Air conditioner
By integrating a drain pan with dual flow paths and a single drain pipe between the condenser and evaporator in an air conditioner, the complexity and bulkiness of existing designs are reduced, enabling a simpler, more compact structure with efficient water management and operational flexibility.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023181045
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-20
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-02
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-10-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing air conditioner designs with integrated condensers and evaporators are complex and bulky due to the presence of multiple pipes for guiding drain water, which complicates the structure and increases size.
The air conditioner features a housing with a condenser and evaporator positioned vertically, with a drain pan interposed between them and a single drain pipe connected to the drain pan, which includes a first flow path directing condensed water to the condenser and a second flow path guiding it to the drain pipe, switchable via an operation unit.
This configuration simplifies the air conditioner structure, allowing for a more compact design by eliminating the need for multiple pipes and valves, while also enabling efficient water management and operation switching between cooling and dehumidification modes.
Smart Images
Figure 2025070598000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner. [Background technology]
[0002] For example, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is known regarding an integrated air conditioner configured to house a condenser and an evaporator in a single housing. That is, Patent Document 1 describes an air conditioner configured such that a condenser is provided below an evaporator, and a drain pan is provided between the condenser and the evaporator. Patent Document 1 further describes the provision of an on-off valve that switches the flow path between a case in which drain water flows from the drain pan to the condenser via a lower drain water drainage path, and a case in which drain water flows from the drain pan to a drain tank via an upper drain water drainage path. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-214538 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, in addition to the above-mentioned on-off valve, multiple pipes for guiding drain water are provided inside the housing, which may lead to a complex and large-sized structure of the air conditioner.
[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an air conditioner with a simple configuration that can be made compact. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes a housing, a condenser disposed inside the housing, an evaporator disposed above the condenser inside the housing, a drain pan interposed between the condenser and the evaporator in the vertical direction, and a drain pipe connected to the drain pan, and the drain pan has a first flow path that guides condensed water generated in the evaporator to the condenser, a second flow path that guides condensed water generated in the evaporator to the drain pipe, and an operation unit that switches from one of the first flow path and the second flow path to the other. Other details will be explained in the embodiments. Effect of the Invention
[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an air conditioner with a simple configuration that can be made compact. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is an enlarged view of a main portion including an evaporator drain pan of FIG. 1 in the air conditioner according to the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view of an evaporator drain pan cut along a predetermined plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction in the air conditioner according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an evaporator drain pan provided in the air conditioner according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view including an evaporator drain pan with a first drain hole open in the air conditioner according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view including an evaporator drain pan with a first drain hole blocked by a lid in the air conditioner according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram relating to the amount of condensation water flowing down through an evaporator drain pan of the air conditioner according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 2A and 2B are a plan view and a side view of a main body of an evaporator drain pan provided in an air conditioner according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] <Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment. In the air conditioner 100, the side on which the condenser 4, the evaporator 5, and the drain tank 9 are provided is referred to as the front side (front side). Also, in Fig. 1, illustration of a capillary tube connected to the upstream side of the accumulator 3 and the like is omitted. The air conditioner 100 shown in Fig. 1 is a floor-standing, all-in-one air conditioner in which a condenser 4 and an evaporator 5 are housed in a single housing 1, and is also called a spot air conditioner. This type of air conditioner 100 is capable of directing cool air at a spot on a user (such as a worker), and can be moved by hand, so it is often used in factories, construction sites, and kitchens.
[0010] 1, the air conditioner 100 includes a housing 1, a compressor 2, an accumulator 3, a condenser 4, an evaporator 5, an evaporator drain pan 6 (drain pan), a condenser drain pan 7, a drain pipe 8, and a drain tank 9. In addition to the above-mentioned components, the air conditioner 100 also includes a blower motor 10, a support member 11, a partition wall 12, an evaporator blower 13, a condenser blower 14, and casters 15.
[0011] The housing 1 is a metal box for accommodating components such as the compressor 2, the condenser 4, and the evaporator 5, and has a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. The housing 1 has a mesh panel 1a on its front side. When the blower motor 10 is driven, air is sucked into the housing 1 through multiple gaps in the mesh panel 1a. A filter (not shown) for collecting dust may be installed inside the mesh panel 1a.
[0012] A tank housing section 1b that is recessed toward the rear is provided in the lower portion of the front side of the housing 1 (below the mesh panel 1a). A drain tank 9 is accommodated in the tank housing section 1b. The drain tank 9 can be removed by the user by pulling it out toward the front.
[0013] An opening 1d for cold air is provided on the top panel 1c of the housing 1. Although not shown in FIG. 1, a cold air duct is installed in the opening 1d for cold air. Air (cold air) cooled by the evaporator 5 is blown out through the cold air duct. The cold air duct is, for example, a bellows-shaped cylinder made of resin, and is capable of expanding and contracting and bending. This allows the user to manually adjust the position where the cold air is blown out in a spot.
