outdoor unit

Abstract

An outdoor unit, comprising: a housing with an inlet opening on its rear surface and an outlet opening on its front surface; a partition plate that divides the interior of the housing into a heat exchange chamber with a fan and an external heat exchanger and a machine chamber; an opening section formed in a side wall of the machine chamber in the housing; an air guide element through which outside air is configured to flow in from the opening section and out to the heat exchange chamber; wherein the air guide element is provided in the machine chamber, a cooling fin that is inserted into an opening of the air guide element; and an electrical component configured to be cooled by the cooling fin, where an inlet section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an inlet opening, and The outflow section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an outflow opening.

Description

Background 1. Technical area

[0001] The present disclosure concerns an external entity. 2. Description of the related technology

[0002] Patent literature 1 discloses an outdoor unit with a housing divided by a partition plate into a machine chamber and a blower chamber, the outdoor unit comprising an inlet hole with which the machine chamber is provided for introducing outside air, a housing for electronic components provided with a ventilation hole, a ventilation hole with which the partition plate is provided, and an air blower provided in the blower chamber. A technique is disclosed in which the outdoor unit cools an electronic component and a printed circuit board arranged in the housing unit for electronic components by operating the air blower, generating an airflow in which outside air is drawn in through the inlet hole, passed through the ventilation holes of the housing unit for electronic components and the partition plate into the blower chamber, and then discharged outside the housing. List of oppositions patent literature

[0003] Patent literature 1: Japanese unexamined patent publication no. 2014-055705 Summary (Technical Problem)

[0004] The present disclosure relates to an outdoor unit that improves the cooling efficiency of an electrical component and prevents water from entering a housing. (Problem solving)

[0005] An external unit according to the present disclosure comprises: a housing with an inlet opening on its rear surface and an outlet opening on its front surface; a partition plate that divides the interior of the housing into a heat exchange chamber with a fan and an external heat exchanger and a machine chamber; an opening formed in a side wall of the machine chamber of the housing; an air guide element through which outside air is configured to flow in through the opening and out to the heat exchange chamber; wherein the air guide element is provided in the machine chamber, a cooling fin that is inserted into an opening of the air guide element; and an electrical component configured to be cooled by the cooling fin, where an inlet section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an inlet opening, and The outflow section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an outflow opening.

[0006] An external unit according to the present disclosure comprises: a housing which is provided with an opening through which outside air is introduced, where the housing is divided by a partition plate into a heat exchange chamber, in which a fan and an external heat exchanger are arranged, and a machine chamber, in which the opening is provided, the machine chamber is equipped with an air guide element that connects the opening to the heat exchange chamber, a floor area of ​​the air guide element comprises: a first floor surface element with a drainage section that allows water that has entered through the opening to drain away; and a second floor surface element, wherein at least part of it is arranged in such a way that it overlaps the first floor surface element in a vertical direction, and the first floor surface element is arranged below the second floor surface element. (Advantageous effects of the invention)

[0007] In the outdoor unit according to the present disclosure, the cooling efficiency is improved by increasing the inlet and outlet areas of the air passage. The air is guided along the main flow from the rear surface to the front surface in the air guide element, thus reducing air path resistance.

[0008] In the outdoor unit according to the present disclosure, the bottom surface of the air guide element is designed to be divided, and the water that has entered through the opening section can easily flow to the first bottom surface element with the drain section, and it can be prevented that the water that has entered through the opening section enters the lower section of the machine chamber. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit according to a first embodiment. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the outdoor unit according to the first embodiment, with a top plate, a first front panel, a second front panel and a fan grille removed. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a reinforcement element in the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 4 is a right side view of an upper part of a machine chamber in the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing an air guide element in the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 6 is a diagram showing a floor surface element of the air guide element in the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a first filter and its surroundings in the first embodiment. Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a second filter and its surroundings in the first embodiment. Description of the embodiment (findings and the like underlying the present disclosure)

[0009] When the present inventors conceived the present disclosure, there was an outdoor unit comprising a housing with an inlet hole on its side surface for introducing outside air, the housing being divided by a partition plate into a machine chamber and an air blower chamber. The outdoor unit included a blower that generated an airflow in the blower chamber and a housing unit for electronic components in the machine chamber. The partition plate and the housing unit for electronic components were provided with ventilation holes. The blower was operated to draw air from the side surface of the housing. The drawn-in air passed through the housing unit for electronic components and the partition plate. Subsequently, the air was discharged from the housing to the outside.In this way, an airflow was generated to cool an electronic component and a printed circuit board located in the electronic component housing. However, with conventional technology, when a flammable refrigerant is used, it is necessary to create a nearly sealed assembly to prevent the refrigerant from reaching the area where the electronic components are housed. This reduces the cooling efficiency. Furthermore, the inventors identified the problem of water ingress into the outdoor unit when rainwater enters through the inlet hole. To solve this problem, the present inventors developed the subject matter of the present disclosure.

