Outdoor unit

Abstract

To provide an outdoor unit capable of inhibiting an attachment / detachment work of a valve plate to which a connection valve is fixed from becoming complicated.SOLUTION: An outdoor unit 1 includes: a casing 11 with a front surface panel 111; refrigerant piping 15 accommodated in the casing 11; a compressor 16 accommodated in the casing 11; a soundproof box 13 that surrounds the compressor 16 to insulate noise generated from the compressor 16; a connection valve 14 connected to an end part of the refrigerant piping 15; and a valve plate 12 to which the connection valve 14 is fixed. The soundproof box 13 includes: a front surface plate 131 disposed to face the front surface panel 111; and a side surface plate 132 disposed between the compressor 16 and the valve plate 12. The valve plate 12 includes: one end part 121 fixed to the casing 11; and the other end part 122 fixed to a side surface plate side end part 131b of the front surface plate 131 in an attachable / detachable manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an outdoor unit used in an air conditioner that heats or cools air in a specified space. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known that air conditioners are equipped with an outdoor unit and an indoor unit connected by connecting pipes. The outdoor unit of such an air conditioner is equipped, for example, with a pipe connection part (connection valve) inside the housing for connecting the connecting pipe to the refrigerant pipe of the outdoor unit. The connection valve is supported by a support part (valve bed) made of, for example, a plate-shaped iron material and installed inside the outdoor unit housing, and is fixed inside the outdoor unit housing.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a plate-shaped valve bed is installed in the machine room of an outdoor unit. One end of the valve bed is fixed to a side panel of the outdoor unit housing, and the other end of the valve bed is fixed to a side panel of a soundproof box that houses the compressor. With this configuration, the other end of the plate-shaped valve bed is not positioned in front of the front panel of the soundproof box, making it possible for workers to easily remove the front panel of the soundproof box when accessing the compressor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 092198 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, one side of the side panel of the soundproof box is close to the compressor, and the other side is close to the connection valve and the valve bed itself. Therefore, if a fixing member (screw) that requires a tool (a screwdriver) is used to fasten the other end of the valve bed to the soundproof box, there is a risk that the various parts (connection valve, valve bed, compressor) will interfere with the tool when attaching or detaching the fixing member, making it difficult to attach or detach the valve bed.

[0006] As such, the conventional technology has the problem that it can be difficult to attach and detach the valve plate (a component equivalent to the valve bed described in Patent Document 1) to and from the outdoor unit.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an outdoor unit that allows workers to easily access the compressor while also enabling them to easily attach and detach the valve plate to which the connection valve is fixed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, an outdoor unit according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing having a front panel, refrigerant piping housed in the housing, a compressor housed in the housing, a soundproof box surrounding the compressor to attenuate sound generated by the compressor, a connection valve connected to an end of the refrigerant piping, and a valve plate to which the connection valve is fixed, wherein the soundproof box has a front plate arranged opposite the front panel and a side plate arranged between the compressor and the valve plate, and the valve plate has one end fixed to the housing and the other end detachably fixed to the end of the front plate on the side of the side plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the attachment and detachment of the valve plate to which the connection valve is fixed from becoming complicated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a front view and a right side view showing an example of the external configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are a rear view and a left side view showing an example of the external configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of the external configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and are a front view and a right side view of the outdoor unit with the front panel of the housing removed. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the external configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a front view of the outdoor unit with the front panel of the housing and the front plate of the soundproof box removed. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the external configuration of a valve plate provided in the outdoor unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the outdoor unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of a valve plate fixed to the outdoor unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the outdoor unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, being a right side view showing an enlarged view of a valve plate fixed to the outdoor unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of a fixing portion on the other end side of a valve plate provided in the outdoor unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an outdoor unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram that schematically shows the work of attaching the front panel of the soundproof box to the outdoor unit to which the valve plate has been attached during compressor maintenance work. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram schematically illustrating a state after the front panel has been attached during maintenance work on the compressor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] 1.Outdoor unit configuration: The schematic configuration of an outdoor unit according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Hereinafter, the outdoor unit according to this embodiment will be described taking as an example a heat pump outdoor unit that forms a refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant is circulated through components such as a compressor and a heat exchanger connected by refrigerant piping. However, the outdoor unit according to this embodiment may also be an outdoor unit for another refrigeration cycle.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a front view and a right side view of the outdoor unit 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a back view and a left side view of the outdoor unit 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view and a right side view of the outdoor unit 1 with the front panel 111 of the housing 11, which will be described later, removed. FIG. 4 is a front view of the outdoor unit 1 with the front panel 111 of the housing 11 and the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13 removed. A front view of the outdoor unit 1 is shown on the left side of FIGS. 1 and 3, and a right side view of the outdoor unit 1 is shown on the right side of FIGS. 1 and 3. A back view of the outdoor unit 1 is shown on the left side of FIG. 2, and a left side view of the outdoor unit 1 is shown on the right side of FIG. 2. In the following description of the outdoor unit 1, the side on which the fan guard 31 provided on the outdoor unit 1 is located will be referred to as the "front" or "front," and the side on which the heat exchanger 19 provided on the outdoor unit 1 is located will be referred to as the "rear" or "rear." Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the right-hand side is referred to as the "right side" or "right," the left-hand side as the "left side" or "left," the upper side as the "top" or "top," and the lower side as the "bottom" or "bottom." These up-down / left-right / front-rear directions are depicted by arrows in each drawing, including Figures 1 to 3.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outdoor unit 1 according to this embodiment includes a housing 11, a heat exchanger 19 (not shown in FIG. 1), a fan guard 31, and a fan 32 (not shown in FIG. 2). The fan guard 31 is disposed to the left of the center of the outdoor unit 1, in front of the fan 32 and an air outlet 111b-1 provided in a second front panel 111b (described later). The fan guard 31 has a lattice shape with multiple horizontally elongated openings. By rotating the fan 32, the outdoor unit 1 draws outside air into the housing 11 through an air inlet 191 provided in the rear surface of the housing 11 and an air inlet 116a (see FIG. 2, details will be described later) formed in the left side panel 116. The outside air exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 19, and is then blown out of the housing 11 through the air outlet 111b-1. The fan guard 31 is not limited to this structure, and may have a shape in which a plurality of openings are formed by combining a plurality of radial members and concentric members.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 11 has a front panel 111, a right side panel (an example of a side panel) 112, a left side panel 116, a top panel 113, a bottom panel 114, and a base foot 114a.

