Air conditioner

Abstract

To provide an air conditioner capable of preventing fatigue and breakage of a mounting means by dispersing a load generated in the mounting means for connecting a casing and a duct by deformation of the duct.SOLUTION: The air-conditioning apparatus 100 includes the use-side heat exchanger 3, the heat source-side heat exchanger 4, the blow-out port 12 through which air that has exchanged heat with the use-side heat exchanger 3 is blown out, and the duct mounting means 150 that connects the blow-out port 12 and the duct 160 that guides air to the air-conditioned space, and the duct mounting means 150 includes the first engagement portion 154 located inside the blow-out port 12 and the second engagement portion 155 located outside the blow-out port 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, air conditioners have been known that are connected to a duct that blows air from inside the device to the outside (air-conditioned space) (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In these devices, an air passage (opening) on ​​the housing side is connected to one end of the opening side of the duct via an attachment part (member).

[0003] Specifically, the air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 has an elbow connected to cover the outer periphery of a duct connection tube (mounting portion) that protrudes from the housing and forms the outer periphery of the air outlet, and a duct is connected to the elbow.

[0004] Furthermore, the air conditioner described in Patent Document 2 is configured such that an exhaust sleeve (attachment portion) that connects the exhaust passage and the exhaust duct is inserted and engaged into the inner periphery of the exhaust passage provided in the housing.

[0005] In such devices, the duct is often allowed to deform in order to adjust the airflow direction. For example, the duct described in Patent Document 1 has an elbow that allows its shape (airflow direction) to be changed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3243317 [Patent Document 2] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 117029116 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in conventional configurations, only a portion of the mounting part, for example the outer periphery, is in contact with the elbow or housing, and deformation of the duct causes an uneven load on the mounting part, leading to fatigue and breakage.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an air conditioner that can distribute the load that occurs on the mounting means that connects the housing and the duct due to deformation of the duct, thereby preventing fatigue and damage to the mounting means. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to an air conditioning device having a utilization-side heat exchanger and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, characterized in that the air conditioning device has an outlet through which air that has exchanged heat with the utilization-side heat exchanger is blown out, and a duct mounting means that connects the outlet to a duct that guides the air to an air-conditioned space, and the duct mounting means has a first engagement portion located inside the outlet and a second engagement portion located outside the outlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above air conditioning device, it is possible to provide an air conditioning device that can distribute the load that occurs on the mounting means connecting the housing and the duct due to deformation of the duct, thereby preventing fatigue and damage to the mounting means. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen obliquely from the front. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the air conditioning device as seen obliquely from behind. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a side view of the air conditioner as viewed from the other side in the width direction. [Figure 4] 2. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the air conditioner, taken along the line XX in FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation display unit of the air conditioner. FIG. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a comparative example of the operation display unit of the air conditioner. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing a duct mounting means of the air conditioner, in which (A) is a front view and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY in (A). [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a duct mounting means of the air conditioner, in which (A) is a front view and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line ZZ in (A). [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a duct mounting means of the air conditioning device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] An air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The air conditioner 100 of this embodiment includes a user-side heat exchanger and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, and is a small, portable air conditioner that can be used outdoors, for example, although there are no particular limitations on its use, installation location, size, etc. The user-side heat exchanger serves as an evaporator when the air conditioner 100 is in cooling operation and a condenser when it is in heating operation, and the heat-source-side heat exchanger serves as a condenser when the air conditioner 100 is in cooling operation and an evaporator when it is in heating operation. The air conditioner 100 of this embodiment is capable of cooling operation and / or heating operation, but in the following embodiment, a device capable of cooling operation, such as a spot cooler, will be described as an example of the air conditioner 100.

[0013] <Overall structure> 1 and 2, air conditioning device 100 includes a housing 1, and is, for example, a self-contained air conditioning device that houses a user-side heat exchanger and a heat-source-side heat exchanger in housing 1. Air conditioning device 100 is also, for example, movable and can be used outdoors, etc. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, air conditioning device 100 includes a compressor 2, an evaporator 3, a condenser 4, an evaporator-side blower 5, a condenser-side blower 6, a pressure reducing device 7, and a control device 8, all of which are housed in housing 1, and also includes refrigerant piping 9 that connects compressor 2, condenser 4, evaporator 3, and pressure reducing device 7 to form a refrigerant flow path that circulates refrigerant between these components.

[0014] The compressor 2, condenser 4, pressure reducing device 7, evaporator 3, and refrigerant pipe 9 constitute a refrigerant circuit in which refrigerant circulates in the order of compressor 2, condenser 4, pressure reducing device 7, and evaporator 3. The refrigerant circuit has a branch pipe 20 that branches off from the refrigerant pipe 9 and has a refrigerant opening 20a that allows refrigerant to be introduced into the refrigerant circuit from the outside.

