermal deformation becomes an elliptical shape and contacts the fan on the short axis side. By adopting the above structure, the deformation of the cylindrical portion in the long axis direction with a large size can be suppressed, and the deformation can be close to a perfect circle, thereby effectively preventing thermal deformation related to failure.

[0033] In a specific embodiment, additional reinforcement parts (long side ribs) are further provided on both sides of the short axis direction of the cylindrical portion, and the additional reinforcement parts respectively include: a first additional reinforcement part and a second additional reinforcement part (longitudinal ribs), which are combined with the base portion and the cylindrical portion, have a surface orthogonal to the base portion, and are separated and arranged in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion; and one or more third additional reinforcement parts (transverse ribs), which connect the first additional reinforcement part and the second additional reinforcement part in the circumferential direction.

[0034] In a specific embodiment, a shield having a bell-mouth structure may also be provided. In other specific embodiments, the bell-mouth structure may be provided as a bell-mouth separate from the shield.

[0035] In a specific embodiment, an air supply device having a fan and a bell-mouth structure may also be provided. The air supply device may also be arranged upward. In a specific embodiment, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner having the air supply device may also be provided. In a specific embodiment, an air conditioner having an indoor unit and the outdoor unit may also be provided. In a specific embodiment, a refrigeration cycle device having the air supply device may also be provided.

[0036] Below, refer to Figure 1 to Figure 4 As an example of the bell mouth structure, the hood, the air supply device, the outdoor unit, and the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, an outdoor unit 10 of an air conditioner having an air supply device 11 with a propeller fan 12 will be described as an example.

[0037] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner including a bell mouth structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] The air conditioner is composed of an indoor unit (not shown) arranged indoors, and an outdoor unit 10 arranged outdoors and connected to the indoor unit by piping. The indoor unit includes an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor air blower such as a cross flow fan in the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner. The outdoor unit 10 includes an air blower 11, a compressor 16, an outdoor heat exchanger 17, a four-way valve, and an expansion valve in the refrigeration cycle.

[0039] Figure 1 The outdoor unit 10 shown is configured to include: a compressor 16, which is arranged in a housing 19; an outdoor heat exchanger 17; an electrical component box 18, which is arranged above the compressor 16; a support 14, on which the electrical component box 18 is installed; a blower 11, which is fixed to the support 14; and a shroud 15, which is provided on the outer periphery of the blower 11 and covers the housing 19. In this embodiment, the shroud 15 has a bell mouth structure, so that the shroud and the bell mouth of the outdoor unit 10 are integrated. In addition, the shroud 15 is preferably made of a resin material, preferably molded by a resin material, and more preferably integrally molded by a resin material.

[0040] The blower 11 is configured to include a propeller fan 12 and a motor 13 for driving the propeller fan 12. The propeller fan 12 has a blade portion that causes wind to flow while swirling along a rotation axis, and the blade portion is not particularly limited, and is composed of, for example, three components. The outdoor unit 10 rotates the propeller fan 12 of the blower 11 using the motor 13, thereby sucking air from the side of the outdoor heat exchanger 17, performing heat exchange in the outdoor heat exchanger 17, and discharging the air into the atmosphere from the upper opening of the hood 15.

[0041] The blower 11 of the embodiment of the present invention may blow air by rotating the propeller fan 12 with the motor 13, or may suck air. The outdoor unit 10 and the blower 11 of the air conditioner are not particularly limited as long as they include a fan and a bell structure.

[0042] In the structure of the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner as described above, in order to ensure the performance of the blower 11, it is preferred to minimize the interval between the propeller fan 12 and the bell-mouth portion of the shroud 15. On the other hand, as described above, in the case where the shroud 15 is made of a resin material, the shroud 15 is easily deformed due to changes in the ambient temperature. More specifically, the shroud 15 undergoes thermal deformation in proportion to the linear expansion coefficient of the resin material according to changes in the ambient temperature. When the interval between the propeller fan 12 and the bell-mouth portion of the shroud 15 becomes narrower due to thermal deformation, the fan contacts the bell-mouth portion, which may become the main cause of damage to the parts. Therefore, it is necessary to anticipate thermal deformation to fully ensure the interval between the fan and the bell-mouth portion, and if reliability is taken into consideration, the interval tends to expand.

