Outdoor unit, air conditioner and method for attaching communication device

Abstract

To provide an outdoor unit, an air conditioner and a method for attaching a communication device, capable of improving attachment workability and construction property.SOLUTION: An outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes a housing with ventilation means attached to an upper part, a communication device capable of communicating with the outside, and a power terminal block that is housed in the housing and supplies power to the communication device. The communication device has a first surface having a first opening part, and a second surface having a second opening part and having an area different from that of the first surface. The first opening and the second opening each have a plurality of first openings whose size does not allow the wiring to pass through, and when connecting the communication device and the power terminal block with the wiring, the adjacent first openings of the plurality of first openings in either the first opening part or the second opening part are cut to form a second opening large enough to allow the wiring to pass through.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, and a method for installing an air conditioner and a communication device. [Background technology]

[0002] Some outdoor units of air conditioners are top-blowing types that have a fan installed at the top of the housing as a means of blowing air. To remotely monitor top-blowing outdoor units, a communication device is installed inside the housing of the outdoor unit, but in this state, it is not possible to install other devices, which impairs the functional expandability of the outdoor unit.

[0003] Conventionally, the communication device is a separate device that is connected to the outdoor unit by a cable, allowing the other device to be mounted inside the housing of the outdoor unit and used in combination with the communication device.

[0004] However, when the communication device is connected by a cable, the cable is disposed outside the housing of the outdoor unit, which may cause problems such as the cable breaking, resulting in poor communication.

[0005] In light of this, an outdoor unit and air conditioning apparatus has been proposed that is not a top-blowing type outdoor unit, but has a communication unit attached to the outdoor unit's housing, and the connection terminal of the communication unit and the outdoor unit's control unit are connected inside the housing (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 230044 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The outdoor unit described in Patent Document 1 is a front-blowing (side-blowing) outdoor unit with a fan located inside the housing, a machine room at the bottom of the housing, and a control unit at the top. Furthermore, the outdoor unit described in Patent Document 1 is installed by inserting the plug-in portion of the communication unit into an opening in the housing, so the plug-in portion protrudes into the housing and there is no space for installing other devices inside the housing. For this reason, Patent Document 1 does not anticipate installing other devices inside the housing, and because the surface on which the communication device is installed has an opening specifically for installation, it does not anticipate installing external components on that surface.

[0008] On the other hand, in a conventional top-blowing outdoor unit, the fan is located at the top of the housing, so the communication device has the same box shape as the other devices and is installed in the same location inside the housing, making it possible to install it in a convertible.In addition, with a conventional top-blowing outdoor unit, it is also assumed that external attachment parts will be attached to the outside of the housing.

[0009] However, conventional top-blowing outdoor units require the selection of either a communication device or another device for installation, and the orientation of the communication device cannot be changed during installation. Therefore, depending on the external mounting parts attached to the outside of the housing, it may not be possible to mount the communication device outside the housing.

[0010] Therefore, if you want to use both a communication device and another device, the only option is to use a separate communication device connected by a cable, and since the cable must be routed and installed, the installation work is not easy and takes a long time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, comprising: a housing having an air blowing means attached to an upper portion thereof; a communication device capable of communicating with the outside; A power terminal block housed in the housing for supplying power to the communication device. Including, The communication device includes a first surface having a first opening, and a second surface having a second opening and having an area different from that of the first surface; The outdoor unit is provided in which the first opening and the second opening have multiple openings large enough to prevent wiring from passing through, and when connecting the communication device to the power terminal block or the control unit with wiring, the multiple openings in either the first opening or the second opening are cut apart to form an expanded opening large enough to allow wiring to pass through. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the ease of installation and construction can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of the outdoor unit. [Figure 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing an example of the appearance of a communication device and a first opening. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a first posture of the communication device when the communication device is attached. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a first fixing bracket used when mounting in a first position and a method for mounting the first fixing bracket. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second posture of the communication device when the communication device is attached. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the second and third fixing brackets used when mounting in the second position, and how to mount them. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the housing opening and the first opening. [Figure 9] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a method for attaching a resin part and a communication device using the resin part. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third position of the communication device when the communication device is attached. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the communication device when attached in a third position and an example of a third opening. [Figure 12]10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for attaching a communication device to a housing or a structure adjacent to the housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner. The air conditioner 10 includes an indoor unit 11 installed in the space to be air-conditioned (indoors), an outdoor unit 12 installed outdoors, and a remote control operated by the user. The air conditioner 10 performs air conditioning by circulating a refrigerant as a heat medium between the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12 and exchanging heat with the indoor air. For this reason, the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12 are connected by two refrigerant pipes for circulating the refrigerant. In a heat recovery type device that uses the waste heat generated during cooling operation as heating energy and enables simultaneous cooling and heating operation, an additional refrigerant pipe is added to supply the refrigerant heated by the waste heat to the indoor unit 11, resulting in a total of three refrigerant pipes being connected.

[0015] The indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12 may each be configured with two or more units, and two or more indoor units 11 may be connected to one outdoor unit 12. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) can be used as refrigerants. Examples of HFCs include R410A and R32. Examples of HFOs include R1234yf.

[0016] The indoor unit 11 communicates with the remote controller via a wired connection and receives various signals such as operation commands, stop commands, commands to change the set temperature, and commands to change the operation mode. The indoor unit 11 is connected to the outdoor unit 12 via a communication line and works together with the outdoor unit 12 to condition the air in the room.

