Outdoor unit of an air conditioner

Abstract

The objective is to provide an outdoor unit that can prevent corrosion caused by de-icing agents and stabilize the heat exchanger. [Solution] The outdoor unit 10 of an air conditioner is configured to include a housing with a bottom base 3, a heat exchanger 1 having heat transfer tubes 4, and connecting pipes 6 connected to the heat transfer tubes 4, wherein the bottom base 3 has a stepped section where the height of the bottom base 3 at the position corresponding to the lowest pipe 5 of the connecting pipes 5 is lower than the average height of the bottom base 3 at the position corresponding to the heat exchanger 1.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, copper refrigerant pipes have been used inside the heat exchanger. However, currently, a heat exchanger equipped with an aluminum refrigerant pipe, which is low-cost and allows for cost reduction, has been proposed. When the aluminum refrigerant pipe comes into contact with a different metal, corrosion is accelerated, and there is a risk of refrigerant leakage. Various means have been proposed to solve this problem.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, the spacer has a drainage channel for draining surplus water at the interface with the fins of the heat exchanger. The surface of the fins is arranged perpendicular to the upper surface of the spacer. Further, the spacer has a bevel at the upper part, and the bevel constitutes the drainage channel.

[0004] Also, in the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an aluminum heat exchanger is adopted for cost reduction. Since the aluminum heat exchanger and the soc base on which it is mounted are different metals, corrosion is a concern. Therefore, a spacer made of resin or the like may be mounted between the bottom base and the aluminum heat exchanger. Further, the heat exchanger may use the lowermost path to ensure performance, and in that case, the distance from the bottom base or the resin spacer becomes close. Therefore, in cold regions, there is a concern about piping corrosion due to the accumulation of snow-melting agents on the bottom base or the resin spacer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the configuration shown in Patent Document 1, corrosion of the heat exchanger via water is prevented by improving drainage. However, the exposed piping from the heat exchanger does not take into account external corrosive factors such as de-icing agents. In addition, a configuration of an air conditioner in which the entire surface of the heat exchanger that contacts the bottom base is stepped up is also known. However, in that case, there is a concern that the heat exchanger will become unstable and vulnerable to impact.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems by providing an outdoor unit for an air conditioner that can prevent corrosion caused by de-icing agents and stabilize the heat exchanger. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the aforementioned problems, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention comprises a housing including a bottom base, a heat exchanger having heat transfer tubes, and connecting pipes connected to the heat transfer tubes, wherein the bottom base has a stepped portion in which the height of the bottom base at the position corresponding to the lowest pipe of the connecting pipe is lower than the average height of the bottom base at the position corresponding to the heat exchanger. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described in the embodiments described later. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, corrosion caused by de-icing agents can be prevented, and the heat exchanger can be stabilized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the interior of the outdoor unit according to the embodiment, with some details omitted. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the outdoor unit according to the embodiment, viewed from below. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing the interior of the outdoor unit according to the embodiment, with some parts omitted. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the interior of the outdoor unit according to the embodiment, with some details omitted. [Figure 5]This is a plan view showing the bottom base of the outdoor unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the imaginary circle in Figure 4. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view along line VII-VII in Figure 4. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged view of section G, indicated by the imaginary circle in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is an enlarged view of section H, indicated by the imaginary circle in Figure 7. [Figure 10] This is a bottom view of the outdoor unit according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Figures 1 to 3 are, in order, a perspective view showing a partially omitted interior of the outdoor unit 10 of the air conditioner according to the embodiment, a perspective view looking up from below showing a partially omitted interior of the outdoor unit, and a side view showing a partially omitted interior of the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit 10 is an externally located device that serves as part of the air conditioning system for indoor air conditioning, such as cooling and heating. As shown in Figure 1, the outdoor unit 10 consists of an outdoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger) 1, a spacer 2 that supports the outdoor heat exchanger 1, and a bottom base 3 on which the spacer 2 is installed. In the diagram, components that would normally be included in the outdoor unit 10, such as the compressor, outdoor fan, and expansion valve, are omitted. The casing is also omitted.