[0043] Based on such background, it is necessary to suppress deformation of the bell mouth portion due to temperature changes in the surroundings, suppress expansion of the gap between the fan and the bell mouth portion with high rigidity and high reliability, and suppress performance degradation of the air supply device.

[0044] Therefore, in this embodiment, the following structure is adopted: a bell mouth portion (cylindrical portion) configured to surround the propeller fan 12 and having an outer wall surface, a base portion (base portion) extending outward from the lower end (one end) of the bell mouth portion, and a rib (reinforcement component) combined with the base portion and the bell mouth portion, the rib is displaced from the base portion in the circumferential direction (circumferential direction) of the bell mouth portion (cylindrical portion) along the outer wall surface of the bell mouth portion in the central axis direction of the bell mouth portion from the lower end toward the upper end (the other end) and extends continuously. Thus, a bell mouth structure is provided that suppresses deformation of the bell mouth portion caused by temperature changes and improves rigidity, high rigidity and high reliability, thereby suppressing performance degradation of the air supply device.

[0045] Figure 2 A perspective view of a shroud having a bell mouth structure according to one or more embodiments is shown. Figure 3 A top view of a shroud having a bell mouth structure according to one or more embodiments is shown. Figure 2 (A) Figure 3 (A) and Figure 3 (B) shows the shield 15 of the first embodiment, Figure 2 (B) Figure 3 C) and Figure 3 (D) shows a shield according to the second embodiment. Figure 3 (A) and Figure 3(C) represents the top view, Figure 3 (B) and Figure 3 (D) shows a front view of the base 31 as seen from a predetermined direction.

[0046] First, the shield 15 according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 2 (A) Figure 3 (A) and Figure 3 The shield 15 shown in FIG. 1 (B) includes a bell mouth portion 30 and a base portion 31 extending outward from a lower end L of the bell mouth portion 30 .

[0047] The bell mouth portion 30 has a generally cylindrical shape that is open at the top and the bottom. The bell mouth portion 30 is configured so that air enters from the opening I below the base 31, flows through the cylindrical shape of the bell mouth portion 30 from the bottom to the top, and is discharged from the opening O located above it. In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter of the cylinder of the bell mouth portion 30 is configured such that the diameter is the smallest at the center M, expands from the center M toward the upper end U, and expands from the center M toward the lower end L. In addition, as described above, the bell mouth portion 30 is configured so that, in the blower 11 in a state where the propeller fan 12 is provided, a certain gap is ensured from the maximum diameter of the propeller fan 12.

[0048] In the embodiment described, the bell mouth 30 has a structure in which the diameter is gradually expanded from the center, i.e., a so-called multi-stage expansion structure. The bell mouth with such a structure is also called a long bell mouth. By adopting the long bell mouth structure, the air flow is smoothed, the fan input is reduced, and high efficiency and improved performance in a wide operating range are achieved.

[0049] The bell mouth 30 has an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface 30a, and the outer wall surface 30a includes end surfaces 30b and 30c on both sides. The end surfaces 30b and 30c are formed so as not to contact each other when a plurality of portions of the shroud 15 corresponding to one blower 11 are arranged adjacent to each other. The bell mouth 30 constitutes a cylindrical portion in this embodiment.

[0050] The base 31 has a substantially rectangular shape and is configured to place and fix the shroud 15 on the housing ( Figure 1 The base 31 is formed with a bell mouth 30 in the center of a substantially rectangular shape, and extends outward (in the radial direction of the cylinder) from the lower end L of the bell mouth 30 to form a rectangular shape. The base 31 is open at the location where the bell mouth 30 is provided, and has an opening I. Figure 2 In (A), the left front side and the right inner side of the base 31, Figure 3 The upper and lower edges of (A), Figure 3The side shown in (B) is a short side. The base 31 constitutes the base portion in this embodiment.

[0051] The shield 15 further includes: short side ribs 32, 33 near the front and short side ribs 34, 35 (35 is at Figure 2 (A) is hidden), which is combined with the base 31 and the bell mouth 30 and is arranged on the short side; and the long side ribs 38 to 40 near the front and the long side ribs 41 to 43 on the inner side (41 to 43 in Figure 2 (A) is hidden), which is also combined with the base 31 and the bell mouth 30 and is arranged on the long side. The short side ribs 32 to 35 constitute the reinforcement member in this embodiment, and the long side ribs 38 to 43 constitute the additional reinforcement member in this embodiment.

