Piping structure, connection unit, air conditioner, air conditioning system, and building

Abstract

To provide a pipe structure which enables a metallic drain pipe having a small inner diameter to be easily connected to a resin drain pipe.SOLUTION: A pipe structure 1 drains drain water generated from an air conditioner, and includes: a metallic drain pipe 10 connected to the air conditioner; a connection unit 20 connected to the metallic drain pipe; a resin heat insulation joint 55 connected to the connection unit; resin drain pipes 80A, 80B having foam layers 82A, 82B and connected to the resin heat insulation joint; and a diameter expanding part 45 which is disposed between the metallic drain pipe and the resin heat insulation joint and converts an inner diameter so that an inner diameter of a downstream side portion becomes larger than an inner diameter of an upstream side portion. The resin heat insulation joint has: a first connection part 57 connected to the connection unit; second connection parts 58, 59 connected to the resin drain pipes; and a body part 56 including a first heat insulation layer S3. The connection unit has: a third connection part 24 connected to the metallic drain pipe; and a fourth connection part 40 connected to the first connection part of the resin heat insulation joint.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a piping structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, when the indoor unit of an air conditioner (hereafter simply referred to as an air conditioner) that forms an air conditioning system is a ceiling embedded type or ceiling suspended type, the drainage generated by the air conditioner is treated as follows. That is, the drainage that has accumulated in the drain pan is first pumped up by a drain pump. After that, the drainage is discharged to the outside by natural outflow using a downward sloping drain pipe installed above the ceiling.

[0003] However, depending on the installation location of the air conditioner, it may be difficult to discharge the drain pumped up by the drain pump using the natural outflow method. For example, there are various structures above the ceiling. For this reason, it is necessary to lay the drain pipe in a detouring manner above or below these structures. In such cases, the head of the drain pump attached to the drain pan may not be enough. Furthermore, even if you try to use the natural outflow method, if the installation location of the air conditioner is far from the exterior wall of the building, it may not be possible to use the natural outflow method. Here, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a thin metal pipe of 12.7 mm or less is used to pump the drain with a drain pump, thereby eliminating the need to provide a gradient in the drain pipe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2004 / 040201 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, drain pipes generally used are drain pipes with a foam layer made of resin such as polyvinyl chloride resin (resin drain pipes). It was difficult to connect the metal drain pipe (metal drain pipe) of Patent Document 1 to a resin drain pipe. In addition, in the piping structure of Patent Document 1, the drain is pumped through the drain pipe. For this reason, the drain pipe is formed with an inner diameter smaller than that of a general drain pipe, making it difficult to connect to a general drain pipe.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and provides a piping structure that enables a metal drain pipe, which has a relatively small inner diameter, to be easily connected to a resin drain pipe. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means. The piping structure of the present invention is a piping structure for draining drain generated from an air conditioner installed indoors of a building, and comprises: a metal drain pipe connected to the air conditioner, a connection unit connected to the metal drain pipe, a resin insulation joint connected to the connection unit, a resin drain pipe having a foam layer and connected to the resin insulation joint, and an enlarged diameter section disposed between the metal drain pipe and the resin insulation joint and converting the inner diameter of the resin insulation joint so that the inner diameter of the downstream section is larger than the inner diameter of the upstream section, wherein the resin insulation joint has a first connection section connected to the connection unit, a second connection section connected to the resin drain pipe, and a main body section provided with a first insulation layer, and the connection unit has a third connection section connected directly or indirectly to the metal drain pipe, and a fourth connection section connected to the first connection section of the resin insulation joint.

[0008] According to this invention, from the air conditioner side, the metal drain pipe, the connection unit, the resin insulated joint, and the resin drain pipe are connected in this order. At this time, the third connection part of the connection unit is connected directly or indirectly to the metal drain pipe. The fourth connection part of the connection unit is connected to the first connection part of the resin insulated joint. The second connection part of the resin insulated joint is connected to the resin drain pipe. For example, even if a metal drain pipe has a relatively small inner diameter of 12.7 mm or less, the enlarged diameter section converts the inner diameter of the downstream section to be larger than the inner diameter of the upstream section. This makes the inner diameter of the structure downstream of the enlarged diameter section, including the resin drain pipe, larger than the inner diameter of the metal drain pipe. In this case, it becomes easier to connect the metal drain pipe to a resin drain pipe, which generally has a relatively large inner diameter, via a connection unit and a resin thermal insulation joint. Therefore, the metal drain pipe, which has a relatively small inside diameter, can be easily connected to the resin drain pipe.

[0009] In the piping structure, the connection unit may include a conversion portion that connects the third connection portion and the fourth connection portion. According to this invention, the conversion portion makes it possible to more easily connect the metal drain pipe and the resin drain pipe.

[0010] In the piping structure, the metal drain pipe may have an inner diameter of 12.7 mm or less. According to this invention, even when a metal drain pipe having a relatively small inner diameter of 12.7 mm or less is used, the metal drain pipe can be easily connected to the resin drain pipe.

[0011] In the piping structure, the length of the metal drain pipe may be not less than 1 m and not more than 20 m. According to this invention, the pressure loss of the drain flowing inside the metal drain pipe can be suppressed, and the drain can be made to flow throughout the entire piping structure.

[0012] In addition, in the piping structure, the plastic drain pipe may be a pair of vertical pipes that penetrate a pair of slabs arranged at a distance from each other in the vertical direction in the building, and the metal drain pipe may connect the pair of vertical pipes to each other. According to this invention, a pair of resin drain pipes, which are standpipes, are supported by the slab. By connecting the pair of standpipes to each other with a metal drain pipe, the metal drain pipe can be supported by the slab via the pair of standpipes.

[0013] The piping structure may further include a second insulating layer disposed on an outer surface of the connection unit. According to this invention, the connection unit is cooled by the drainage water flowing inside the connection unit. However, the second insulation layer disposed on the outer surface of the connection unit can suppress the formation of condensation on the outer surface of the connection unit.

