Heat pump device

Abstract

To provide a heat pump device in which the sealability of an electric component box is easy to secure.SOLUTION: A heat pump device according to the present disclosure comprises an electric component box housing boards. The electric component box comprises a wire relay module for drawing wires into the electric component box. The wire relay module comprises an insertion opening part for establishing the inside and outside of the electric component box, and a wire block inserted and fitted into the insertion opening part toward a first direction, and sealing and holding the wires. An inner surface of the insertion opening part is inclined in a direction in which the cross-sectional area of the insertion opening part becomes smaller toward the first direction, and extended to the side of the first direction from an end part of the wire block on the side of the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat pump device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an outdoor unit of an air conditioner that uses a flammable refrigerant. This outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes an electrical equipment box at the top inside the housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-55455 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a heat pump device in which the sealing of an electrical box can be easily ensured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The heat pump device of the present disclosure includes an electrical box for storing a circuit board, the electrical box having a wiring relay module that draws wiring into the interior of the electrical box, the wiring relay module having an insertion opening that connects the interior and exterior of the electrical box, and a wiring block that is inserted into the insertion opening in a first direction and fits into it, sealing and holding the wiring, the inner surface of the insertion opening being inclined in a direction that reduces the cross-sectional area of ​​the insertion opening in the first direction, and extending further toward the first direction than the end of the wiring block on the first direction side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In the present disclosure, regardless of variations in the dimensions and materials of the wiring block or the insertion opening during manufacturing, by controlling the magnitude of the force with which the wiring block is pushed when it is inserted into the insertion opening, it is possible to easily seal the wiring without gaps, thereby making it easier to ensure the hermeticity of the electrical box. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a refrigerant circuit and a water circuit of a hot water heater according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the inside of the outdoor unit [Figure 3] Exploded perspective view of the electrical box [Figure 4] Perspective view of the wiring relay module [Figure 5] Exploded perspective view of the wiring relay module [Figure 6] Plan view of the wiring relay module [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view taken along VII-VII in Figure 6 [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of Figure 6 taken along the line VIII-VIII DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (Findings that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the idea for the present disclosure, the technology of heat pump devices was in a state of demand for the use of refrigerants with low environmental impact in refrigerant circuits. Therefore, in the industry, many refrigerants with low environmental impact were considered to be slightly flammable or flammable, and a technology was proposed to improve the sealing of an electrical box that houses a circuit board or the like, so that even if the refrigerant leaked from the refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant would not enter the electrical box. Under these circumstances, the inventors discovered a problem in that gaps were likely to form in the areas where wiring runs between the inside and outside of the electrical box. To solve this problem, the inventors came up with the subject matter of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides a heat pump device in which the sealing of an electrical box can be easily ensured.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed description of well-known matters or redundant description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. [1-1.Configuration] [1-1-1. Refrigeration circuit configuration] 1 is a diagram showing a refrigerant circuit R and a water circuit W of a hot water heater 1 according to Embodiment 1. The hot water heater 1 has an outdoor unit 10 that is mainly installed outdoors, and an indoor unit 70 that is mainly installed in a space to be conditioned, such as indoors. The outdoor unit 10 is an example of a "heat pump device" in this disclosure.

[0011] The hot water hot water heater 1 is a device that heats a space to be conditioned by flowing water heated by an outdoor unit 10 through an indoor heat exchanger 71 of an indoor unit 70. The hot water hot water heater 1 of this embodiment can also perform cooling operation by flowing water cooled by the outdoor unit 10 through the indoor heat exchanger 71. In Figure 1, the flow of refrigerant and water during cooling operation of the hot water heater 1 is indicated by arrows.

[0012] The outdoor unit 10 is provided with a refrigerant circuit R. The refrigerant circuit R has a compressor 12, an air heat exchanger 14, an expansion valve 16, and a plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30. The refrigerant circuit R is filled with a slightly flammable or flammable refrigerant. In this embodiment, the refrigerant circuit R is filled with flammable R290, i.e., a refrigerant containing propane.

[0013] The compressor 12 is a device that draws in, compresses, and discharges a refrigerant. In the outdoor unit 10, a flow path switching mechanism 13 is connected to the discharge side and suction side of the compressor 12. The flow path switching mechanism 13 switches the destination of the refrigerant discharged to the compressor 12 between the air heat exchanger 14 and the plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30, causing the destination heat exchangers 14, 30 to function as condensers. The flow path switching mechanism 13 also draws the refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator of the heat exchangers 14, 30 into the compressor 12. The flow path switching mechanism 13 is, for example, a four-way valve.