[0015] The front panel 111 has a first front panel 111a and a second front panel 111b arranged side by side. The first front panel 111a is arranged in front of the outdoor unit 1 and from the right side of the fan guard 31, wrapping around to a portion of the right side of the outdoor unit 1. The first front panel 111a is removable, allowing maintenance work on the outdoor unit 1 to be performed by removing the front panel 111. The second front panel 111b is arranged from the front of the outdoor unit 1, wrapping around to a portion of the left side (see the right side in Figure 2). The fan guard 31 is attached to the second front panel 111b. The second front panel 111b has an air outlet 111b-1 formed in a position corresponding to the arrangement position of the fan 32. The air outlet 111b-1 is formed slightly larger than the outer periphery of the fan 32. As a result, the air outlet 111b-1 can efficiently blow outside air that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 19 to the outside of the outdoor unit 1. The right side panel 112 is disposed on the right side of the outdoor unit 1, adjacent to the first front panel 111a.

[0016] As shown on the left side of FIG. 2 , the right side panel 112 is arranged from the right side of the outdoor unit 1, wrapping around to a portion of the rear side. The housing 11 has a left side panel 116 arranged on its left side. The left side panel 116 is arranged from a portion of the rear side of the outdoor unit 1, wrapping around to the left side. A gap is provided between the right side panel 112 and the left side panel 116. The outdoor unit 1 has a heat exchanger 19 arranged with a portion exposed in the gap. The gap serves as an air inlet 191 on the rear side. The heat exchanger 19 is formed in an L-shape and is arranged so as to face the gap of the housing 11 and the left side panel 116. The air inlet 191 is provided in a wider area on the rear side of the outdoor unit 1 than the right side panel 112 and the left side panel 116. Therefore, the outdoor unit 1 can efficiently draw outside air into the outdoor unit 1 for heat exchange with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 19.

[0017] As shown on the right side of FIG. 2, the left side panel 116 is disposed alongside the second front panel 111b on the left side of the outdoor unit 1. The left side panel 116 has a plurality of (20 in this embodiment) rectangular suction ports 116a. The plurality of suction ports 116a are through-holes that penetrate the left side panel 116. A portion of the heat exchanger 19 is exposed in each of the openings formed by the plurality of suction ports 116a. This allows the suction ports 116a to efficiently draw outside air into the outdoor unit 1 for heat exchange with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 19.

[0018] The top panel 113 and bottom panel 114 are arranged opposite each other with the front panel 111, right side panel 112, heat exchanger 19, left side panel 116, and fan guard 31 in between. Two base feet 114a are fixed to the bottom panel 114 with a predetermined gap between them. The outdoor unit 1 can be stably installed outdoors by the base feet 114a.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the outdoor unit 1 includes an electrical component box 18 that houses a partition plate 115, a valve plate 12, a soundproof box 13, a connection valve 14, refrigerant piping 15, a compressor 16 (not shown in FIG. 3), and a control board 17, all of which are housed in a housing 11. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrical component box 18 is shown with a portion removed. The electrical component box 18 houses a power supply board (not shown) in addition to the control board 17. The partition plate 115 divides the interior of the housing 11. More specifically, the partition plate 115 divides the interior space of the housing 11 into a machine chamber 2 and a heat exchange chamber 3. The machine chamber 2 contains the valve plate 12, the soundproof box 13, the connection valve 14, the refrigerant piping 15, the compressor 16, the control board 17, and the electrical component box 18. The heat exchange chamber 3 contains a fan 32, a heat exchanger 19, and the like.

[0020] The valve plate 12, soundproof box 13, connection valve 14, refrigerant piping 15, compressor 16, and electrical component box 18 housed in the machine room 2 are exposed to the outside by removing the first front panel 111a of the housing 11. The electrical component box 18 is disposed in the upper part of the machine room 2, and the soundproof box 13 is disposed in the lower part of the machine room 2. As will be described in detail later, the valve plate 12 is detachably fixed to the housing 11 and the soundproof box 13, and is disposed across the front and side sides of the soundproof box 13. "Detachable" means that even after the valve plate 12 is fixed to the housing 11 and the soundproof box 13, the valve plate 12 can be removed from at least one of the housing 11 and the soundproof box 13 by a specified removal procedure, and can be re-fixed to the housing 11 and the soundproof box 13 after being removed.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 3, soundproof box 13 surrounds compressor 16 (see Fig. 4) to reduce noise generated by compressor 16. Soundproof box 13 is housed in housing 11. By housing compressor 16 in soundproof box 13, it is doubly surrounded by soundproof box 13 and housing 11. This further reduces noise generated when compressor 16 is operating. Soundproof box 13 has a front plate 131 arranged opposite front panel 111 (see Fig. 1) of housing 11, and a side plate 132 arranged on the side where valve plate 12 is located.