[0014] In addition, in the piping structure, the resin drain pipe may have a first resin drain pipe supported on the ceiling of the building and a second resin drain pipe penetrating the slab of the building, and the first resin drain pipe and the second resin drain pipe may be connected to each other. According to this invention, the first resin drain pipe is supported by the ceiling, and the second resin drain pipe is supported by the slab. By connecting the first resin drain pipe and the second resin drain pipe to each other, the positions of the first resin drain pipe and the second resin drain pipe can be more stabilized.

[0015] Moreover, in the piping structure, the resin insulating joint may include a fifth connection portion that is connected to another piping structure. According to the present invention, for example, other piping structures including, for example, a resin drain pipe or a plurality of piping structures can be connected to the fifth connecting portion for use.

[0016] In addition, in the piping structure, the connection unit may include a drain pump connected to the metal drain pipe and the third connection part, respectively, and an insulated flexible tube connected to the third connection part and the fourth connection part, respectively, and the enlarged diameter portion may be disposed between the drain pump and the resin insulated joint. According to this invention, the drain flowing out from the air conditioner can be increased in pressure by the drain pump and made to flow through the insulated flexible pipe. For example, even if the insulated flexible pipe is formed in a shape for pumping up, that is curved so as to be convex upward, the drain can be made to flow through the insulated flexible pipe. Furthermore, by locating the enlarged diameter portion downstream of the drain pump, a pipe with a relatively small inner diameter can be used as the insulated flexible pipe. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the piping structure of the present invention, a metal drain pipe having a relatively small inner diameter can be easily connected to a resin drain pipe. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a building in which a piping structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention is used. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the piping structure. [Diagram 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a building in which a piping structure according to a first modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention is used. [Figure 4] 11 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a building in which a piping structure according to a second modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention is used. FIG. [Diagram 5] 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a building in which a piping structure according to a third modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention is used. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a building in which a piping structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention is used. FIG. [Figure 7] 11 is a cross-sectional view of a building in which a piping structure according to a first modified example of a second embodiment of the present invention is used. FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an external metal drain pipe and a hopper in a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a piping structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. First, as shown in Fig. 1, a building 200 in which this piping structure 1 is used will be described. For example, the building 200 includes a slab 201, an exterior wall 202, an interior wall 203 (see FIG. 3), and the like. The slab 201 is formed in a plate shape whose thickness direction runs along the vertical direction. The exterior wall 202 and the interior wall 203 are each formed in a plate shape whose thickness direction runs along a horizontal plane. The slab 201, the exterior wall 202, and the interior wall 203 are formed of reinforced concrete or the like, and constitute the building skeleton of the building 200. For example, the building 200 is a multi-story building having a plurality of stories (floors) 205 (only one story 205 is shown in FIG. 1). Each story 205 is partitioned by a pair of slabs 201 that sandwich the story 205 in the vertical direction. Note that FIG. 1 shows only the upper slab 201 (hereinafter also referred to as the upper slab 201a) of the pair of slabs 201. Hereinafter, the lower slab 201 of the pair of slabs 201 is also referred to as the lower slab 201. The pair of slabs 201 are disposed at a distance from each other in the vertical direction. Each slab 201 has a slab through-hole 201b that penetrates the slab 201 in the vertical direction.

[0020] A ceiling 208 is disposed between the pair of slabs 201. An opening 208a is formed in the ceiling 208. The ceiling 208 is disposed closer to the upper slab 201a. An attic space S1 is formed between the ceiling 208 and the upper slab 201a.

[0021] An air conditioner 215, which is an indoor unit of the air conditioning system, is fixed to the ceiling 208. That is, the air conditioner 215 is installed inside the building 200. The configuration of the air conditioner 215 is not particularly limited. For example, the air conditioner 215 includes a casing 220, a turbofan 225, an indoor heat exchanger 235, a drain pan 240, a first drain pump 245, an internal metal drain pipe 250, a check valve 255, and a decorative panel 260. The casing 220 is formed in a box shape with an opening at the bottom. The casing 220 is placed in the attic space S1, and is fixed to the periphery of an opening 208a in the ceiling 208. That is, the air conditioner 215 is installed on the ceiling 208. The turbofan 225 includes an impeller 226, a fan motor 227, and a bellmouth 228. In the impeller 226, blades 232 are held between a shroud 230 and a hub 231. The center of the hub 231 is fixed to the lower end of the drive shaft of the fan motor 227. The fan motor 227 is fixed to the center of the casing 220.

[0022] The turbofan 225 blows out air radially outward, the air being sucked in from below by the rotation of the blades 232 caused by the drive of the fan motor 227. The bellmouth 228 is disposed below the impeller 226 of the turbofan 225. The bellmouth 228 guides the air in the room to the impeller 226. The indoor heat exchanger 235 is disposed around the impeller 226 of the turbofan 225. Although not shown, the indoor heat exchanger 235 is connected to an outdoor unit of the air conditioning system via a refrigerant pipe. The indoor heat exchanger 235 functions as an evaporator during cooling operation of the air conditioning system, and functions as a condenser during heating operation. The indoor heat exchanger 235 adjusts the temperature and humidity of the air blown out from the turbofan 225.

[0023] The drain pan 240 is disposed below the indoor heat exchanger 235. The drain pan 240 collects drainage generated in the indoor heat exchanger 235 during cooling operation and dehumidification operation of the air conditioning system. The first drain pump 245 is provided in the casing 220 to discharge the drain accumulated in the drain pan 240 to the outside of the building 200. For example, the first drain pump 245 is a pressure pump such as a centrifugal pump. For example, the first drain pump 245 is provided with a drain switch (not shown) that is turned on when the drain water level in the drain pan 240 reaches a certain level. This drain switch is activated when a predetermined amount of drain accumulates in the drain pan 240.