[0014] The air heat exchanger 14 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant inside and the outside air. The air heat exchanger 14 is, for example, a fin-tube type heat exchanger. The outdoor unit 10 is provided with an outdoor fan 15 that flows the outside air through the air heat exchanger 14. In this embodiment, the outdoor fan 15 is an axial fan.

[0015] The plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30 is a plate-type heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a refrigerant flowing inside and water.

[0016] The air heat exchanger 14 and the plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30 are connected via an expansion valve 16. The expansion valve 16 is a valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant flowing in from the condenser of each of the heat exchangers 14, 30 to make it a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and allows it to flow into the evaporator of each of the heat exchangers 14, 30. In this embodiment, the opening of the expansion valve 16 can be adjusted by electronic control, and the flow rate of the refrigerant is adjusted by changing the opening.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a refrigerant circuit R configured by connecting a compressor 12, an expansion valve 16, heat exchangers 14, 30, etc. is housed inside a housing 11 of an outdoor unit .

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1 , the hot water heater 1 has a water circuit W formed as a heat medium circuit through which a heat medium flows. The water circuit W is a circuit that circulates water as a heat medium between the plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30 of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor heat exchanger 71 of the indoor unit 70. The indoor heat exchanger 71 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the water inside and the air in the space to be conditioned. The indoor unit 70 has an indoor blower 73 that flows air through the indoor heat exchanger 71. The indoor unit 70 air-conditions the space to be conditioned by driving the indoor blower 73 and passing the air in the space to be conditioned through the indoor heat exchanger 71 and then returning it to the space to be conditioned.

[0019] The water circuit W connects the indoor unit 70 and the outdoor unit 10, and has two connecting pipes 75, 77 through which water flows as a heat medium. The water circuit W also has a circulation pump 21 inside the outdoor unit 10. When driven, the circulation pump 21 sucks water from the connecting pipe 75 and directs the sucked water toward the plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30. This causes water to circulate inside the water circuit W.

[0020] [1-1-2. Arrangement of components in heat pump device] 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the outdoor unit 10. Note that in each drawing of the present disclosure, the housing 11 is partially omitted in order to show the inside of the outdoor unit 10. In addition, in the drawing, the symbol X indicates the left side of the outdoor unit 10, the symbol Y indicates the front side of the outdoor unit 10, and the symbol Z indicates the upper side.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 11 of the outdoor unit 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Inside the housing 11, there are formed a fan chamber 17, which is a space partitioned off on the left side by a partition plate 19, and a machine chamber 18, which is a space partitioned off on the right side of the partition plate 19. The partition plate 19 is made of sheet metal and is provided in an orientation that is substantially perpendicular to the left-right direction.

[0022] The housing 11 has a bottom plate 11a made of sheet metal that forms the underside of the housing 11. The housing 11 has a front panel 11b that forms the front surface of the blower chamber 17. An opening is formed in the front panel 11b. The housing 11 also has a top panel (not shown). The top panel forms the upper surface of the housing 11. The housing 11 also has a pair of front and rear side panels 11c, 11d. The side panels 11c, 11d are provided in pair at the front and rear of the machine chamber 18. The front side panel 11c covers the machine chamber 18 from the front and right side. The rear side panel 11d covers the machine chamber 18 from the right side and rear side.

[0023] The blower chamber 17 is provided with an air heat exchanger 14 and an outdoor blower 15. The air heat exchanger 14 is provided on the right side and rear surface of the blower chamber 17. More specifically, the right side and rear surface of the blower chamber 17 in the housing 11 are open, and the air heat exchanger 14 is exposed to the outside of the housing 11 through these openings.

[0024] The outdoor fan 15 blows air inside the outdoor unit 10 forward through an opening in the front panel 11b, thereby drawing in outside air through the air heat exchanger 14 and exchanging heat between the outside air and the refrigerant inside the air heat exchanger 14. Note that in this embodiment, an outdoor unit 10 in which two outdoor fans 15 are provided in the fan chamber 17 will be described as an example, but there is no particular limit to the number of outdoor fans 15 in the outdoor unit 10.

[0025] The machinery room 18 is provided with the compressor 12, flow path switching mechanism 13, expansion valve 16, and plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30. The machinery room 18 also is provided with a circulation pump 21 that circulates water in the water circuit W, a gas-liquid separator 23 that removes gas from the water in the water circuit W, and a flow rate sensor 25 that measures the flow rate of water in the water circuit W. The inlet-side connection valve 22 and the outlet-side connection valve 27, which are connected to the connection pipes 75 and 77, are provided on the rear surface of the machinery room 18, i.e., on the rear side panel 11d.

[0026] [1-1-3. Configuration of the electrical box] As shown in Fig. 2, an electrical box 40 is provided on the top of the outdoor unit 10. The electrical box 40 passes through the top of the partition plate 19 in the left-right direction and is provided across the fan chamber 17 and the machinery chamber 18. The electrical box 40 has a generally horizontal, plate-shaped upper cover 41 and a main body 42 that is closed from above by the upper cover 41.