[0014] An exhaust opening (not shown) is also provided on the top panel 1c of the housing 1. An exhaust duct (not shown) is installed in the exhaust opening. Air (hot air) that has absorbed heat in the condenser 4 is exhausted upwards through the exhaust duct. Additionally, a dial-type switch for turning the power on and off and switching the operation mode is provided on the top panel 1c of the housing 1.
[0015] The compressor 2 is a device that compresses a low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant and discharges it as a high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant. For example, a rotary compressor or a scroll compressor is used as the compressor 2. The accumulator 3 separates the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 4 into gas and liquid, and is connected to the suction side of the compressor 2.
[0016] The condenser 4 is a heat exchanger in which heat is exchanged between the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 2 and the air sucked in through the mesh panel 1a, and is disposed inside the housing 1. For example, a fin-tube type heat exchanger is used as the condenser 4. The fin-tube type heat exchanger has a configuration in which a heat transfer tube (not shown) penetrates a plurality of fins (not shown) at a predetermined position. In the example of FIG. 1, the condenser 4 faces the lower part of the mesh panel 1a and is disposed in close proximity to the mesh panel 1a.
[0017] 1, the air conditioner 100 is also provided with a capillary tube. The capillary tube is a long, thin copper tube (capillary tube) for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 4. The refrigerant reduced in pressure by the capillary tube is guided to the evaporator 5.
[0018] The evaporator 5 is a heat exchanger in which heat is exchanged between the refrigerant decompressed by the capillary tube and the air sucked in through the mesh panel 1a. For example, a fin-tube type heat exchanger is used as the evaporator 5. In the example of Fig. 1, the evaporator 5 faces the upper part of the mesh panel 1a and is installed in close proximity to the mesh panel 1a.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the evaporator 5 is disposed above the condenser 4 inside the housing 1. The evaporator 5 and the condenser 4 are spaced apart in the up-down direction. An evaporator drain pan 6 (drain pan) described later is disposed between the evaporator 5 and the condenser 4. Since the amount of heat released by the refrigerant in the condenser 4 is greater than the amount of heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the evaporator 5 (the difference in heat amount is provided by the compressor 2), the total length of the heat transfer tube (not shown) of the condenser 4 is longer than that of the evaporator 5. As a result, the length of the condenser 4 in the front-rear direction is longer than that of the evaporator 5.
[0020] As described above, both the condenser 4 and the evaporator 5 are close to the mesh panel 1a in the front-rear direction. That is, the positions of the front ends of the condenser 4 and the evaporator 5 are approximately the same in the front-rear direction. This is so that the air sucked into the inside of the housing 1 through the mesh panel 1a flows directly toward the condenser 4 and the evaporator 5. Also, the length of the evaporator 5 in the front-rear direction is shorter than that of the condenser 4. Therefore, the rear end of the evaporator 5 is located further forward than the rear end of the condenser 4 in the front-rear direction.
[0021] The evaporator drain pan 6 (drain pan) receives condensation water dripping from the evaporator 5. Such an evaporator drain pan 6 may be made of metal or resin. As shown in FIG. 1, the evaporator drain pan 6 is interposed between the condenser 4 and the evaporator 5 in the vertical direction. Details of the evaporator drain pan 6 will be described later.
[0022] The condenser drain pan 7 receives water dripping from the condenser 4, and is disposed below the condenser 4. That is, the condenser drain pan 7 has a function of receiving condensation water that drips from the evaporator 5 through the evaporator drain pan 6 during cooling operation and that has not completely evaporated in the condenser 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the condenser drain pan 7 includes a drainage section 7a. The condensation water that drips from the condenser 4 into the condenser drain pan 7 is guided to the drain tank 9 via the drainage section 7a.
[0023] The drain pipe 8 is an inverted L-shaped pipe that guides the condensed water from the evaporator 5 to the condenser drain pan 7 without passing through the condenser 4 during dehumidification operation. As shown in FIG. 1, the drain pipe 8 is connected to the evaporator drain pan 6 (drain pan). Specifically, the upstream end of the drain pipe 8 is connected to the drain pipe connection portion 61a of the evaporator drain pan 6. Meanwhile, the downstream end of the drain pipe 8 faces the condenser drain pan 7. The condensed water guided to the condenser drain pan 7 via the drain pipe 8 flows into the drain tank 9 via the drain portion 7a.
[0024] The drain tank 9 is a tank for storing condensed water, and is disposed below the condenser 4 inside the housing 1. The drain tank 9 is accommodated in the tank accommodation section 1b of the housing 1. When the user discards the condensed water accumulated in the drain tank 9, the drain tank 9 is pulled out to the front. Then, after the condensed water has been discarded, the drain tank 9 is accommodated again in the tank accommodation section 1b.
[0025] The blower motor 10 is a drive source for the evaporator blower 13 and the condenser blower 14, and is disposed in the upper space of the housing 1. The central axis (not shown) of the blower motor 10 is perpendicular to the front and back faces of the housing 1, and passes near the center of the evaporator 5 in the front-rear and left-right directions.