[0010] The present disclosure relates to an outdoor unit that improves cooling efficiency and prevents water from entering the outdoor unit.

[0011] One embodiment is described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessarily detailed descriptions may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of known facts or redundant descriptions of essentially identical configurations may be left out.

[0012] The accompanying drawings and the following description are intended to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter mentioned in the claims.

[0013] Furthermore, in the description, directions such as front, back, left, right, up, and down correspond to the directions front, back, left, right, up, and down when referring to the outdoor unit of the Fig. 1 is viewed from the front, unless otherwise specified. In the drawings, UP indicates the direction of the outdoor unit upwards, FR the direction forwards, and R the direction to the right. (First embodiment)[1-1. Configuration][1-1-1. Outdoor unit configuration]

[0014] The Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the outdoor unit 1 with a cover plate 20, a first front panel 11, a second front panel 12 and a fan grille 23 removed.

[0015] The outdoor unit 1 comprises a housing 5. The housing 5 of the present embodiment comprises a front panel 10 covering a front surface and either the left or right side surface of the housing 5, a rear panel 15 covering a rear surface and a right side surface, the top plate 20 covering an upper surface of the housing 5, and a bottom plate 21 covering a bottom surface of the housing 5.

[0016] Furthermore, the housing 5 includes a partition plate 25, which divides the interior of the housing 5 into a left and a right section. The partition plate 25 divides the interior of the housing 5 into a heat exchange chamber 30, which houses an external heat exchanger 31, and a machine chamber 40, which houses an electric machine 41 of the outdoor unit 1. An upper section of the partition plate 25 is provided with ventilation holes (see Fig. 8) 26, which connect the heat exchange chamber 30 to the machine chamber 40. The ventilation holes 26 are provided on the back of the partition plate 25.

[0017] The front panel 10 is L-shaped. The main part of the front panel 10 serves as the front surface of the outdoor unit 1, and the main part has a large surface area. The side part of the front panel 10 serves as the side surface of the outdoor unit 1, and the side part is connected to the main part. The rear panel 15 is also L-shaped. The main part of the rear panel 15 serves as the rear surface of the outdoor unit 1, and the main part has a large surface area. The side part of the rear panel 15 serves as the side surface of the outdoor unit 1, and the side part is connected to the main part.

[0018] More precisely, the front panel 10 covers the front and side sections of the engine compartment 40 and the heat exchanger compartment 30. The front panel 10 comprises a first front panel 11, which covers an upper section of the engine compartment 40, a second front panel 12, which covers a lower section of the engine compartment 40, a third front panel 13, which covers an upper section of the heat exchanger compartment 30, and a fourth front panel 14, which covers a lower section of the heat exchanger compartment 30.

[0019] The rear panel 15 covers the rear and side sections of the engine chamber 40 and the heat exchange chamber 30. The rear panel 15 comprises a first rear panel 16, which covers an upper section of the engine chamber 40, and a second rear panel 17, which covers a lower section of the engine chamber 40. Part of the rear section of the engine chamber 40 and part of the rear section and left side surface of the heat exchange chamber 30 are covered by an external heat exchanger 31, which will be described later.

[0020] The right side of the engine compartment 40 is covered by the first front panel 11, the second front panel 12, the first rear panel 16, and the second rear panel 17. The left side of the heat exchanger compartment 30 is covered by the third front panel 13 and the fourth front panel 14.

[0021] That is, in the present embodiment, the first front panel 11, the second front panel 12, the first rear panel 16 and the second rear panel 17 are located near the engine chamber 40. The third front panel 13 and the fourth front panel 14 are located near the heat exchange chamber 30.

[0022] As in the Fig. 2 and Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the external heat exchanger 31, which performs the heat exchange of the refrigerant, the fans 32, which each blow air from the outdoor unit 1 to the outside of the outdoor unit 1, and a reinforcing element 33, which reinforces the housing 5, are arranged in the heat exchange chamber 30. The external heat exchanger 31 is located at a rear end of the housing 5. More precisely, the external heat exchanger 31 extends from the rear surface of the heat exchange chamber 30 to the left part of the rear surface of the machine chamber 40. That is, the rear surface and the left side surface of the external heat exchanger 31 are also the rear surface of the machine chamber 40 of the housing 5 and the rear surface and side surface of the heat exchange chamber 30. The rear surface and the left side surface of the external heat exchanger 31 are provided with an inlet opening (not shown).