[0027] Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of electrical box 40. As shown in Fig. 3, in this embodiment, main body 42 is formed by assembling a first housing body 43 and a second housing body 44. First housing body 43 is a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped member that straddles blower chamber 17 and machine chamber 18. A first opening 45 that opens across the entire top surface is formed in first housing body 43. The above-mentioned upper lid 41 closes first opening 45. A second opening 46 that opens downward is formed in the lower surface of the portion of first housing body 43 that is located in machine chamber 18.

[0028] A first board 51 and a second board 52 are arranged inside the first housing 43. The first board 51 is provided inside the first housing 43 at a position that will be above the blower chamber 17. The first board 51 is a board that controls the compressor 12. The first board 51 also controls the outdoor blower 15. In the present embodiment, the first board 51 controls the rotation speeds of the compressor 12 and the outdoor blower 15. The second board 52 is provided inside the first housing 43 at a position that will be above the machine chamber 18. The second board 52 mainly functions as a filter that rectifies the output of the first board 51.

[0029] The second housing 44 is a hollow, roughly rectangular parallelepiped member located in the machine chamber 18. A third board 53 is provided inside the second housing 44. The third board 53 mainly controls the circulation pump 21 and the like. A third opening 47 that opens across the entire top surface of the second housing 44 is formed in the second housing 44. The second housing 44 is attached to the first housing 43 in a position that covers the second opening 46 from below. Therefore, the internal spaces of the first housing 43 and the second housing 44 are in communication via the second opening 46 and the third opening 47.

[0030] Additionally, a fourth opening 48 that opens forward is formed on the front surface of the second housing 44. The fourth opening 48 is closed by a plate-shaped front cover 49 (see FIG. 2). When the front cover 49 is opened, a terminal block 54 is exposed forward from the fourth opening 48. The terminal block 54 is provided in the second housing 44 and is connected to an external power supply and each of the circuit boards 51 to 53. The first circuit board 51, the second circuit board 52, and the third circuit board 53 are examples of the "circuit board" in this disclosure.

[0031] Additionally, a fifth opening 44a that opens downward is formed on the bottom surface of the second housing 44. The fifth opening 44a is a generally rectangular opening. The fifth opening 44a connects the inside and outside of the electrical box 40. The fifth opening 44a is blocked from the inside of the electrical box 40 by the wiring relay module 60. The downward direction corresponds to an example of the "first direction" in this disclosure.

[0032] [1-1-4. Wiring relay module configuration] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wire relay module 60. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the wire relay module 60. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the wire relay module 60.

[0033] The wiring relay module 60 is a module that seals the wiring 55 routed between the inside and outside of the electrical box 40, thereby ensuring the airtightness of the electrical box 40. In the present embodiment, the wiring relay module 60 draws the multiple wirings 55 into the electrical box 40. The wiring 55 may be, for example, a lead wire connecting the first board 51 and the compressor 12. The wiring 55 may also be, for example, a lead wire connecting the first board 51 and the outdoor fan 15. The wiring 55 may also be, for example, a lead wire connecting the third board 53 and the circulation pump 21.

[0034] The wiring relay module 60 has a fixed frame 61. The fixed frame 61 is a member made of resin. The wiring relay module 60 also has a wiring block 100. The wiring block 100 is inserted into the fixed frame 61. With the wiring 55 passing through the wiring block 100, the wiring relay module 60 inserts and fits the wiring block 100 into the fixed frame 61, and by bringing the wiring block 100 into tight contact with the wiring 55, the wiring 55 is routed inside and outside the electrical box 40 while being sealed.

[0035] The fixed frame 61 is fixed to the lower surface of the second housing 44 at a position that covers the fifth opening 44a from the inside of the second housing 44. The fixed frame 61 has a frame portion 63 and a flange portion 65 formed thereon.

[0036] The frame portion 63 is provided at the center of the fixed frame 61 in a plan view. The frame portion 63 has a cylindrical structure extending in the vertical direction. An insertion opening 64, which is a hole that penetrates the fixed frame 61 in the vertical direction, is formed inside the frame portion 63. The frame portion 63 is also formed at a position that overlaps the fifth opening 44a in the vertical direction. That is, when the fixed frame 61 is fixed to the second housing 44, the inside and outside of the electrical box 40 communicate with each other via the insertion opening 64 and the fifth opening 44a. In this embodiment, the frame portion 63 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. In this embodiment, six frame portions 63 are formed side by side in the horizontal direction. Adjacent frame portions 63 are formed to be in contact with each other. Note that the number and arrangement of the frame portions 63 are merely examples and can be set as desired.