[0015] <Case> As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 1 is a resin-molded body formed, for example, by molding a resin material. The housing 1 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape overall and is composed of a main body 1a and a front panel 1b. The front side of the main body 1a in the front-rear direction D1 is open, and the front panel 1b is provided to cover this opening. The front panel 1b is also provided with an operation display unit 11, an air outlet 12, and an air inlet 13. The operation display unit 11 is provided in front of the control device 8 housed in the housing 1, and allows operation of the control device 8. The air outlet 12 is also provided in front of the evaporator 3 housed in the housing 1, and is configured to blow out air (cool air) that has passed through the evaporator 3. The air inlet 13 is also provided in front of the condenser-side fan 6 housed in the housing 1, and is configured to draw air into the housing 1 toward the condenser 4.

[0016] 2, an air intake port 14 and an exhaust port 15 are provided on a rear surface 1d of the housing 1 facing rearward in the front-to-rear direction D1. The air intake port 14 is provided behind the evaporator-side blower 5 housed in the housing 1, and is designed to take air into the housing 1 toward the evaporator 3. The exhaust port 15 is provided behind the condenser 4 housed in the housing 1, and is designed to blow out air (exhaust air) that has passed through the condenser 4.

[0017] <Condenser> As shown in FIG. 4, the condenser 4 is disposed in the lower portion of the housing 1. The condenser 4 is a fin-and-tube heat exchanger in which a plurality of heat exchange fins 4x are arranged to extend in the front-to-rear direction D1, and adjacent fins 4x are connected to each other by tubes extending in the up-down direction D2. Air flows between these heat exchange fins 4x in the front-to-rear direction D1, thereby exchanging heat between the air and the refrigerant. As shown by the dashed arrows in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, air flows from the front to the rear of the condenser 4 in the front-to-rear direction D1. The condenser 4 is housed in a condensation-side inner case 400 within the housing 1.

[0018] <Condenser side fan> The condenser-side blower 6 is provided in front of the condenser 4 in the front-to-rear direction D1 inside the housing 1. The condenser-side blower 6 draws in air (outside air) from an air inlet 13 (see FIG. 1) of the housing 1, circulates the air from the front to the rear through air flow paths between the fins 4x of the condenser 4, and discharges the air that has exchanged heat with the condenser 4 from an exhaust port 15 (see FIG. 2).

[0019] <Evaporator> The evaporator 3 is disposed above the condenser 4 within the housing 1. The evaporator 3 is a fin-and-tube heat exchanger in which a plurality of heat exchange fins 3x are arranged to extend in the front-to-rear direction D1, and adjacent fins 3x are connected to each other by tubes extending in the up-down direction D2. Air flows between these heat exchange fins 3x in the front-to-rear direction D1, thereby exchanging heat between the air and the refrigerant. As indicated by the dashed arrows in FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, air flows from the rear to the front of the evaporator 3. The evaporator 3 is housed in an evaporation-side inner case 300 within the housing 1.

[0020] The evaporator 3 is disposed above the condenser 4 in the housing 1 so as to overlap a portion of the upper surface 4a of the condenser 4. To ensure a heat exchange area in the condenser 4, the dimension of the condenser 4 in the width direction D3 is larger than the dimension of the evaporator 3 in the width direction D3.

[0021] A central position C3x of the evaporator 3 in the width direction D3 is offset to one side in the width direction D3 (the rear side in FIG. 3 ) with respect to a central position C4x of the condenser 4 in the width direction D3. Therefore, the evaporator 3 is disposed above the condenser 4 so as to overlap a portion of an upper surface 4a of the condenser 4. In this embodiment, the side surfaces 3b, 4b of the evaporator 3 and the condenser 4 facing one side in the width direction D3 (the rear side in FIG. 3 ) are disposed at approximately the same position in the width direction D3. A region of the upper surface 4a of the condenser 4 that does not overlap with the evaporator 3 and that is above a region on the other side in the width direction D3 (the front side in FIG. 3 ) of the evaporator 3 is defined as a non-overlapping space S.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, a central position C3y of the evaporator 3 in the front-rear direction D1 is offset forward with respect to a central position C4y of the condenser 4 in the front-rear direction D1 (see FIG. 3).

[0023] Here, a water receiving portion 10 is provided below the evaporator 3 to receive drain water that has condensed from the moisture in the air and adheres to the evaporator 3. The water receiving portion 10 forms the bottom of the evaporation-side inner case 300. The rear end of the water receiving portion 10 is close to or in contact with the front surface 4c of the condenser 4, and drain water collected from the evaporator 3 is circulated toward the front surface 4c of the condenser 4 in order to cool the condenser 4 in order to improve cooling capacity.