[0012] The outdoor heat exchanger 1 is a heat exchanger in which heat exchange takes place between a refrigerant flowing through its heat transfer tubes 4 and outside air supplied by an outdoor fan (not shown in the diagram). The outdoor heat exchanger 1 has fins 1a that house the heat transfer tubes 4, and the heat transfer tubes 4 are folded back at one end of the fins 1a, connecting the heat transfer tubes 4 to the piping 5 (connecting piping) at the other end of the fins 1a. The lower end of the outdoor heat exchanger 1 is supported by a bottom base 3 via a spacer 2. In other words, the outdoor heat exchanger 1 is provided with a spacer 2 between itself and the bottom base 3.

[0013] The bottom base 3 supports the various components used in the outdoor heat exchanger 1. The bottom base 3 has legs 11, 11 on its lower side, and the outdoor heat exchanger 1 and other components, as previously described, are positioned on its upper side. As shown in Figure 5, in plan view, the bottom base 3 has an installation surface 3A with a central uneven portion and a raised edge portion 3a formed by raising the outer edge of the installation surface 3A. The bottom base 3 also has upper stepped pressing portions 6C, 6D that are pressed upwards opposite the lower surface of the outdoor heat exchanger 1, a stepped pressing portion (first stepped pressing portion) 6A formed at one end of the upper stepped pressing portion 6C and pressed downwards, and a lower stepped pressing portion (second stepped pressing portion) 6B formed on the lower side between the upper stepped pressing portions 6C, 6D. The bottom base 3 has multiple through-holes, or drainage holes 3b, formed at the bottom surface. To elaborate, the upper pressing section 6C has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape compared to the first pressing section 6A and the second pressing section 6B. The upper pressing section 6D has an L-shape. The pressing sections are arranged from right to left in the order of the first pressing section 6A, upper pressing section 6C, second pressing section 6B, and upper pressing section 6D, and the arrangement of these pressing sections as a whole forms an L-shape (that is, it has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the outdoor heat exchanger 1 and the spacer 2). The outdoor heat exchanger 1 is placed on the upper pressing sections 6C and 6D via the spacer 2. Note that part of the boundary where the height of the bottom base 2 changes is located in a position corresponding to the outdoor heat exchanger 1.

[0014] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the first-stage pressing section 6A (i.e., a stepped pressing section formed by pressing a part of the bottom base 3 downwards) is positioned above the heat transfer tubes 4 that are exposed from the covering portion of the heat transfer tubes 4 at the other end of the outdoor heat exchanger 1, and the piping 5 connected to those heat transfer tubes. The first-stage pressing section 6A is formed such that the distance L from the upper surface of the first-stage pressing section 6A to the lowest-positioned heat transfer tube 4 and the piping 5 connected to that heat transfer tube 4 (the lowest-positioned piping among the connecting piping) is 7 mm or more. The lowest-positioned heat transfer tube 4, which is not covered by the fins 1a of the outdoor heat exchanger 1, and the piping 5 connected to it are close to the bottom base 3. Therefore, if de-icing agents used in snowy regions accumulate on the bottom base 3, the de-icing agents will accelerate corrosion, which can lead to refrigerant leakage.

[0015] Therefore, by forming the first-stage pressing portion 6A, the interval L becomes 7 mm or more, and the structure is less likely to be affected by the snow-melting agent. By providing the first-stage pressing portion on the bottom base 3, even when the snow-melting agent accumulates, it is likely that the heat transfer pipe 4 and the pipe 5 connected thereto will not come into contact. Therefore, it is possible to avoid refrigerant leakage caused by corrosion by the snow-melting agent. Here, the interval L is preferably 7 mm or more, and more preferably 8 mm or more and 9 mm or more. However, if the value of the interval L becomes extremely large, it is necessary to greatly adjust the correspondence with other components so as to match the interval L, so there is no need to take an extreme distance. Further, the first-stage pressing portion 6A is, for example, a width large enough for the heat transfer pipe 4 and the pipe 5 protruding from the fins 1a to face each other, and is formed to have a width capable of covering the position where the pipe 5 protrudes. Note that the value of the interval L can be appropriately set according to the specifications of the outdoor unit 10 or the like, with 7 mm as the lower limit value.