[0037] The flange portion 65 is a portion that surrounds the frame portion 63. Fixing holes 65a for screw fastening are formed in the flange portion 65. The flange portion 65 is screwed to the underside of the second housing body 44, whereby the fixing frame 61 is fixed to the electrical box 40.

[0038] The wiring block 100 is inserted into the inside of the frame portion 63, i.e., into the insertion openings 64 from above. Specifically, one wiring block 100 is inserted into each insertion opening 64. The wiring block 100 fits into the insertion opening 64. When fitted into the insertion opening 64, the wiring block 100 adheres to the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64 and closes the entire insertion opening 64 except for the portion corresponding to the wiring holding hole 101. The wiring block 100 has wiring holding holes 101 that are holes that penetrate the wiring block 100 from top to bottom. The wiring 55 is passed through the inside of the wiring holding hole 101. In this embodiment, the wiring block 100 has a first sleeve 80 and a second sleeve 90. In this embodiment, the wiring holding hole 101 is formed by connecting the insides of a first groove portion 81 formed in the first sleeve 80 and a second groove portion 91 formed in the second sleeve 90. In this embodiment, each wiring block 100 is made up of one first sleeve 80 and two second sleeves 90. Specifically, in the wiring block 100, the two second sleeves 90 are arranged at positions sandwiching the first sleeve 80 from the front and rear.

[0039] The first sleeve 80 is made of a material that is easily elastically deformed. In this embodiment, the first sleeve 80 is made of rubber. A sleeve main body 83 is formed in the first sleeve 80. The sleeve main body 83 is formed in the center of the first sleeve 80 in the front-to-rear direction. Outer surfaces 84 of both left and right ends of the sleeve main body 83 contact the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64. In addition, a protrusion 85 that protrudes in the front-to-rear direction is formed in the center of the sleeve main body 83 in the left-to-right direction. In this embodiment, each first sleeve 80 is formed with a pair of front and rear protrusions 85. In addition, in this embodiment, the protrusion 85 has a trapezoidal shape in plan view whose width in the left-to-right direction increases in the direction away from the sleeve main body 83 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0040] The first groove 81 described above is formed in each protrusion 85. The first groove 81 is a groove recessed from the front-rear tip of the protrusion 85 toward the sleeve main body 83. The first groove 81 is formed over the entire protrusion 85 in the up-down direction. The first groove 81 constitutes almost the entire wire holding hole 101. That is, the wire 55 passed through the wire holding hole 101 passes through the first groove 81. As shown in FIG. 4 , the protrusion 85 sandwiches the wire 55 passed through the wire holding hole 101 from the front and rear. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the first groove 81 in a horizontal cross section is a shape that imitates the cross-sectional shape of the wire 55 passed through the first groove 81. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 4 , the protrusion 85 can easily adhere to a wire 55 having many irregularities in its cross-sectional shape or to multiple wires 55. The first groove 81 corresponds to an example of a “groove” in the present disclosure.

[0041] The second sleeve 90 is made of resin. In other words, the first sleeve 80 is made of a material that is more elastically deformable than the second sleeve 90. Recesses 93 are formed in the second sleeve 90. The recesses 93 are formed by vertically penetrating the second sleeve 90. The recesses 93 are recessed to the same shape as the outer shape of the protrusions 85. Each recess 93 fits into a corresponding protrusion 85. More specifically, the protrusion 85 is inserted into the recess 93 from above, thereby fitting the recess 93 into the protrusion 85. Each first sleeve 80 is sandwiched from both sides in the front-to-rear direction by second sleeves 90 having recesses 93 that fit into the two protrusions 85. A second groove 91 is formed in the recess 93. The second groove 91 is a groove formed across the entire recess 93 in the vertical direction. When the protrusion 85 is fitted into the recess 93, the second groove 91 connects with the first groove 81 formed in the protrusion 85 to form a wiring holding hole 101. An outer surface 95 of the second sleeve 90 facing in the left-right direction and an outer surface 97 on the outside in the front-rear direction around the first sleeve 80 come into contact with the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64. The outer surface 95 is configured to be flush with the outer surface 84 of the sleeve main body 83 of the first sleeve 80.

[0042] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 6. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64 is inclined downward in a direction such that the cross-sectional area of ​​the insertion opening 64 in a cross section perpendicular to the up-down direction becomes smaller. In detail, as shown in Fig. 7, the portion of the inner surface 64a extending along the left-right direction is inclined downward toward the center of the insertion opening 64 in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 8, the portion of the inner surface 64a extending along the front-rear direction is inclined downward toward the center of the insertion opening 64 in the left-right direction. In other words, the insertion opening 64 has a shape that narrows downward.