[0024] <Evaporator side fan> The evaporator-side blower 5 is provided in the housing 1, rearward in the front-rear direction D1 with respect to the evaporator 3. The evaporator-side blower 5 draws in air (outside air) through an air inlet 14 (see FIG. 2), circulates the air from the rear to the front through air flow paths between the fins 3x of the evaporator 3, and blows out the air (cool air) that has exchanged heat with the evaporator 3 from an air outlet 12 (see FIG. 1).

[0025] <Decompression device> 3, the pressure reducing device 7 is a device that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant to expand it, and is configured by a capillary tube in this embodiment. The pressure reducing device 7 is disposed in the non-overlapping space S within the housing 1. That is, the pressure reducing device 7 is disposed on the other side of the evaporator 3 in the width direction D3 (the front side in FIG. 3).

[0026] <Control device> The control device 8 has a board on which various electronic components including an inverter are mounted, and controls the rotation speed of the motor that drives the compressor 2, for example, by converting and outputting the voltage and frequency of the power supplied from the power source. The control device 8 also receives signals input to the operation display unit 11 (see FIG. 1) of the housing 1, and controls the refrigerant circuit in accordance with the received signals. In this embodiment, the control device 8 is disposed on one side in the width direction D3 (the rear side in FIG. 3) of the evaporator 3, opposite the non-overlapping space S in the width direction D3.

[0027] <Compressor> The compressor 2 is a device that compresses the refrigerant, and is disposed within the housing 1 on one side of the condenser 4 in the width direction D3 (the rear side in FIG. 3 ), and below the control device 8. In this embodiment, the compressor 2 is disposed adjacent to the condenser 4 in the width direction D3 at a position closer to the front of the condenser 4. An accumulator (not shown) that separates the refrigerant into gas and liquid is disposed in front of the compressor 2.

[0028] <Refrigerant piping> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the refrigerant piping 9 has a first piping 9a connecting the compressor 2 and the condenser 4, a second piping (pressure reduction / condensation connecting pipe) 9b connecting the condenser 4 and the pressure reduction device 7, a third piping 9c connecting the pressure reduction device 7 and the evaporator 3, and a fourth piping 9d connecting the evaporator 3 and the compressor 2.

[0029] The first pipe 9a extends upward from the compressor 2 and then extends along the upper surface 4a of the condenser 4 toward the other side in the width direction D3 (the front side in Figure 3), and is connected to the condenser 4 at a condenser inlet 41 that is formed in the condensation side inner case 400 at a position toward the rear of the condenser 4 and opens into the non-overlapping space S and to one side in the width direction D3 (the back side in Figure 3).

[0030] The second pipe 9b is disposed forward of the condenser inlet 41, extends upward from a condenser outlet 42 formed in the condensation-side inner case 400, and opens upward into the non-overlapping space S, then extends forward via a bent portion 9x and is connected to the pressure reducing device 7. That is, the second pipe 9b is disposed adjacent to and behind the pressure reducing device 7.

[0031] The third pipe 9c extends upward from the pressure reducing device 7 and is connected to the evaporator 3 at an evaporator inlet 31 that is formed on the upper surface of the evaporation side inner case 300 at a position near the front of the evaporator 3 and opens to the other side in the width direction D3 (the front side in Figure 3).

[0032] The fourth pipe 9d extends from the evaporator outlet 32, which is formed on the upper surface of the evaporation side inner case 300 behind the evaporator inlet 31 and opens to one side in the width direction D3 (the rear side in Figure 3), along the upper surface 3a of the evaporator 3 to one side in the width direction D3 (the rear side in Figure 3), and then extends downward along the side surface of the evaporator 3 and the condenser 4 facing one side in the width direction D3 (the rear side in Figure 3), passes through the accumulator 2x, and is then connected to the compressor 2.

[0033] With the refrigerant piping 9 arranged in this manner, the refrigerant is compressed in the compressor 2 to a high-temperature, high-pressure state, and then flows into the condenser 4 through the first piping 9a to a low-temperature, high-pressure state. The refrigerant then flows into the pressure reducing device 7 through the second piping 9b to be decompressed to a low-temperature, low-pressure state, and then flows into the evaporator 3 through the third piping 9c to evaporate to a high-temperature, low-pressure state. The refrigerant then flows into the compressor 2 through the fourth piping 9d to be compressed again to a high-temperature, high-pressure state. By repeating this refrigeration cycle, the air conditioner 100 performs cooling operation.