[0023] Another surface 16a of the first rear panel 16 is provided with ventilation holes (openings) 22. The third front panel 13 and the fourth front panel 14 are each provided with outlet openings 13a and 14a, which are round holes. Furthermore, the third front panel 13 and the fourth front panel 14 are equipped with grid-shaped fan grilles 23 (see the Fig. 1) provided, covering the outlet openings 13a and 14a.

[0024] The Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the reinforcement element 33. The reinforcement element 33 comprises a reinforcement element base section 34, which is fixed to the base plate 21; a rod section 35, which extends elongatedly from the reinforcement element base section 34 to the top plate 20; a front panel reinforcement element 36, which is provided on an intermediate section of the rod section 35; and a top plate fixing element 37, which is provided on an upper end of the rod section 35. The front panel reinforcement element 36 and the top plate fixing element 37 have curved sections 36a and 37a, respectively, whose front ends are bent downwards. The curved sections 36a and 37a are each fixed to the third front panel 13 and the fourth front panel 14, respectively, by means of fasteners. Furthermore, the blowers 32 are supported by the rod part 35 using a blower fixing element (not shown).

[0025] The blowers 32 draw in air at the rear and expel it at the front. The blowers 32 are held in a position by the front panel reinforcement element 36, which aligns with the outlet openings 13a and 14a of the third front panel 13 and the fourth front panel 14 in a front view (see Fig. 2) corresponds. More precisely, the respective axes of rotation of the blowers 32 are arranged such that they are essentially parallel to each other with respect to the centers of the outlet openings 13a and 14a. Furthermore, the blowers 32 are arranged in the front-to-back direction at the front of the ventilation holes 26 of the partition plate 25. In other words, the blowers 32 are arranged so that air entering the heat exchanger chamber 30 from the machine chamber 40 through the ventilation holes 26 can be discharged to the outside from the outdoor unit 1.

[0026] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the electrical machine 41, such as a compressor, an air guide element 49 connecting the ventilation hole 22 of the first rear wall 16 to the ventilation hole 26 of the partition plate 25, and a box 45 for electrical components, supported by the air guide element 49, are provided within the machine chamber 40. The electrical machine 41 is connected via a refrigerant line 42 to the outdoor heat exchanger 31 and an indoor unit (not shown) and forms a refrigerant flow path.

[0027] As described above, the external heat exchanger 31 of the present embodiment covers part of the rear section of the machine chamber 40 and part of the rear section and the left side surface of the heat exchange chamber 30. Since the electric machine 41 is arranged in a lower section of the machine chamber 40, a space is formed in the upper section of the machine chamber 40. The box 45 for electrical components and the air guide element 49 are housed in the upper space of the machine chamber 40.

[0028] The Fig. Figure 4 is a right-side view of the upper section of engine compartment 40. In the Fig. Figure 4 omits the representation of a panel on the right side surface of the housing 5. The box 45 for electrical components is located in front of the air guide element 49. In other words, the first front panel 11 is arranged such that it covers the front surface of the box 45 for electrical components and most of the right side surface of the box 45 for electrical components.

[0029] The box 45 for electrical components contains a variety of electrical components, such as a substrate. A heat sink 46 with cooling fins 46a is provided on the rear surface of the box 45 for electrical components. The box 45 for electrical components cools the electrical components contained therein using the heat sink 46. In the present embodiment, the box 45 for electrical components has a virtually sealed design, so that no refrigerant can penetrate from the outside. Even if the refrigerant leaks, it can thus be prevented from entering the box 45 for electrical components. [1-1-2. Configuration of the air guide element]

[0030] The Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the air guide element 49. The air guide element 49 is a rectangular, tubular channel comprising a bottom surface element 50, a front surface element 55, and a rear surface element 56, each extending elongate upwards from a front and a rear section of the bottom surface element 50, as well as an upper surface element 57 that bridges the upper ends of the front surface element 55 and the rear surface element 56. That is to say, the air guide element 49 serves as an air passage connecting the ventilation opening 22 provided on the other surface 16a of the first rear panel 16 with the ventilation opening 26 of the partition plate 25.

[0031] The front surface element 55 extends along the front ends of the first base surface element 51 to the fourth base surface element 54 and is arranged to rise upwards. The rear surface element 56 extends along the rear ends of the first base surface element 51 to the fourth base surface element 54 and is arranged to rise upwards. The front surface element 55 and the rear surface element 56 are designed to rise upwards from the first base surface element 51, the second base surface element 52, the third base surface element 53, and the fourth base surface element 54. The front surface element 55 is provided with a rectangular mounting hole (opening) 55a. The cooling fins 46a of the heat sink 46, with which the housing 45 for electrical components is equipped, are inserted into the mounting hole 55a.