[0022] The front plate 131 is disposed between the front panel 111 and the compressor 16. Therefore, the front plate 131 is disposed so as to face the rear surface of the front panel 111. The front plate 131 is fixed to the partition plate 115. The structure by which the front plate 131 is fixed to the partition plate 115 will be described later. The valve plate 12 fixed to the front plate 131 is firmly fixed within the housing 11 by being fixed to the partition plate 115 via the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13. Therefore, the valve plate 12 is less susceptible to the effects of vibrations of the compressor 16 inside the soundproof box 13.

[0023] The soundproof box 13 has a side panel 132 disposed between the compressor 16 and the valve plate 12. The side panel 132 is disposed between the compressor 16 and the connection valve 14. As shown in FIG. 4 , the side panel 132 has a bent end 132a formed by bending the end portion disposed on the front panel 131 side. The bent end 132a is fixed to the front panel 131 (more specifically, the side panel end 131b). By fixing the bent end 132a of the side panel 132 to the partition panel 115 via the front panel 131, the side panel 132 is less susceptible to the vibrations of the compressor 16 inside the soundproof box 13. As a result, the side panel 132 is fixed more firmly to the front panel 131 than if the front panel 131 were not fixed to the partition panel 115.

[0024] 3 and 4, the connection valve 14 is fixed to the valve plate 12. For example, the connection valve 14 is fixed to the valve plate 12 by being screwed. The connection valve 14 is connected to an end of the refrigerant piping 15. The refrigerant piping 15 has a gas pipe 151 through which gas refrigerant flows and a liquid pipe 152 through which liquid refrigerant flows. The connection valve 14 has a first valve 141 to which the gas pipe 151 is connected and a second valve 142 to which the liquid pipe 152 is connected.

[0025] In addition to the gas pipe 151, the first valve 141 is connected to an end of an external pipe (hereinafter referred to as an "external gas pipe") through which gas refrigerant flows and which connects the outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit (not shown). The first valve 141 connects the external gas pipe and the gas pipe 151. This allows the gas refrigerant to flow between the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit through the gas pipe 151, the first valve 141, and the external gas pipe. The second valve 142 is connected to an end of an external pipe (hereinafter referred to as an "external liquid pipe") through which liquid refrigerant flows and which connects the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit. The second valve 142 connects the external liquid pipe and the liquid pipe 152. This allows the liquid refrigerant to flow between the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit through the liquid pipe 152, the second valve 142, and the external liquid pipe. The external gas pipe and the external liquid pipe will be described later.

[0026] The refrigerant piping 15 is routed inside the machine room 2 of the housing 11 with one end connected to the connection valve 14. One end of the gas pipe 151 of the refrigerant piping 15 is connected to the first valve 141 and the other end is connected to the compressor 16. One end of the liquid pipe 152 of the refrigerant piping 15 is connected to the second valve 142 and the other end is connected to an expansion valve (not shown) arranged in the heat exchange chamber 3.

[0027] The connection valve 14 is a connection part that connects the refrigerant pipe 15 of the outdoor unit 1 with external pipes (details will be described later) that connect the indoor unit and the outdoor unit 1. The first valve 141 and the second valve 142 are fixed to the valve plate 12 while being shifted in the left-right direction. Therefore, when connecting one of the refrigerant pipes 15 or external pipes to the connection valve 14 using a tool, it is possible to prevent the tool from interfering with the other connection valve 14 or the external pipes that are already connected to that connection valve 14. This makes it easier to connect the refrigerant pipes 15 or external pipes to the connection valve 14.

[0028] The control board 17 is fixed to an electrical equipment box 18 arranged above the soundproof box 13. The control board 17 is a circuit board on which electrical and electronic components for controlling the compressor 16 and the like are mounted. The space in the machine room 2 excluding the soundproof box 13 below the control board 17 and the electrical equipment box 18 is an area where the refrigerant piping 15 and devices such as a four-way valve and an accumulator (not shown) are housed.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 4, when a front panel 131 (not shown in Fig. 4, see Fig. 3) provided on the soundproof box 13 is removed, the compressor 16 housed in the soundproof box 13 is exposed. When performing maintenance work on the compressor 16, the work is performed with the front panel 131 removed.

[0030] 2. Valve plate configuration: The schematic configuration of the valve plate provided in the outdoor unit according to this embodiment will be described using Fig. 5 while referring to Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 5 is an external perspective view of the valve plate 12 provided in the outdoor unit 1.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 5, the valve plate 12 has one end 121, the other end 122, and a main body 123. The valve plate 12 is a member that supports the connection valve 14. The valve plate 12 needs to be strong enough to support the weight of the connection valve 14 and the external gas pipe and external liquid pipe (not shown) connected to the connection valve 14. Therefore, the valve plate 12 is made of a material with high strength and rigidity (for example, an iron material with a thickness of about 1.5 mm). The valve plate 12 is formed, for example, by processing a horizontally long iron plate into a predetermined outer shape and bending it into a predetermined shape. As will be described in detail later, one end 121 of the valve plate 12 is fixed to the housing 11, for example, by screws, and the other end 122 is detachably fixed to the front panel 131 of the soundproof box 13 (see FIG. 1).