[0024] For example, internal metal drain pipe 250 is formed of copper, aluminum, or the like. The inner diameter of internal metal drain pipe 250 is 12.7 mm or less. A first end of internal metal drain pipe 250 is disposed in drain pan 240. Internal metal drain pipe 250 rises almost vertically upward from the first end. Internal metal drain pipe 250 is bent toward the outside of casing 220 near the upper end of casing 220. Check valve 255 is connected to a second end of in-machine metal drain pipe 250. In this specification, "connected" refers not only to a case where the check valve 255 is directly connected without using other members, but also to a case where the check valve 255 is indirectly connected via other members. The check valve 255 allows the drain in the on-board metal drain pipe 250 to flow toward the outside of the casing 220. On the other hand, the check valve 255 restricts the drain from flowing from the outside of the casing 220 into the on-board metal drain pipe 250.

[0025] The decorative panel 260 is formed in a plate shape having a rectangular shape in a plan view. In a plan view, an air inlet 261 which is an opening is formed in the center of the decorative panel 260. A plurality of air outlets 262 which are openings are formed in the decorative panel 260. In a plan view, the plurality of air outlets 262 are arranged so as to surround the air inlet 261. Each of the air inlet 261 and the plurality of air outlets 262 is an opening which penetrates the decorative panel 260 in the up-down direction. The decorative panel 260 is fixed to the peripheral edge of the opening in the casing 220 . An air filter 263 is fixed to the periphery of the air inlet 261 in the decorative panel 260. The air filter 263 removes dust and other particles from the air.

[0026] The piping structure 1 drains drainage generated from an air conditioner 215. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the piping structure 1 includes an external metal drain pipe (metal drain pipe) 10, a connection unit 20, an enlarged diameter portion 45, a resin heat insulating joint 55, and resin drain pipes 80A, 80B. The external metal drain pipe 10 includes a pipe body 11 and a base 12. The pipe body 11 is formed of copper, aluminum, or the like. The inner diameter of the pipe body 11 is 12.7 mm or less. The inner diameter of the pipe body 11 is preferably 9 mm or more. The length of the external metal drain pipe 10 is preferably 1 m or more and 20 m or less. The outer surface of the pipe body 11 is preferably provided with a resin foam. A first end of the pipe body 11 is connected to a check valve 255 of the air conditioner 215. The pipe body 11 extends away from the casing 220. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pipe body 11 is disposed so as to avoid beams 210a, 210b, etc. of the building 200.

[0027] The base 12 includes a first base piece 14 and a second base piece 15. The first base piece 14 and the second base piece 15 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. A female screw 14a is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first side portion of the first base piece 14. It is preferable that the first base piece 14 has a hexagonal shape when viewed in the axial direction of the first base piece 14. The second base piece 15 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of a second side portion of the first base piece 14 opposite to the first side. The second base piece 15 is arranged coaxially with the first base piece 14. The second base piece 15 protrudes from the first side toward the second side further than the first base piece 14. The first base piece 14 and the second base piece 15 constituting the base 12 are integrally formed from a metal such as gunmetal. A second end portion of the tube body 11 opposite to the first end portion is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the second base piece 15 that protrudes from the first base piece 14 .

[0028] The external metal drain pipe may be composed of only the pipe body 11 without including the base 12. In this case, the second end of the pipe body 11 is formed with a female screw.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the connection unit 20 and the expanded diameter portion 45 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The central axes (axial lines) of the connection unit 20 and the expanded diameter portion 45 are arranged coaxially with a common axis. Hereinafter, the common axis is referred to as the axis O1. Since the drain flows in a direction from the connection unit 20 toward the expanded diameter portion 45, this direction is referred to as the downstream side. The direction from the expanded diameter portion 45 toward the connection unit 20 is referred to as the upstream side. When the connection unit 20 and the expanded diameter portion 45 are viewed from a direction along the axis O1, the direction perpendicular to the axis O1 is referred to as the radial direction. The direction going around the axis O1 is referred to as the circumferential direction. It is preferable that a heat insulating material is wrapped around the connection unit 20 and the enlarged diameter portion 45, respectively.

[0030] The connection unit 20 includes a metal connection portion 21 and a resin connection portion 22. The metal connection portion 21 and the resin connection portion 22 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The metal connection part 21 includes a threaded part (third connection part) 24, which is the downstream part, and a coupling part 25, which is the upstream part. The threaded part 24 and the external metal drain pipe 10 constitute a metal connection structure 27. The metal connection structure 27 here refers to a structure in which members made of metal are connected to each other by threaded engagement, claw engagement, or the like. A male thread 24a that fits with the female thread 14a of the external metal drain pipe 10 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the threaded portion 24. That is, the threaded portion 24 is directly connected to the external metal drain pipe 10. The connection unit 20 is connected to the external metal drain pipe 10. In addition, it is preferable that a heat insulating material is provided on the outer surface of the connection unit 20 so that there is no gap between the resin foam provided on the outer surface of the external metal drain pipe 10. The outer circumferential surface of the connecting portion 25 is formed with an uneven portion 25a whose outer diameter changes in the direction of the axis O1. The metal connection part 21 is integrally formed from a metal such as gunmetal, etc. However, the metal connection part may be formed from a resin as long as there is no problem in connecting it to the external metal drain pipe 10.

