Electrical box for air conditioner and outdoor unit equipped therewith

Abstract

To provide an electrical box for an air conditioner that can reliably ensure airtightness of the electrical box, and an outdoor unit equipped with the same. [Solution] The electrical box 23 of the air conditioner comprises an electrical box body 51, a lid 52, a seal, and a fixing means 56 that presses the lid 52 and the seal toward the electrical box body 51 when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid 52, thereby fixing the lid 52 and the seal to the electrical box body 51. An engaging portion 60 is provided on the outer circumference of the lid 52 or the electrical box body 51 to engage with the fixing means 56. The fixing means 56 is configured to be displaceable between a fixed position in which it engages with the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52 or the electrical box body 51 to fix the lid 52 and the seal, and a release position in which it disengages from the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52 or the electrical box body 51 to release the fixing of the lid 52 and the seal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electrical cabinet of an air conditioner and an outdoor unit equipped with the same.

Background Art

[0002] An air conditioner is a device to which a heat pump device is applied. Patent Documents 1 and 2 report a heat pump device provided with a compressor, a heat exchanger, an expansion device, a blower, an electrical cabinet, etc. in a housing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document Ⅰ

Patent Document Ⅱ

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventionally, ensuring airtightness of the electrical cabinet of an air conditioner has been required. Particularly in the power terminal block box of a unit using R290 refrigerant, since the terminal block becomes a source of ignition, it is necessary to ensure airtightness so that the refrigerant does not enter.

[0005] In Patent Documents 1 and 2, a lid member is fixed to the electrical cabinet body with screws or the like. When ensuring airtightness with screws, it is important to ensure the tightening torque of the screws. However, since screwing is carried out at the customer site, it was unclear whether torque management was correctly carried out. Also, there was a possibility of losing the screws.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electrical cabinet of an air conditioner and an outdoor unit equipped with the same that can surely ensure the airtightness of the electrical cabinet.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, the electrical box of the air conditioner of this disclosure has an opening formed on one side and comprises an electrical box body that houses the electrical components of the air conditioner inside, a lid that closes the opening of the electrical box body, a sealing portion that is positioned between the opening edge of the electrical box body and the lid when the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, and seals the space between the electrical box body and the lid, when the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, the lid and the The device includes fixing means for pressing the seal portion toward the electrical box body to fix the lid portion and the seal portion to the electrical box body, and the outer circumference of the lid portion or the electrical box body is provided with an engaging portion that engages with the fixing means, and the fixing means is configured to be displaceable between a fixing position in which it engages with the engaging portion of the lid portion or the electrical box body to fix the lid portion and the seal portion, and a release position in which it disengages from the engaging portion of the lid portion or the electrical box body to release the fixing of the lid portion and the seal portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] With the electrical box for the air conditioner described herein, the opening of the electrical box body can be sealed without the use of tools by means of a fixing mechanism. This eliminates the need to manage tightening torque. It also eliminates the possibility of workers losing screws. Therefore, the airtightness of the electrical box can be reliably ensured. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an outdoor unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the outdoor unit. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the electrical box of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure with the lid removed. [Figure 4] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the electrical box of an air conditioner with the fixing means in the unlocked position. [Figure 5] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the electrical box of an air conditioner with the fixing means in a fixed position. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the electrical box of an air conditioner in a comparative example with the lid removed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] An embodiment of the electrical box for an air conditioner and an outdoor unit equipped therewith according to this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Hereinafter, one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows the outdoor unit 1 used in a heat pump system. The outdoor unit 1 in Figure 1 is shown with the panel of the machine room 7 removed.

[0012] The outdoor unit 1 is connected to the indoor unit (heat utilization unit) via a water circuit using water piping (heat transfer piping) not shown. Water circulates between the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit through the water piping. As a result, the heat or cold generated by the outdoor unit 1 is sent to the indoor unit via the water piping, providing heat or cold to the room.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the outdoor unit 1 has a roughly rectangular prism-shaped housing 3. The bottom of the housing 3 is a sheet metal base 4. The base 4 has base legs 4a provided on each side along the longitudinal direction, and a roughly flat plate portion 4b provided between the upper ends of the base legs 4a on both sides. The flat plate portion 4b extends roughly horizontally, and various equipment is installed on top of it. The flat plate portion 4b has irregularities formed by press working.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the enclosure 3 contains a fan room 5 and a machine room 7 located above the base 4, separated to the left and right by a partition wall 9.