[0017] The indoor unit 11 starts up upon receiving an operation command from the remote control, and instructs the outdoor unit 12 to start up. After starting up, the outdoor unit 12 adjusts the compressor rotation speed and the opening of the expansion valve, etc., and controls the amount of refrigerant circulating, etc., so that the indoor temperature becomes the set temperature.

[0018] The indoor unit 11 includes an indoor heat exchanger 20, an indoor fan 21, and an indoor fan motor 22 as a power device. The indoor fan 21 is driven by the indoor fan motor 22 to take in indoor air and send it to the indoor heat exchanger 20. The indoor heat exchanger 20 has heat transfer tubes through which a refrigerant flows, and is configured so that the sent air comes into contact with the surface of the heat transfer tubes to exchange heat. The air that has undergone heat exchange by the indoor heat exchanger 20 is discharged into the room.

[0019] The indoor unit 11 may also be equipped with various sensors for measuring the indoor temperature and the like, an expansion valve, and the like.

[0020] The outdoor unit 12 includes a compressor 30, an accumulator 31, a four-way valve 32, an expansion valve 33, an outdoor heat exchanger 34, an outdoor fan 35, and an outdoor fan motor 36 as a power device. The compressor 30 is driven by a compressor motor as a power device, compresses low-pressure gas refrigerant, and discharges it as high-pressure gas refrigerant. The accumulator 31 is a container for storing liquid return during transient periods and adjusts the refrigerant to an appropriate quality. Quality is the proportion of steam in wet steam, which indicates the mixed state of steam and microdroplets.

[0021] The four-way valve 32 is a valve that switches the refrigerant flow path depending on the operating state (operating mode) of the air conditioner 10. The operating modes include cooling mode, heating mode, and fan mode. The expansion valve 33 is a valve that reduces the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant and expands it. The outdoor fan 35 is driven by an outdoor fan motor 36, takes in outdoor air, and sends it to the outdoor heat exchanger 34. Like the indoor heat exchanger 20, the outdoor heat exchanger 34 has heat transfer tubes through which the refrigerant flows, and is configured so that the sent air comes into contact with the surface of the heat transfer tubes to exchange heat. The air that has undergone heat exchange by the outdoor heat exchanger 34 is discharged outdoors.

[0022] The outdoor unit 12 further includes a control unit 37 as a control device. The control unit 37 is connected to the compressor 30, four-way valve 32, expansion valve 33, indoor fan motor 22, and outdoor fan motor 36, and controls these. Specifically, it controls the rotation speed of the compressor motor, the opening of the expansion valve 33, and the rotation speeds of the indoor fan motor 22 and outdoor fan motor 36. In order to control these, various sensors are also attached to the outdoor unit 12. The control unit 37 controls these based on information detected by the various sensors.

[0023] During cooling operation, the indoor heat exchanger 20 is used as an evaporator, and the outdoor heat exchanger 34 is used as a condenser. For this reason, the control unit 37 circulates the refrigerant sealed in the system in the order of the compressor 30, outdoor heat exchanger 34, expansion valve 33, indoor heat exchanger 20, four-way valve 32, accumulator 31, and compressor 30, as shown by the arrows.

[0024] The compressor 30 compresses a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant in a gaseous state (refrigerant gas) and discharges it as a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas. The outdoor heat exchanger 34 exchanges heat with outdoor air, cooling and condensing the refrigerant gas. The expansion valve 33 decompresses the refrigerant and vaporizes a portion of it. Therefore, the refrigerant is supplied to the indoor unit 11 in a gas-liquid mixed state. The opening of the expansion valve 33 is adjusted by the control unit 37 so that an appropriate amount of liquid is obtained.

[0025] The indoor heat exchanger 20 exchanges heat with the indoor air, and all of the condensed liquid refrigerant vaporizes and is returned as refrigerant gas to the outdoor unit 12. The refrigerant gas returned from the indoor heat exchanger 20 is sent to the accumulator 31 through the four-way valve 32 and returned to the compressor 30.

[0026] The device in which the control unit 37 is implemented is not limited to the air conditioner 10, but may also be a chiller, a refrigerator, or the like.

[0027] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of the outdoor unit 12. The outdoor unit 12 includes the above-mentioned compressor 30, accumulator 31, four-way valve 32, expansion valve 33, outdoor heat exchanger 34, and control unit 37 inside a housing 38, and also includes an outdoor fan 35 and an outdoor fan motor 36 on top of the housing 38.

[0028] The housing 38 is a hollow, approximately rectangular box having at least one side panel, at least one bottom panel, and an air outlet on the top surface. The external attachment part 39 is attached to the outer surface of one of the at least one side panel of the housing 38. The external attachment part 39 may be a protective mesh 41 to prevent fingers or the like from touching the outdoor heat exchanger 34, or a snow hood to prevent snow from accumulating when the unit is installed in a cold region. FIG. 2 shows the protective mesh 41 attached as the external attachment part 39 to the outer surface of one of the four side panels.

[0029] Furthermore, a communication device 40 is attached to one of the four side panels of the housing 38, that is, the outer surface of the same side panel to which the external attachment part 39 is attached, using a fixing bracket attachment portion and a fixing bracket.

[0030] The communication device 40 is attached to the outdoor unit 12 to enable remote monitoring of the air conditioner 10. This allows for continuous remote monitoring of simplified inspections in accordance with the amendments to the Fluorocarbons Emissions Control Law. To this end, the communication device 40 includes a switch for easy restarting, a power generation circuit board, a signal conversion circuit board for signal conversion, a wireless communication device, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped case for housing these components, and an antenna for wireless communication outside the case. The wireless communication device communicates wirelessly with a base station via the antenna. The wireless communication device transmits operating information and the like of the air conditioner 10 to a cloud server or the like via the base station and stores the operating information and the like on the server or the like. Note that the storage destination is not limited to a cloud server or the like. The operating information and the like stored on the server or the like is used for maintenance and inspection, etc.