[0031] The resin connection portion 22 includes a first thin portion 30, a first thick portion 31, a second thick portion 32, and a second thin portion 33. The coupling portion 25, the first thick portion 31, and the second thick portion 32 configure a conversion portion 35. The first thin portion 30, the first thick portion 31, the second thick portion 32, and the second thin portion 33 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The first thin portion 30, the first thick portion 31, the second thick portion 32, and the second thin portion 33 are coaxially arranged in this order from the downstream side to the upstream side, and are integrally configured as a whole. The first thin portion 30 is disposed radially inside the threaded portion 24 and coaxially with the threaded portion 24. The first thin portion 30 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the threaded portion 24. The inner diameter of the first thick portion 31, the inner diameter of the second thick portion 32, and the inner diameter of the first thin portion 30 are equal to each other. The outer diameter of the first thick portion 31 is larger than the outer diameter of the threaded portion 24 and the outer diameter of the first ferrule piece 14. The first thick portion 31 preferably has a hexagonal shape when viewed in the direction of the axis O1. The outer diameter of the second thick-walled portion 32 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first thick-walled portion 31. At the downstream end of the second thick-walled portion 32, the inner diameter gradually increases toward the downstream side. The connecting portion 25 of the metal connection portion 21 is embedded in the first thick-walled portion 31 and the second thick-walled portion 32. The connecting portion 25 is disposed in the radial middle portion of the first thick-walled portion 31 and the second thick-walled portion 32, and is not exposed to the outside. The uneven portion 25a of the connecting portion 25 fits into the first thick-walled portion 31 and the second thick-walled portion 32.

[0032] The second thin-walled portion 33 includes a tubular piece 38, a tapered piece 39, and a spigot piece (fourth connection portion) 40. The tubular piece 38, the tapered piece 39, and the spigot piece 40 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the tubular piece 38, the inner diameter of the tapered piece 39, and the inner diameter of the spigot piece 40 are equal to each other. These inner diameters are larger than the inner diameter of the second thick-walled portion 32. The outer diameter of the cylindrical piece 38 is constant regardless of the position along the axis O1. The outer diameter of the cylindrical piece 38 and the outer diameter of the second thick-walled portion 32 are equal to each other. The outer diameter of the tapered piece 39 gradually decreases toward the downstream side. In this example, grooves 39a are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the tapered piece 39 at intervals in the circumferential direction. The outer diameter of the spigot piece 40 is constant regardless of the position in the direction of the axis O1. The outer diameter of the spigot piece 40 is smaller than the outer diameter of the cylindrical piece 38. The spigot piece 40 functions as a spigot. The resin connection portion 22 is integrally formed from a synthetic resin such as hard polyvinyl chloride resin, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, or polypropylene resin.

[0033] The enlarged diameter portion 45, the resin heat insulating joint 55, and the resin drain pipe 70 are also made of synthetic resin. The second thin-walled portion 33 of the resin connection portion 22, the enlarged diameter portion 45, the resin heat insulating joint 55, and the resin drain pipes 80A and 80B constitute a resin connection structure 90. The resin connection structure 90 here refers to a structure in which members made of synthetic resin are connected to each other by adhesion, claw fitting, or the like. As described above, the conversion portion 35 connects the screw portion 24 and the plug piece 40. The conversion portion 35 converts between the metal connection structure 27 and the resin connection structure 90. As described above, the connection unit 20 includes the screw portion 24, the conversion portion 35, and the spigot piece 40. The metal connection portion and the resin connection portion may be connected to each other by screw fitting, etc. The entire connection unit may be made of synthetic resin.

[0034] The configuration of the expanded diameter portion 45 is not particularly limited as long as the inner diameter of the downstream end is larger than the inner diameter of the upstream end. For example, the expanded diameter portion 45 includes a receiving piece 46 and an expanded diameter piece 47. The receiving piece 46 and the expanded diameter piece 47 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The receiving piece 46 and the expanded diameter piece 47 are coaxially arranged in this order from the downstream side to the upstream side, and are configured as a single unit as a whole. A small diameter portion 46a having an inner diameter smaller than the other portions is formed at the downstream end of the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle piece 46. The spigot piece 40 of the connection unit 20 is disposed within the receptacle piece 46. The spigot piece 40 engages with the small diameter portion 46a of the receptacle piece 46 from the upstream side. The inner diameter of the expansion piece 47 gradually increases toward the downstream side. The outer diameter of the upstream portion of the expansion piece 47 gradually increases toward the downstream side. The outer diameter of the downstream portion of the expansion piece 47 is constant regardless of the position in the direction of the axis O1. The downstream portion of the expansion piece 47 functions as a spigot 47a. The expanded diameter portion 45 is converted so that the inner diameter of the downstream portion of the expanded diameter portion 45 is larger than the inner diameter of the upstream portion of the expanded diameter portion 45.

[0035] The resin insulating joint 55 is a so-called Tee, and is connected to the connection unit 20 via the expanded diameter portion 45. The resin insulating joint 55 includes a main body portion 56, a first socket (first connection portion) 57, a second socket (second connection portion) 58, and a third socket (second connection portion) 59. The configuration of the main body 56 is not particularly limited as long as it includes an air layer S3, which will be described later. For example, the main body 56 includes an inner cylinder 62 and a lid 63. The inner cylinder 62 includes a cylindrical portion 66 , a first flange 67 , and a second flange 68 . The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 66 is larger than the inner diameter of the pipe body 11 of the external metal drain pipe 10. A through hole 66a is formed in the side surface of the cylindrical portion 66. The inner diameter of the through hole 66a is smaller than the outer diameter of the spigot 47a of the enlarged diameter portion 45. The cylindrical portion 66 is disposed so that its axis is aligned in the vertical direction. The first flange 67 protrudes from the upper end of the cylindrical portion 66 toward the radially outer side of the cylindrical portion 66. The first flange 67 is formed around the entire circumference of the cylindrical portion 66. The second flange 68 protrudes from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 66 toward the radially outer side of the cylindrical portion 66. The second flange 68 is formed around the entire circumference of the cylindrical portion 66.