[0034] <Branch pipe> The branch pipe 20 branches off from the second pipe 9b at a bent portion 9x midway along the second pipe 9b and extends upward along the side surface of the evaporator 3 facing the other side in the width direction D3 (the front side in FIG. 3 ). In this embodiment, the branch pipe 20 extends straight upward from the condenser outlet 42 in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface 4a of the condenser 4. Therefore, the branch pipe 20 is disposed in the non-overlapping space S. The refrigerant opening 20a formed in the branch pipe 20 opens upward at the upper end of the branch pipe 20. The upper end of the branch pipe 20 is located below the upper surface 3a of the evaporator 3. Therefore, the refrigerant opening 20a is also located below the upper surface 3a of the evaporator 3 and opens into the non-overlapping space S. The refrigerant opening 20a is used to inject refrigerant into the refrigerant circuit, but may also be used for other purposes, such as to extract refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit.

[0035] <Operation display section> 1 and 5, the operation display unit 11 will be described. The operation display unit 11 is provided in an operation display area 1c on the front panel 1b of the housing 1, and is composed of an operation unit panel 115, a display unit 112, an operation display unit control board 113, an operation unit sheet 120, etc. The operation display unit control board 113 integrates switches 113a, light-emitting elements 113b such as LEDs, and wiring and a control IC 113c (not shown), and controls the operation display unit 11 (controls operations input via the operation unit panel 115).

[0036] The operation and display area 1c is, for example, an area defined in a portion of the front panel 1b. In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, the operation and display area 1c is defined by a substantially rectangular recess provided in a portion of the front panel 1b. As shown in the upper part of FIG. 5, the operation and display area 1c includes an opening 111 and a display unit 112. The opening 111 and the display unit 112 are provided in areas obtained by roughly dividing the operation and display area 1c into two. In this example, the operation and display area 1c is roughly divided into two along its long side, with the opening 111 provided on one side (e.g., the left side in FIG. 5) and the display unit 112 provided on the other side (e.g., the right side in FIG. 5). However, the present invention is not limited to this. The operation and display area 1c may be roughly divided into two along its short side, with the opening 111 provided on one side (the upper side) and the display unit 112 provided on the other side (the lower side).

[0037] The opening 111 is a portion that penetrates the operation and display area 1c (the bottom surface of the recess) in the thickness direction of the front panel 1b, and the shape of the opening is a strip that is long in the long side direction of the operation and display area 1c when viewed from the front facing the front panel 1b, more specifically, a substantially heptagonal shape. An operation panel 115 is attached to the opening 111.

[0038] The display unit 112 displays the content of an operation by a user via the operation panel 115 (such as acceptance of the operation and execution / stop of control based on the operation) using the light emission state of the light emitting elements 113b. The display unit 112 has a plurality of holes 112a. The holes 112a are provided corresponding to the light emitting elements 113b provided on the operation / display unit control board 113, and transmit light from the light emitting elements 113b. In other words, the state (light emission / non-emission) of the light emitting elements 113b changes depending on the content of the operation by the user, and this is displayed so as to be visible from the outside through the holes 112a. The holes 112a are covered with, for example, a translucent resin, but they do not have to be covered. The display unit 112 is molded integrally with the front panel 1b.

[0039] The operation panel 115 is, for example, a resin molded body, and is configured as a separate body from the housing 1 (front panel 1b).

[0040] 5, operation panel 115 has a plurality of (three in this example) independently operable operation units 116, and support portion 115a that is common to the plurality of operation units 116 and integrally supports them. Each operation unit 116 is formed in a substantially rectangular (or substantially circular) hollowed-out portion 115b of operation panel 115, and each operation unit 116 has the same configuration. Specifically, operation unit 116 has island-shaped portion 116a provided near the center of hollowed-out portion 115b, and arm portion 116b that extends from support portion 115a and supports island-shaped portion 116a within hollowed-out portion 115b.

[0041] The outer shape of the operation panel 115 is configured to match the shape of the opening 111. That is, when viewed from the front facing the front panel 1b, it has a rectangular shape that is long in the long side direction of the operation and display area 1c, and in this example, it has a substantially heptagonal shape.

[0042] The operation panel 115 and the opening 111 are asymmetrical in the top-bottom and / or left-right shapes of the periphery. In this example, the operation panel 115 is asymmetrical with respect to the center line along the longitudinal direction (asymmetrical in the left-right shape), and more specifically, three of the four rectangular corners are rounded off to form inclined portions 115c, and one remains as corner portion 115d. In this case, the portion farthest from the outer periphery edge of the operation sheet 120 (described later) remains as corner portion 115d.

[0043] Also, an engagement protrusion 115e is provided on a part of the outer periphery (in this example, near the center of the short sides arranged at the top and bottom). Opening 111 has a shape corresponding to operation panel 115, and three of the four rectangular corners are rounded off to form inclined parts 111a, and one remains as corner part 111b. Also, an engagement recess 111c is provided on a part of the outer periphery (in this example, near the center of the short sides arranged at the top and bottom).