[0052] The short side ribs 32 and 33 are connected to the upper surface of the base 31, and extend from the lower end L to the upper end U along the outer wall surface 30a of the bell mouth 30 in the central axis direction of the bell mouth 30. At this time, the short side ribs 32 and 33 are displaced in the circumferential direction of the bell mouth 30 (in Figure 3 The front set of short side ribs 32 and 33 extend from the lower end L of the bell mouth portion 30 toward the upper end U in a manner close to each other in the circumferential direction. The ribs 32 and 33 are also referred to as inclined ribs. The inclined ribs 32 and 33 are inclined in a manner to form an eight-shaped shape. Figure 2 In (A), the inclined ribs 32 and 33 are provided on the short side near the front, but the same inclined ribs 34 and 35 are also provided on the short side of the back. Figure 2 In (A), please note that mainly one inclined rib 34 is seen.

[0053] The preferred range of the circumferential direction of the bell mouth portion 30 covered by a short side rib (32, 33, 34 or 35) displaced in the circumferential direction is 15 to 40 degrees, and the circumferential direction range covered by a set of short side ribs 32, 33 (or short side ribs 34, 35) corresponds to 30 to 80 degrees. Figure 3 In the front view of (B) viewed from the short side direction, the ratio of the diameter of one short side rib 32, 33, 34, 35 in the horizontal direction to the diameter of the minimum diameter portion of the bell mouth is about 10% to 35%.

[0054] In addition, the number of short side ribs is not particularly limited, but Figure 2 (A) Figure 3 (A) and Figure 3 In the embodiment shown in (B), as shown in 32, 33, 34, and 35, it is set at four locations, and these four locations are the most effective.

[0055] like Figure 2 (A) and Figure 3 As shown in (B), in the first embodiment, the short side ribs 32, 33, 34, 35 each have a substantially planar shape, and the short side ribs 32, 33, 34, 35 are arranged in a manner that their planes are inclined relative to the plane of the base 31. Alternatively, the planes of the short side ribs 32, 33, 34, 35 can be inclined relative to the plane orthogonal to the base 31. Among them, the angle formed by the plane of the short side ribs 32, 33, 34, 35 and the plane of the base 31 is about 30 degrees to 65 degrees. This structure exhibits a different effect from the longitudinal ribs extending along the plane orthogonal to the plane of the base 31 as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In addition, by configuring in this way, advantages are brought about when the shield 15 is formed using a mold.

[0056] In addition, Figure 2 (A) and Figure 3 (B) shows the preferred range in the central axis direction of the bell mouth 30 where the short side ribs 32 to 35 are provided. The short side ribs 32 to 35 preferably extend in the central axis direction of the bell mouth 30 from the position of the lower end L of the bell mouth 30 to the position of the smallest inner diameter in the central axis direction of the bell mouth 30 before the position of the upper end U of the bell mouth 30, more specifically, the position M exactly in the center. If the distance from the lower end L is extended, the characteristics are good, but extending to the central position M can fully suppress deformation with the minimum amount of reinforcement. However, it does not prevent the length of the short side ribs 32 to 35 from being further extended above this.

[0057] Figure 2 The shield 15 shown in (A) has a set of ribs, long side ribs 38-40, 41-43, added on both sides of the long sides, in addition to the short side ribs 32-35 respectively provided on the two short sides of the bell mouth 30. A set of long side ribs 38-40 respectively includes: longitudinal ribs 38, 39, which are connected to the bell mouth 30 and the base 31, have a surface orthogonal to the surface of the base 31, and are separated and arranged in the circumferential direction of the bell mouth 30; and one or more transverse ribs ( Figure 2 (A) shows three) 40, which connect the longitudinal ribs 38 and 39 in the circumferential direction. Figure 2 (A) shows the long side ribs 38 to 40 on the front side, but please note that similar long side ribs 41 to 43 are also provided on the back side.

[0058] Next, refer to Figure 2 (B) Figure 3 (C) and Figure 3(D) describes the shield 15 of the second embodiment. Regarding the second embodiment, the components corresponding to the components in the first embodiment are also marked with the same reference numerals, and the following description focuses on the differences from the first embodiment. Unless otherwise specified, the shield 15 of the second embodiment has the same structure as the shield 15 of the first embodiment.