[0031] Operation information and the like of the air conditioning apparatus 10 is collected by the control unit 37 and sent as an electrical signal to the communication device 40. In the communication device 40, the electrical signal is converted into a wireless communication signal by a signal conversion board. The wireless communication signal is a signal compatible with a communication method such as LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network), or LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0032] The control unit 37 includes, in an electrical component box, a power terminal block for acquiring power to be supplied to the indoor fan motor 22, the outdoor fan motor 36, the compressor motor, the communication device 40, etc., and a control board for acquiring operation information, etc., of the air conditioning apparatus 10. The power terminal block has multiple power terminals and is connected to each unit, such as the communication device 40, by wiring.

[0033] The housing 38 of the outdoor unit 12 contains a control unit 37, as well as a machine room housing the compressor 30, expansion valve 33, etc., an accumulator 31, an outdoor heat exchanger 34, etc., and has space for installing other devices.

[0034] Conventionally, the housing 38 has been configured to incorporate the communication device 40, but since the communication device 40 and other devices have the same roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and the same size, their mounting positions conflict and they could not be used together.

[0035] In the outdoor unit 12 shown in FIG. 2, the communication device 40 can be attached to the outer surface of the same side panel on which the external attachment part 39 of the housing 38 is attached. Therefore, it is possible to attach another device inside the housing 38 and attach the communication device 40 to the outer surface of the housing 38, and use both devices in combination.

[0036] The other device may be an active filter that cancels out the harmonic current by passing a current in opposite phase to the harmonic current generated by an inverter that controls the rotation speed of the compressor motor that drives the compressor 30, which is implemented in the control unit 37. However, the other device is not limited to an active filter.

[0037] The communication device 40 can be easily attached to the outer surface of the housing 38 using the fixing bracket mounting portion and fixing bracket. This eliminates the need to perform the installation work inside a narrow housing, and eliminates the need to route cables for installation, shortening the time required for installation and improving installation workability and workability.

[0038] Furthermore, since the communication device 40 is installed outside the housing 38, radio waves transmitted from the communication device 40 are less likely to be blocked by the outdoor unit 12 covered with sheet metal.

[0039] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing an example of the appearance of the communication device 40 and a first opening. FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the communication device 40, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an example of the first opening. The communication device 40 has a case 50 that is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped and has two mounting surfaces with different widths. This allows the mounting position of the communication device 40 to be changed so as not to interfere with an external mounting component 39 that is mounted on the same outer surface of the housing 38.

[0040] The openings provided in case 50 include a first opening 52 provided in first surface 51, which is one of two mounting surfaces with different widths, and a second opening 54 provided in second surface 53, which is the other of the two mounting surfaces. For example, if first surface 51 is a wide surface facing forward, second surface 53 is a narrow surface continuing from first surface 51 and facing sideways.

[0041] Each opening may be provided at any position on each surface, but may be provided below each surface as shown in Fig. 3(a). Communication device 40 has fixing metal fitting attachment portion 42 for fixing communication device 40 so that first surface 51 faces housing 38 when wiring passes through first opening 52, and for fixing communication device 40 so that second surface 53 faces housing 38 when wiring passes through second opening 54.

[0042] The fixing bracket mounting portion 42 is attached to the top surface 55 and bottom surface 56 of the case 50 of the communication device 40 by fastening means such as screws, welding, or the like. The fixing bracket mounting portion 42 is, for example, an L-shaped metal fitting having two surfaces aligned with the first surface 51 and the second surface 53, and is provided with a plurality of through-holes through which screws or the like can be inserted. Therefore, depending on the mounting posture of the communication device 40, the fixing bracket for fixing the communication device 40 to the housing 38 can be attached to one of the two surfaces of the fixing bracket mounting portion 42 aligned with the first surface 51 or the second surface 53.

[0043] When the external mounting part 39 is the protective net 41 shown in Figure 2, the wide first surface 51 can be installed facing the housing 38, so that the mounting bracket can be attached by screwing it to the surface of the mounting bracket mounting portion 42 along the first surface 51.

[0044] Both the first opening 52 and the second opening 54 are composed of multiple openings of a size that does not allow the passage of wiring connecting the communication device 40 and the power terminal block. In the example shown in Figure 3(b), the first opening 52 and the second opening 54 are composed of multiple openings of the same shape and size, so only the first opening 52 is shown.

[0045] The first opening 52 is composed of multiple openings 52a that are large enough to prevent wiring from passing through them, and the multiple openings 52a are formed as three arc-shaped slits that form part of a circular circumference. Therefore, the width of the slits is smaller than the diameter of the wiring. The spacing between adjacent slits among the three arc-shaped slits is shorter than the arc-shaped length of the slits. The case 50, in which the three arc-shaped slits are formed, is made of sheet metal, and the inside and outside of the circle formed by the three arc-shaped slits are connected between adjacent slits. Therefore, by cutting the gaps between adjacent slits among the three arc-shaped slits using punching or a cutting tool, an expanded opening is formed, large enough to allow wiring to pass through, with a diameter equal to or smaller than the circle formed by the three arc-shaped slits. The number of arc-shaped slits is not limited to three, but may be two, four, or more.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first attitude of the communication device 40 when the communication device 40 is attached to the housing 38. FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view of the outdoor unit 12 seen from above, and FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view of the outdoor unit 12 seen from below. The housing 38 is equipped with an outdoor fan 35 inside the outlet section on the top surface, and a protective mesh 41 is attached to at least one side plate 38a. The side plate 38a has a space in which the first surface 51 of the communication device 40 can be fixed facing the side plate 38a. Therefore, the communication device 40 can be placed in that space with the first surface 51 facing and fixed.