[0032] One end 121 has one-end fixing portions 121a-1 and 121a-2 fixed to a right side panel 112 (see FIG. 6) of housing 11. One-end fixing portion 121a-1 is provided at an upper portion of one end 121, and one-end fixing portion 121a-2 is provided at a lower portion of one end 121. One-end fixing portions 121a-1 and 121a-2 protrude beyond end edges 123d and 123e (described in detail below) of main body 123. In this embodiment, one-end fixing portion 121a-1 protrudes upward beyond end edge 123d, and one-end fixing portion 121a-2 protrudes downward beyond end edge 123e; however, only one of one-end fixing portions 121a-1 and 121a-2 may protrude beyond end edge 123d or end edge 123e. The one-end fixing portion 121a-1 has a through-hole 121H-1 that penetrates the one end 121. The one-end fixing portion 121a-2 has a through-hole 121H-2 that penetrates the one end 121. As will be described in detail later, the one end 121 is detachably fixed to the right side panel 112 by screws (not shown) that are inserted into the through-holes 121H-1 and 121H-2.

[0033] The other end 122 is fixed to the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13. Specifically, the other end 122 is fixed to a side plate end 131b (not shown in FIG. 5, see FIG. 6) of the front plate 131 on the connection valve 14 side. The other end 122 has an other end fixing portion 122a fixed to the front plate 131 and an extension portion 122b extending from the other end fixing portion 122a. The extension portion 122b extends toward the partition plate 115 of the housing 11. When the valve plate 12 is attached to the housing 11, the extension portion 122b is formed so as to become farther away from the front plate 131 as it moves toward the tip side. As will be illustrated later in FIG. 8, for example, when the valve plate 12 is viewed from above, the extension portion 122b is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the front plate 131.

[0034] The other-end fixing portion 122a has through-holes 122H-1 and 122H-2 that penetrate the other end 122. The through-hole 122H-1 is formed in an upper portion of the other-end fixing portion 122a, and the through-hole 122H-2 is formed in a lower portion of the other-end fixing portion 122a. As will be described in detail later, the other end 122 is detachably fixed to the front plate 131 by screws (not shown) that are inserted into the through-holes 122H-1 and 122H-2, respectively.

[0035] The main body portion 123 is provided between the one end portion 121 and the other end portion 122. The main body portion 123 is formed integrally with the one end portion 121 and the other end portion 122. The main body portion 123 has a bent portion 123a that is a portion bent so as to ensure a space between the main body portion 123 and the soundproof box 13 for arranging a portion of the refrigerant piping 15. By having the bent portion 123a, the main body portion 123 can be arranged between the right side panel 112 and the front plate 131 while ensuring a space between the main body portion 123 and the soundproof box 13 for arranging a portion of the refrigerant piping 15. The main body portion 123 has a first portion 123b that is a portion between the bent portion 123a and the one end portion 121, and a second portion 123c that is a portion between the bent portion 123a and the other end portion 122. The bent portion 123a corresponds to a boundary portion between the first portion 123b and the second portion 123c. The main body 123 is bent at the bent portion 123a so that the angle formed between the first portion 123b and the second portion 123c is approximately 90°.

[0036] First portion 123b has a substantially flat shape between bent portion 123a and one end portion 121. First portion 123b has substantially the same width (i.e., length in the vertical direction) from bent portion 123a toward one end portion 121 to a predetermined position, and the width suddenly increases from the predetermined position to one end portion 121, and after increasing to the predetermined width, maintains that width up to one end portion 121.

[0037] The second portion 123c has a first valve fixing portion 123c-1 to which the first valve 141 (not shown in FIG. 5, see FIG. 4) is fixed, and a second valve fixing portion 123c-2 to which the second valve 142 (not shown in FIG. 5, see FIG. 4) is fixed. The second portion 123c has a step portion 123c-3 that connects the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 and the second valve fixing portion 123c-2 so that the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 and the second valve fixing portion 123c-2 are positioned with a step therebetween.

[0038] The main body 123 includes a part 123b-1 of the first portion 123b that is flush with the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 at the bent portion 123a. The part 123b-1 is formed as follows during the formation of the valve plate 12. That is, before the bent portion 123a is formed, a U-shaped opening is formed in the valve plate 12 to surround the part 123b-1. The main body 123 is then bent so that the bent portion 123a is formed in the part of the U-shaped opening that is on the second portion 123c side. At this time, the part 123b-1 does not bend toward the first portion 123b, so an opening 121b that is slightly larger than the part 123b-1 is formed in the first portion 123b, and the part 123b-1 that remains flush with the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 is formed.

[0039] The first valve fixing portion 123c-1 has screw holes 123S-1a and 123S-1b formed side by side in the direction in which the portion 123b-1 extends (i.e., the left-right direction) and penetrating the second portion 123c. The screw hole 123S-1a is formed near the stepped portion 123c-3, and the screw hole 123S-1b is formed near the portion 123b-1. By providing the portion 123b-1, the screw hole 123S-1b can be provided while preventing the first portion 123b from protruding outward (to the right). This prevents the valve plate 12 from becoming large in the left-right direction of the housing 11. The first valve fixing portion 123c-1 has a recess 123c-1a arranged between the screw holes 123S-1a and 123S-1b. The recess 123c-1a is formed by cutting out a part of the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 from the end portion 123e toward the end portion 123d of the valve plate 12. The longitudinal direction of the main body 123 is the direction from the one end 121 toward the other end 122 or the opposite direction to that direction.

[0040] The first valve 141 is fixed to the first valve fixing part 123c-1 by, for example, fixing screws SC7a and SC7b (not shown in FIG. 5, see FIG. 6) into screw holes 121S-1a and 121S-1b, which are respectively inserted into two through holes (not shown) formed in the first valve 141. When the first valve 141 is fixed to the first valve fixing part 123c-1, a connection part (connection part 141a described below) of the first valve 141 to which the gas pipe 151 (see FIG. 4) is connected is disposed in the recess 123c-1a.