[0032] The left and right end sections of the air guide element 49 are bent to form flange sections 58. The air guide element 49 is fixed to the other surface 16a of the first rear panel 16 and the partition plate 25 by the flange sections 58.

[0033] The Fig. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the base surface element 50 of the air guide element 49. In the present embodiment, the base surface element 50 of the air guide element 49 comprises four base surface elements, namely a first base surface element 51, a second base surface element 52, a third base surface element 53 and a fourth base surface element 54.

[0034] The first floor surface element 51 is a floor surface element located at the right end of the air guide element 49. The first floor surface element 51 comprises a first floor surface base section (flat section) 51a, which forms the floor surface of the air guide element 49, and flange sections 51b that are bent upwards at the front and rear ends of the first floor surface base section 51a.

[0035] The first base section 51a of the first floor element 51 has a drain hole (drain section) 51c. A drain hose 63 (see Fig. 4) is connected to the drain hole 51c. This allows water that has entered the air guide element 49 to be directed to the drain section of the base plate (not shown) and drained outside the outdoor unit 1. This means that it is possible to prevent water that has entered the air guide element 49 from entering any part other than the drain section of the machine chamber 40.

[0036] The first bottom surface element 51 has an outwardly widening shape, widening towards the right end in the plan view towards the rear surface. More precisely, the right end of the flange section 51b1 at the rear end is designed to be positioned on the back of the housing 5 compared to the left end, and the length of the first bottom surface element 51 in the front-to-back direction increases towards the right end of the first bottom surface element 51 in the plan view.

[0037] The second floor surface element 52 is a floor surface element located on the left side of the first floor surface element 51. The second floor surface element 52 comprises a second floor surface base section (flat section) 52a, which forms the floor surface of the air guide element 49, and flange sections 52b that are bent upwards at the front and rear ends of the second floor surface base section 52a.

[0038] The second base section 52a of the second base element 52 has a flat surface (flat section) 52a1, which is essentially horizontal to the first base section 51a, and an inclined surface (inclined section) 52a2, which rises upwards to the left from the left end of the flat surface 52a1. The right end section of the flat surface 52a1 is arranged such that it overlaps the left end section of the first base section 51a of the first base element 51 in such a way that the right end section of the flat surface 52a1 is located on the upper surface of the left end section of the first base section 51a of the first base element 51.

[0039] The third floor surface element 53 is a floor surface element located on the left side of the second floor surface element 52. The third floor surface element 53 comprises a third floor surface base section (flat section) 53a, which forms the floor surface of the air guide element 49, and flange sections 53b that are bent upwards at the front and rear ends of the first floor surface base section 53a.

[0040] The third base section 53a of the third base element (another base element) 53 has a curved surface 53a1, the right end section of which is curved along the inclined surface 52a2. The curved surface 53a1 is arranged to overlap with the left end section of the inclined surface 52a2 such that the curved surface 53a1 is located on the upper surface of the left end section of the inclined surface 52a2.

[0041] The fourth floor surface element 54 is a floor surface element positioned on the left side of the third floor surface element 53 and is positioned at the left end of the air guide element 49. The fourth floor surface element 54 comprises a fourth floor surface base section (flat section) 54a, which forms the floor surface of the air guide element 49, and flange sections 54b that are bent upwards at the front and rear ends of the fourth floor surface base section 54a.

[0042] The fourth bottom surface element 54 has an outwardly widening shape, widening towards the left end in plan view. More precisely, the left end of the flange section 54b1 at the front end is configured to be positioned on the front of the housing 5, relative to the right end, and the length of the fourth bottom surface element 54 in the front-to-back direction of the bottom surface element 51 increases towards the left end of the fourth bottom surface element 51 in plan view. The fourth bottom surface base section 54a of the fourth bottom surface element 54 is arranged to overlap the right end section of the third bottom surface base section 53a, such that the fourth bottom surface base section 54a of the fourth bottom surface element 54 is located on the upper surface of the third bottom surface base section 53a.

[0043] As described above, the base element 50 has a stepped shape, with the first base element 51 being the lowest and the second base element 52 stacked successively up to the fourth base element 54, sloping down towards the first base element 51. Accordingly, even if water penetrates the interior of the air guide element 49, the water can be directed to the drain hole 51c of the first base element 51. Furthermore, since the second base element 52 has a surface 52a2 inclined towards the first base element 51, water can only penetrate the heat exchange chamber 30 with difficulty, and any water that does penetrate can be effectively directed to the drain hole 51c of the first base element 51.As described above, it is possible to suppress the ingress of water into the machine chamber 40, since the air guide element 49 includes the water drainage arrangement.