[0047] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the first fixing bracket used when mounting in the first position shown in Figure 4 and the method for mounting it. Figure 5(a) is a front view of communication device 40 mounted to metal plate 38b that forms part of side plate 38a using first fixing bracket 60. Case 50 of communication device 40 has four side surfaces including first surface 51 and second surface 53, a top surface, and a bottom surface, and first fixing bracket 60 is mounted to fixing bracket mounting portions 42, 57, 58 attached to the top surface and bottom surface.

[0048] FIG. 5(b) is a diagram illustrating the first fixing bracket 60. The first fixing bracket 60 has an S-shaped cross section. The first fixing bracket 60 has two end portions 60a, 60b having different parallel surfaces, and a connecting portion 60c connecting the two end portions 60a, 60b. As shown in the view A taken in the direction of the arrow A, the two surfaces of the two end portions 60a, 60b and the surface of the connecting portion 60c are approximately perpendicular. The two end portions 60a, 60b have multiple through holes 60d for fastening the housing 38 or the communication device 40 with multiple screws.

[0049] An L-shaped fixing bracket mounting portion 42 is attached to the top surface of the case 50 of the communication device 40, and fixing bracket mounting portions 57 and 58 arranged to form an L shape are attached to the edge of the bottom surface, and a first fixing bracket 60 is fixed to the fixing bracket mounting portions 42, 57, and 58 with multiple screws.

[0050] The communication device 40 can be fixed with screws to the metal plate 38b and the first fixing brackets 60 attached to the top and bottom surfaces. When fixing with screws, male and female screws can be used, but this is not limited to this; the metal plate 38b may be threaded and fixed using only male screws. When fixing with screws, not only male and female screws but also washers (washers) that prevent the screws from loosening may be used.

[0051] Because the first fixing bracket 60 is S-shaped, when the communication device 40 is attached to the metal plate 38b using the first fixing bracket 60, the first surface 51 of the communication device 40 that faces the metal plate 38b is not adjacent to the first fixing bracket 60 but is spaced apart from the metal plate 38b. In other words, the communication device 40 is attached while maintaining a clearance between the housing 38 and the communication device 40.

[0052] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second orientation of the communication device 40 when the communication device 40 is attached to the housing 38. FIG. 6(a) is a perspective view of the outdoor unit 12 as viewed from above, and FIG. 6(b) is a perspective view of the outdoor unit 12 as viewed from below. The housing 38 is equipped with an outdoor fan 35 inside the outlet portion on the top surface, and a snow hood 43 is attached to at least one side panel 38a. The side panel 38a has enough space to fix the communication device 40 with the second surface 53 facing the housing 38, but does not have enough space to fix the communication device 40 with the first surface 51 facing the housing 38. Therefore, the communication device 40 can be changed from a position in which the first surface 51 faces the housing 38 to a position in which the second surface 53 faces the housing 38, and then fixed in the position in which the second surface 53 faces the housing 38.

[0053] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the second and third fixing brackets used when mounting in the second position shown in Figure 6, and the method of mounting them. Figure 7(a) is a front view of communication device 40 mounted to at least one side plate 38a that constitutes housing 38, using second fixing bracket 61 and third fixing bracket 62. Case 50 of communication device 40 has four side surfaces including first surface 51 and second surface 53, a top surface, and a bottom surface, and second fixing bracket 61 and third fixing bracket 62 are attached to the top surface and bottom surface.

[0054] If the structure of the housing 38 where the communication device 40 is attached with the fixing brackets and screws is the same at the top and bottom, the same fixing brackets can be used on the top and bottom of the communication device 40 to attach the communication device 40 to the housing 38. However, if the structure of the housing 38 at the top and bottom is different, the same fixing brackets cannot be used on the top and bottom of the communication device 40. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7(a), different second fixing brackets 61 and third fixing brackets 62 can be used on the top and bottom of the communication device 40 to attach it.

[0055] FIG. 7(b) illustrates the second fixing bracket 61, and FIG. 7(c) illustrates the third fixing bracket 62. The second fixing bracket 61 is a fixing bracket formed by joining an S-shaped bracket and an L-shaped bracket. Therefore, the second fixing bracket 61 has two end portions 61a and 61b with different parallel surfaces, and a connecting portion 61c connecting the two end portions 61a and 61b. The two end portions 61a and 61b have multiple through-holes 61d through which screws can be inserted. Furthermore, the second fixing bracket 61 has one surface of an L-shaped bracket joined to end portion 61b, and another surface 61e of the L-shaped bracket extending perpendicular to end portion 61b has through-holes 61f through which screws can be inserted. This allows the snow hood 43 to be fixed with screws to the outer surface of another side panel connected to the side panel 38a to which the snow hood 43 is attached.

[0056] The third fixing bracket 62 also has two ends 62a, 62b with different parallel surfaces, and a connecting portion 62c connecting the two ends 62a, 62b. However, the length of connecting portion 62c, which is the distance between the two ends 62a, 62b, is shorter than the length of connecting portion 61c of the second fixing bracket 61. If the structure of the housing 38 is different at the top and bottom, it is possible to attach the communication device 40 to the housing 38 using different fixing brackets for the top and bottom, such as the second fixing bracket 61 and the third fixing bracket 62.