[0026] As shown in Fig. 1, blower motor 10 is connected to evaporator blower 13 on one axial side (front side). Blower motor 10 is connected to condenser blower 14 on the other axial side (rear side). When blower motor 10 is driven, evaporator blower 13 and condenser blower 14 rotate together. Support member 11 shown in Fig. 1 is a metal member for fixing blower motor 10 to housing 1.
[0027] Partition wall 12 is a wall that divides the internal space of housing 1 into a cold air side and a hot air side, and is installed in housing 1. Space A1 on the cold air side is a space through which air (cold air) cooled by evaporator 5 flows. Space A2 on the hot air side is a space through which air (hot air) that has absorbed heat in condenser 4 flows. In the example of Fig. 1, thick partition wall 12 is provided so as to separate the periphery of evaporator blower 13 from the rest.
[0028] The evaporator blower 13 is a blower for sending the air (cold air) cooled by the evaporator 5 into a cold air duct (not shown), and is disposed in the space A1 on the cold air side. For example, a sirocco fan is used as such an evaporator blower 13. The rotating shaft of the blower motor 10 is inserted through a hole (not shown) in the partition wall 12 and connected to the evaporator blower 13. As the evaporator blower 13 rotates, the air (cold air) cooled by the evaporator 5 is blown out through the cold air duct (not shown).
[0029] The condenser blower 14 is a blower for sending the air (hot air) that has absorbed heat in the condenser 4 to an exhaust duct (not shown), and is disposed in the space A2 on the hot air side. For example, a sirocco fan is used as the condenser blower 14. As the condenser blower 14 rotates, the air (hot air) that has absorbed heat in the condenser 4 is blown out through the exhaust duct (not shown).
[0030] 1 allow the user to push the air conditioner 100 by hand and are provided at the four corners of the underside of the housing 1. In addition, the air conditioner 100 is equipped with a board (not shown) on which control circuits (e.g., relay circuits) for the compressor 2 and the blower motor 10 are mounted.
[0031] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main portion including the evaporator drain pan 6 of FIG. As described above, the evaporator drain pan 6 shown in Fig. 2 receives condensation water dripping from the evaporator 5, and includes a main body 61, a partition plate 62, a lid 63, and an operation unit 64 (see Fig. 4). The main body 61 is box-shaped with an open top. The partition plate 62 is a plate that divides the inside of the main body 61 into upper and lower parts. Here, the "inside" of the main body 61 means the space formed by the inner wall surface of the box-shaped main body 61 (see also Fig. 4) and a virtual plane (not shown) that includes the edge of the opening of the main body 61.
[0032] The partition plate 62 is provided with a first drain hole 62d (see FIG. 4) that guides condensation water from the evaporator 5 to the space below the partition plate 62 during cooling operation. The lid 63 closes the first drain hole 62d (see FIG. 4) of the partition plate 62 in the closed state. An operating unit 64 (see FIG. 4) for switching between opening and closing the lid 63 will be described later.
[0033] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the evaporator drain pan 6 cut along a predetermined plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 3, a third drain hole 61c is provided in a predetermined position on the main body 61 above the partition plate 62. In the example of FIG. 3, the third drain hole 61c is provided on the rear surface of the main body 61 near the center in the left-right direction. The third drain hole 61c is a hole that guides condensation water that drips from the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 2) to the drain pipe 8 during dehumidification operation. The drain pipe 8 is inserted into a cylindrical drain pipe connection portion 61a (see FIG. 2) that extends rearward from the periphery of the third drain hole 61c. Such a configuration is also included in the matter of the drain pipe 8 being connected to the third drain hole 61c.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom surface of the main body 61 has a pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n on the left and right. The inclined surfaces 61m, 61n are inclined so that the height position becomes lower as the distance from the center in the horizontal direction increases. Although details will be described later, the amount of condensation water dripping from the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 2) per unit time tends to be the largest near the center in the horizontal direction and to decrease closer to both ends. Therefore, in this embodiment, the inclined surfaces 61m, 61n are provided to equalize the amount of condensation water flowing down from the main body 61 to the condenser 4 during cooling operation in the horizontal direction. In addition, a plurality of second drainage holes 61b (see FIG. 4) are provided on the bottom surface of the main body 61.
[0035] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the evaporator drain pan 6. As shown in FIG. As described above, the evaporator drain pan 6 includes the main body 61, the partition plate 62, the cover 63, and the operation portion 64. As shown in FIG. 4, the partition plate 62 has a predetermined step. Specifically, the partition plate 62 includes a front flat portion 62a, an inclined portion 62b, and a rear flat portion 62c, which are connected in sequence. The front flat portion 62a has a horizontally long rectangular plate shape and extends approximately parallel to the horizontal plane. The area of the front flat portion 62a in plan view corresponds to the area of the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 2) in plan view. The lower end of the evaporator 5 is in contact with the upper surface of the front flat portion 62a. The evaporator 5 (see FIG. 2) is supported by the front flat portion 62a.