[0043] As described above, the outer surface 84 of the first sleeve 80 and the outer surfaces 95 and 97 of the second sleeve 90, which constitute the outer surfaces of the wiring block 100, come into contact with the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64. Therefore, when the wiring block 100 is inserted into the insertion opening 64, fitted, and then pushed downward, the wiring block 100 is clamped in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions by the inner surface 64a.

[0044] In this embodiment, the insertion opening 64 has a generally rectangular shape with each side extending in the front-rear and left-right directions in a plan view. The external dimensions of the wiring block 100 in the left-right direction are determined by the distance between the pair of left and right outer surfaces 84 of the first sleeve 80 and the distance between the outer surfaces 95 of the second sleeve 90. The external dimensions of the wiring block 100 in the front-rear direction are determined by the distance between the pair of front and rear outer surfaces 95 of the second sleeve 90. Therefore, depending on variations in the dimensions and elastic moduli of the first sleeve 80 and the second sleeve 90 during manufacturing, the position of the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100 will vary when the wiring block 100 is inserted into the insertion opening 64 from above and pressed downward with a predetermined load.

[0045] In contrast, in this embodiment, the external dimensions of the wiring block 100 are designed so that, when the wiring block 100 is inserted into the insertion opening 64 from above and fitted, downward movement of the wiring block 100 is restricted by the tightening of the inner surface 64a before the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100 reaches the lower end 64b of the insertion opening 64. In other words, the inner surface 64a extends downward beyond the position of the lower end 103 when the wiring block 100 is inserted into the insertion opening 64 from above and pressed downward with a predetermined load to fit. Therefore, even if the position of the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100 varies when fitted due to, for example, variations in the manufacturing of the wiring block 100 or the fixing frame 61, the lower end 103 will not reach the lower end 64b of the insertion opening 64 before the predetermined load is applied to the wiring block 100. That is, a predetermined load can be reliably applied to the wiring block 100, making it easier to fit the wiring block 100 into the insertion opening 64, and tightening the inner surface 64a makes it easier to reliably bring the wiring block 100 and the wiring 55 into close contact with each other. In this embodiment, the predetermined load is 100 N, but the predetermined load can be set arbitrarily. The lower end 103 corresponds to an example of the "end of the wiring block on the first direction side" in this disclosure.

[0046] In addition, a bottom portion 64c that protrudes horizontally toward the center of the insertion opening 64 is formed on the edge of the lower end 64b of the insertion opening 64. In this embodiment, after the wiring 55 is passed through the wiring block 100 and the wiring block 100 is fitted into the insertion opening 64, a resin such as silicone resin or epoxy resin is poured into the insertion opening 64 and solidified to more reliably seal it. The bottom portion 64c prevents the resin from dripping downward if it flows downward along the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64. As described above, the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100 is not pushed downward to the position of the lower end 64b of the insertion opening 64, so the lower end 103 does not come into contact with the bottom portion 64c. In other words, the bottom portion 64c is located at a position spaced downward from the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 8 , the inner surface 94 of the recess 93 is inclined downward so that the width of the recess 93 decreases. Specifically, the inner surface 94 of the recess 93 is inclined downward so that the width of the recess 93 in the left-right direction decreases. Furthermore, the outer surface 86 of the protrusion 85 is inclined along the inner surface 94 of the recess 93. Specifically, the outer surface 86 of the protrusion 85 is inclined downward so that the width of the protrusion 85 in the left-right direction decreases along the inner surface 94 of the recess 93. Therefore, when the protrusion 85 is fitted into the recess 93 from above and a load is applied from above to the first sleeve 80, the protrusion 85 is tightened in the left-right direction by the recess 93. This tightening closes the first groove 81 formed in the protrusion 85 in the left-right direction, making it easier for the protrusion 85 and the wiring 55 to come into close contact with each other.

[0048] 7 and 8, the frame portion 63 extends downward to a position lower than the flange portion 65 and is inserted into the fifth opening 44a of the second housing body 44 from above. The combined outer shape of all the frame portions 63 in plan view substantially matches the shape of the fifth opening 44a in plan view. Therefore, by inserting the frame portions 63 into the fifth opening 44a from above, the fixed frame 61 and the second housing body 44 can be easily positioned.

[0049] Additionally, an O-ring groove 66 recessed upward is formed in the flange portion 65 along the combined outer periphery of all of the frame portions 63. A rubber O-ring 67 is disposed in the O-ring groove 66. The frame portions 63 are inserted downward into the fifth opening 44a, positioning the O-ring 67 so that it surrounds the fifth opening 44a. Additionally, when the fixing frame 61 is fixed to the second housing body 44, the O-ring 67 is compressed between the O-ring groove 66 and the second housing body 44, thereby closing the gap between the fixing frame 61 and the second housing body 44. This makes it difficult for refrigerant to enter the electrical box 40 through the gap between the fixing frame 61 and the second housing body 44.