[0057] The two ends 62a, 62b of the third fixing bracket 62 have multiple through holes 62d through which multiple screws can be inserted. The third fixing bracket 62 also has one surface of an L-shaped metal fitting joined to the end 62a, and another surface 62e of the L-shaped metal fitting extending perpendicular to the end 62a has through holes 62f through which screws can be inserted. This allows the snow hood 43 to be fixed with screws to the outer surface of another side panel that is continuous with the side panel 38a to which it is attached.

[0058] 7(a) shows communication device 40 attached to metal plate 38b using second fixing bracket 61 and third fixing bracket 62. L-shaped fixing bracket attachment part 42 is attached to the top surface of case 50 of communication device 40, and L-shaped fixing bracket attachment parts 57 and 58 are attached to the edge of the bottom surface, and second fixing bracket 61 can be attached to fixing bracket attachment part 42, and third fixing bracket 62 can be attached to fixing bracket attachment parts 57 and 58 using screws.

[0059] Because the second fixing bracket 61 and the third fixing bracket 62 have an S-shaped cross section, when the communication device 40 is attached to the metal plate 38b using the second fixing bracket 61 and the third fixing bracket 62, the second surface 53 of the communication device 40 that faces the metal plate 38b is not adjacent to the second surface 53 but is spaced apart from the metal plate 38b. In other words, the communication device 40 is attached while maintaining a clearance between the housing 38 and the housing 38.

[0060] 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating a housing opening 70 provided in the metal plate 38b of the housing 38 and a first opening 52 provided in the first surface 51 of the case 50 of the communication device 40. Fig. 8A is a diagram illustrating the housing opening 70, and Fig. 8B is a diagram illustrating the first opening 52. Note that a second opening 54 provided in the second surface 53 of the case 50 of the communication device 40 is similar to the first opening 52, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0061] 3(b), the first opening 52 is composed of a plurality of openings 52a that are large enough to prevent wiring from passing through, and the plurality of openings 52a are three arc-shaped slits that form part of the circumference of a circle. When connecting the power terminal block and the communication device 40 with wiring, the space between adjacent ones of the three arc-shaped slits is cut by punching or using a cutting means, etc., to form an enlarged opening that is large enough to allow wiring to pass through and has a diameter equal to or smaller than the circle formed by the three arc-shaped slits.

[0062] Similar to the first opening 52 provided on the first surface 51 of the case 50 of the communication device 40, the housing opening 70 provided on the housing 38 is also made up of a plurality of openings 70a large enough to prevent wiring from passing through, and the plurality of openings 70a are three arc-shaped slits that form part of the circumference of a circle. However, unlike the slits of the first opening 52, the slits of the housing opening 70 are wider than the slits of the first opening 52.

[0063] First opening 52 is called a knockout hole because an expanded opening is formed by pressing with a finger or hitting with a hammer or the like the metal plate that connects the inside and outside of the circle between the slits to punch out the inner metal plate. On the other hand, housing opening 70 is called a slit hole because an expanded opening is formed by cutting with a cutting means such as nippers the metal plate that connects the inside and outside of the circle between the slits.

[0064] The inside of the case 50 of the communication device 40 where the first opening 52 and the second opening 54 are provided is hollow, and there are no parts that can be damaged, so punching out the openings does not cause any problems. For this reason, the first opening 52 and the second opening 54 can be formed by knockout holes.

[0065] On the other hand, since pipes through which a refrigerant flows are located close to the interior of the housing 38 where the communication device 40 is attached, punching the hole may damage the pipes through which the refrigerant flows. For this reason, the housing opening 70 is preferably a slit hole that is cut by a cutting means to form an enlarged opening.

[0066] 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating a resin part and a method for mounting a communication device 40 using the resin part. The communication device 40 can be mounted to the housing 38 using a fixing bracket, but as shown in FIG. 9A, it is also possible to mount the communication device 40 to the housing 38 using a resin part 80 with wiring passing through the interior of the resin part 80. Note that the communication device 40 can be mounted not only using the resin part 80 but also using a fixing bracket.

[0067] When an S-shaped fixing bracket is used, the connection is made while maintaining a clearance between the communication device 40 and the housing 38. This means that the wiring is exposed only in the area of the clearance. The wiring is made of conductors covered with an insulator, and if it is exposed to the outside, exposed to ultraviolet rays, wind and rain, the insulator will deteriorate, which could cause a current leak.

[0068] However, by using resin part 80 and attaching it to housing 38 with the wiring passing through the interior of resin part 80, the wiring can be protected from ultraviolet rays, wind, rain, etc. Resin part 80 can be made from an electrically insulating resin material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, phenolic resin, epoxy resin, or rubber.

[0069] 9(b), the resin part 80 has a hole 81 through which the wiring 90 passes. The hole 81 is a substantially circular hole with a diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the wiring 90. The resin part 80 has a hollow portion 82 that is continuous with the hole 81 and has a diameter larger than that of the hole 81, a first groove portion 83 that accommodates the end (edge) of the sheet metal around the expanded opening of the housing 38, and a second groove portion 84 that accommodates the edge of the sheet metal around the expanded opening of the case 50 of the communication device 40. The first groove portion 83 and the second groove portion 84 are grooves of a predetermined depth that are formed around the entire circumference of the side surface of the resin part 80.

[0070] Resin part 80 is capable of elastic deformation, and can be connected across housing 38 and communication device 40 by fitting the edges of each metal plate into first groove 83 and second groove 84, thereby enabling communication device 40 to be attached to housing 38. Furthermore, because resin part 80 is passed through hollow portion 82, it is not exposed to the outside, and can protect wiring 90 from ultraviolet rays, wind, rain, and the like.