[0016] Further, the first-stage pressing portion 6A is formed by partially step-pressing the lower surface of the outdoor heat exchanger 1, so that the entire surface of the outdoor heat exchanger 1 body is in a state of being placed on the bottom base 3. Therefore, even when the first-stage pressing portion 6A is formed, the stability with respect to the bottom base 3 of the outdoor heat exchanger 1 is excellent. Also, when using the aluminum outdoor heat exchanger 1, there is a concern about corrosion due to contact between dissimilar metals when mounted on the bottom base 3. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a resin spacer 2 may be installed on the bottom base 3, and the outdoor heat exchanger 1 may be mounted thereon.

[0017] As described above, the bottom base 3 has a plurality of lower-stage pressing portions convex downward, formed by step-pressing a part of the bottom base 3 downward (in this embodiment, the first-stage pressing portion 6A and the second-stage pressing portion 6B). Also, the bottom base 3 has a plurality of upper-stage pressing portions convex upward, formed by step-pressing another part of the bottom base 3 upward (in this embodiment, the upper-stage pressing portions 6C, 6D). The second-stage pressing portion 6B is arranged at a position sandwiched between the upper-stage pressing portions 6C, 6D (a position sandwiched between two upper-stage pressing portions) (see FIG. 5). Here, the "average height" can be defined, for example, as the difference in height between the deepest and highest points on the bottom surface of the bottom base 3 divided by 2. The deepest point on the bottom surface of the bottom base 3 is, for example, the bottom of the first-stage pressing part 6A or the second-stage pressing part 6B which are the lower-stage pressing parts. Also, the highest point on the bottom surface of the bottom base 3 is the top of the upper-stage pressing part 6C or the upper-stage pressing part 6D. Incidentally, when the depths of the first-stage pressing part 6A and the second-stage pressing part 6B are different, or when the heights of the upper-stage pressing part 6C and the upper-stage pressing part 6D are different, the "average height" can be the arithmetic mean of the depths of the first-stage pressing part 6A and the second-stage pressing part 6B, and the heights of the upper-stage pressing part 6C and the upper-stage pressing part 6D, based on a certain surface or position of the bottom base 3. Also, for example, the "average height" may be calculated by a method in line with the method of calculating the average depth of the sea or the average altitude of the land. Note that the "average height" is not interpreted narrowly.

[0018] The spacer 2 is here formed, for example, in an L-shape along the shape of the lower surface of the outdoor heat exchanger 1. Also, the spacer is formed of resin. Note that at one end side, the spacer 2 has a positional relationship where it partly faces or does not face the first-stage pressing part 6A at all.

[0019] Note that as shown in FIG. 6, a gap SP occurs between the spacer 2 and the bottom base 3, and water may easily accumulate. Therefore, if the water freezes below freezing point, the spacer 2 may be damaged. However, by adding the second-stage pressing part 6B to the bottom base 3 as shown in FIG. 5, drainage is promoted and the risk of damage can be reduced.

[0020] The second-stage pressing section 6B is formed between the upper pressing sections 6C and 6D facing the bottom surface of the outdoor heat exchanger 1. The second-stage pressing section 6B is positioned at a distance from the first-stage pressing section 6A (i.e., multiple pressing sections are positioned at a distance from each other). The area of ​​downward pressure applied by the second-stage pressing section 6B is smaller than that of the first-stage pressing section 6A, for example. Of course, even if the area of ​​downward pressure applied by the second-stage pressing section 6B and the first-stage pressing section 6A is the same, the area of ​​downward pressure applied by the second-stage pressing section 6B may be larger. The second-stage pressing section 6B is positioned between the upper pressing sections 6C and 6D. It is preferable that the area of ​​the second-stage pressing section 6B is in the range of 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the entire bottom surface of the outdoor heat exchanger 1. The formation of the second-stage pressing portion 6B makes it easier for water that has entered through the gap SP (see Figure 6) to drain into the drainage hole 3b, which is formed at a predetermined position on the bottom surface of the bottom base 3, as shown in Figure 5.