[0050] The rubber used for the O-ring 67 is chloroprene rubber, which has particularly low permeability to R290 contained in the refrigerant. This makes it even more difficult for the refrigerant to enter the electrical box 40.

[0051] Furthermore, the chloroprene rubber used for the O-ring 67 is foamed rubber. Therefore, when the O-ring 67 is crushed, it easily deforms along the O-ring groove 66 and the second housing body 44, allowing it to fit more closely to the O-ring groove 66 and the second housing body 44. Furthermore, because the O-ring 67 is made of foamed rubber, even if the cross-sectional area of ​​the O-ring 67 is increased, it easily fits into the O-ring groove 66 when crushed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cross-section of the O-ring 67 is set to a size that causes it to protrude downward from the O-ring groove 66, thereby increasing the adhesion force.

[0052] Furthermore, the length of O-ring 67 is set to be shorter than the length of O-ring groove 66. Specifically, the length of the inner periphery of O-ring 67 when O-ring 67 is not stretched is shorter than the length of the inner periphery of O-ring groove 66. Therefore, when placed in O-ring groove 66, the inner periphery of O-ring 67 is in close contact with the side surface of the inner periphery of O-ring groove 66, making it less likely that a gap will form between O-ring 67 and O-ring groove 66.

[0053] [1-2. Operation] The operation of the hot water supply / room heater 1 configured as above will be described below.

[0054] If refrigerant leaks from the refrigerant circuit R included in the outdoor unit 10 of the hot water heater 1, the refrigerant may spread inside the housing 11 and reach the electrical box 40. In this embodiment, a refrigerant containing flammable R290 is used as the refrigerant for the refrigerant circuit R, so it is necessary to prevent the refrigerant from entering the electrical box 40 in which the boards 51 to 53 are installed.

[0055] To address this, as described above, the wiring 55 routed between the inside and outside of the electrical box 40 is drawn into the interior of the electrical box 40 via the wiring relay module 60. As described above, the wiring relay module 60 holds the wiring 55 in a sealed state by inserting the wiring block 100, with the wiring 55 passing through it, downward into the insertion opening 64 and fitting it therewith. Furthermore, the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64 is inclined downward so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the insertion opening 64 decreases, and by applying a downward load to the wiring block 100 inserted into the insertion opening 64, the wiring block 100 can be tightened by the inner surface 64a. This allows the wiring 55 to be sealed.

[0056] Unlike the present embodiment, consider a case where a protrusion or the like that contacts the lower end 103 is formed on the inner surface 64a as a stopper for positioning the wiring block 100 inserted into the insertion opening 64 when a predetermined load is applied to the wiring block 100. In this case, if, for example, the dimensions of the wiring block 100 vary during manufacturing so that the dimensions are smaller than the standard for the insertion opening 64, the lower end 103 is likely to contact the protrusion or the like when a load smaller than the predetermined load is applied to the wiring block 100 inserted into the insertion opening 64. For this reason, even if the wiring block 100 is pressed downward with a predetermined load, after the lower end 103 contacts the protrusion or the like, the wiring block 100 cannot move downward within the insertion opening 64, and the wiring block 100 cannot be clamped by the inner surface 64a with sufficient force.

[0057] In contrast, in this embodiment, the inner surface 64a extends below the lower end 103 when a predetermined downward load is applied to the wiring block 100 inserted into the insertion opening 64, and no stopper for the wiring block 100 is provided. Therefore, even if, for example, the dimensions of the wiring block 100 vary during manufacturing so that the wiring block 100 is smaller than the standard size relative to the insertion opening 64, the wiring block 100 can be continuously pushed downward until a predetermined load is applied to the wiring block 100. Therefore, the inner surface 64a makes it easy to tighten the wiring block 100 with just enough force to seal the wiring 55, thereby making it easy to ensure the hermeticity of the electrical box 40. As a result, even if refrigerant leaks from the refrigerant circuit R, it is easy to prevent the refrigerant from entering the electrical box 40.

[0058] The wiring block 100 of this embodiment is composed of a first sleeve 80 and a second sleeve 90. The first groove 81, through which the wiring 55 passes, is formed in a protrusion 85 that fits into a recess 93 of the second sleeve 90 from above. The inner surface 94 of the recess 93 is inclined downward so that the width of the recess 93 in the left-right direction decreases. Therefore, when the wiring block 100 inserted into the insertion opening 64 is pushed downward, a load is applied to each part of the first sleeve 80, such as the sleeve main body 83, which causes the inner surface 94 of the recess 93 to tighten the protrusion 85, thereby easily bringing the protrusion 85 and the wiring 55 into close contact. Therefore, even if refrigerant leaks from the refrigerant circuit R, it is easy to prevent the refrigerant from entering the electrical box 40. In particular, in this embodiment, the second sleeve 90 is made of resin. The first sleeve 80 is made of rubber, which is more elastically deformable than resin. Therefore, by fastening the protrusion 85 to the inner surface 94 of the recess 93 , the protrusion 85 is likely to come into close contact with the first groove 81 and the wire 55 passed through the wire holding hole 101 .