[0015] The fan chamber 5 is located on the left side in FIG. 1. Inside the fan chamber 5, an outdoor fan (not shown) and an outdoor heat exchanger 30 (see FIG. 2) are provided. The outdoor heat exchanger 30 is formed in an L-shaped bent configuration so as to constitute the side surface and the back surface of the fan chamber 5. The outside air taken in by the outdoor fan exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 30. The outside air after heat exchange with the refrigerant is discharged to the outside from the fan opening 11.

[0016] The machine room 7 is located on the right side in FIG. 1. In the machine room 7, a sub-base 13 in the form of a plate-like body is provided on the base 4 (specifically, the flat plate portion 4b). The sub-base 13 is rectangular in plan view and is sized to cover substantially the entire area below the machine room 7. However, a predetermined gap is formed between the side walls of the opposing housing 3 and the partition wall 9 around the four sides of the sub-base 13.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of sub-base support members 15 provided with vibration isolators are provided between the base 4 and the sub-base 13. The sub-base 13 is supported by the base 4 by each sub-base support member 15.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, in the machine room 7, a compressor 17, a water heat exchanger 19, a gas separator 21, an electric control box 23, etc. are provided above the sub-base 13.

[0019] The compressor 17 is, for example, a rotary compressor and compresses a flammable refrigerant such as R290. As shown in FIG. 2, a compressor leg 17a provided with a vibration isolator is provided at the lower part of the compressor 17. The compressor leg 17a is attached onto the sub-base 13. The vibration of the compressor 17 transmitted to the sub-base 13 is alleviated by the compressor leg 17a provided with a vibration isolator. The sub-base 13 is not provided with unnecessary through holes except for the holes for attaching devices such as the sub-base support members 15 and the compressor legs 17a. Therefore, basically, there are no through holes in the sub-base 13 after the devices are attached.

[0020] The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 17 is sent to the water heat exchanger 19 or the outdoor heat exchanger 30 via a four-way valve (not shown). A refrigerant circuit through which the refrigerant circulates is formed by the compressor 17, the four-way valve (not shown), the water heat exchanger 19, the outdoor heat exchanger 30, an expansion valve (not shown), and the refrigerant pipes connecting these components.

[0021] The water heat exchanger 19 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and water (heat medium). After the water that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant is separated from gas (such as air or refrigerant) by the gas separator 21, it is led to the indoor unit through the water supply pipe 25. The water that has exchanged heat with the indoor air in the indoor unit is returned to the water heat exchanger 19 through the water return pipe 26. Thus, water circulates between the water heat exchanger 19 and the indoor unit through the water circuit.

[0022] The electrical box 23 has a sealed structure that houses electrical devices such as capacitors and coils inside. Furthermore, a terminal block equipped with electrical terminals (electrical devices) for receiving power supply from the outside is provided inside the electrical box 23. Thus, the electrical box 23 is a potential ignition source where electrical energy exists.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2 similar to FIG. 1, the compressor 17, the water heat exchanger 19, and the gas separator 21 are shown. An accumulator 28 is shown on the side of the compressor 17. Also, the outdoor heat exchanger 30 is shown on the right side of FIG. 2. The outdoor heat exchanger 30 is installed in the fan chamber 5 (see FIG. 1) as described above.

[0024] Although not shown, the base 4 is provided with a drain hole at a position corresponding to the fan chamber 5. The drain hole is, for example, circular and has a diameter of, for example, 20 mm. The drain hole is provided on the lower surface, which is the lowest position of the flat plate portion 4b of the base 4. The lower surface is continuously provided across the machine room 7. The lower surface is inclined so that the drain hole is downward. This enables the condensed water adhering to the equipment such as the outdoor heat exchanger 30 in the housing 3 to flow downward and be discharged to the outside through the drain hole along the lower surface.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the base 4 is provided with a refrigerant discharge port 34 at a position corresponding to the machine room 7. Through the refrigerant discharge port 34, the refrigerant released into the machine room 7 is discharged to the outside (atmosphere).

[0026] The refrigerant discharge hole 34 is, for example, circular in shape, with a diameter of 30 mm or more, preferably about 60 mm. In other words, the area of ​​the refrigerant discharge hole 34 is larger than the area of ​​the drain hole.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, the refrigerant discharge hole 34 is provided with a resin mesh 40 to prevent insects and other small animals from entering the inside of the housing 3 from the outside.