[0044] As in the Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the air guide element 49 is arranged in a front view at a position above the machine chamber 40. As shown in the Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the air guide element 49 is positioned such that a rear end section 60c of an outlet section 60 is located upstream of the outdoor heat exchanger 31, and the rear end section 59b of an inlet section 59 overlaps the outdoor heat exchanger 31 in the left-right direction when viewed from above. In this way, the air guide element 49 is positioned so that it is separated from the outdoor heat exchanger 31, the electrical machine 41 (e.g., a compressor), and the refrigerant line 42. By utilizing the available space, the air guide element 49 is arranged compactly so that it does not interfere with other components.

[0045] Furthermore, the outwardly widening shapes of the inlet section 59 and the outlet section 60, as well as the inclined surface 52a2 of the second floor surface element 52, enable the air guide element 49 to be arranged compactly while utilizing the available space, so that it is separated from the external heat exchanger 31, the electrical machine 41, such as a compressor, and the refrigerant line 42.

[0046] The Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the surroundings of the first filter, number 61. Fig.Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the area surrounding the second filter 62. In the present embodiment, the air guide element 49 comprises the inlet section 59 and the outlet section 60 based on the positions of the first bottom surface element 51 and the fourth bottom surface element 54 in the left-right direction. In other words, in the air guide element 49, the inlet section 59 is located near the first bottom surface element 51 and has an outwardly widened shape in plan view. Similarly, in the air guide element 49, the outlet section 60 is located near the fourth bottom surface element 54 and has an outwardly widened shape in plan view. A first filter 61 is provided at the inlet opening 59a of the inlet section 59. A second filter 62 is provided at the outlet opening 60a of the outlet section 60.

[0047] The first filter 61 has a lamellar shape. That is, lamellae inclined downwards from the inside to the outside of the housing 5 are arranged vertically, forming holes through which a multitude of air currents pass. As described above, the inlet opening 59a is a hole on the outside of the housing 5, so the lamellar shape of the first filter 61 makes it difficult for water to penetrate from the outside and facilitates the drainage of water to the outside of the outdoor unit 1. The second filter 62 has a multitude of vertically elongated rectangular holes. The holes are arranged side by side in the front-to-back and up-and-down directions.

[0048] In the present embodiment, the first filter 61 and the second filter 62 suppress the ingress of insects and foreign bodies and adjust the opening areas of the inlet opening 59a and the outlet opening 60a. As a result, the sum of the areas of the plurality of holes formed in the first filter 61 can be smaller than the sum of the areas of the plurality of holes formed in the second filter 62. [1-2. Operation, function, etc.]

[0049] When the outdoor unit 1 starts operating, the electric motor 41 and the fan 32 of the outdoor unit 1 begin to operate. The fan 32 draws air into the heat exchanger chamber 30 and discharges it outside the housing 5. Accordingly, air from outside the housing 5 flows into the heat exchanger chamber 30 via the external heat exchanger 31 or the air duct element 49. The incoming air is then discharged outside the outdoor unit 1 by the fan 32. In this way, the air flowing in from outside the outdoor unit 1 passes through the outdoor unit 1 and is discharged outside, thus circulating the air.

[0050] In the air circulation flow path, the air that has flowed through the external heat exchanger 31 exchanges heat with the refrigerant, and the air that has flowed through the air guide element 49 cools the cooling fins 46a in an air-cooling manner. This allows the electrical components in the electrical component box 45 to be cooled via the heat sink 46.

[0051] As described above, the box 45 for electrical components in the present embodiment has a virtually sealed design. Therefore, when using a flammable refrigerant, it is possible to prevent the flammable refrigerant from entering the box 45 for electrical components due to a refrigerant leak.

[0052] If the box 45 for electrical components has a nearly sealed design, the electrical components in the box 45 cannot be cooled, and the temperature in the box 45 can rise. However, in the present embodiment, the temperature of the electrical components in the box 45 can be prevented from rising too high because the interior of the box 45 can be cooled by the cooling fins 46a.

[0053] Since, in the present embodiment, the inlet section 59 and the outlet section 60 have outwardly widened shapes, the air guide element 49 is compact, and at the same time the areas of the inlet opening 59a and the outlet opening 60a are enlarged and adapted by the first filter 61 and the second filter 62. The cooling efficiency of the electrical components inside the housing 45 is improved. This allows the air resistance in the air guide element 49 to be reduced and the electrical component to be cooled effectively.

[0054] Furthermore, the air guide element 49 has an outwardly widened shape, such that the rear-side end section 59b of the inlet section 59 is inclined towards the fan 32, and the front-side end section 60b of the outlet section 60 is inclined towards the fan 32. This design of the air guide element 49 directs air from the rear surface to the front surface, forming an air path along the main flow, thereby reducing the air path resistance within the air guide element 49. Since the air is directed towards the fan 32, the air volume within the air guide element 49 can also be easily maintained, and the electrical components can be effectively cooled.