[0044] Operation panel 115 is placed on opening 111 from the outside of front panel 1b and pushed into housing 1, whereby engagement protrusion 115e of operation panel 115 fits into engagement recess 111c of opening 111, and operation panel 115 is attached to operation display area 1c. During this attachment, one corner 115d of operation panel 115 is aligned with corner 111b of opening 111 to prevent incorrect assembly. Note that inclined portion 115c and corner 115d are merely examples, and the shape of operation panel 115 is not limited to this example as long as it has a shape (a shape that is asymmetrical left and right and / or up and down) that allows the orientation of operation panel 115 to be specified.

[0045] When operation panel 115 is attached (fitted) to opening 111, when a user presses island-shaped portion 116a toward the inside of housing 1, arm portion 116b bends, and island-shaped portion 116a moves into housing 1. Switch 113a of operation / display unit control board 113 is disposed ahead in the direction of movement, and island-shaped portion 116a comes into contact with switch 113a, which can be operated (pressed). When the pressure on island-shaped portion 116a is released, arm portion 116b returns to its original position, and island-shaped portion 116a separates from switch 113a and moves outward from housing 1 to return to its original position.

[0046] Arm portion 116b is configured to be elastically deformable so as to allow movement due to pressing and releasing of island-shaped portion 116a. More specifically, arm portion 116b is molded integrally with operation panel 115 into an elongated shape, thereby enabling elastic deformation.

[0047] The operation and display unit control board 113 has switches 113a and light-emitting elements 113b integrated on one surface. The operation and display area 1c has the same size (area) as the operation and display unit control board 113, and includes an opening 111 and a display unit 112. The switch 113a of the operation and display unit control board 113 is provided inside the opening 111, i.e., at a position exposed from the opening 111, and the display unit 112 (hole 112a) is provided at a position corresponding to the light-emitting elements 113b of the operation and display unit control board 113. In other words, the opening area of ​​the opening 111 is smaller than the size of the operation and display unit control board 113 (operation and display area 1c).

[0048] 5, the operation unit sheet 120 is a cover member that overlaps at least the operation unit panel 115 when attached to the opening 111. The operation unit sheet 120 is, for example, a resin sheet, and has indications d (marks, guides, etc.) provided at positions corresponding to the switches 113a on one surface Sf facing the outside of the housing 1. The other surface facing the inside of the housing 1 (the back side of surface Sf) is an adhesive surface, and is attached to the operation and display area 1c.

[0049] The operation unit sheet 120 has the same shape as the operation and display area 1c (bottom surface of the recess) and is the same size as or slightly smaller than the operation and display area 1c (bottom surface of the recess), and when attached to the operation and display area 1c (bottom surface of the recess), it covers almost the entire surface of the operation and display area 1c (bottom surface of the recess) as shown by the dashed line in the lower part of Fig. 5. That is, the operation unit sheet 120 covers the operation unit panel 115 and the display unit 112, and also completely covers the gap between the operation unit panel 115 and the opening 111.

[0050] To recap, the operation and display unit 11 of this embodiment is assembled as follows. First, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 5, an operation and display unit control board 113 is prepared, on which switches 113a, light-emitting elements 113b, predetermined wiring, and a control IC 113c are integrated. Then, the operation and display unit control board 113 is fixed to the operation and display area 1c of the front panel 1b from the rear side (inside the housing 1) of the front panel 1b using screws 114 or the like.

[0051] Furthermore, operation panel 115 is fitted into opening 111 from the surface side (outside of housing 1) of front panel 1b. Then, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 5, operation sheet 120 that covers operation panel 115 and display unit 112 is attached from the surface side (outside of housing 1) of front panel 1b. Note that the timing of attaching operation / display unit control board 113 is not limited to this order and may be any timing.

[0052] 6 is a diagram showing a comparative example of this embodiment, and is a diagram showing the vicinity of front panel 1b' when operation display unit 500 is configured as a separate part from front panel 1b'. In this example, operation display unit 500 is configured by integrating operation display unit control board 504 and operation display panel 501.

[0053] 6, the operation display panel 501 is a resin molded body molded separately from the front panel 1b', and has a plurality of operation units 502 and a display unit 503. Except for the fact that the operation units 502 and the display units 503 are integrally configured as a panel, the configurations of the operation units 502 and the display units 503 (for example, the shape of the operation unit 502) are the same as those of this embodiment. In this example, the operation display panel 501 and the operation display unit control board 504 have approximately the same size (area), and the operation display unit control board 504 is fixed to the operation display panel 501 in advance with screws or the like to form the operation display unit (unit) 500.

[0054] As in the present embodiment, the operation and display area 510 is an area defined by forming a recess in part of the front panel 1b'. The operation and display unit 500 is attached here. That is, the entire bottom surface of the recess in the operation and display area 510 forms an opening 511, and the operation and display unit 500 is fitted into the opening 511 from the outside of the front panel 1b'.