[0059] Figure 2 (B) Figure 3 (C) and Figure 3 The shield 15 shown in (D) includes a bell mouth portion 30, a base 31 extending outward from a lower end L of the bell mouth portion 30, short side ribs connected to the base 31 and the bell mouth portion 30, and long side ribs connected to the base 31 and the bell mouth portion 30, similarly to the first embodiment.

[0060] exist Figure 2 In the shield 15 of the second embodiment shown in (B), the short side ribs 32 and 33 extend from the position of the lower end L of the bell mouth portion 30 toward the upper end U in a manner close to each other in the circumferential direction, as in the first embodiment, but in the second embodiment, the short side ribs 32 and 33 (the short side ribs 34 and 35 are also the same) have the following unique structure. That is, there is also provided a rib 36 that connects the close ends of one short side rib 32 and another short side rib 33 to each other and is roughly parallel to the base 31. Among them, reference 32 and 33 are used as inclined ribs, and reference 36 is used as parallel ribs. The inclined ribs 32 and 33 and the parallel ribs 36 are continuously formed, preferably integrally formed. The inclined ribs 32, 33 and the parallel ribs 36 form an eight-shaped structure connected at the upper part. In addition, in Figure 2 (B) shows the inclined ribs 32, 33 and the parallel ribs 36 on the near side, but please note that the inclined ribs 34, 35 and the parallel ribs 37 of the same structure are also provided on the back side.

[0061] The circumferential range of the bell mouth portion 30 covered by the set of inclined ribs 32, 33 and the parallel ribs 36 corresponds to a range of 40 to 90 degrees. Figure 3 In the front view of (D) viewed from the short side direction, the ratio of the group of short side ribs 32, 33, 36 to the diameter of the minimum diameter portion of the bell mouth in the horizontal direction is about 35% to 80%.

[0062] Figure 4 Indicates the connection settings corresponding to two fans Figure 2 (A) is a perspective view of an outdoor unit 10 of an air conditioner having two structures of the shrouds 15 according to the first embodiment. Figure 4As shown, the two shield portions 15-1 and 15-2 are arranged adjacent to each other so that the end surface 30b and the end surface 30c (30-1b, 30-2c) of the outer wall surface 30a face each other. Figure 4 The two shield parts 15-1 and 15-2 shown have propeller fans (not shown) disposed inside them respectively, and fan guards 20-1 and 20-2 are installed at the air outlet openings.

[0063] In the embodiment described, the bell mouth and the hood are integrally formed, and the outer wall surface 30a and the ribs 32, 33 are exposed in the outdoor unit 10 to form an exterior, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. As described above, the bell mouth and the hood may be separate bodies, or the bell mouth structure may be disposed in a frame.

[0064] Below, about reference Figure 1 to Figure 4 The characteristics of the shield 15 are described in detail in Figure 5 Provide explanation.

[0065] First, the total amount of thermal deformation is determined by the product of the linear expansion coefficient, the temperature change, and the material length (dimension). Therefore, even if ribs are provided for reinforcement, thermal deformation may not necessarily be suppressed, and there is a possibility that the total amount of thermal deformation remains unchanged. On the other hand, the deformation becomes roughly elliptical due to the asymmetry of the structure, and the minimum gap between the propeller fan 12 and the bell mouth portion becomes the short axis direction. That is, if the deformation can be made close to a roughly circular shape by preferentially strengthening the portion in the long axis direction (short side direction) where the deformation is large, it is believed that larger deformation such as contact with the propeller fan 12 can be appropriately suppressed. In order to strengthen the portion with large deformation, it is effective to provide ribs at the connection portion between the bell mouth portion 30 and the base 31 as described above. As in patent document 1, it is known that the ribs are provided as a surface having a direction orthogonal to the base, but in this case, it is necessary to provide multiple ribs within the range to be strengthened, and even if multiple ribs are provided, they are intermittently reinforced in the circumferential direction, so the effect of suppressing deformation is not great. In addition, in this case, even if the study is to increase the ribs, if the number of ribs increases, the weight of the resin may also increase.