[0036] The lid portion 63 is formed into a cylindrical shape as a whole. The outer diameter of the lid portion 63 and the outer diameters of the flanges 67, 68 are equal to each other. For example, the lid portion 63 is configured by dividing the lid portion 63 into a first lid piece 71A and a second lid piece (not shown) in the circumferential direction of the lid portion 63. The first lid piece 71A includes a cover 72A, a first leg portion 73A, and a second leg portion 74A. When viewed in the vertical direction, the cover 72A has an arc shape with a central angle of approximately 180°. In other words, the cover 72A is curved so as to be convex toward the radially outer side of the lid portion 63. The first leg portion 73A protrudes from an upper end of the cover 72A toward the radially inner side of the lid portion 63. The second leg portion 74A protrudes from a lower end of the cover 72A toward the radially inner side of the lid portion 63. The first leg portion 73A and the second leg portion 74A are spaced apart in the up-down direction. The legs 73A and 74A contact the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 66 from the radially outer side of the cylindrical portion 66. The first leg 73A contacts the lower surface of the first flange 67 from below the first flange 67. The second leg 74A contacts the upper surface of the second flange 68 from above the second flange 68. The second lid piece is configured similarly to the first lid piece 71A.

[0037] An air layer (first heat insulating layer) S3 is formed between the first cover piece 71A and the second cover piece and the cylindrical portion 66. That is, the main body portion 56 has the air layer S3. The air layer S3 contains air. The thermal conductivity of the air layer S3 is lower than the thermal conductivity of the main body 56 and the first socket 57 of the resin thermal insulation joint 55. The air layer S3 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 66 over the entire circumference of the cylindrical portion 66.

[0038] The first socket 57 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 66 so as to surround the through hole 66a. The inner diameter of the first socket 57 is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 66a and is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the spigot 47a of the enlarged diameter portion 45. The peripheral portion of the through hole 66a in the cylindrical portion 66, which protrudes radially inward from the first socket 57, constitutes a locking portion 66b. In this manner, the main body portion 56 connects the first socket 57, the second socket 58, and the third socket 59 to one another. Although the first insulating layer is the air layer S3, the first insulating layer may be a foamed layer such as a foamed resin layer 82A (to be described later) of the resin drain pipe 80A. The resin insulation joint is preferably made of a transparent material, so that the inside of the resin insulation joint can be visually observed.

[0039] The spigot 47a of the expanded diameter portion 45 is disposed within the first socket 57. The spigot 47a is engaged with the locking portion 66b from the radially outer side of the cylindrical portion 66 relative to the locking portion 66b. The first socket 57 is connected to the connection unit 20 via the expanded diameter portion 45. The spigot piece (fourth connection portion) 40 of the connection unit 20 is connected to the first socket (first connection portion) 57 of the resin insulating joint 55 via the expanded diameter portion 45. 2, the second socket 58 and the third socket 59 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The second socket 58 extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the first flange 67. The third socket 59 extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the second flange 68. That is, in the resin insulating joint 55, the central axis of the sockets 58, 59 and the central axis of the first socket 57 are perpendicular to each other. The enlarged diameter portion 45 is disposed between the external metal drain pipe 10 and the resin heat insulating joint 55. More specifically, the enlarged diameter portion 45 is disposed between the connection unit 20 and the resin heat insulating joint 55.

[0040] The resin drain pipes 80A and 80B are a pair of vertical pipes in the building 200. That is, the resin drain pipes 80A and 80B are arranged to extend in the up-down direction. The resin drain pipe 80A is arranged above the resin drain pipe 80B. In this embodiment, the configuration of resin drain pipe 80A and the configuration of resin drain pipe 80B are the same. Therefore, the configuration of resin drain pipe 80A is indicated by adding the capital letter "A" to a number. The configuration of resin drain pipe 80B corresponding to resin drain pipe 80A is indicated by the same number as resin drain pipe 80A, or by adding the capital letter "B" to a number and a lowercase English letter. This avoids redundant explanation. For example, an inner layer pipe 81A of resin drain pipe 80A, which will be described later, and an inner layer pipe 81B of resin drain pipe 80B have the same configuration.

[0041] For example, a resin drain pipe 80A includes an inner layer pipe 81A, a foamed resin layer (foam layer) 82A, and a skin layer 83A. The inner layer pipe 81A is made of hard polyvinyl chloride resin and has a circular tube shape. The foamed resin layer 82A is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner layer pipe 81A and has a circular tube shape. The foamed resin layer 82A is formed by foaming a thermoplastic resin composition containing a resin including a polyvinyl chloride resin and a foaming agent. The skin layer 83A is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the foamed resin layer 82A. That is, the resin drain pipe 80A has the foamed resin layer 82A and is molded integrally with the foamed resin layer 82A. The inner diameter of the resin drain pipe 80A and the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 66 of the resin thermal insulation joint 55 are approximately the same. The resin drain pipe may be constructed by wrapping a foam layer around a resin pipe, etc. In this case, the pipe is formed from a hard polyvinyl chloride resin, and the foam layer is formed from foamed PP (polypropylene) or foamed PE (polyethylene).

[0042] The lower end of the resin drain pipe 80A is disposed in the second receiving port 58 of the resin thermal insulation joint 55. The lower end of the resin drain pipe 80A is engaged with the first flange 67 of the resin thermal insulation joint 55 from above the first flange 67. That is, the second receiving port 58 is connected to the resin drain pipe 80A. As shown in FIG. 1, a portion of the resin drain pipe 80A in the longitudinal direction is disposed within the slab through-hole 201b of the upper slab 201a. The resin drain pipe 80A penetrates the upper slab 201a. A filler 211 such as mortar is disposed between the peripheral portion of the slab through-hole 201b of the upper slab 201a and the resin drain pipe 80A. The upper end of the resin drain pipe 80A is connected to another air conditioner (not shown) configured in the same manner as the air conditioner 215.