[0021] As shown in Figures 5 and 10, it is preferable that the first-stage pressing portion 6A and the second-stage pressing portion 6B are positioned in the same positional relationship with respect to the legs 11, 11 attached to the underside of the base 3. In other words, it is preferable that the first-stage pressing portion 6A and the second-stage pressing portion 6B are formed (positioned) at two locations spaced apart on the lower surface of the base 3, so that the legs 11, 11, which are spaced apart, can be fastened to them with screws. As shown in Figure 10, when viewed from the underside of the base 3, it is preferable that the first-stage pressing portion 6A is positioned to the upper right of one leg 11, and the second-stage pressing portion 6B is also positioned to the upper right of the other leg 11. By positioning the first-stage pressing portion 6A and the second-stage pressing portion 6B in the same positional relationship with respect to the legs 11, 11, the means for attaching the legs 11, 11, such as screw fastening, can be performed in the same positional relationship. Therefore, the outdoor unit 10 can be manufactured with increased work efficiency.

[0022] In addition, by adding the second-stage pressing portion 6B to the bottom base 3, a gap is created between the spacer 2 and the bottom base. Therefore, when the outdoor unit 10 is transported by vehicle or the like, there may be concerns about a decrease in strength against impact. For this reason, as shown in Figure 9, it is preferable to provide protrusions 7, 7 on the spacer 2 at a position corresponding to (opposite) the second-stage pressing portion 6B. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the bottom base is partially pressed in stages, with a portion pushed upward and a portion pushed downward. As a result, there is a part where the gap (distance) between the bottom base and the spacer 2 widens (especially at the part of the second-stage pressing portion 6B). In this part, there is a risk that the spacer 2 may deform due to the impact that occurs during transport (there is a risk that it may deform and not return to its original shape). The protrusions 7, 7 suppress such deformation of the spacer 7 during transport. Incidentally, the protrusions 7,7 are formed, for example, from the same material (resin) as the spacer 2. Preferably, the protrusions 7,7 extend from the lower surface of the spacer 2 toward the second-stage pressing portion 6B and are of a length that does not contact the bottom surface of the second-stage pressing portion 6B. For example, it is preferable that the length is 2 / 3 to 4 / 5 of the space formed by the second-stage pressing portion 6B. Note that the protrusions 7,7 are formed toward the stepped pressing portions other than the first-stage pressing portion 6A, which is located below the heat transfer tubes 4 and piping 5 that protrude from the outdoor heat exchanger 1.

[0023] As shown in Figure 9, the strength can be improved by adding protrusions 7,7 to the back surface of the spacer 2. In addition, it is preferable that the protrusions 7,7 extending from the spacer 2 toward the bottom surface of the second-stage pressing section 6B are spaced apart and not in contact with the bottom surface of the second-stage pressing section 6B. By floating the protrusions 7,7 above the bottom surface of the second-stage pressing section 6B, it is possible to counteract vibrations that occur when the outdoor unit 10 is transported and to counteract rattle noises caused by vibrations of the outdoor fan motor (not shown) that rotates when the air conditioner is in operation. To add to this, if the tips of the protrusions 7,7 (spacer 2) repeatedly come into contact with and not come into contact with the bottom surface of the second-stage pressing section 6B due to vibrations during operation, a rattle noise (a sound like the vibration of a mobile phone) will occur. For this reason, as mentioned above, the length of the protrusions 7,7 is such that they do not come into contact with the bottom surface of the second-stage pressing section 6B when the air conditioner is in operation. Incidentally, rattle noises can be suppressed by floating them by a few millimeters. The height of the floating portion (length of protrusions 7,7) can be set appropriately from the standpoint of "preventing deformation of spacer 2 during transport" and "preventing rattling noises during operation." Furthermore, since the projections 7,7 do not occupy a volume that nearly fills the space of the second-stage pressing section 6B (because the volume and cross-sectional area of ​​the projections 7,7 in the space are small), it is possible to prevent obstruction of drainage by providing the projections 7,7. Note that the cross-sectional shape of the projections 7,7 may be a polygon such as a circle, ellipse, or square.

[0024] As shown in Figure 10, the legs 11,11 are attached to the bottom surface of the base 3 by screws or the like. The legs 11,11 are used when installing the outdoor unit 10 outdoors and when attaching height-adjusting legs (not shown) to raise the unit to adjust its height from the installation surface. The legs 11,11 are made of the same material as the base 3, such as metal or resin. The presence of these legs 11,11 makes it possible to easily connect the height-adjusting legs (not shown).