[0041] The second valve fixing portion 123c-2 has screw holes 123S-2a and 123S-2b formed side by side in the direction in which the part 123b-1 extends (i.e., the left-right direction) and penetrating the second portion 123c. The screw hole 123S-2a is formed closer to the other end 122, and the screw hole 123S-2b is formed below the screw hole 123S-1a. Therefore, when the valve plate 12 is viewed in the front-rear direction, the second valve fixing portion 123c-2 and the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 are shifted in the left-right direction. The second valve fixing portion 123c-2 has a recess 123c-2a located between the screw holes 123S-2a and 123S-2b. The recess 123c-2a is formed by cutting out a portion of the valve plate 12 from the end edge 123e toward the end edge 123d of the valve plate 12.

[0042] The second valve 142 is fixed to the second valve fixing part 123c-2 by, for example, fixing screws SC8a and SC8b (not shown in FIG. 5, see FIG. 6) into screw holes 121S-2a and 121S-2b, which are respectively inserted into two through holes (not shown) formed in the second valve 142. When the second valve 142 is fixed to the second valve fixing part 123c-2, a connection part (connection part 142a described below) of the second valve 142 to which the liquid pipe 152 (see FIG. 4) is connected is disposed in the recess 123c-2a.

[0043] The step portion 123c-3 is provided to shift the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 and the second valve fixing portion 123c-2 in the front-to-rear direction. The step portion 123c-3 is formed by deforming a member that forms the valve plate 12. The first valve fixing portion 123c-1, the second valve fixing portion 123c-2, and the step portion 123c-3 are integrally formed.

[0044] The second portion 123c has an inclined portion 123c-4 disposed between the second valve fixing portion 123c-2 and the other end portion 122. The inclined portion 123c-4 is inclined at a predetermined angle to connect the second valve fixing portion 123c-2 and the other end portion 122. The inclined portion 123c-4 is provided so that the second portion 123c is disposed inside the machine room 2 (i.e., next to the side panel 132) to avoid the soundproof box 13. This prevents the connection valve 14 attached to the second portion 123c from being disposed so as to protrude forward from the front panel 131 of the soundproof box 13, thereby preventing the dimension of the housing 11 in the front-to-rear direction from becoming large.

[0045] 3. Configuration of the valve plate fixed to the outdoor unit: The configuration of the valve plate attached to the outdoor unit of this embodiment will be described using FIGS. 6 to 8 with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the valve plate 12 fixed to the housing 11 and soundproof box 13 provided in the outdoor unit 1 according to this embodiment. The valve plate 12 shown in FIG. 6 is shown as viewed from the same direction as the valve plate 12 shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6 and FIG. 9 described later, for ease of understanding, the region of the side panel side end 131b of the front panel 131 is shown with an imaginary dotted line that does not actually exist. FIG. 7 is a right side view showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the valve plate 12 fixed to the housing 11 and soundproof box 13 of the outdoor unit 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the structure in which the other end 122 of the valve plate 12 is fixed to the front panel 131 of the soundproof box 13, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the other end side fixing portion 122a of the other end 122. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the other end fixing portion 122a of the other end portion 122 as viewed from above the outdoor unit 1. As shown in FIG.

[0046] 6 and 7, one end 121 of the valve plate 12 is fixed to the housing 11. More specifically, the one end 121 is fixed by screwing one end fixing portions 121a-1 and 121a-2 to a receiving portion 112a provided on a right side panel 112 of the housing 11 with screws SC1 and SC2. The receiving portion 112a is formed by bending a protruding portion formed on a part of the end of the right side panel 112 on the front panel 111 (see FIG. 1) side of the housing 11 perpendicular to the right side panel 112 and toward the machine chamber 2 (see FIG. 1). Screw holes (not shown) are formed in the receiving portion 112a at positions corresponding to the through holes 121H-1 and 121H-2 formed in the one end fixing portions 121a-1 and 121a-2. The one end 121 is fixed to the right side panel 112 by fastening screws SC1 and SC2 to the receiving portions 112a, which are inserted through the through holes 121H-1 and 121H-2, respectively, from the front side to the rear side of the outdoor unit 1. In this embodiment, the one end 121 can be removed from the right side panel 112 by removing the screws SC1 and SC2. Therefore, the one end 121 is removably fixed to the right side panel 112.

[0047] One-end fixing portion 121a-1 protrudes upward from edge 123d of main body 123. One-end fixing portion 121a-2 protrudes downward from edge 123e of main body 123. Therefore, when fixing one end 121 to or removing it from right side panel 112, a tool used to fasten screws SC1 and SC2 to or loosen screws SC1 and SC2 from right side panel 112 is less likely to come into contact with main body 123. This improves the ease of fixing one end 121 to or removing it from right side panel 112.

[0048] The valve plate 12 is fixed to the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13. More specifically, the other end 122 is screwed to the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13 by screws SC3 and SC4.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 8, a screw hole 131S-1 is formed in the end portion on the side of the side panel (side panel side end portion 131b) of the front panel 131 of the soundproof box 13. The screw hole 131S-1 is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 122H-1 formed in the other end fixing portion 122a of the other end portion 122. The side panel side end portion 131b is further formed with a screw hole 131S-2 (not shown in FIG. 8, see FIG. 9). The screw hole 131S-2 is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 122H-2 (not shown in FIG. 8, see FIG. 9) formed in the other end fixing portion 122a of the other end portion 122. The screw SC3 is inserted through the through hole 122H-1 from the front side to the rear side of the outdoor unit 1 and fixed to the screw hole 131S-1. Similarly, a screw SC4 (see FIG. 6) is inserted through the through-hole 122H-2 from the front side to the rear side of the outdoor unit 1 and fixed in the screw hole 131S-2.