[0028] A refrigerant detection sensor 42 is installed below the machine room 7. The refrigerant detection sensor 42 detects refrigerant leaking into the machine room 7. The detection output of the refrigerant detection sensor 42 is transmitted to a control unit (not shown). The control unit determines that a refrigerant leak has occurred when the concentration of refrigerant detected by the refrigerant detection sensor 42 exceeds a predetermined value. The refrigerant detection sensor 42 is installed below the gas separator 21.

[0029] The control unit consists of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and a computer-readable storage medium. A series of processes for realizing various functions are stored in the storage medium in the form of a program, for example. The CPU reads this program into the RAM and performs information processing and calculations to realize the various functions. The program may be pre-installed in ROM or other storage media, provided stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or distributed via wired or wireless communication. Computer-readable storage media include magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and semiconductor memory.

[0030] A water connection pipe 46 is connected to the side of the gas separator body 21a to guide water from the water heat exchanger 19.

[0031] Next, the configuration of the electrical box 23 of the air conditioner will be explained using Figures 3 to 5. As shown in Figure 3, the electrical box 23 of the air conditioner is installed on the outdoor unit 1. The electrical box 23 comprises an electrical box body 51 and a lid 52. An opening 53 is formed on one side of the electrical box body 51, and the electrical components 54A and 54B of the air conditioner are housed inside. The electrical components 54A and 54B are, for example, terminal blocks. The lid 52 closes the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51. A fire-resistant stainless steel plate (not shown) is attached to the bottom side (electrical box body 51 side) of the lid 52. The opening 53 is rectangular, with each side being, for example, approximately 230 mm. However, the shape and dimensions of the opening 53 are not limited to this.

[0032] A sealing portion 71, not shown in Figure 3, is provided between the electrical box body 51 and the lid portion 52. The sealing portion 71 is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the opening edge 55 of the electrical box body 51 and the lid portion 52 when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid portion 52, thereby sealing the space between the electrical box body 51 and the lid portion 52. The sealing portion 71 is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid portion 52. That is, the sealing portion 71 is provided around the entire circumference of the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid portion 52. Details of the sealing portion 71 will be described later.

[0033] The electrical box 23 includes a fixing means 56 that, when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid 52, presses the lid 52 and the sealing portion 71 toward the electrical box body 51 to fix the lid 52 and the sealing portion 71 to the electrical box body 51. The fixing means 56 includes a straight portion 57 and curved portions 58 that curve and extend from both ends of the straight portion 57 so as to face the respective directions of two fixing portions 59, which will be described later. In addition, fixing portions 59 are formed on the side surface of the electrical box body 51 so as to protrude outward, and the ends of the fixing means 56 are fixed to the fixing portions 59 so as to be rotatable relative to the electrical box body 51. The fixing portions 59 are formed to correspond to both ends of the fixing means 56. Therefore, two fixing portions 59 are formed for one fixing means 56. The fixing means 56 is a stainless steel rod-shaped member with a diameter of approximately 3 mm. However, the shape and dimensions of the fixing means 56 are not limited to this.

[0034] The fixing means 56 are provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the seal portion 71 when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid portion 52. In this embodiment, the fixing means 56 are provided on all four sides of the rectangular opening 53. That is, four fixing means 56 are provided. This ensures airtightness more reliably. However, it is not necessary to provide fixing means 56 on all four sides; a configuration where they are provided on two opposing sides is also acceptable.

[0035] An engaging portion 60 is provided on the outer circumference of the lid portion 52 to engage with the fixing means 56. The engaging portion 60 is provided to protrude in a tab shape on the outer circumference of the lid portion 52. A projection 61 is formed at the outer end of the engaging portion 60, which protrudes toward the upper surface of the lid portion 52 (opposite the electrical box body 51), preventing the fixing means 56 from detaching from the engaging portion 60.

[0036] Next, Figures 4 and 5 will be used to explain how the lid 52 is fixed to the electrical box body 51. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electrical box 23 of the air conditioner in the state where the fixing means 56 is in the released position (before fixing the lid 52). That is, it shows the state in which the fixing means 56 has disengaged from the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52, thereby releasing the fixing of the lid 52 and the seal portion 71. As shown in Figure 4, a groove 62 for housing the seal portion 71 is formed on the bottom side of the lid 52. The seal portion 71, which is shaped like an "8" in cross-section, is housed in the groove 62. In addition, a projection 63 is formed on the opening edge 55 of the electrical box body 51 at a position opposite to the groove 62 of the lid 52. The shape of the seal portion 71 can be any shape other than an "8". Also, a foamed material may be used for the seal portion 71.