[0055] That is, the opening 511 has an opening area larger than that of the operation and display unit 500 (operation and display unit control board 504).

[0056] 6, an operation unit sheet 505 slightly larger than the operation display unit 500 is attached to the surface of the operation display unit 500. This covers the gap between the operation display unit 500 and the opening 511 (see the dashed line).

[0057] In this case, however, although operation unit sheet 505 covers the gap between operation display unit 500 and opening 511, distance ds1 from the outer periphery of operation unit sheet 505 to opening 511 becomes extremely small. In other words, the adhesive area of ​​operation unit sheet 505 on the outer periphery of opening 511 is small, and it cannot be said that this is sufficient to prevent the intrusion of foreign matter such as moisture or dust.

[0058] In addition, the wall surface of the recess in the operation display area 1c is close to the edge of the operation unit sheet 505, and if there is interference when attaching the operation unit sheet 505, the adhesive position of the operation unit sheet 505 may shift, and the gap between the operation display unit 500 and the opening 511 may not be completely covered.

[0059] In addition, the operation display panel 501 has the operation unit 502 and the display unit 503 integrated together, and if the operation unit 502 needs to be replaced due to damage or the like, the display unit 503 must also be replaced, resulting in waste as a resin molded body.

[0060] Furthermore, operation and display unit 500 is fitted into opening 511 from the outside of front panel 1b'. For example, opening 511 may be provided with a means for holding operation and display unit 500 so that it does not fall off, such as on its inner periphery, but if more pressure than necessary is applied during operation, there is a risk that operation and display unit 500 may fall off inside the housing.

[0061] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in the lower part of Figure 5, the operation panel 115 is small compared to the operation sheet 120 (for example, less than half the area), and when the gap between the opening 111 and the operation panel 115 is covered with the operation sheet 120, the gap can be reliably covered with the operation sheet 120.

[0062] Furthermore, since the operation unit sheet 120 has the same size as the operation and display area 1c including the display unit 112 and the opening 111, it can cover the gap between the operation unit panel 115 and the opening 111 while ensuring a sufficient adhesive area, particularly on the display unit 112. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter such as moisture or dust from entering the housing 1 through the gap.

[0063] Furthermore, even if operation display area 1c is partitioned by, for example, a recess, and there is a possibility that the wall of the recess may interfere when adhering, there is sufficient space on the display unit 112 side (the distance from the end of operation unit sheet 120 to the gap is sufficiently secured), so it is possible to align it so that the gap is reliably covered on the operation unit panel 115 side where there is less space. As a result, it is possible to prevent foreign matter such as moisture or dust from entering the inside of the housing 1 through the gap between operation unit panel 115 and opening 111.

[0064] Furthermore, the operation panel 115 has one corner 115d remaining at the portion farthest from the outer circumferential edge of the operation sheet 120, and the remaining corners are rounded off to form an inclined portion 115c (the same applies to the opening 111). Compared to when the inclined portion 115c is left as a corner, the distance ds2 from the outer circumferential edge of the operation sheet 120 can be secured in this portion. Therefore, the adhesive area of ​​the operation sheet 120 can be secured in this portion as well.

[0065] As mentioned above, the inclined portion 115c and the corner portion 115d are just examples, and are not limited to this example as long as the shape of the operation panel 115 allows the orientation to be specified (a shape that is asymmetrical left to right and / or up to down). However, from the viewpoint of improving the adhesiveness of the operation sheet 120, a shape that can ensure a distance from the edge of the operation sheet 120 is desirable.

[0066] The operation panel 115 is a component that integrates only the multiple operation units 116 and is configured separately from the display unit 112 (housing 1). The operation panel 115 includes an elongated arm portion 116b and is a component that is frequently touched (pressed) by the user, so it is highly likely to become fatigued or break compared to other portions (components). In contrast, the display unit 112 is an area that transmits light from the light-emitting element 113b, and is not normally operated by the user, so it is less likely to be broken. In this embodiment, only the operation panel 115 is configured separately from the front panel 1b. If the operation panel 115 is broken, it can be replaced by itself, that is, as a resin molded body, with minimal replacement, thereby avoiding waste of the resin molded body.

[0067] Furthermore, since operation panel 115 integrally supports a plurality of operation units 116, the gap between opening 111 and the operation units 116 can be minimized compared to when operation units 116 are provided individually (when corresponding openings 111 are provided). In other words, the entry path for foreign matter can be minimized.

[0068] Furthermore, the operation panel 115 has an asymmetrical shape in the top-bottom and / or left-right directions around its outer periphery, and the opening 111 has a similar shape, so that it cannot be assembled in any position other than the normal position, thereby preventing incorrect assembly.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the case where the operation panel 115 is a component separate from the housing 1 (front panel 1b) has been exemplified, but the operation panel 115 and the display unit 112 may be components separate from the housing 1. Even in this case, the opening area of ​​the opening 111 is smaller than the area of ​​the operation / display unit control board 113, and is set to a minimum area that includes the operation panel 115 and the display unit 112.