[0055] In the present embodiment, the air guide element 49 is provided with the drain hole 51c in the first base surface element 51. Therefore, even if water penetrates the air guide element 49, it can be directed to the drain section in the machine chamber 40 through the drain hole 51c, thus preventing water from entering the outdoor unit 1. [1-3. Effects etc.]

[0056] As described above, the outdoor unit 1 in the present embodiment comprises: the housing 5 with an inlet opening on its rear surface and outlet openings 13a and 13b on its front surface; and the partition plate 25, which divides the interior of the housing 5 into the heat exchange chamber 30 with the blower 32 and the external heat exchanger 31 and the machine chamber 40.

[0057] Outdoor unit 1 also includes: the ventilation hole 22 formed in the side wall near the machine chamber 40 of the housing 5, the air guide element 49, through which outside air is configured to flow in through the ventilation hole 22 and out to the heat exchange chamber 30; wherein the air guide element 49 is provided in the machine chamber 40, the cooling fin 46a, which is inserted into an opening of the air guide element 49; and the electrical component that is configured to be cooled by the cooling fin 46a, where the inlet section 59 of the air guide element 49 has an outwardly widened shape in the direction of the inlet opening 59a, and the outflow section 60 of the air guide element 49 has an outwardly widened shape in the direction of the outflow opening 60a.

[0058] This configuration improves cooling efficiency by increasing the inlet and outlet areas of the air passage. The air is guided along the main flow from the rear surface to the front surface within the air guide element, thus reducing air path resistance.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inlet section 59 is designed in an outwardly widened shape, widening towards the rear surface, and the outlet section 60 is designed in an outwardly widened shape, widening towards the front surface. With this configuration, the air guide element 49 can be designed compactly by having only the inlet section 59 and the outlet section 60 designed in an outwardly widened shape.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the external heat exchanger 31 is arranged along the inlet opening, the rear end section 60c of the outlet section 60 is located on the front surface of the external heat exchanger 31, and the rear end section 59b of the inlet section 59 is arranged such that it partially overlaps the external heat exchanger 31 in the left-right direction. This configuration makes it possible to improve the cooling efficiency while simultaneously achieving a compact design, as an outwardly widened shape is used, utilizing an empty space.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the front surface end section 60b of the outlet section 60 is inclined towards the outlet openings 13a and 14a of the housing 5 in a top view. Accordingly, the air in the air guide element 49 is directed to the blower 32. Therefore, the air volume in the air guide element 49 can be easily controlled, and the electrical component can be effectively cooled.

[0062] In this embodiment, the air guide element 49 is provided with a first filter 61, which covers the inlet opening 59a, and a second filter 62, which covers the outlet opening 60a, wherein the opening area of ​​the second filter 62 is substantially equal to or larger than the opening area of ​​the first filter 61. Accordingly, the electrical component can be effectively cooled, since the flow path resistance in the air guide element 49 is reduced.

[0063] Furthermore, in the embodiment, in the outdoor unit 1, which comprises the housing 5 with the ventilation hole 22 for introducing outside air, the housing 5 is divided by the partition plate 25 into the heat exchange chamber 30, in which the blower 32 and the external heat exchanger 31 are arranged, and the machine chamber 40 with the ventilation hole 22. The air guide element 49, which connects the ventilation hole 22 and the heat exchange chamber 30, is provided in the machine chamber 40. The bottom surface of the air guide element 49 comprises the first bottom surface element 51 with the drain opening 51c for draining water that has entered through the ventilation hole 22, and the second bottom surface element 52, at least a part of which is arranged so that it overlaps the first bottom surface element 51 in a vertical direction, and the first bottom surface element 51 is arranged on the lower side of the second bottom surface element 52.With this configuration, the bottom surface of the air guide element 49 is subdivided, the water that has entered through the ventilation hole 22 can easily flow to the first bottom surface element 51 with the drain opening 51c, and it can be prevented that the water that has entered through the ventilation hole 22 enters the lower section of the machine chamber 40.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first floor surface element 51 comprises the first floor surface base section 51a, the second floor surface element 52 comprises the flat surface 52a1, the first floor surface base section 51a and the flat surface 52a1 are arranged substantially horizontally, and the first floor surface base section 51a and the flat surface 52a1 overlap in the vertical direction. With this configuration, it is possible to easily form the floor surface and to direct the water that has penetrated the air guide element 49 to the first floor surface element 51, which is located below the second floor surface element 52, since the first floor surface element 51 and the second floor surface element 52 are substantially horizontal and their flat sections overlap.