[0037] To fix the lid 52 to the electrical box body 51, first the lid 52 is brought closer to the electrical box body 51. At this time, the sealing portion 71 comes into contact with the protruding portion 63, and the lower part of the figure-eight shape of the sealing portion 71 deforms to conform to the shape of the opening edge 55 of the electrical box body 51. Next, the fixing means 56 is rotated clockwise around the fixing portion 59, and the straight portion 57 of the fixing means 56 is engaged with the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52.

[0038] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electrical box 23 of the air conditioner with the fixing means 56 in the fixed position (after the lid 52 has been fixed to the electrical box body 51). Specifically, it shows the state in which the fixing means 56 engages with the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52, thereby fixing the lid 52 and the sealing portion 71.

[0039] In this state, the fixing means 56 presses the lid portion 52 and the sealing portion 71 toward the electrical box body 51. The pressing force of the fixing means 56 presses the sealing portion 71 more firmly toward the electrical box body 51, causing it to adhere tightly to the opening edge 55 of the electrical box body 51. This ensures airtightness between the electrical box body 51 and the lid portion 52.

[0040] When opening the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51, the fixing means 56 is disengaged from the engaging portion 60 of the lid portion 52. This releases the fixing of the lid portion 52 and the sealing portion 71, allowing the lid portion 52 to be separated from the electrical box body 51. This opens the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51.

[0041] Here, Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the state with the lid 152 removed from the electrical box 123 of the air conditioner according to the comparative example. The electrical box 123 is installed on the outdoor unit 101. The electrical box 123 in the comparative example does not have the fixing means 56 in this embodiment. Accordingly, in the comparative example, through holes 181 are formed on the four corners of the lid 152, and screw holes 182 for screw fastening are formed at positions corresponding to the through holes 181 on the four corners of the electrical box body 151. When closing the opening 153 of the electrical box body 151 with the lid 152, the lid 152 is fixed to the electrical box body 151 by screw fastening with screws 183.

[0042] However, in the comparative example of the air conditioner's electrical box 123, the lid 152 was fixed to the electrical box body 151 with screws, making it unclear whether the tightening torque of the screws 183 could be properly managed. There was also a risk of losing the screws 183. Furthermore, as the electrical box 123 becomes larger, the distance between the screws increases, resulting in a problem of reduced pressing force in the central part. On the other hand, in this embodiment, by providing the fixing means 56, the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 can be sealed without using tools. In addition, a uniform pressing force can be applied along the longitudinal direction. This eliminates the need to manage the tightening torque. Furthermore, it eliminates the possibility of workers losing screws. Moreover, it is possible to create a structure with higher airtightness compared to the case where screws are used.

[0043] As described above, this embodiment provides the following effects and advantages. The electrical box 23 of the air conditioner in this embodiment comprises an electrical box body 51, a lid 52, a sealing part 71, and a fixing means 56 that presses the lid 52 and the sealing part 71 toward the electrical box body 51 to fix the lid 52 and the sealing part 71 to the electrical box body 51 when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid 52. If the lid 52 is fixed to the electrical box body 51 with screws, the screw fastening is performed by the customer, so it was unclear whether the tightening torque of the screws would be properly managed. There was also a risk of losing the screws. Therefore, there was a possibility that the airtightness of the electrical box 23 would not be sufficiently ensured. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 can be sealed without using tools by the fixing means 56. This eliminates the need to manage the tightening torque. It also eliminates the possibility of workers losing screws. Therefore, the airtightness of the electrical box 23 can be reliably ensured.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fixing means 56 engages with the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52 when it is displaced to the fixed position, thereby fixing the lid 52 and the seal portion 71. Therefore, the worker can fix the lid 52 and the seal portion 71 simply by engaging the fixing means 56 with the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52, thus ensuring the airtightness of the electrical box 23 without the use of tools. This eliminates the need to manage the tightening torque. Also, in this embodiment, the fixing means 56 disengages from the engaging portion 60 of the lid 52 when it is displaced to the release position, thereby releasing the fixing of the lid 52 and the seal portion 71. Therefore, when it is necessary to open the inside of the electrical box 23, the inside of the electrical box 23 can be opened simply by displacing the fixing means 56 to the release position without the use of tools. This allows the inside of the electrical box 23 to be easily opened at the necessary timing.