[0066] In contrast, in the shield 15 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the ribs 32 to 35 are configured to be connected to the base portion and to be displaced in the circumferential direction of the bell mouth portion 30 and to extend continuously, and the surfaces thereof are configured to be inclined in the direction orthogonal to the base portion 31. According to this configuration, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of ribs, and continuous reinforcement having a width in the circumferential direction can be performed at a portion to be reinforced, thereby improving the effect of suppressing deformation.

[0067] Figure 5 The results of simulating the characteristics of the shroud having the bell-mouth structure according to the present embodiment are shown. Figure 5The simulation results of shields with other structures for comparison are also shown in FIG. Figure 5 In the figure, the first column indicates the number of the experiment, and the second column indicates the shape of the model used for simulation. The third to fifth columns indicate the simulation results, in particular, the third column indicates the thermal deformation, the fourth column indicates the thermal stress, and the fifth column indicates the primary natural frequency (vibration number). The thermal deformation is the radial deformation at the position of the minimum diameter of the bell mouth 30. A small value can reduce the gap corresponding to the thermal deformation, so it is preferred. The smaller the thermal stress, the better. The primary natural frequency needs to deviate from the frequency band (about 20 Hz) caused by the fan speed, and preferably deviates from the frequency band (about 20 Hz to about 70 Hz) of the blade passing frequency (Blade Passing Frequency: BPF) within the operating range. Within the range described, the higher the natural frequency, the higher the rigidity, so it is preferred.

[0068] The experimental result of No. 1 is the experimental result of a model of the shape of the basic structure. The experimental result of No. 2 is the experimental result of a model of the shape obtained as a result of applying topology optimization with the goal of counteracting thermal deformation. In addition, the model used in the experimental result of No. 2 is a model in which five longitudinal ribs having a surface perpendicular to the plane of the base and extending to the center of the bell mouth are provided on the short side of the bell mouth, and is an example of a conventional shield provided with ribs in a direction orthogonal to the base. The ribs on the long side of the model used in the experimental result of No. 2 have the same Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The structure shown in FIG. 1 is the same as the structure shown in FIG. 2 (longitudinal ribs and transverse ribs). In addition, the model used in the experimental result of No. 2 is a model in which the number of ribs, the height of the ribs, the width of the ribs, etc. are optimized. No. 3 shows the experimental result of a model with a shape obtained as a result of applying topological optimization for low noise and low vibration countermeasures (high rigidity). The model settings used in the experimental result of No. 3 are the same as those in FIG. Figure 2 (A) Figure 3 (A) and Figure 3 The structure shown in (B) is the same as the short side rib, and a longitudinal rib is provided in the central part of the short side, and the long side is combined with the end faces 30b and 30c of the bell mouth 30 to be reinforced in the shape of a whole plate. Number 4 represents the experimental result of the model of the shape obtained as a result of the research aimed at taking into account both the low noise and low vibration countermeasures (high rigidity) and the thermal deformation countermeasures based on the first to third experimental results, corresponding to the first embodiment. Number 5 represents the experimental result of the model of the shape obtained as a result of further research aimed at taking into account both the low noise and low vibration countermeasures (high rigidity) and the thermal deformation countermeasures based on the first to fourth experimental results, corresponding to the second embodiment.

[0069] Numbers 3 to 5 correspond to the structure having the inclined ribs on the short sides which are characteristic of the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 It can be seen from the table that the experimental results of No. 1 show that the thermal deformation is large, the thermal stress is small, but the frequency is small, and it has a natural frequency that overlaps with the BPF. The experimental results of No. 2 show that the thermal stress is small, the thermal deformation is smaller than No. 1, but the frequency is small, and it has a natural frequency close to the BPF. The experimental results of No. 3 show that the thermal deformation is smaller than Nos. 1 and 2, the natural frequency is the largest, but the thermal stress is the largest. The experimental results of No. 4 show that the thermal deformation is smaller than Nos. 1 to 3, the thermal stress is sufficiently small, and the frequency is also sufficiently large. The experimental results of No. 5 show that the thermal deformation is the smallest, the thermal stress is sufficiently small, and the frequency is also sufficiently large.