[0036] The inclined portion 62b is connected to the rear end of the front flat portion 62a and is inclined downward toward the rear. That is, the inclined portion 62b is inclined so that the height position becomes lower as the distance from the front flat portion 62a in the front-to-rear direction increases. The rear flat portion 62c has a horizontally long rectangular plate shape and is connected to the rear end of the inclined portion 62b. The rear flat portion 62c is parallel to the front flat portion 62a.
[0037] As shown in Fig. 4, the rear flat surface 62c is lower in height than the front flat surface 62a. Condensed water dripping from the evaporator 5 (see Fig. 2) onto the front flat surface 62a flows down the inclined portion 62b into the rear flat surface 62c.
[0038] Further, the partition plate 62 is provided with a first drainage hole 62d. Specifically, the first drainage hole 62d is provided near the center of the rear flat surface portion 62c in the horizontal direction. The first drainage hole 62d is a hole that guides condensation water that drips from the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 2) onto the partition plate 62 during cooling operation to the space below the partition plate 62 (the space between the bottom surface of the main body portion 61 and the partition plate 62).
[0039] 4, the main body 61 has a horizontally long box shape that is open at the top, and includes a front support portion 61d and a pair of left and right rear support portions 61e. The front support portion 61d is a portion that supports the front flat portion 62a of the partition plate 62. The front support portion 61d has a horizontally long rectangular plate shape and extends rearward from the front plate 61f of the main body 61.
[0040] The height position of the front support portion 61d is lower than the upper end of the front plate 61f of the main body portion 61. As a result, the front plate 61f of the main body portion 61 restricts the forward movement of the partition plate 62. The pair of left and right rear support portions 61e are portions that support the rear flat surface portion 62c of the partition plate 62. The left rear support portion 61e is L-shaped in a plan view, and extends inward from the rear left corner of the main body portion 61 (the same applies to the right rear support portion 61e).
[0041] The bottom surface of the main body 61 includes a central portion 61h, a pair of left and right inclined surfaces 61m, 61n, and a pair of left and right side flat surfaces 61p, 61q. Details of each of these components will be described later. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of second drainage holes 61b are provided on the bottom surface of the main body 61. Specifically, a plurality of second drainage holes 61b are provided on each of the central portion 61h, the inclined surfaces 61m, 61n, and the side flat surfaces 61p, 61q. These second drainage holes 61b are holes for guiding condensed water that drips from the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 2) into the evaporator drain pan 6 during cooling operation to the condenser 4 (see FIG. 2).
[0042] The lid 63 shown in Fig. 4 blocks the first drainage hole 62d of the partition plate 62 in the closed state (see Fig. 6), and opens the first drainage hole 62d in the open state (see Fig. 5). The lid 63 has a size large enough to block the first drainage hole 62d, and is disposed above the partition plate 62. The open and closed state of the lid 63 is switched by a user operating the operating unit 64 in a predetermined manner.
[0043] The operating unit 64 is a member for moving the lid 63. That is, the operating unit 64 has a function of switching from one of a closed state (see FIG. 6) in which the first drainage hole 62d is blocked by the lid 63, to an open state (see FIG. 5) in which the first drainage hole 62d is open, to the other. In the example of FIG. 4, the operating unit 64 is integrally formed with the lid 63.
[0044] As shown in Fig. 4, the operation unit 64 includes a manual operation unit 64a and a connection unit 64b. The manual operation unit 64a is a portion that is manually operated by a user. As shown in Fig. 4, a long and narrow slit 61s is provided in the left side plate 61k of the main body 61 in the front-rear direction. The slit 61s is for moving the manual operation unit 64a in the front-rear direction by the user's operation.
[0045] In addition, another slit (not shown) is provided in the housing 1 (see FIG. 1) at a position corresponding to the slit 61s of the main body 61. The manual operation unit 64a is exposed to the outside of the housing 1 (see FIG. 1) through the slit 61s of the main body 61 and the slit (not shown) of the housing 1 in that order. When switching from one of the cooling operation and the dehumidifying operation to the other, the manual operation unit 64a is operated in a predetermined manner by the user.
[0046] The connection part 64b is a part that connects the manual operation part 64a and the lid 63. In the example of Fig. 4, the connection part 64b includes a first connection part 641b and a second connection part 642b. The first connection part 641b extends in an elongated manner in the horizontal direction from the lid 63 so as to follow the upper surface of the rear flat part 62c of the partition plate 62 (see also Fig. 5). The second connection part 642b is a part that connects the first connection part 641b and the manual operation part 64a, and extends in the vertical direction along the inner wall surface of the left side plate 61k of the main body part 61 (see also Fig. 5).
[0047] The evaporator drain pan 6 (drain pan) has a "first flow path" that guides the condensed water generated in the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 1) to the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1), and a "second flow path" that guides the condensed water generated in the evaporator 5 to the drain pipe 8. More specifically, the "first flow path" is a flow path that guides the condensed water to the drain tank 9 (see FIG. 1) via the condenser 4. In this embodiment, the "first flow path" is configured to include a first drain hole 62d of the partition plate 62 and a plurality of second drain holes 61b of the main body 61. For example, during cooling operation, the condensed water is guided to the condenser 4 via the "first flow path".