[0025] As described above, the configuration of the outdoor unit 10 is such that the first-stage pressing section 6A (lower pressing section) is formed, making it less susceptible to the effects of de-icing agents when the outdoor unit 10 is used in snowy regions. Furthermore, the formation of the second-stage pressing section 6B (lower pressing section) of the outdoor unit 10 maintains the stability of the outdoor heat exchanger 1 and makes it easier to drain rainwater and other water that enters the bottom base 3. Furthermore, the outdoor unit 10 has protrusions 7, 7 positioned from the spacer 2 in the space corresponding to the second-stage pressing section 6B, thus providing a measure to address strength concerns. In addition, the protrusions 7, 7 are formed to a length that does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the second-stage pressing section 6B (although they are formed to a length that does not come into contact), thus preventing vibration during transport of the outdoor unit 10 and preventing rattling noise caused by vibration of the outdoor fan motor (not shown) while the outdoor unit 10 is in operation.

[0026] ≪Variations≫ Although the outdoor unit 10 relating to this disclosure has been described in the above embodiments, this disclosure is not limited to these descriptions, and various modifications can be made. For example, the number of lower pressing sections may be formed to be three or four. It is preferable that the lower pressing sections are formed with a predetermined interval between them. Furthermore, when the number of lower pressing sections is increased, the width of each lower pressing section may be the same or may be different. In addition, when multiple lower pressing sections are formed on the lower surface of the outdoor heat exchanger 1, it is preferable to form protrusions 7,7 on each of the lower pressing sections. Although the number of protrusions has been explained as two as an example, it may be in the range of 2 to 6. Furthermore, while the connecting pipes 5 can be coated with a chloride-resistant coating, the pipe located at the lowest end of these connecting pipes 5 can be configured not to be coated with a chloride-resistant coating.

[0027] Furthermore, each embodiment is described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating this disclosure and is not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace some of the configurations in each embodiment with other configurations. Furthermore, the mechanisms and configurations described above are those deemed necessary for explanatory purposes and do not necessarily represent all of the mechanisms and configurations shown in the actual product. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 10 Outdoor unit 1 Outdoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger) 2 Spacers 3. Bottom base 3A installation part 3a Standing edge 4 Heat transfer tubes 5. Piping (connecting piping) 6A Lower pressing section (first pressing section, stepped pressing section) 6B Lower pressing section (2nd pressing section) 6C, 6D Upper press section 7 protrusions 11 Legs L spacing SP gap

Claims

1. The chassis including the base, A heat exchanger having heat transfer tubes, The heat transfer tube is equipped with connecting pipes, The outdoor unit of an air conditioner has a stepped base, wherein the height of the base at the position corresponding to the lowest pipe among the connecting pipes is lower than the average height of the base at the position corresponding to the heat exchanger.

2. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the stepped portion where the height of the bottom base changes is located in a position corresponding to the heat exchanger.

3. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the pipe located at the lowest end of the aforementioned connecting pipes is not coated with a chloride-resistant coating.

4. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a distance of 7 mm or more is ensured between the pipe located at the lowest end of the connecting pipes and the bottom base.

5. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is provided with a spacer between it and the bottom base.

6. The aforementioned base is In addition to the multiple lower pressing sections which are convex downwards and are lower than the average height, there are also multiple upper pressing sections which are convex upwards and are higher than the average height. The first stage of the lower stage pressing section is located below the connecting pipe. The second stage of the lower stage pressing section is positioned between the two upper stage pressing sections. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the spacer has a projection extending downward toward the second step-pressing portion at a position opposite to the second step-pressing portion.

7. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein the projection has a length that does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the stepped portion, extending from the lower surface of the spacer toward the bottom surface of the stepped portion.

8. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the projection is formed toward the lower pressing portion other than the first pressing portion located below the heat transfer tubes and piping protruding from the heat exchanger.

9. The outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the distance of 7 mm or more is the distance from the upper surface of the first stepped pressing portion located below the connecting pipe among the stepped pressing portions.

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