[0070] Thus, in the structure (numbers 3 to 5) having the characteristic short side ribs of the embodiment of the present invention, a small thermal deformation amount and a high natural frequency are shown, indicating that both the thermal deformation countermeasure and the low noise and low vibration (high rigidity) countermeasure can be taken into account. In particular, in the structure (numbers 4 to 5) having the characteristic short side ribs of the embodiment of the present invention and the additional long side ribs, thermal stress can be suppressed, and it can be said that the deformation amount, thermal stress and natural frequency are best balanced.

[0071] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a bell mouth structure that suppresses deformation of the bell mouth caused by temperature changes and has high rigidity and high reliability, and to provide a bell mouth structure, a hood having the bell mouth structure, an air supply device having the bell mouth structure, an outdoor unit of an air conditioner having the air supply device, and an air conditioner, which can suppress the reduction in performance of the air supply device constructed using the bell mouth structure by suppressing the expansion of the gap between the fan and the bell mouth.

[0072] In the above-mentioned embodiment, an air conditioner having an outdoor unit with the above-mentioned hood or bell-mouth structure is described as an example. However, the hood or bell-mouth structure of the present embodiment is not limited to the air blower of the air conditioner. In other embodiments, it can also be applied to refrigeration cycle devices other than air conditioners. Among them, the refrigeration cycle device is also called refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. In addition to the above-mentioned air conditioners, refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment is also collectively referred to as refrigerators, freezers, and other equipment that utilizes refrigerants and refrigeration cycles. As examples of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, more specifically, it can include the above-mentioned air conditioners such as combined air conditioners and multi-split air conditioners for buildings, heat source equipment such as freezers and refrigeration units, display cabinets, freezers, unit coolers, ice machines and other commercial freezers, transportation refrigeration equipment such as car air conditioners, heat pump water heaters, etc.

[0073] In addition, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be included. For example, the above-mentioned embodiments are embodiments described in detail for easy understanding, and are not necessarily limited to having all the structures described. In addition, a part of the structure of a certain embodiment can be replaced with the structure of another embodiment, and the structure of another embodiment can be added to the structure of a certain embodiment. In addition, with respect to a part of the structure of each embodiment, other structures can be added, deleted, or replaced.

Claims

1. A bell mouth structure, characterized in that: include: A cylindrical portion, which is configured to surround the fan and has an outer wall surface; a base portion extending outward from one end of the cylindrical portion; as well as a reinforcing member, which is combined with the base portion and the cylindrical portion; The reinforcing member is displaced from the base portion in the central axis direction of the cylindrical portion from the one end toward the other end along the outer wall surface of the cylindrical portion in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion and extends continuously.

2. The bell mouth structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cylindrical portion, the base portion, and the reinforcing member are integrally formed of a resin material.

3. The bell mouth structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reinforcing members each include a first reinforcing member and a second reinforcing member, and the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member are extended from the one end of the cylindrical portion toward the other end so as to approach each other in the circumferential direction.

4. The bell mouth structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The reinforcing member further includes a third reinforcing member that connects the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member at ends close to each other and is substantially parallel to the base portion.

5. The bell mouth structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cylindrical portion has a roughly cylindrical shape, the base portion, the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member respectively have roughly planar shapes, and the surfaces of the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member are inclined relative to the plane of the base portion, or are respectively inclined in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the base portion.

6. The bell mouth structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member extend from the one end to a position where the inner diameter is the smallest in the central axis direction of the cylindrical portion.

7. The bell mouth structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reinforcing members are respectively provided at locations on both sides of the cylindrical portion in the longitudinal direction.

8. The bell mouth structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: Additional reinforcement components are also provided on both sides of the short axis direction of the cylindrical portion, and the additional reinforcement components include: a first additional reinforcement component and a second additional reinforcement component, which are respectively combined with the base portion and the cylindrical portion, have a surface orthogonal to the base portion, and are separated and arranged in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion; and one or more third additional reinforcement components, which connect the first additional reinforcement component and the second additional reinforcement component in the circumferential direction.

9. A protective cover, characterized in that: A bell mouth structure according to claim 1.

10. An air supply device, characterized in that: The invention comprises: a fan; and the bell mouth structure according to claim 1.

11. The air supply device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The air supply device is arranged upward.

12. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that: A fan device according to claim 10 is provided.

13. An air conditioner, characterized in that: A device comprising an indoor unit and the outdoor unit according to claim 12.

14. A refrigeration cycle device, characterized in that: A fan device according to claim 10 is provided.

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