[0070] <Duct mounting structure> Next, we will explain the duct installation structure of the air conditioner 100. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner 100 has an air outlet 12 from which air that has exchanged heat with a user-side heat exchanger (for example, an evaporator 3 in this embodiment) is blown out, a duct 160 that guides the air to the air-conditioned space, and a duct installation means 150 that connects the duct 160 and the air outlet 12.

[0071] Duct 160 has a bellows structure with a first opening 160a at one end close to air outlet 12 and a second opening 160b at the other end facing the air-conditioned space, and wires (not shown) are provided at the peaks and valleys of the bellows. This allows duct 160 to bend and deform into any shape and maintain that deformation. By bending duct 160, the direction of the air blowing out from second opening 160b can be changed.

[0072] 7 to 9 are diagrams illustrating the duct mounting means 150. Fig. 7 shows the duct mounting means 150, with Fig. 7(A) being a front view seen from the air outlet 12 side and Fig. 7(B) being a cross-sectional view taken along line YY in Fig. 7(A). Fig. 8 shows the state in which the duct mounting means 150 is engaged with the air outlet 12, with Fig. 8(A) being a front view seen from the duct 160 side and Fig. 8(B) being a cross-sectional view taken along line ZZ in Fig. 8(A). Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the air outlet 12 and duct mounting means 150 as seen from the back side of the front panel 1b (the interior side of the housing 1).

[0073] 1 and 7, the duct mounting means 150 has a tubular (e.g., cylindrical) shape and has a first opening 150a at one end close to the air outlet 12 and a second opening 150b at the other end on the duct 160 side. The duct mounting means 150 and the duct 160 are connected so that the second opening 150b of the duct mounting means 150 communicates with the first opening 160a of the duct 160. In detail, the duct mounting means 150 has a main body 151 and an engaging portion 153, and the inner wall of the main body 151 is provided with a protrusion 152 that protrudes toward the axial center of the main body 151. The protrusion 152 engages with a valley portion of the bellows of the duct 160, thereby connecting the duct 160.

[0074] Furthermore, the duct mounting means 150 and the air outlet 12 are connected so that a first opening 150a of the duct mounting means 150 communicates with the air outlet 12. More specifically, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the engagement portion 153 of the duct mounting means 150 has a first engagement portion 154 located inside the air outlet 12, a second engagement portion 155 located outside the air outlet 12, and a connecting portion 157 that connects the first engagement portion 154 and the second engagement portion 155 so that a recess 156 is formed between them.

[0075] The air outlet 12 has a rib 12a that stands in the air blowing direction, and when engaged, the rib 12a is housed in a recess 156 of the engaging portion 153 of the duct mounting means 150, with a first engaging portion 154 located inside the rib 12a and a second engaging portion 155 located outside the rib 12a. In other words, the rib 12a of the air outlet 12 and the engaging portion 153 are connected by a so-called spigot structure. At this time, the end of the second engaging portion 155 opposite the connecting portion 157 covers the base end of the rib 12a (the base of the rising portion) (see Figure 8(B)).

[0076] The duct mounting means 150 of this embodiment has a first engagement portion 154 located inside the air outlet 12 and a second engagement portion 155 located outside the air outlet, so that even if the shape of the duct 160 changes, the load on the engagement portion 153 can be distributed and the engagement strength can be increased.

[0077] More specifically, the air outlet 12 has a rib 12a that stands in the air blowing direction, and when engaged, the first engagement portion 154 of the engagement portion 153 of the duct mounting means 150 is positioned inside the rib 12a and the second engagement portion 155 is positioned outside the rib 12a. Therefore, even if a load is applied to the engagement portion 153 due to deformation of the duct 160, the load can be distributed to the first engagement portion 154 and the second engagement portion 155, which are positioned on both sides of the rib 12a. In other words, fatigue, deterioration, and breakage of the engagement portion 153 can be prevented compared to a structure in which load is applied to only one of the first engagement portion 154 or the second engagement portion 155. Furthermore, moisture is prevented from entering the interior of the housing 1 through the engagement portion 153.

[0078] Furthermore, the duct mounting means 150 has a recess 156 formed between the first engaging portion 154 and the second engaging portion 155, and when engaged, they can be engaged in a spigot structure in which the rib 12a is housed in the recess 156. This allows for secure engagement and also prevents moisture and the like from entering the interior through the engaging portion 153.