[0071] The length from one end where hole 81 of resin part 80 is provided to the other end is determined according to the clearance between housing 38 and communication device 40, and is set to a length that does not expose wiring 90 to the outside. Therefore, resin part 80 is sized so that one end where hole 81 is provided abuts against first surface 51 or second surface 53 of case 50 of communication device 40, and the other end abuts against housing 38.

[0072] The first groove 83 has a groove width corresponding to the thickness of the metal plate 38b, and the second groove 84 has a groove width corresponding to the thickness of the metal plate 50a. The first groove 83 and the second groove 84 may have a constant groove width in the groove depth direction, or may have a structure in which the width narrows from the bottom of the groove toward the groove entrance, and the groove entrance has claws 85 for clamping the metal plate from the left and right (inside and outside of the housing 38 and the case 50). The claws 85 are portions that protrude toward the center of each of the first groove 83 and the second groove 84. Note that the claws 85 allow the metal plate to be firmly fixed by pinching it, preventing the communication device 40 from shifting or falling.

[0073] 10 is a diagram showing a third posture of the communication device 40 when the communication device 40 is to be mounted. The communication device 40 can be mounted on the side panel 38a of the housing 38, or it can be a separate type and mounted on a structure such as a wall 100 adjacent to the outdoor unit 12. When mounting the communication device 40 on a structure such as a wall 100, the wide first surface 51 can be positioned facing the wall 100 and the communication device can be mounted on the wall 100 using the first fixing bracket 60 shown in FIG. 5(b). Alternatively, the narrow second surface 53 can be positioned facing the wall 100 and mounted on the wall 100.

[0074] When the communication device 40 is attached to the wall 100 in this manner, there is no power terminal block on the other side of the wall 100, and there are no holes in the wall 100, so even if the first opening 52 provided in the first surface 51 is punched out and an enlarged opening is formed, wiring cannot be performed.

[0075] Therefore, a second opening 54 is punched out not on the first surface 51 facing the wall 100 but on another surface that does not face the wall 100, for example, on the second surface 53, to form an enlarged opening, and wiring 90 can be used to connect the power terminal block inside the housing 38 to the communication device 40 through the enlarged opening.

[0076] 10 , a third opening may be provided in the bottom surface of the case 50 of the communication device 40, and the power supply terminal block in the housing 38 may be connected to the communication device 40 by a wire 90 through the opening expanded by punching or the like. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the wire 90 passes through the expanded opening in the bottom surface of the case 50, is arranged along the wall 100 and the housing 38, penetrates the side plate 38a of the housing 38, and is connected to the power supply terminal block in the housing 38.

[0077] 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the communication device 40 when it is attached in the third position, and an example of the third opening 59. As shown in FIG. 11(c), the case 50 of the communication device 40 is composed of a container part 50b that houses a switch, a power generation board, a signal conversion board, a wireless communication device, etc., and a lid part 50c, and the container part 50b is attached to the wall 100.

[0078] When the communication device 40 is used as a separate type at a location away from the housing 38, it may be necessary to access it from below when connecting the wiring 90 from the housing 38. For this reason, when the communication device 40 is attached to the wall 100, the bottom metal plate of the case 50 is configured as part of the lid portion 50c, as shown in FIG. 11(a), and a third opening 59 is provided in the bottom metal plate. Therefore, when the first surface 51 or the second surface 53 of the container portion 50b is attached facing the wall 100, the lid portion 50c has a side surface different from the first surface 51 and the second surface 53, and a bottom surface continuous with the side surface.

[0079] When the wiring 90 is accessed from below, the wiring 90 is passed through a conduit or the like. This fixes the wiring path. This makes it essential that the lid 50c can be opened and closed while the wiring path of the communication device 40 is fixed. Therefore, the third opening 59 of the lid 50c can be formed with a U-shaped notch so that the conduit of the wiring path does not interfere with the movement of the lid 50c to be pulled forward. This simplifies the operation of opening and closing the lid 50c.

[0080] Specifically, the third opening 59 is configured by two slit holes extending linearly from one end of the bottom metal sheet, which is part of the U-shape, and two slit holes extending in an arc shape adjacent to the other end of the two linear slit holes. Note that, as long as the third opening 59 is part of the U-shape, the number of linear slit holes is not limited to two, and the number of arc slit holes is also not limited to two.

[0081] The object to which the communication device 40 is attached is not limited to the housing 38 and the wall 100. Therefore, the communication device 40 may be attached to a structure other than the wall 100 adjacent to the housing 38.

[0082] 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the work of mounting the communication device 40 on the housing 38 or a structure adjacent to the housing 38, such as a wall 100. Starting from step 100, in step 101, the location where the communication device 40 is to be mounted is confirmed, and the mounting posture of the communication device 40 is determined.

[0083] In step 102, based on the determined mounting posture, it is determined which of first opening 52, second opening 54, and third opening 59 to punch. In step 103, the determined opening is punched or the like to form an enlarged opening large enough to pass wiring 90. In step 104, housing opening 70 in housing 38 is cut with cutting means to form an enlarged opening large enough to pass wiring 90.

[0084] In step 105, communication device 40 is fixed with screws and attached to a structure such as housing 38 or wall 100. In step 105, communication device 40 is connected to a power terminal block inside housing 38 with wiring 90 through the two enlarged openings formed, and the work is completed in step 107.

[0085] Note that the order of steps 102 and 103 and step 104 is not limited to this; step 104 may be performed before steps 102 and 103, or steps 102 and 103 and step 104 may be performed simultaneously.