[0048] The "second flow path" is a flow path that guides condensed water to the drain tank 9 without passing through the condenser 4. In this embodiment, the "second flow path" is configured to include the third drain hole 61c of the main body 61. For example, during dehumidification operation, the condensed water is guided to the drain pipe 8 via the "second flow path" and further to the drain tank 9. Then, by operating the operation unit 64 in a predetermined manner, the "first flow path" and the "second flow path" can be switched from one to the other. This allows switching from one to the other of the cooling operation and the dehumidification operation.
[0049] FIG. 5 is a perspective view including the evaporator drain pan 6 with the first drain hole 62d open. For example, when the first drainage hole 62d of the partition plate 62 is blocked by the lid 63 (see FIG. 6), the first drainage hole 62d is opened when the lid 63 is moved backward by operating the manual operation unit 64a (see FIG. 4). When the compressor 2 (see FIG. 1) and the blower motor 10 (see FIG. 1) are driven in this state, the cooling operation is performed. Note that characters such as "cooling" or "dehumidification" may be displayed near the manual operation unit 64a (see FIG. 4) on the left side surface of the housing 1 (see FIG. 1). The lid 63 may be opened (or closed) while the compressor 2 and the blower motor 10 are being driven.
[0050] Condensed water that drips from the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 1) into the evaporator drain pan 6 during cooling operation is guided to the space below the partition plate 62 through the first drainage holes 62d. The condensed water then drips into the high-temperature condenser 4 (see FIG. 1) through a plurality of second drainage holes 61b (see FIG. 4) in the bottom surface of the main body 61. The condensed water then adheres to the surfaces of the fins (not shown) and heat transfer tubes (not shown) of the condenser 4.
[0051] As a result, part of the condensed water evaporates due to the heat of the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1) as well as the wind caused by the rotation of the condenser blower 14 (see FIG. 1). Note that the remaining condensed water that has not completely evaporated is guided to the drain tank 9 (see FIG. 1) via the condenser drain pan 7 (see FIG. 1). In this way, because part of the condensed water evaporates in the condenser 4, the frequency with which the user discards the water accumulated in the drain tank 9 can be reduced. In addition, because heat is taken from the refrigerant as the condensed water evaporates, condensation of the refrigerant in the condenser 4 is promoted.
[0052] FIG. 6 is a perspective view including the evaporator drain pan 6 with the first drain hole covered with a lid 63. FIG. For example, when the lid 63 is moved forward by operating the manual operation unit 64a (see FIG. 4) from a state in which the first drainage hole 62d of the partition plate 62 is open (see FIG. 5), the first drainage hole 62d becomes blocked by the lid 63. When the compressor 2 (see FIG. 1) and the blower motor 10 (see FIG. 1) are driven in this state, a dehumidifying operation is performed. The rotation speeds of the compressor 2 (see FIG. 1) and the blower motor 10 (see FIG. 1) may be the same or different during cooling operation and dehumidifying operation, or either may be acceptable.
[0053] During dehumidification operation, condensation water that drips from the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 1) into the evaporator drain pan 6 is led to the drain tank 9 (see FIG. 1) via the drain pipe 8 and the condenser drain pan 7 (see FIG. 1) in this order without passing through the condenser 4. As a result, the condensation water in the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 1) is not evaporated in the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1) and is not returned to the room, but is collected in the drain tank 9. As a result, moist hot air is not blown out from the exhaust duct (not shown) during dehumidification operation (i.e., dry hot air is blown out), which promotes dehumidification in the room.
[0054] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram relating to the amount of condensed water flowing down through the evaporator drain pan 6. As shown in FIG. 7 indicate the flow of condensed water. The larger the white arrow, the greater the amount of condensed water per unit time. As described above, the central axis (not shown) of the evaporator blower 13 (see FIG. 1) passes through the vicinity of the center of the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 1). In addition, the mesh panel 1a (see FIG. 1) on the front side of the evaporator 5 has a frame portion (not shown) of the mesh panel 1a provided near the lateral end. Therefore, ventilation is good near the center of the evaporator 5 (i.e., the air flow rate is high), and as a result, the temperature of the fins of the evaporator 5 is low, making condensation water more likely to occur. In addition, ventilation is poorer near the lateral end of the evaporator 5, so the temperature of the fins becomes higher and condensation water tends to be less likely to occur.
[0055] If the condensed water from the evaporator 5 were allowed to flow directly into the condenser 4 via the evaporator drain pan 6, the condensed water would also be more concentrated near the horizontal center of the condenser 4. In other words, the amount of condensed water flowing down into the condenser 4 would be uneven. As a result, condensed water would be more likely to not evaporate completely in the condenser 4, shortening the time it takes for the drain tank 9 (see FIG. 1) to become full. In other words, the user would have to empty the water from the drain tank 9 more frequently, which would increase the burden on the user.