[0079] The duct 160 is a so-called flexible duct that has a bellows structure and is equipped with a retainable wire, allowing it to change the direction of the air being blown out. On the other hand, deformation of the duct 160 increases the load on the duct mounting means 150 (the engagement portion 153 thereof). In this embodiment, the rib 12a and the engagement portion 153 are engaged with each other using a spigot-joint structure, so the load on the engagement portion 153 can be distributed to the inner and outer circumferential sides of the rib 12a, increasing the engagement strength. This also enables a secure engagement and prevents moisture and other contaminants from entering the interior via the engagement portion 153.

[0080] Furthermore, since the second engaging portion 155 covers the rib 12a up to the vicinity of the base end thereof, it is possible to prevent moisture and the like from entering the inside through the engaging portion 153.

[0081] 7(A), first engagement portion 154 is provided with a plurality of (three in this example) substantially L-shaped claw portions 158 spaced equally apart in the circumferential direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 9, arc-shaped holes 101 corresponding to the number of claw portions 158 are provided inside (on the inner circumferential side of) rib 12a of air outlet 12. By inserting claw portions 158 into holes 101 and rotating duct attachment means 150 in the circumferential direction while accommodating rib 12a in recess 156 of engagement portion 153, substantially L-shaped claw portions 158 are engaged with holes 101, thereby fixing duct attachment means 150 to air outlet 12. If holes 101 are located outside (on the outer periphery) of rib 12a, moisture and the like may enter housing 1 through holes 101. If moisture or the like were to enter the inside of the housing 1 from the outer periphery of the rib 12a, it would not flow into the water receiving portion 10 of the evaporator 3, but would instead follow an arbitrary route of entry. For example, in the case of the air conditioning device 100 described above, moisture or the like would enter the space between the case accommodating the evaporator 3 and the housing 1 (the space where the compressor 2, the control device 8, etc. are provided), and there is a risk that the moisture or the like would reach the control device 8, etc.

[0082] In this embodiment, since the holes 101 are provided inside (on the inner periphery of) the ribs 12a, it is possible to prevent moisture and the like from entering the inside of the housing 1 through the holes 101.

[0083] Note that when the air conditioner 100 is used outdoors, for example, rainwater or the like may enter the air outlet 12 from the duct 160 depending on the orientation of the duct 160 (the orientation of the second opening 160b). In this embodiment, the air outlet 12 is connected to the user-side heat exchanger (the evaporator 3 in this example), and a water receiving section 10 is provided below the evaporator 3 to receive drain water that has adhered to the evaporator 3 as a result of condensation of moisture in the air. In other words, even if rainwater or the like enters the inside of the housing 1 via the duct 160 and the air outlet 12, it can flow into the water receiving section 10 and be circulated as drain water toward the front surface 4c of the condenser 4.

[0084] Although the above describes an example in which the duct 160, the duct mounting means 150, and the air outlet 12 are cylindrical, they may also be rectangular tubular.

[0085] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to an air conditioner 100 that performs cooling operation, such as a spot cooler, but may also be an air conditioner 100 that can perform heating operation, or an air conditioner that can switch between cooling operation and heating operation, and similar effects can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1 chassis 1a Main body 1b Front Panel 1c Operation display area 2 Compressor 3. Evaporator 4. Condenser 5 Evaporator side blower 6 Condenser side fan 7. Pressure reducing device 8 Control Device 9 Refrigerant piping 10 Water receiving section 11 Operation display section 12 Air outlet 12a Rib 100 Air conditioner 111 Opening 112 Display section 113 Operation display unit control board 113a switch 113b Light-emitting element 115 Operation panel 116 Operation section 120 Operation sheet 150 Duct mounting means 151 Main body 152 Protrusion 153 Engagement part 154 First engagement part 155 second engagement portion 156 Recess 157 Connecting part 158 Claw 160 Duct

Claims

1. An air conditioning device having a user-side heat exchanger and a heat source-side heat exchanger, an air outlet through which air that has exchanged heat with the utilization-side heat exchanger is blown out; a duct attachment means for connecting a duct that guides the air to the air-conditioned space to the air outlet, The duct mounting means has a first engaging portion located inside the air outlet and a second engaging portion located outside the air outlet. An air conditioning device characterized by:

2. The air outlet has a rib extending in a direction of air discharge, When the duct mounting means is engaged, the first engaging portion is disposed inside the rib and the second engaging portion is disposed outside the rib.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

3. the duct mounting means has the first engaging portion, the second engaging portion, and a connecting portion that connects the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion so as to form a recess between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, When engaged, the rib is accommodated in the recess.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

4. The duct has a bellows structure and includes a wire that can deform and maintain the shape of the duct.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

5. When engaged, the second engagement portion covers the rib up to near the base end thereof.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

6. The first engagement portion is provided with a claw portion, A hole is provided inside the rib, When engaged, the claw portion and the hole portion engage with each other.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

7. The evaporator is housed in a housing and configured to be movable, A water receiving section is provided below the evaporator.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1.

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