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the insertion opening 64 is formed with a bottom 64c that prevents silicone resin or the like poured into the insertion opening 64 from dripping downward along the inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64. As described above, the bottom 64c is located further downward from the position of the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100 when the wiring block 100 is inserted into the insertion opening 64 and then pushed downward with a predetermined load. Therefore, the bottom 64c does not function as a stopper for the wiring block 100, and the wiring block 100 inserted into the insertion opening 64 can be easily and reliably pushed downward until a predetermined load is applied.

[0060] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the outdoor unit 10 includes an electrical box 40 that stores each of the boards 51 to 53, and the electrical box 40 has a wiring relay module 60 that pulls the wiring 55 into the interior of the electrical box 40. The wiring relay module 60 has an insertion opening 64 that connects the inside and outside of the electrical box 40, and a wiring block 100 that is inserted downward into the insertion opening 64 and fits into it, sealing and holding the wiring 55. The inner surface 64a of the insertion opening 64 is inclined downward so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the insertion opening 64 becomes smaller, and extends downward below the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100. This makes it possible to easily seal the wiring 55 without gaps by controlling the magnitude of the force that pushes the wiring block 100 when inserting it into the insertion opening 64, regardless of variations in the dimensions and materials of the wiring block 100 or the insertion opening 64 during manufacturing. This makes it easier to ensure the airtightness of the electrical box 40.

[0061] As in this embodiment, in the outdoor unit 10, the wiring block 100 may be configured to include a second sleeve 90 having a recess 93 formed therein and a first sleeve 80 that fits into the recess 93, the inner surface 94 of the recess 93 being inclined downward in a direction in which the width of the recess 93 in the left-right direction decreases, and the first sleeve 80 may be configured to have a first groove portion 81 formed in a protrusion 85 that fits into the inside of the recess 93, which seals and holds the wiring 55. This makes it easier to bring the first sleeve into tight contact with the wiring as the wiring block is inserted into the insertion opening, making it easier to ensure the electrical box is tightly sealed.

[0062] As in this embodiment, in the wire relay module 60, the second sleeve 90 may be made of resin, and the first sleeve 80 may be made of rubber. This makes it easier to bring the protrusion 85 of the first sleeve 80 into close contact with the wiring 55 as the wiring block 100 is inserted into the insertion opening 64. This makes it easier to ensure that the electrical box 40 is airtight.

[0063] As in this embodiment, the lower end 64b of the insertion opening 64 may be configured to have a bottom 64c that is spaced downward from the lower end 103 of the wiring block 100 and protrudes toward the center of the insertion opening 64. This prevents the resin filling the insertion opening 64 from dripping below the wire relay module 60 without preventing the wiring block 100 from being pushed into the insertion opening 64 .

[0064] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first embodiment above to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0065] In the first embodiment, a refrigerant containing R290 has been described as an example of a refrigerant. The refrigerant may be any refrigerant that can establish a refrigeration cycle using the refrigerant circuit R. Therefore, the refrigerant is not limited to R290. For example, a refrigerant containing a slightly flammable refrigerant such as R32 may be used as the refrigerant. Furthermore, a non-flammable refrigerant may be used as the refrigerant circuit R.

[0066] In the first embodiment, the outdoor unit 10 is described as being provided in a hot water heater 1 having a water circuit W that uses water as a heat medium, but this is just one example. The outdoor unit 10 may also be provided in an air conditioner that supplies refrigerant from a refrigerant circuit R to an indoor unit and performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air to condition the room. In this case, the outdoor unit 10 does not need to be provided with a plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 30 and the like that constitute the water circuit W.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, the O-ring 67 is described as being made of foamed chloroprene rubber, but this is just one example. For example, the O-ring 67 may be made of rubber other than chloroprene rubber, and may not be foamed. However, when foamed chloroprene rubber is used as the O-ring 67, as in this embodiment, the O-ring 67 tends to adhere tightly to the O-ring groove 66 and the second housing body 44, and it is difficult for R32 to pass through.

[0068] In the above-described embodiment, the fixed frame 61 is described as a separate member from the second housing body 44, but this is just an example. The fixed frame 61 may be formed in the second housing body 44.