[0056] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, a pair of left and right inclined surfaces 61m, 61n are provided on the bottom surface of the main body 61 of the evaporator drain pan 6. This makes it possible to equalize the amount of condensed water flowing down to the condenser 4 in the horizontal direction.
[0057] FIG. 8 is a plan view and a side view of the main body 61 of the evaporator drain pan 6 (also see FIG. 4 as appropriate). 8 is a plan view of main body 61, and the lower side is a side view of main body 61. In addition, in the plan view of Fig. 8, since the upper side of the paper is the "front," "left" and "right" are reversed relative to the left and right of the paper (the same applies to the side view). As described above, the bottom surface of the main body 61 has a central portion 61h located approximately in the center in the horizontal direction, a pair of left and right inclined surfaces 61m, 61n, and a pair of left and right lateral flat surfaces 61p, 61q, which are integrally formed.
[0058] The central portion 61h has a rectangular shape in a plan view and is provided directly below the first drainage hole 62d (see FIG. 4). Therefore, during cooling operation with the lid 63 open (see FIG. 5), condensation water first flows down to the central portion 61h through the first drainage hole 62d (see FIG. 5). The plate surface of the central portion 61h is approximately parallel to the front flat portion 62a (see FIG. 4) and the rear flat portion 62c (see FIG. 4) of the partition plate 62. When the partition plate 62 (see FIG. 4) is installed, the central portion 61h and the partition plate 62 are spaced apart in the up-down direction.
[0059] The pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n shown in Fig. 8 are connected to both sides of the central portion 61h in the horizontal direction and have a rectangular shape in a plan view. The pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n are inclined so that the height position becomes lower as the horizontal distance from the central portion 61h increases. That is, the left inclined surface 61m is connected to the left side of the central portion 61h and is inclined downward to the left. Similarly, the right inclined surface 61n is connected to the right side of the central portion 61h and is inclined downward to the right.
[0060] The pair of side flat surfaces 61p, 61q are rectangular in plan view and connected to a pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the left side flat surface 61p is connected to the left side of the left inclined surface 61m (similar to the right side flat surface 61q). The plate surfaces of the side flat surfaces 61p, 61q are parallel (approximately horizontal) to the plate surface of the central portion 61h. As described above, since the inclined surface 61m slopes downward to the left, the left side flat surface 61p is lower in height than the central portion 61h (similar to the right side flat surface 61q).
[0061] Also, the upper end of the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1) is in contact with the lower surfaces of the side flat portions 61p, 61q. The pair of side flat portions 61p, 61q are supported by the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1). By providing the pair of side flat portions 61p, 61q near both the left and right ends of the bottom surface of the main body 61 in this manner, a sufficient contact area can be secured between the evaporator drain pan 6 (see FIG. 1) and the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1). As a result, the evaporator drain pan 6 can be appropriately supported by the condenser 4.
[0062] Further, a plurality of second drainage holes 61b are provided in each of the central portion 61h, the pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n, and the pair of lateral flat surface portions 61p, 61q. In the example of Fig. 8, the second drainage holes 61b have circular edges and are substantially the same in diameter. Furthermore, the intervals between adjacent second drainage holes 61b in the front-rear and left-right directions are substantially the same.
[0063] As shown in Fig. 8, the bottom surface of the main body 61 is curved upward, so that the closer to both the left and right ends of the main body 61, the more likely it is that condensed water will flow down to the condenser 4 (see Fig. 7). That is, during cooling operation with the lid 63 open (see Fig. 5), the condensed water that has flowed down to the center portion 61h through the first drain hole 62d (see Fig. 5) flows down the left inclined surface 61m toward the side flat surface 61p and also flows down the right inclined surface 61n toward the side flat surface 61q.
[0064] As described above, the amount of condensed water tends to increase closer to the center of the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 7), but on the other hand, the evaporator drain pan 6 is more likely to allow condensed water to flow down to the condenser 4 (see FIG. 7) closer to both ends. As a result, condensed water flows down evenly onto the condenser 4 in the horizontal direction, promoting evaporation of the condensed water in the condenser 4 during cooling operation. This makes it difficult for condensed water to accumulate in the drain tank 9 (see FIG. 1), allowing the user to empty the water from the drain tank 9 less frequently.
[0065] During the dehumidification operation, as described above, the first drain hole 62d (see FIG. 4) is closed by the lid 63 (see FIG. 6). Therefore, the condensed water from the evaporator 5 (see FIG. 1) is collected in the drain tank 9 (see FIG. 1) via the drain pipe 8 (see FIG. 1) without passing through the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1). As a result, the moisture contained in the air sucked toward the evaporator 5 is collected in the drain tank 9 as condensed water, so that the room can be appropriately dehumidified.
[0066] According to this embodiment, a first drain hole 62d is provided in the partition plate 62 of the evaporator drain pan 6, and the opening and closing of a lid 63 for the first drain hole 62d is switched by an operation unit 64 (see Figs. 5 and 6). This eliminates the need to provide multiple pipes (not shown) and on-off valves (not shown) for guiding condensed water as in Patent Document 1, making it possible to provide an air conditioner 100 with a simple configuration that can be made compact.