[0050] The screw holes 131S-1 and 131S-2 are formed by, for example, burring and have a cylindrical shape that protrudes toward one surface. In this embodiment, the screw holes 131S-1 and 131S-2 protrude toward the bent end 132a of the side panel 132. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the screw hole 131S-1 is inserted into a through hole 132H formed in the bent end 132a of the side panel 132. Although not shown, two through holes 132H are formed in the bent end 132a, aligned vertically, with the screw hole 131S-1 inserted into one of the through holes 132H (see FIG. 8), and the screw hole 131S-2 inserted into the other through hole 132H. The other-end fixing portion 122a is fixed to a region of the front panel 131 that overlaps with the bent end 132a of the side panel 132. The area of the front plate 131 that overlaps the other end fixing portion 122a and the bent end portion 132a includes an area where two through holes 132H are formed. Because the through holes 132H are formed, the other end side of the valve plate 12 is not fixed to the side plate 132 but is fixed to the front plate 131. The front plate 131 and the side plate 132 are fixed to each other at the bent end portion 132a.

[0051] The valve plate 12 fixed to the front plate 131 is fixed to the partition plate 115 via the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13, and is thereby firmly fixed to the soundproof box 13. This makes it less susceptible to the effects of vibrations from the compressor 16 inside the soundproof box 13.

[0052] As described above, the one end 121 is fixed to the right side panel 112 of the housing 11 by screws SC1 and SC2 that are inserted through the through-holes 121H-1 and 121H-2 from the front side to the rear side (i.e., from the front side to the rear side) of the outdoor unit 1. The direction of the force applied to the one end 121 by the screws SC1 and SC2 is the direction (fixing direction) in which the one end 121 is fixed to the right side panel 112. The direction in which the one end 121 is fixed to the right side panel 112 is the direction from the front side to the rear side (i.e., from the front side to the rear side) of the outdoor unit 1, and is a direction intersecting (orthogonal in this embodiment) the contact surface between the one end 121 and the right side panel 112. In other words, the fixing direction is the direction in which a tool (e.g., a screwdriver) is applied to the screws SC1 and SC2 when screwing the one end 121 to the right side panel 112.

[0053] The other end 122 is fixed to the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13 by screws SC3 and SC4 that are inserted through the through holes 122H-1 and 122H-2 from the front side to the rear side of the outdoor unit 1 (i.e., from the front side to the rear side). The direction of the force applied to the other end 122 by the screws SC3 and SC4 is the direction (fixing direction) in which the other end 122 is fixed to the front plate 131. The direction in which the other end 122 is fixed to the front plate 131 is the direction from the front side to the rear side of the outdoor unit 1 (i.e., from the front side to the rear side), and is a direction intersecting (in this embodiment, perpendicular to) the contact surface where the other end 122 and the front plate 131 come into contact. In other words, the fixing direction is the direction in which a tool (e.g., a screwdriver) is applied to the screws SC3 and SC4 when the other end 122 is screwed to the front plate 131.

[0054] Therefore, the fixing directions of one end 121 and the other end 122 are the same. When the fixing directions of one end 121 and the other end 122 are the same, the work of attaching and detaching one end 121 to the housing 11 and the work of attaching and detaching the other end 122 to the soundproof box 13 can be performed from the same direction (from the front to the back of the outdoor unit 1 in this embodiment). In other words, the worker can perform the installation work of one end 121 and the other end 122 without changing the orientation of his or her body. Therefore, the outdoor unit 1 can simplify the assembly process of the valve plate 12.

[0055] The valve plate 12 has a step portion 123c-3 on the second valve fixing portion 123c-2. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the first valve fixing portion 123c-1 and the second valve fixing portion 123c-2 are arranged to be offset in the extension direction of the first portion 123b (i.e., the front-to-rear direction). As a result, when the valve plate 12 is attached to the outdoor unit 1, the first valve 141 and the second valve 142 are arranged to be offset in the front-to-rear direction. An external gas pipe 41 through which gas refrigerant flows and which connects the outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit (not shown) is connected to a connection portion 141a provided below the first valve 141. An external liquid pipe 42 through which liquid refrigerant flows and which connects the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit is connected to a connection portion 142a provided below the second valve 142. The connection portions 141a and 142a are arranged to be offset in the front-to-rear direction by the step portion 123c-3. Therefore, when the external gas pipe 41 connected to the first valve 141 and the external liquid pipe 42 connected to the second valve 142 are pulled out from the right side of the outdoor unit 1 to the outside, the external gas pipe 41 and the external liquid pipe 42 can be pulled out side by side in the front-to-rear direction, making it less likely that the external gas pipe 41 and the external liquid pipe 42 will interfere with each other. This improves the design latitude for routing the external gas pipe 41 and the external liquid pipe 42 in the machine room 2 and improves the workability of routing the external gas pipe 41 and the external liquid pipe 42.

[0056] 4. The effect of valve plates on compressor maintenance work: The effect of the valve plate in the assembly process of the soundproof box provided in the outdoor unit according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a diagram schematically showing the work of attaching the front panel 131, which was removed for maintenance work on the compressor 16, to the machine room 2 in which the partition plate 115 and the side panels 132 of the soundproof box 13 are attached to the bottom panel 114. Figure 10 is a diagram schematically showing the state after the front panel 131 has been attached to the soundproof box 13 in the work of attaching the front panel.