[0065] In the present embodiment, a third floor surface element 53 is further provided, and at least a portion of the third floor surface element 53 is arranged such that it overlaps the upper side of the second floor surface element 52 in a vertical direction. Since the floor surface is formed with a larger number of floor surface elements, this configuration makes it possible to direct the water that has penetrated the air guide element 49 to the first floor surface element 51, while the floor surface of the air guide element 49 can be made lighter.

[0066] In the present embodiment, the second floor surface element 52 comprises the inclined surface (inclined section) 52a2. With this configuration, the shape of the floor surface can be designed according to the circumferential element arranged below the air guide element 49, and the flexibility of the arrangement of the air guide element 49 can be improved. (Other embodiments)

[0067] As described above, the first embodiment was presented as an example disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this and is also applicable to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, and omissions are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to create a new embodiment by combining the components described in the first embodiment. Further embodiments are presented below as examples.

[0068] In the embodiment described above, the base surface element 50 of the air guide element 49 consists of four base surface elements. However, the number of base surface elements is not limited to four and can be four or more, or three or fewer.

[0069] In the embodiment described above, the second floor surface element 52 has a flat surface and an inclined surface. However, the inclined surface can also be a step instead of a flat surface. That is, the shape of the inclined surface is not particularly restricted as long as water can be directed to the drain hole 51c.

[0070] It should be noted that the embodiments described above serve to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and therefore various modifications, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents. (Notes)

[0071] The following techniques are disclosed by the description of the foregoing embodiment.

[0072] (Technical 1) An outdoor unit, comprising: a housing with an inlet opening on its rear surface and an outlet opening on its front surface; and a partition plate that divides the interior of the housing into a heat exchange chamber with a fan and an external heat exchanger and a machine chamber; The outdoor unit also includes: an opening section formed on a side wall of the housing near the machine chamber; an air guide element through which outside air is configured to flow in from the opening section and out to the heat exchange chamber; wherein the air guide element is provided in the machine chamber, a cooling fin that is inserted into an opening of the air guide element; and an electrical component configured to be cooled by the cooling fin, where an inlet section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an inlet opening, and The outflow section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an outflow opening.

[0073] This configuration improves cooling efficiency because the inlet and outlet areas of the air passage are enlarged. The air is guided along the main flow from the rear surface to the front surface in the air guide element, thus reducing air path resistance.

[0074] (Technology 2) The outdoor unit according to Technology 1, wherein the inlet section is designed in an outwardly widening shape, which widens towards the rear surface of the housing, and The outflow section is designed in an outwardly widening shape, which widens towards the front surface of the housing.

[0075] With this configuration, the air guide element can be designed compactly by only forming the inlet section and the outlet section in an outwardly widened shape.

[0076] (Technology 3) The outdoor unit according to Technology 1, wherein the external heat exchanger is arranged along the inlet opening, a rear-side end section of the outflow section is arranged on a front surface side of the external heat exchanger and a rear-side end section of the inlet section is arranged in such a way that it partially overlaps the external heat exchanger in the left-right direction.

[0077] With this configuration, it is possible to improve the cooling efficiency while achieving a compact design, as the outwardly widened shape utilizes an empty space.

[0078] (Technology 4) The outdoor unit according to Technology 3, wherein a front end section of the outflow section is inclined towards the outlet opening of the housing in the top view.

[0079] With this configuration, the air in the air guide element is directed towards the blower. Therefore, the air volume in the air guide element can be easily controlled, and the electrical component can be effectively cooled.

[0080] (Technology 5) The outdoor unit according to Technology 1, wherein the air guide element is provided with a first filter that covers the inlet opening and a second filter that covers the outlet opening, and the opening area of ​​the second filter is essentially equal to or larger than the opening area of ​​the first filter.

[0081] With this configuration, the electrical component can be effectively cooled because the flow path resistance in the air guide element is reduced.

[0082] (Technical 6) An outdoor unit, comprising: a housing which is provided with an opening through which outside air is introduced, where the housing is divided by a partition plate into a heat exchange chamber, in which a fan and an external heat exchanger are arranged, and a machine chamber, in which the opening is provided, the machine chamber is equipped with an air guide element that connects the opening to the heat exchange chamber, a floor area of ​​the air guide element comprises: a first floor surface element with a drainage section that allows water that has entered through the opening to drain away; and a second floor surface element, wherein at least part of it is arranged in such a way that it overlaps the first floor surface element in a vertical direction, and the first floor surface element is arranged below the second floor surface element.

[0083] With this configuration, the bottom surface of the air guide element is designed to be subdivided, allowing water that has entered through the opening section to easily flow to the first bottom surface element with the drain section, and preventing water that has entered through the opening section from entering the lower section of the machine chamber.