[0067] Furthermore, the user can manually operate the operation unit 64 to switch from one of the cooling operation and the dehumidification operation to the other. That is, the user can operate the operation unit 64 to switch from one of the "first flow path" that guides condensation water to the condenser 4 and the "second flow path" that guides condensation water to the drain pipe 8 to the other. This allows switching from one of the cooling operation and the dehumidification operation to the other, improving convenience for the user.
[0068] Furthermore, a pair of left and right inclined surfaces 61m, 61n are provided on the bottom surface of the main body 61 of the evaporator drain pan 6 (see FIG. 8). Therefore, even if a lot of condensed water tends to occur near the center of the evaporator 5, the condensed water can be made to flow down evenly into the condenser 4 (see FIG. 7). As a result, the condensation of the refrigerant in the condenser 4 is promoted, and the amount of condensed water that accumulates in the drain tank 9 per unit time can be reduced. This allows the user to discard the water in the drain tank 9 less frequently.
[0069] <<Variations>> Although the air conditioner 100 according to the present disclosure has been described above in terms of the embodiment, it is not limited to these descriptions and various modifications can be made. For example, in the embodiment, the configuration has been described in which condensed water is guided from the evaporator drain pan 6 (see FIG. 1) through the drain pipe 8 (see FIG. 1) and the condenser drain pan 7 (see FIG. 1) in this order to the drain tank 9 during dehumidification operation, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the condensed water may be guided directly from the evaporator drain pan 6 to the drain tank 9 through a drain pipe (not shown) during dehumidification operation.
[0070] In the embodiment, the bottom surface of the main body 61 (see FIG. 8) of the evaporator drain pan 6 is provided with a plurality of second drainage holes 61b in the central portion 61h, the pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n, and the pair of side flat surfaces 61p, 61q. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the width of the central portion 61h in the left-right direction may be narrowed, and the second drainage holes 61b may not be provided in the central portion 61h. In this case, the second drainage holes 61b may be provided in the pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n, and the pair of side flat surfaces 61p, 61q.
[0071] Also, the pair of lateral flat surface portions 61p, 61q (see FIG. 8) may be omitted as appropriate. In this case, a predetermined support member (not shown) may be interposed between the vicinity of the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n (see FIG. 8) and the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1). It is preferable that at least the pair of inclined surfaces 61m, 61n are provided with a plurality of second drainage holes 61b. This allows the condensed water to be guided to the condenser 4 through the plurality of second drainage holes 61b as it flows down the inclined surfaces 61m, 61n.
[0072] In the embodiment, the case where the second drain holes 61b are provided at equal intervals in the front-rear and left-right directions on the bottom surface of the main body 61 (see FIG. 8) of the evaporator drain pan 6 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the intervals between the second drain holes 61b may be narrower (i.e., the second drain holes 61b may be present closer to both ends in the left-right direction of the evaporator drain pan 6) in the evaporator drain pan 6. In this case, the diameters of the second drain holes 61b may be equal or different. When the diameters of the second drain holes 61b are different, for example, the diameters of the second drain holes 61b may be larger as the holes are closer to both ends in the left-right direction of the evaporator drain pan 6. This makes it easier for condensed water to flow down to the condenser 4 as the holes are closer to both ends in the left-right direction of the evaporator drain pan 6.
[0073] In the embodiment, the partition plate 62 of the evaporator drain pan 6 (see FIG. 2) has the inclined portion 62b, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, instead of the inclined portion 62b, a step portion (not shown) that falls vertically from the plate surface of the front flat portion 62a may be provided. Note that the step portion has an upper end that is continuous with the front flat portion 62a and a lower end that is continuous with the rear flat portion 62c.
[0074] In the embodiment, the configuration in which the front flat surface portion 62a of the partition plate 62 (see FIG. 2) is in contact with the lower end of the evaporator 5 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, another member may be interposed between the evaporator 5 and the front flat surface portion 62a. Such a configuration is also included in the fact that the front flat surface portion 62a supports the evaporator 5. In the embodiment, the configuration has been described in which the lower surfaces of the pair of side flat surfaces 61p, 61q (see FIG. 8) of the main body 61 are in contact with the upper end of the condenser 4 (see FIG. 1), but this is not limiting. That is, other members may be interposed between the side flat surfaces 61p, 61q and the condenser 4. Such a configuration is also included in the matter of the side flat surfaces 61p, 61q being supported by the condenser 4.
[0075] In the embodiment, the configuration in which the slit 61s (see FIG. 4) for moving the operation unit 64 (see FIG. 4) is provided in the main body 61 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the slit 61s may be omitted, and the height position of the manual operation unit 64a (see FIG. 4) may be adjusted at the design stage so that the manual operation unit 64a can be moved along the upper edge of the main body 61. In this case, the housing 1 (see FIG. 1) is provided with a slit (not shown) for moving the operation unit 64.