[0057] When attaching the front plate 131 to the machine room 2 after removing the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13 to perform maintenance on the compressor 16, as shown in Fig. 9 , first, the front plate 131 is brought close to the soundproof box 13 so that the abutment portion 131a abuts against the front plate support portion 115a of the partition plate 115. At this time, the side plate 132 is attached to the machine room 2, and the valve plate 12 to which the connection valve 14 is attached is fixed to the right side panel 112 of the housing 11. Therefore, the front plate 131 needs to be positioned so that it is inserted between the bent end portion 132a of the right side panel 112 and the other end fixing portion 122a of the valve plate 12.

[0058] Specifically, as indicated by dashed arrow Y1 in Fig. 9, the front plate 131 is disposed above the bottom panel 114 (i.e., not in contact with the bottom panel 114) and in front of the compressor 16, with the side plate-side end 131b of the front plate 131 inserted into the gap between the bent end 132a and the other-end fixing portion 122a from the left side of the side plate 132 and the valve plate 12. As described above, the other end 122 has an extension 122b extending toward the front panel 111 (not shown in Fig. 9, see Fig. 1). That is, the distance between the front plate 131 and the tip end of the extension 122b is longer than that of the other-end fixing portion 122a. Therefore, when the front panel 131 is inserted into the gap between the bent end 132a and the other end side fixing portion 122a from the extension portion 122b side, the extension portion 122b acts as a guide, guiding the side panel side end portion 131b of the front panel 131 into the gap.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 9, the partition plate 115 has a front plate support portion 115a that supports the front plate 131 on the front side of the outdoor unit 1. The front plate support portion 115a is provided at a predetermined angle. The end of the front plate 131 on the partition plate 115 side is provided with a contact portion 131a that contacts the front plate support portion 115a. The contact portion 131a is formed by bending at an angle that corresponds to the angle of inclination of the front plate support portion 115a so as to be in surface contact with the front plate support portion 115a. The front plate 131 is inserted into the gap between the bent end portion 132a and the other end side fixing portion 122a until the contact portion 131a contacts the front plate support portion 115a.

[0060] With the side panel-side end 131b of the front panel 131 inserted into the gap between the bent end 132a and the other-end fixing portion 122a, the front panel 131 is moved toward the bottom panel 114 as shown by the dashed arrow Y2 in Fig. 9. The front panel 131 is moved toward the bottom panel 114 until, for example, the through holes 131H-1 and 131H-2 formed in the abutment portion 131a overlap with the screw holes 115S-1 and 115S-2 formed in the front panel support portion 115a, and the through holes 131H-3 and 131H-4 formed in the side panel-side end 131b overlap with the screw holes 132S-1 and 132S-2 formed in the bent end 132a of the side panel 132. As a result, the front panel 131 is placed at a predetermined position in the soundproof box 13, as shown in Fig. 10. When the front plate 131 is placed in the specified position, the through holes 122H-1, 122H-2 formed in the other end 122 of the valve plate 12, the screw holes 131S-1, 131S-2 formed in the side plate end 131b of the front plate 131, and the two through holes 132H formed in the bent end 132a of the side plate 132 (see Figure 8, one through hole 132H is shown in Figure 8) overlap.

[0061] The front plate 131 is fixed by screws (not shown) inserted through the through holes 131H-1 and 131H-2 of the abutment portion 131a into the screw holes 115S-1 and 115S-2 of the front plate support portion 115a, respectively, and screws SC5 and SC6 (not shown in FIG. 10, see FIG. 4) inserted through the through holes 131H-3 and 131H-4 of the side plate end portion 131b into the screw holes 132S-1 and 132S-2 of the bent end portion 132a, respectively. As a result, the front plate 131 is screwed to the front plate support portion 115a (i.e., the partition plate 115) and the bent end portion 132a (i.e., the side plate 132). The screw holes 132S-1 and 132S-2 formed in the bent end portion 132a correspond to an example of a fixing portion that fixes the side plate 132 and the front plate 131 together.

[0062] Furthermore, screws SC3 and SC4 inserted through the through holes 122H-1 and 122H-2 of the other end 122 are fixed to the screw holes 131S-1 and 131S-2 of the side plate end 131b, respectively. As a result, the other end 122 of the valve plate 12 is screwed to the front plate 131.

[0063] In this way, the extensions 122b make it easier to attach the front plate 131 to the side plates 132, facilitating the work of attaching and detaching the front plate 131 to and from the soundproof box 13. As a result, even if a part of the valve plate 12 (the other end 122 in this embodiment) is arranged on the front side of the soundproof box 13, access by a worker to the soundproof box 13 during maintenance of the compressor 16 is less likely to be obstructed.

[0064] A worker performing maintenance work on the compressor can attach and detach the front panel 131 without changing the direction of his or her body during the work. Therefore, the outdoor unit 1 can simplify the work process for maintaining the compressor 16.

[0065] As described above, during maintenance work on the compressor 16, only the front plate 131 is detached from the soundproof box 13 and the valve plate 12. During manufacture of the outdoor unit 1, the left side panel (not shown), back panel (not shown), and side panel 132 that constitute the soundproof box 13 are installed on the bottom panel 114, after which the compressor 16 is installed on the bottom panel 114, and then the front plate 131 is installed on the bottom panel 114. In this manner, after the soundproof box 13 and the compressor 16 are installed on the bottom panel 114, the valve plate 12 is attached to the front plate 131 and the right side panel 112 of the housing 11. In this embodiment, during the assembly process of the outdoor unit 1, when the valve plate 12 is screwed to the front plate 131 and the right side panel 112, the fixing direction in which the screws SC1 and SC2 are fixed to the right side panel 112 is the same as the fixing direction in which the screws SC3 and SC4 are fixed to the front plate 131. Therefore, the worker assembling the outdoor unit 1 can attach the valve plate 12 to the front plate 131 and the right side panel 112 without changing the orientation of his or her body. Therefore, the outdoor unit 1 can simplify the assembly process of the valve plate 12.