[0043] 2, the upper end of the resin drain pipe 80B is disposed in the third receiving port 59 of the resin thermal insulation joint 55. The upper end of the resin drain pipe 80B is engaged with the second flange 68 of the resin thermal insulation joint 55 from below the second flange 68. That is, the third receiving port 59 is connected to the resin drain pipe 80B. In this manner, the resin drain pipes 80A and 80B are connected to the resin thermal insulation joint 55. Although not shown, a longitudinal portion of the resin drain pipe 80B is disposed within the slab through-hole 201b of the lower slab 201. The resin drain pipe 80B penetrates the lower slab 201. A filler 211 is disposed between the peripheral portion of the slab through-hole 201b of the lower slab 201 and the resin drain pipe 80B. In this manner, the external metal drain pipe 10 connects the pair of resin drain pipes 80A, 80B to each other via the connection unit 20, the enlarged diameter portion 45, and the resin thermal insulation joint 55. The piping structure 1 of this embodiment is connected to one air conditioner 215 in one layer 205 .

[0044] Next, the operation of the piping structure 1 configured as above will be described. The drain discharged from the other air conditioner passes through the resin drain pipe 80A and flows into the resin heat insulating joint 55. Note that, for example, the temperature of the drain is lower than the temperature of the outside air and is relatively cold. On the other hand, the drain discharged from the air conditioner 215 flows into the resin heat insulating joint 55 through the external metal drain pipe 10, the connection unit 20, and the enlarged diameter portion 45. The two drains that join together in the resin heat insulating joint 55 are discharged to the outside of the building 200 through the resin drain pipe 80B.

[0045] As described above, according to the piping structure 1 of this embodiment, the external metal drain pipe 10, the connection unit 20, the enlarged diameter portion 45, the resin insulated joint 55, and the resin drain pipes 80A, 80 are connected in this order from the air conditioner 215 side. At that time, the threaded portion 24 of the connection unit 20 is directly connected to the external metal drain pipe 10. The spigot piece 40 of the connection unit 20 is connected to the first socket 57 of the resin insulated joint 55 via the enlarged diameter portion 45. The sockets 58, 59 of the resin insulated joint 55 are connected to the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B. A pipe having a relatively small inner diameter of 12.7 mm or less is used for the external metal drain pipe 10. However, the expanded diameter section 45 is converted so that the inner diameter of the downstream section is larger than the inner diameter of the upstream section. As a result, the inner diameter of the components downstream of the expanded diameter section 45, such as the resin heat insulating joint 55 and the resin drain pipe 80B, is larger than the inner diameter of the external metal drain pipe 10. In this case, it becomes easier to connect the external metal drain pipe 10 to the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B, which generally have a relatively large inner diameter, via the connection unit 20 and the resin heat insulating joint 55. Therefore, the external metal drain pipe 10, which has a relatively small inside diameter, can be easily connected to the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B.

[0046] The connection unit 20 includes a conversion section 35. The conversion section 35 makes it possible to more easily connect the external metal drain pipe 10 and the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B. The external metal drain pipe 10 has an inner diameter of 12.7 mm or less. Even when an external metal drain pipe 10 having a relatively small inner diameter of 12.7 mm or less is used, the external metal drain pipe 10 can be easily connected to the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B.

[0047] The length of the external metal drain pipe 10 is 1 m or more and 20 m or less. Therefore, the pressure loss of the drain flowing inside the external metal drain pipe 10 can be suppressed, and the drain can flow throughout the entire piping structure 1. An external metal drain pipe 10 connects a pair of resin drain pipes 80A, 80B, which are vertical pipes, to each other. The resin drain pipes 80A, 80B are supported by a slab 201. By connecting the pair of resin drain pipes 80A, 80B to each other by the external metal drain pipe 10, the slab 201 can support the external metal drain pipe 10 via the pair of resin drain pipes 80A, 80B.

[0048] The piping structure 1 of this embodiment can have a configuration that can be modified in various ways, as described below. As shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of (e.g., four) air conditioners 215 are installed on a ceiling 208 of a building 200. A piping structure 1a of a first modified example used in the building 200 is connected to the plurality of air conditioners 215. In addition to each component of the piping structure 1, the piping structure 1a includes horizontal resin drain pipes 95A, 95B, 95C, 95D, 95E, and 95F (hereinafter, abbreviated to resin drain pipes 95A to 95F) and a cleaning port 96. When the resin drain pipes 95A to 95F are not to be distinguished from one another, they are also simply referred to as resin drain pipes 95. The resin drain pipes 95A to 95F are configured similarly to the resin drain pipe 80A. The resin drain pipes 95A to 95E are arranged in this order along a horizontal plane in the attic space S1. It is preferable that the resin drain pipes 95A to 95E are arranged at an angle to provide a water gradient. The resin heat insulating joint 55 is connected between adjacent resin drain pipes 95 among the resin drain pipes 95A to 95E.

[0049] An external metal drain pipe 10 connected to some of the multiple air conditioners 215 is connected to some of these resin heat insulating joints 55 via a connection unit 20 and an enlarged diameter portion 45. An external metal drain pipe 10 connected to another part of the multiple air conditioners 215 is connected to another part of these resin insulated joints 55 via a connection unit 20, an enlarged diameter portion 45, the resin insulated joints 55, and a resin drain pipe 95F. An external metal drain pipe 10, which is connected to the remaining parts of the plurality of air conditioners 215, is connected to the remaining parts of these resin heat-insulating joints 55 via a drain pump 116 and a heat-insulating flexible pipe 117, which will be described later. The drain pump 116 and the heat-insulating flexible pipe 117 will be described in the second embodiment.

[0050] The cleaning port 96 is connected to the end of the resin drain pipe 95A opposite to the end of the resin drain pipe 95B. The cleaning port 96 has a known configuration. For example, the cleaning port 96 includes a main body and a lid, not shown. An opening is formed in the main body, and the main body is fixed to the resin drain pipe 95A. The lid detachably covers the opening of the main body. When the cover is removed from the main body, the inside of the resin drain pipe 95A etc. can be cleaned through the opening. The end of the resin drain pipe 95E opposite to the end of the resin drain pipe 95D is connected to a resin heat insulating joint 55. The resin drain pipe 80A (not shown) is connected to the lower part of this resin heat insulating joint 55. The upper receiving port of this resin heat insulating joint 55 is sealed.