[0069] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0070] (Addendum) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques. (Technology 1) A heat pump device comprising an electrical box for storing a circuit board, the electrical box having a wiring relay module that draws wiring into the electrical box, the wiring relay module having an insertion opening that connects the inside and outside of the electrical box, and a wiring block that is inserted into the insertion opening in a first direction and fits into it, sealing and holding the wiring, the inner surface of the insertion opening being inclined in a direction that reduces a cross-sectional area of ​​the insertion opening in the first direction, and extending beyond the end of the wiring block on the first direction side. This makes it possible to easily seal the wiring without gaps by controlling the amount of force used to push the wiring block into the insertion opening when inserting it into the insertion opening, regardless of variations in the dimensions and materials of the wiring block or the insertion opening during manufacturing, thereby making it easier to ensure the hermeticity of the electrical box.

[0071] (Technology 2) The heat pump device according to Technology 1, wherein the wiring block includes a second sleeve having a recess formed therein and a first sleeve that fits into the recess, the inner surface of the recess being inclined in a direction in which the width of the recess decreases in the first direction, and the first sleeve has a groove formed inside the recess that seals and holds the wiring. This makes it easier to bring the first sleeve into tight contact with the wiring as the wiring block is inserted into the insertion opening, making it easier to ensure the electrical box is tightly sealed.

[0072] (Technology 3) The heat pump device according to Technology 2, wherein the second sleeve is made of resin and the first sleeve is made of rubber. This makes it easier to bring the first sleeve into tight contact with the wiring as the wiring block is inserted into the insertion opening, making it easier to ensure the electrical box is tightly sealed.

[0073] (Technology 4) A heat pump device described in any one of techniques 1 to 3, wherein the first direction is downward, and a bottom portion is formed at the lower end of the insertion opening, spaced downward from the lower end of the wiring block, and protruding toward the center of the insertion opening. This prevents the resin filling the insertion opening from dripping below the wire relay module without hindering the wiring block from being pushed into the insertion opening. [Industrial Applicability]

[0074] The present disclosure is applicable to heat pump devices, specifically to outdoor units of air conditioners, hot water heaters, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1. Hot water heater 10 Outdoor unit (heat pump device) 11. Housing 11a Bottom plate 11b Front Panel 11c Side Panel 11d Side Panel 12 Compressor 13 Flow path switching mechanism 14 Air heat exchanger 15 Outdoor blower 16 Expansion valve 17 Blower room 18 Machine room 19 Partition 21 Circulation pump 22 Inlet side connection valve 23 Gas-liquid separator 25 Flow Sensor 27 Outlet side connection valve 30 Plate-type water-refrigerant heat exchanger 40 Electrical box 41 Top lid 42 Main body 43 First storage unit 44 Second storage unit 44a 5th opening 45 First opening 46 Second Opening 47 Third Opening 48 4th opening 49 Front lid 51 First board (board) 52 Second board (board) 53 Third board (board) 54 Terminal block 55 Wiring 60 Wiring relay module 61 Fixed Frame 63 Frame 64 Insertion opening 64a Inner surface 64b Bottom end 64c bottom 65 Flange 65a fixing hole 66 O-ring groove 67 O-ring 70 Indoor unit 71 Indoor heat exchanger 73 Indoor fan 75 Connecting piping 77 Connecting piping 80 First Sleeve 81 First groove (groove) 83 Sleeve body 84 Exterior 85 Protrusion 86 Exterior 90 Second Sleeve 91 Second groove 93 Recess 94 Inside 95 External surface 97 Exterior 100 Wiring Blocks 101 Wire holding hole 103 Bottom end (first direction side end of wiring block) R Refrigerant circuit W water circuit

Claims

1. Equipped with an electrical box to store the circuit board, The electrical box has a wiring relay module that draws wiring into the electrical box, The wiring relay module includes: an insertion opening that connects the inside and outside of the electrical box; a wiring block that is inserted into the insertion opening in a first direction and fits into the insertion opening, and that seals and holds the wiring; an inner surface of the insertion opening inclined in a direction in which a cross-sectional area of ​​the insertion opening becomes smaller in the first direction, and extending beyond an end of the wiring block on the first direction side to the first direction side; Heat pump equipment.

2. The wiring block includes: a second sleeve having a recess formed therein; a first sleeve that fits into the recess, an inner surface of the recessed portion is inclined in a direction in which the width of the recessed portion decreases in the first direction; The first sleeve has a groove formed inside the recess for sealing and holding the wiring. The heat pump device according to claim 1 .

3. the second sleeve is made of resin, The first sleeve is made of rubber. The heat pump device according to claim 2 .

4. the first direction is downward; a bottom portion is formed at a lower end of the insertion opening, the bottom portion being spaced downward from a lower end of the wiring block and protruding toward a center of the insertion opening; The heat pump device according to claim 1 .

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