[0086] By providing an outdoor unit 12 including a communication device 40 configured in this manner, and an air conditioning device 10 including that outdoor unit 12, it becomes possible to change the mounting posture and position of the communication device 40 and use it in conjunction with other devices, making installation easier and improving workability.

[0087] Up to this point, the installation method of the outdoor unit, air conditioning device, and communication device of the present invention has been described in detail using the above-mentioned embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be modified within the scope of what a person skilled in the art can conceive, such as other embodiments, additions, changes, deletions, etc., and any aspect is included in the scope of the present invention as long as it achieves the functions and effects of the present invention.

[0088] Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide (1) an outdoor unit for an air conditioning device, comprising: a housing having a blowing means attached to an upper portion thereof; a communication device capable of communicating with the outside; and a power terminal block housed within the housing for supplying power to the communication device, wherein the communication device has a first surface having a first opening, and a second surface having a second opening and having an area different from that of the first surface, wherein the first opening and the second opening have multiple openings large enough to prevent wiring from passing through, and wherein, when the communication device and the power terminal block are connected with the wiring, the openings of the multiple openings in either the first opening or the second opening are cut to form an expanded opening large enough to allow the wiring to pass through.

[0089] According to the present invention, (2) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in (1) above, in which the first opening and the second opening have the plurality of arc-shaped openings that are part of the circumference of a circle of the same size.

[0090] According to the present invention, (3) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in (1) or (2) above, wherein the communication device is provided with a fixing bracket mounting portion for fixing the communication device so that the first surface faces the housing when the wiring passes through the first opening, and for fixing the communication device so that the second surface faces the housing when the wiring passes through the second opening.

[0091] According to the present invention, (4) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in (3) above, in which the fixing bracket mounting portion is L-shaped with two surfaces aligned with the first surface and the second surface, and a fixing bracket for fixing the communication device to the housing is attached to one of the two surfaces aligned with the first surface or the second surface depending on the mounting posture of the communication device.

[0092] According to the present invention, (5) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in (1) or (2) above, in which the communication device is provided with a fixing bracket mounting portion for fixing the communication device to a structure adjacent to the housing.

[0093] According to the present invention, (6) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in any one of (1) to (5) above, which includes a fixing bracket having an S-shaped cross section for fixing the communication device, the fixing bracket having different parallel surfaces, one of the different parallel surfaces having a through hole for fixing the communication device with a screw, and another of the different parallel surfaces having a through hole for fixing to the housing with a screw.

[0094] According to the present invention, (7) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in any one of (1) to (6) above, which includes a fixing bracket for fixing the communication device, the fixing bracket being formed by joining a metal bracket having an S-shaped cross section with a metal bracket having an L-shaped cross section, the fixing bracket having different parallel surfaces and a surface perpendicular to the different parallel surfaces, one of the different parallel surfaces having a through-hole for fixing the communication device with a screw, another of the different parallel surfaces having a through-hole for fixing to the housing with a screw, and the perpendicular surface having a through-hole for fixing to the housing with a screw.

[0095] According to the present invention, (8) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein the housing has a surface having a housing opening, the housing opening has a plurality of openings large enough to prevent the wiring from passing through, and the width of the openings of the housing openings is larger than the width of the openings of the first opening and the second opening.

[0096] According to the present invention, (9) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit according to any one of (1) to (8) above, which is provided with a resin part that is attached to the communication device and the housing so that the wiring passes through the inside thereof after forming the enlarged opening of the communication device and forming an enlarged opening for the housing opening of the housing.

[0097] According to the present invention, (10) it is possible to provide the outdoor unit described in (9) above, in which the resin part has claw portions for clamping the housing and the case of the communication device from the inside and outside, respectively.

[0098] According to the present invention, (11) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in (5) above, in which the communication device has a cover portion that forms a side surface different from the first surface or the second surface and a bottom surface that is continuous with the side surface when the first surface or the second surface is attached facing the structure, and has a third opening on the bottom surface.

[0099] According to the present invention, (12) it is possible to provide an outdoor unit as described in (11) above, in which the third opening has a plurality of openings large enough to prevent the wiring from passing through, and when the communication device and the power terminal block are connected with the wiring, the openings of the plurality of openings of the third opening are cut to form an expanded opening large enough to allow the wiring to pass through.

[0100] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide the outdoor unit as described in (12) above, in which the third opening has the plurality of linear and arc-shaped openings that are part of a U-shape.

[0101] According to the present invention, it is also possible to provide an air conditioner including an outdoor unit according to any one of (1) to (12) above.

[0102] Furthermore, according to the present invention, there can be provided a method for mounting a communication device in a housing of an outdoor unit, the housing including a housing having a blowing means attached to an upper portion thereof, a communication device capable of communicating with the outside, and a power terminal block housed within the housing for supplying power to the communication device, wherein the communication device has a first surface having a first opening, and a second surface having a second opening and having an area different from that of the first surface, the first opening and the second opening have a plurality of openings large enough to prevent wiring from passing through, and the method includes the steps of: cutting between the openings of the plurality of openings in either the first opening or the second opening to form an expanded opening large enough to allow the wiring to pass through; connecting the communication device and the power terminal block with the wiring via the expanded opening; and mounting the communication device on the housing using a fixing bracket, with the first surface or the second surface having the expanded opening facing each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 10...Air conditioning equipment 11...Indoor unit 12...Outdoor unit 20…Indoor heat exchanger 21...Indoor fan 22...Indoor fan motor 30...Compressor 31...Accumulator 32...Four-way valve 33...Expansion valve 34…Outdoor heat exchanger 35...Outdoor fan 36...Outdoor fan motor 37...Control unit 38...Case 38a…Side plate 38b...Sheet metal 39...External mounting parts 40...Communication equipment 41...protective net 42...Fixing bracket mounting part 43...Snowproof hood 50…cases 50a...sheet metal 50b…Container part 50c…Lid part 51...First side 52...First opening 52a...Aperture 53...Second Side 54...Second opening 55…Top surface 56...Bottom 57, 58...Fixing bracket mounting part 59...Third opening 60...First fixing bracket 60a, 60b...ends 60c...Connection part 60d...Through hole 61...Second fixing bracket 61a, 61b...ends 61c...Connection part 61d...Through hole 61e...side 61f...Through hole 62...Third fixing bracket 62a, 61b...ends 62c...Connection part 62d...Through hole 62e…plane 62f...Through hole 70...Housing opening 70a…Aperture 80...Resin parts 81...hole 82...Cavity part 83...First groove 84...Second groove 85...Claw part 90...Wiring 100...wall