[0051] As in a piping structure 1b of a second modification shown in Fig. 4, a resin insulation joint 100 may be provided instead of the resin insulation joint 55 of the piping structure 1. The resin insulation joint 100 is a so-called Y-tee. In the resin insulation joint 100, the central axis of the sockets 58, 59 and the central axis of the first socket 57 are not perpendicular to each other in the resin insulation joint 55. The central axis of the first socket 57 is gradually inclined upward as it becomes farther away from the main body 56.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 5, the piping structure 1c of the third modified example may include a resin heat insulating joint 55a, a pipe 105, an elbow 106, a cap member 107, and a first resin drain pipe 110 in addition to the components of the piping structure 1. The resin drain pipes 80A and 80B correspond to the second resin drain pipe. The pipe 105, the elbow 106, and the cap member 107 correspond to another piping structure. The resin insulation joint 55a is configured similarly to the resin insulation joint 55. The resin insulation joint 55a includes a first socket 57a, a second socket 58a, and a third socket 59a configured similarly to the first socket 57, the second socket 58, and the third socket 59. The third socket 59a of the resin insulation joint 55a corresponds to the fifth connection part. The enlarged diameter part 45 is connected to the first socket 57a of the resin insulation joint 55a. The pipe 105 is formed of a copper pipe material, etc. A first end of the pipe 105 is connected to the third socket 59a of the resin heat insulating joint 55a by an adhesive or the like. For example, the elbow 106 is a so-called 45° elbow having a central angle of 45°. A first receiving port of the elbow 106 is connected to a second end of the pipe 105. The cap member 107 can be freely attached to and detached from a second receiving port on the opposite side of the first receiving port of the elbow 106. Normally, the cap member 107 is attached to the second receiving port of the elbow 106. During maintenance, by removing the cap member 107 from the elbow 106, cleaning of the inside of the resin insulating joint 55a and the like can be performed via the elbow 106 and the piping 105. It should be noted that another resin drain pipe or the like may be connected to the third receiving port 59a of the resin heat insulating joint 55a.

[0053] The first resin drain pipe 110 is a horizontal pipe configured similarly to the resin drain pipe 80A. A first end of the first resin drain pipe 110 is connected to the second socket 58a of the resin heat insulating joint 55a. A second end of the first resin drain pipe 110 opposite to the first end is connected to the first socket 57 of the resin heat insulating joint 55. That is, the first resin drain pipe 110 and the resin drain pipes 80A and 80B are connected to each other via the resin heat insulating joint 55. The first resin drain pipe 110 is supported on the ceiling 208 by a support 111. The first resin drain pipe 110 may be supported on the upper slab 201a.

[0054] In the piping structure 1c of this modified example, the first resin drain pipe 110 is supported by the ceiling 208, and the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B are supported by the slab 201. By connecting the first resin drain pipe 110 and the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B to each other, the positions of the first resin drain pipe 110 and the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B can be made more stable. The third receiving port 59a of the resin heat insulating joint 55a can be used by connecting it to another piping structure including, for example, a resin drain pipe or a plurality of piping structures.

[0055] Moreover, the piping structures 1a, 1b, and 1c of the modified examples configured as above can also achieve the same effects as the piping structure 1 of the present embodiment.

[0056] The piping structure may include a second insulating layer disposed on the outer surface of the connection unit 20. The second insulating layer may be formed of an air layer, a foam layer, or the like, as described above. The connection unit 20 is cooled by the drainage water flowing inside the connection unit 20. However, the second insulation layer disposed on the outer surface of the connection unit 20 can suppress the occurrence of condensation on the outer surface of the connection unit 20.

[0057] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 6 and 7. The same components as those in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Only the differences will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the piping structure 2 of the present embodiment includes a connection unit 115 instead of the connection unit 20 of the piping structure 1 of the first embodiment. The connection unit 115 includes the threaded portion 24, the spigot piece 40, a second drain pump (drain pump) 116, and an insulated flexible tube 117. That is, the piping structure 2 does not include the conversion portion 35, and the threaded portion 24 and the spigot piece 40 are separated.

[0058] Although not shown, the second drain pump 116 includes a storage section and a pump section. The storage section is formed to have a predetermined volume so as to be able to store drain. The pump section discharges the drain stored in the storage section. The second drain pump 116 is connected to the connector 12 of the external metal drain pipe 10. The second drain pump 116 increases the pressure of the drain that has flowed in from the external metal drain pipe 10 and discharges it. The heat-insulating flexible pipe 117 is a flexible pipe having a second heat-insulating layer such as an air layer. For example, the heat-insulating flexible pipe 117 is configured by forming a soft drain hose into a coaxial double-pipe structure. The second heat-insulating layer is formed between the double drain hose. The heat-insulating flexible pipe 117 is formed in a curved shape that is convex upward. A threaded portion 24 serving as a third connection portion is connected to a first end portion of the heat-insulating flexible tube 117. A spigot piece 40 serving as a fourth connection portion is connected to a second end portion of the heat-insulating flexible tube 117 opposite the first end portion. The threaded portion 24 is connected to a second drain pump 116. The spigot piece 40 is connected to an expanded diameter portion 45. In this example, the expanded diameter portion 45 is disposed between the heat insulating flexible tube 117 and the resin heat insulating joint 55a. In this embodiment, the threaded portion 24 is indirectly connected to the external metal drain pipe 10 via the second drain pump 116. The connection unit 115 is composed of a plurality of coupling members such as the threaded portion 24 and the spigot piece 40.