[0066] As described above, the outdoor unit 1 according to this embodiment comprises a housing 11 having a front panel 111, refrigerant piping 15 housed in the housing 11, a compressor 16 housed in the housing 11, a soundproof box 13 that surrounds the compressor 16 to insulate against sound generated by the compressor 16, a connection valve 14 connected to an end of the refrigerant piping 15, and a valve plate 12 to which the connection valve 14 is fixed, the soundproof box 13 having a front plate 131 arranged opposite the front panel 111 and a side plate 132 arranged between the compressor 16 and the valve plate 12, and the valve plate 12 has one end 121 fixed to the housing 11 and the other end 122 detachably fixed to the side plate side end 131b of the front plate 131.

[0067] When assembling the outdoor unit 1 having this configuration, the other end 122 of the valve plate 12 can be fixed from the front side to the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13. This means that the valve plate 12 does not get in the way when attaching or detaching the front plate 131, and it is easy to fix the valve plate 12. This makes it possible to prevent the outdoor unit 1 from being complicated when attaching and detaching the valve plate 12 to which the connection valve 14 is fixed.

[0068] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. In the above embodiment, the other end 122 of the valve plate 12 is fixed to the front side of the front plate 131 of the soundproof box 13, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the front plate of the soundproof box may have a protruding portion that protrudes on the side where the valve plate is located (the right side of the outdoor unit in the above embodiment), and the other end of the valve plate may be fixed to that protruding portion. In this case, the other end of the valve plate is not located in front of the front plate of the soundproof box, but is located, for example, on the side. Even if the outdoor unit has such a structure, the same effects as the outdoor unit 1 according to the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0069] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described, but includes all embodiments that achieve equivalent effects to the object of the present invention. Furthermore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the combination of inventive features defined by the claims, but can be defined by any desired combination of specific features from among all the respective disclosed features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1 Outdoor unit 2 Machine room 3 Heat exchange room 11. Housing 12 Valve plate 13 Soundproof box 14 Connection valve 15 Refrigerant piping 16 Compressor 17 Control board 18 Electrical equipment box 19 Heat exchanger 31 Fan Guard 32 fans 111 Front Panel 111b-1 Air outlet 112 Right side panel 112a Receiving part 113 Top Panel 114 Bottom Panel 114a Base Foot 115 Partition 115a Front plate support part 116 Left side panel 116a,191 Intake port 121 One end 121a-1,121a-2 One end side fixed part 121b opening 121H-1,121H-2,122H-1,122H-2,131H-1,131H-2,131H-3,131H-4,132H Through hole 115S-1,115S-2,121S-1a,121S-1b,121S-2a,121S-2b,123S-1a,123S-1b,123S-2a,123S-2b,131S-1,131S-2,132S-1,132S-2 Screw hole 122 Other end 122a Other end fixed part 122b Extension 123 Main body 123a Bend section 123b Part 1 123b-1 Partial 123c Part 2 123c-1 First valve fixing part 123c-1a,123c-2a recess 123c-2 Second valve fixing part 123c-3 Step 123c-4 Inclined section 123d,123e Edge 131 Front plate 131a Contact part 131b Side plate side end 132 Side plate 132a Bent end 141 First Valve 141a, 142a connection 142 Second valve 151 Gas Pipe 152 Liquid pipe SC1, SC2, SC3, SC4, SC5, SC6, SC7a, SC7b, SC8a, SC8b Screws Y1,Y2 dashed arrows

Claims

1. a housing having a front panel; a refrigerant pipe housed in the housing; a compressor housed in the housing; and a soundproof box surrounding the compressor to attenuate noise generated by the compressor; a connection valve connected to an end of the refrigerant pipe; a valve plate to which the connection valve is fixed; Equipped with the soundproof box has a front plate disposed opposite the front panel and a side plate disposed between the compressor and the valve plate, The valve plate has one end fixed to the housing and the other end detachably fixed to the end of the front plate on the side plate side. An outdoor unit characterized by the above.

2. The other end has an other end fixing portion fixed to the front plate and an extension portion extending from the other end fixing portion. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 .

3. The fixing directions of the one end and the other end are the same. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 .

4. The housing further includes a partition plate that divides the interior of the housing, The front plate is fixed to the partition plate. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 .

5. the side panel has a bent end portion formed by bending an end portion disposed on the front panel side, The bent end portion has a fixing portion for fixing the side panel and the front panel together. The outdoor unit according to claim 2 .

6. the valve plate has a main body portion provided between the one end and the other end, the housing has a side panel; the one end portion has a one-end fixing portion fixed to the side panel, The one-end fixing portion protrudes beyond the edge of the main body portion. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 .

7. The other end fixing portion is fixed to the area of the front plate that overlaps with the bent end portion. The outdoor unit according to claim 5,

8. The main body portion is a bent portion that is bent to ensure a space between the soundproof box and the bent portion for arranging a part of the refrigerant pipe; a first portion between the bent portion and the one end portion; a second portion between the bent portion and the other end portion; Having The outdoor unit according to claim 6.

9. The refrigerant piping includes a gas pipe through which a gas refrigerant flows and a liquid pipe through which a liquid refrigerant flows, the connecting valve includes a first valve to which the gas pipe is connected and a second valve to which the liquid pipe is connected; the second portion has a first valve fixing portion to which the first valve is fixed and a second valve fixing portion to which the second valve is fixed, The first valve fixing portion and the second valve fixing portion are arranged to be shifted from each other in the extending direction of the first portion. The outdoor unit according to claim 8,

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