Claims

1. An outdoor unit of an air conditioning apparatus, a housing having an air blowing means attached to an upper portion thereof; a communication device capable of communicating with the outside; a power terminal block housed in the housing for supplying power to the communication device; Including, the communication device includes a first surface having a first opening, and a second surface having a second opening and having an area different from that of the first surface; The outdoor unit has a plurality of openings each large enough to prevent wiring from passing through, and when connecting the communication device and the power terminal block with the wiring, the openings of either the first opening or the second opening are cut to form an expanded opening large enough to allow the wiring to pass through.

2. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first opening and the second opening have the plurality of arc-shaped openings that are part of a circumference of a circle of the same size.

3. 3. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the communication device includes a fixing bracket mounting portion for fixing the communication device so that the first surface faces the housing when the wiring passes through the first opening, and for fixing the communication device so that the second surface faces the housing when the wiring passes through the second opening.

4. 4. The outdoor unit according to claim 3, wherein the fixing bracket mounting portion is L-shaped and has two surfaces aligned with the first surface and the second surface, and a fixing bracket for fixing the communication device to the housing is attached to one of the two surfaces aligned with the first surface or the second surface depending on the mounting posture of the communication device.

5. The outdoor unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication device includes a metal fitting attachment portion for fixing the communication device to a structure adjacent to the housing.

6. a fixing bracket having an S-shaped cross section for fixing the communication device; 3. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket has different parallel surfaces, one of the different parallel surfaces having a through hole for fixing the communication device with a screw, and another of the different parallel surfaces having a through hole for fixing to the housing with a screw.

7. a fixing bracket for fixing the communication device, the fixing bracket being formed by joining an S-shaped metal bracket and an L-shaped metal bracket, The fixing metal fitting has different parallel surfaces and a surface perpendicular to the different parallel surfaces, 3. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein one of the different parallel surfaces has a through-hole for fixing the communication device with a screw, another of the different parallel surfaces has a through-hole for fixing the communication device to the housing with a screw, and the vertical surface has a through-hole for fixing the communication device to the housing with a screw.

8. 3. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a surface having a housing opening, the housing opening has a plurality of openings large enough to prevent the wiring from passing through, and the width of the opening of the housing opening is larger than the width of the opening of the first opening and the second opening.

9. The outdoor unit according to claim 8, further comprising a resin part that is attached to the communication device and the housing so as to straddle the communication device and the housing and allow the wiring to pass therethrough after forming the expanded opening for the communication device and forming an expanded opening for the housing opening.

10. The outdoor unit according to claim 9 , wherein the resin part has claws for clamping the housing and the case of the communication device from the inside and outside, respectively.

11. 6. The outdoor unit according to claim 5, wherein the communication device has a lid portion that forms a side surface different from the first surface or the second surface and a bottom surface that is continuous with the side surface when the communication device is attached so that the first surface or the second surface faces the structure, and has a third opening in the bottom surface.

12. The outdoor unit according to claim 11, wherein the third opening has a plurality of openings large enough to prevent the wiring from passing through, and when the communication device and the power terminal block are connected with the wiring, the openings of the plurality of openings of the third opening are cut to form an expanded opening large enough to allow the wiring to pass through.

13. The outdoor unit according to claim 12 , wherein the third opening has the plurality of linear and arcuate openings that form part of a U-shape.

14. An air conditioning apparatus including an outdoor unit, The outdoor unit is a housing having an air blowing means attached to an upper portion thereof; a communication device capable of communicating with the outside; a power terminal block housed in the housing for supplying power to the communication device; Including, the communication device includes a first surface having a first opening, and a second surface having a second opening and having an area different from that of the first surface; An air conditioning device in which the first opening and the second opening have multiple openings large enough to prevent wiring from passing through, and when connecting the communication device and the power terminal block with the wiring, the multiple openings in either the first opening or the second opening are cut between to form an expanded opening large enough to allow the wiring to pass through.

15. A method for attaching a communication device to a housing of an outdoor unit, the housing including a housing on which a blower is attached, a communication device capable of communicating with the outside, and a power terminal block housed in the housing for supplying power to the communication device, comprising: the communication device includes a first surface having a first opening, and a second surface having a second opening and having an area different from that of the first surface; the first opening and the second opening have a plurality of openings each having a size that does not allow wiring to pass through; The method includes a step of cutting between the openings of either the first opening or the second opening to form an expanded opening large enough for the wiring to pass through; connecting the communication device and the power terminal block with the wiring through the expanded opening; attaching the communication device to the housing using a fixing bracket so that the first surface or the second surface having the expanded opening faces the housing; A method for mounting a communication device, comprising:

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