[0059] The expanded diameter portion 45 may be disposed between the second drain pump 116 and the resin heat insulating joint 55a. That is, the expanded diameter portion 45 may be disposed between the second drain pump 116 and the heat insulating flexible tube 117.

[0060] As described above, according to the piping structure 2 of the present embodiment, the external metal drain pipe 10 having a relatively small inner diameter can be easily connected to the resin drain pipes 80A, 80B. Furthermore, the pressure of the drain flowing out from the air conditioner 215 can be increased by the second drain pump 116, and the drain can be made to flow through the thermally insulated flexible tube 117. Even if the thermally insulated flexible tube 117 is curved so as to be convex upward, that is, formed into a shape for pumping up, the drain can be made to flow inside the thermally insulated flexible tube 117. By arranging the expanded diameter section 45 downstream of the second drain pump 116, a tube with a relatively small inner diameter can be used as the thermally insulated flexible tube 117.

[0061] 7, a plurality of (for example, four) air conditioners 215 may be connected to the piping structure 2 of the present embodiment. By configuring in this manner, the drains flowing out from the plurality of air conditioners 215 can each flow through the heat-insulating flexible pipes 117.

[0062] Although the first and second embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications, combinations, deletions, etc. of the configurations within the scope of the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the configurations shown in each embodiment can be used in appropriate combinations. For example, in the first and second embodiments, as shown in Fig. 8, the third connection portion of the connection unit may be a hopper 120 that is not directly connected to the external metal drain pipe 10. The hopper 120 includes a large diameter portion 121, a tapered portion 122, and a small diameter portion 123. The large diameter portion 121 and the small diameter portion 123 are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the large diameter portion 121 is larger than the inner diameter of the external metal drain pipe 10. The inner diameter of the small diameter portion 123 is smaller than the inner diameter of the large diameter portion 121. In the tapered portion 122, the inner diameter gradually decreases toward the bottom.

[0063] The end of the external metal drain pipe 10 is arranged coaxially with the large diameter portion 121 and above the large diameter portion 121 . The external metal drain pipe 10 and the hopper 120 are spaced apart from each other at least in a portion around the end of the external metal drain pipe 10. In this case, the drain conveyed by the external metal drain pipe 10 is indirectly drained into the hopper 120.

[0064] In the first and second embodiments, the third connection portion of the connection unit 20, 115 is the screw portion 24. However, the third connection portion may be a socket, a spigot, or a flange. In these cases, the third connection portion is directly connected to the external metal drain pipe 10. Similarly, the first connection portion, the second connection portion, the fourth connection portion, and the fifth connection portion may be a socket, a spigot, or a flange. The expansion may be configured as part of the connection unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1,1a,1b,1c,2 Piping structure 10 External metal drain pipe (metal drain pipe) 20,115 Connection Units 24 Threaded section (third connection section) 27 Metallic connection structure 35 Conversion unit 40 Socket piece (4th connection part) 45 Expanded diameter part 55, 55a, 100 Resin insulation joint 56 Main body 57, 57a First socket (first connection part) 58, 58a Second socket (second connection part) 59, 59a 3rd socket (2nd connection part) 59a 3rd socket (5th connection part) 80A, 80B Resin drain pipe (second resin drain pipe) 90A, 90B, 90C, 90D, 90E, 90F Resin drain pipe 82A, 82B Foamed resin layer (foamed layer) 90 Resin connection structure 110 First resin drain pipe (resin drain pipe) 116 Second drain pump (drain pump) 117 Insulated flexible pipe 120 Hopper (third connection) 200 Buildings 201 Slab 208 Ceiling 215 Air conditioner S3 Air layer (first insulation layer)

Claims

1. A piping structure for draining drain water generated from an air conditioner, comprising: a connection unit connected to an external drain pipe with one end connected to the air conditioner; a resin heat-insulating joint connected to the other end of the connection unit; a diameter-expanding portion disposed between the external drain pipe and the resin heat-insulating joint, which converts the inner diameter of the downstream portion of itself to be larger than the inner diameter of the upstream portion of itself; and comprising; the resin heat-insulating joint includes: a first connection portion connected to the connection unit; a second connection portion connected to a resin drain pipe; and a main body portion provided with a first heat-insulating layer; the connection unit includes: a third connection portion directly or indirectly connected to the external drain pipe; a fourth connection portion connected to the first connection portion of the resin heat-insulating joint; and a conversion portion connecting the third connection portion and the fourth connection portion; the diameter-expanding portion has a diameter-expanding piece whose inner diameter increases toward the downstream side; the conversion portion has a portion whose inner diameter increases toward the downstream side, and is a piping structure.

2. The piping structure according to Claim 1, wherein a heat-insulating material is formed around the connection unit.

3. The piping structure according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein a heat-insulating material is formed around the diameter-expanding portion.

4. The piping structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the inside of the resin heat-insulating joint is visible.

5. the resin drain pipe is a pair of riser pipes that penetrate a pair of slabs spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction in a building; the resin heat-insulating joint connects the pair of riser pipes, and is the piping structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

6. the resin drain pipe includes: a first resin drain pipe supported by the ceiling of the building; and a second resin drain pipe penetrating the slab of the building; the first resin drain pipe and the second resin drain pipe are connected to each other, and is the piping structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 5.

7. A connection unit used in the piping structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, comprising: a third connection portion directly or indirectly connected to the external drain pipe; a fourth connection portion connected to the first connection portion of the resin heat-insulating joint; and a conversion portion connecting the third connection portion and the fourth connection portion; the diameter-expanding portion has a diameter-expanding piece whose inner diameter increases toward the downstream side; the conversion portion has a portion whose inner diameter increases toward the downstream side, and is a connection unit.

8. A piping structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, An air conditioner comprising a casing, a turbo fan, an indoor heat exchanger, and a drain pump.

9. An air conditioning system comprising an air conditioner connected to a piping structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. A building comprising the air conditioning system according to claim 9.

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