[0084] (Technology 7) The outdoor unit according to Technology 6, wherein The first floor surface element and the second floor surface element each have a substantially horizontally arranged flat section, and the flat sections overlap in a vertical direction.

[0085] In this configuration, the first and second floor surface elements are essentially horizontal, and their flat sections overlap. Therefore, the floor surface can be easily formed, and any water that has penetrated the air guide element can be directed to the first floor surface element, which is located below the second floor surface element.

[0086] (Technology 8) The outdoor unit according to Technology 7, further comprising: a third floor surface element, wherein at least part of the third floor surface element is arranged in such a way that it overlaps the upper side of the second floor surface element in a vertical direction.

[0087] Since the floor surface is formed with a larger number of floor surface elements, this configuration makes it possible to direct the water that has penetrated the air guide element to the first floor surface element, while the floor surface of the air guide element is simpler.

[0088] (Technique 9) The outdoor unit according to one of techniques 6 to 8, wherein at least one of the first floor surface element, second floor surface element or third floor surface element comprises an inclined section.

[0089] With this configuration, the shape of the floor surface can be designed according to the circumferential element arranged below the air guide element, and the flexibility of the arrangement of the air guide element can be improved. Commercial applicability

[0090] As described above, the outdoor unit according to the present invention can be used to cool an electrical component and to drain water that has entered from the outside. Reference symbol list 1 outdoor unit 5 cases 10 Front panel 11 First front panel 12 Second front panel 25 separating plate 26 ventilation holes 30 Heat exchange chamber 31 external heat exchangers 40 Machine room 45 boxes for electrical components 46 heat sinks 46a Cooling fin 49 Air guide element 50 floor surface elements 51 First floor surface element 51a First ground surface base section (level section) 51c Drainage opening (drainage area) 52 Second floor surface element 52a1 Flat surface (flat area) 52a2 Inclined surface (inclined area) 53 Third floor surface element (further floor surface element) 54 Fourth floor surface element 55 Front surface element 55a Mounting hole (opening) 58 Flange section 59 Inlet section 59a Inlet opening 59b Rear surface end section 60 Outflow section 60a Outlet opening 60b front surface end section 60c rear surface end section 61 First filter 62 Second Filter 63 Drain hose QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2014-055705

[0003]

Claims

[1] An outdoor unit comprising: a housing with an inlet opening on its rear surface and an outlet opening on its front surface; a partition plate that divides the interior of the housing into a heat exchange chamber with a fan and an external heat exchanger and a machine chamber; an opening section formed in a side wall of the machine chamber in the housing; an air guide element through which outside air is configured to flow in from the opening section and out to the heat exchange chamber; wherein the air guide element is provided in the machine chamber, a cooling fin that is inserted into an opening of the air guide element; and an electrical component configured to be cooled by the cooling fin, where an inlet section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an inlet opening, and The outflow section of the air guide element has an outwardly widening shape that widens towards an outflow opening. [2] The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the inlet section is designed in an outwardly widening shape, which widens towards the rear surface of the housing, and The outflow section is designed in an outwardly widening shape, which widens towards the front surface of the housing. [3] The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger is arranged along the inlet opening, a rear end section of the outflow section is arranged in front of the external heat exchanger and a rear end section of the inlet section is arranged in such a way that it partially overlaps the external heat exchanger in the left-right direction. [4] The outdoor unit according to claim 3, wherein a front end section of the outflow section is inclined towards the outlet opening of the housing in the top view. [5] The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein The air guide element comprises a first filter that covers the inlet opening and a second filter that covers the outlet opening, and The opening area of ​​the second filter is essentially equal to or larger than the opening area of ​​the first filter. [6] An outdoor unit comprising: a housing which is provided with an opening through which outside air is introduced, where the housing is divided by a partition plate into a heat exchange chamber, in which a fan is arranged, and a machine chamber, in which the opening is provided, the machine chamber is equipped with an air guide element that connects the opening to the heat exchange chamber, a floor area of ​​the air guide element comprises: a first floor surface element with a drainage section that allows water that has entered through the opening to drain away; and a second floor surface element, wherein at least part of it is arranged in such a way that it overlaps the first floor surface element in a vertical direction, and the first floor surface element is arranged below the second floor surface element. [7] The outdoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the first floor surface element and the second floor surface element each have a substantially horizontally arranged flat section and The flat sections overlap each other in a vertical direction. [8] Outdoor unit according to claim 7, further comprising: a third floor surface element, where the third floor surface element is arranged such that at least one section of it overlaps an upper side of the second floor surface element in a vertical direction. [9] The outdoor unit according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first floor surface element, second floor surface element or third floor surface element comprises an inclined section.

Images