[0076] In the embodiment, the operating unit 64 (see FIG. 4) for moving the lid 63 (see FIG. 4) is a slide type, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the user may manually operate the operating unit 64 using other methods such as a dial type. The mechanism for moving the lid 63 may be mechanical. That is, a switch (not shown) for switching between cooling and dehumidifying operation may be provided, and the lid 63 may be moved by driving a motor (not shown) in a predetermined manner in response to the operation of the switch. Such a configuration is also included in the matter of the operating unit 64 switching between the open and closed states of the first drainage hole 62d.
[0077] In addition, in the embodiment, a capillary tube (not shown) is used as a means for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant, but this is not limiting. For example, an expansion valve (not shown) may be used instead of the capillary tube. In the embodiment, the cooling operation and the dehumidification operation are described as the operation modes of the air conditioner 100, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, other operation modes such as a blowing operation may be additionally provided. In the blowing operation, the blower motor 10 (see FIG. 1) is driven, while the compressor 2 (see FIG. 1) is maintained in a stopped state.
[0078] In addition, in the embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the "first flow path" that guides condensed water to the condenser 4 includes the first drain hole 62d and the second drain hole 61b, and the "second flow path" that guides condensed water to the drain pipe 8 includes the third drain hole 61c, but this is not limited to the above. In other words, as long as it is possible to switch from one of the "first flow path" and the "second flow path" to the other by operating the operating unit 64, a configuration different from the embodiment may be used. Furthermore, in the embodiment, a case has been described in which the all-in-one air conditioner 100 is a floor-standing type, but this is not limiting. That is, the embodiment can also be applied to other types of all-in-one air conditioners, such as a ceiling-mounted type.
[0079] In addition, each embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present disclosure, and is not necessarily limited to having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. Furthermore, the above-mentioned mechanisms and configurations are those considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all mechanisms and configurations of the product. [Explanation of symbols]
[0080] 1 Case 2. Compressor 3 Accumulator 4. Condenser 5. Evaporator 6 Evaporator drain pan (drain pan) 7 Condenser drain pan 8 Drain pipe 9. Drain tank 61 Main body 61b Second drain hole (first flow path) 61c 3rd drain hole (2nd flow path) 61h central part 61m,61n slope 61p,61q Side plane part 62 Partition 62a Front plane part 62b Slope 62c Posterior plane part 62d First drain hole (first flow path) 63 Lid 64 Operation section 64a Manual operation section 64b Connection 100 Air conditioner
Claims
1. A housing and a condenser disposed inside the housing; an evaporator disposed inside the housing above the condenser; a drain pan interposed between the condenser and the evaporator in the vertical direction; A drain pipe connected to the drain pan, The drain pan is A first flow path that guides condensation water generated in the evaporator to the condenser; A second flow path that guides condensation water generated in the evaporator to the drain pipe; an operation unit that switches from one of the first flow path and the second flow path to the other,
2. a drain tank disposed inside the housing below the condenser, the first flow path is a flow path that guides condensed water to the drain tank via the condenser, The second flow path is a flow path that guides condensed water to the drain tank without passing through the condenser.
2. The air conditioner according to claim 1,
3. A housing and a condenser disposed inside the housing; an evaporator disposed inside the housing above the condenser; a drain pan interposed between the condenser and the evaporator in the vertical direction; A drain pipe connected to the drain pan, The drain pan is A box-shaped main body having an open upper side; A partition plate having a first drainage hole and dividing the inside of the main body into upper and lower parts; A cover that closes the first drain hole in a closed state, an operation unit that switches from one of the closed state in which the first drain hole is blocked by the lid and an open state in which the first drain hole is open to the other, A plurality of second drainage holes are provided on the bottom surface of the main body, A third drain hole is provided above the partition plate in the main body, The drain pipe is connected to the third drain hole.
4. The partition plate has a configuration in which a front flat portion, an inclined portion, and a rear flat portion are connected in sequence, the front planar portion supports the evaporator; the inclined portion is inclined such that the height position of the inclined portion becomes lower as the distance from the front-to-rear direction to the front-to-rear direction increases, The first drainage hole is provided in the rear flat surface portion.
4. The air conditioner according to claim 3,
5. The bottom surface of the main body is A central portion provided directly below the first drainage hole; a pair of inclined surfaces extending to both sides of the central portion in the lateral direction; The pair of inclined surfaces are inclined such that the height position of the inclined surfaces becomes lower as the lateral distance from the central portion increases, A plurality of the second drain holes are provided on at least one pair of the inclined surfaces.
4. The air conditioner according to claim 3,
6. The bottom surface of the main body further has a pair of lateral flat surface portions connected to the pair of inclined surfaces in the lateral direction, The pair of side flat portions are supported by the condenser.
6. The air conditioner according to claim 5,
7. The operation unit includes: A manual operation unit that is manually operated by a user, A connection portion that connects the manual operation portion and the lid is provided, The housing is provided with a slit, The manual operation unit is exposed to the outside of the housing through the slit.
4. The air conditioner according to claim 3,
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Water drain structure of air conditioner
JP2005214538A