[0045] When the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid 52, if the sealing portion 71 is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51, the outer circumference of the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 can be sealed all around. Furthermore, when the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is sealed by the lid 52, if the fixing means 56 is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the sealing portion 71, the outer circumference of the sealing portion 71 can be pressed against the electrical box body 51 all around to secure it. With this configuration, sufficient airtightness can be ensured all around the outer circumference of the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51. In particular, when the electrical box 23 is large, this configuration can effectively ensure the airtightness of the electrical box 23. Furthermore, "surrounding the outer perimeter of the opening" means, for example, if the shape of the opening 53 of the electrical box body 51 is rectangular, then providing a sealing portion 71 along the four sides of the opening 53.

[0046] Furthermore, in air conditioners using R290 refrigerant, for example, the terminal block can be an ignition source, so it is necessary to ensure airtightness to prevent refrigerant from entering. The electrical box 23 of the air conditioner in this embodiment can reliably ensure airtightness of the electrical box 23, and therefore can be suitably used in air conditioners using R290 refrigerant.

[0047] Furthermore, in the case of the outdoor unit 1 of this embodiment, since it is equipped with the electrical box 23 of the air conditioner described above, the airtightness of the electrical box 23 can be reliably ensured. Therefore, the outdoor unit 1 is highly reliable.

[0048] <Example 1> In this embodiment, the fixing means 56 is fixed to the electrical box body 51, and an engaging portion 60 that engages with the fixing means 56 is provided on the outer circumference of the lid 52 so as to correspond to the fixing means 56 fixed to the electrical box body 51. However, the configuration may be reversed. That is, the fixing means 56 is fixed to the lid 52, and an engaging portion 60 that engages with the fixing means 56 is provided on the outer circumference of the electrical box body 51 so as to correspond to the fixing means 56 fixed to the lid 52. The same effect can be obtained in this case as well.

[0049] <Modification 2> In this embodiment, the seal portion 71, which is separate from the lid portion 52, is housed in the groove portion 62 of the lid portion 52. However, the configuration may be modified so that the seal portion 71 is integrated with the lid portion 52. The same effect can be obtained in this case as well.

[0050] <Note> The electrical box of the air conditioner described in the above-described embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows. An electrical box (23) for an air conditioner according to a first aspect of this disclosure has an opening (53) formed on one side and comprises an electrical box body (51) that houses electrical components (54A, 54B) of the air conditioner inside, a lid (52) that closes the opening of the electrical box body, and a sealing portion (51) that is sandwiched between the opening edge (55) of the electrical box body and the lid when the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, and when the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, The device comprises, and a fixing means (56) that presses the lid and the seal toward the electrical box body to fix the lid and the seal toward the electrical box body, wherein an engaging portion (60) that engages with the fixing means is provided on the outer circumference of the lid or the electrical box body, and the fixing means is configured to be displaceable between a fixing position in which it engages with the engaging portion of the lid or the electrical box body to fix the lid and the seal, and a release position in which it disengages from the engaging portion of the lid or the electrical box body to release the fixing of the lid and the seal.

[0051] The electrical box for an air conditioner according to this disclosure comprises an electrical box body, a lid, a seal, and fixing means for pressing the lid and seal toward the electrical box body to fix the lid and seal to the electrical box body when the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid. When the lid is fixed to the electrical box body with screws, the screw fastening is performed by the customer, making it uncertain whether the tightening torque of the screws will be properly managed. There was also a risk of losing screws. Therefore, there was a possibility that the airtightness of the electrical box could not be sufficiently ensured. On the other hand, in this disclosure, the opening of the electrical box body can be sealed without using tools by the fixing means. This eliminates the need to manage the tightening torque. It also eliminates the possibility of workers losing screws. Therefore, the airtightness of the electrical box can be reliably ensured.

[0052] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the fixing means engages with the engaging portion of the lid or the electrical box body when displaced to a fixed position, thereby fixing the lid and the seal. Therefore, the worker can fix the lid and the seal simply by engaging the fixing means with the engaging portion of the lid or the electrical box body, thus ensuring airtightness of the electrical box without the use of tools. This eliminates the need to manage tightening torque. In addition, in this disclosure, the fixing means disengages from the engaging portion of the lid or the electrical box body when displaced to a release position, releasing the fixing of the lid and the seal. Therefore, when it is necessary to open the inside of the electrical box, the inside of the electrical box can be opened simply by displacing the fixing means to the release position without the use of tools. This allows the inside of the electrical box to be easily opened at the required time.

[0053] In the first embodiment, the electrical box for an air conditioner according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is such that, in a sealed state in which the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, the sealing portion is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the opening of the electrical box body, and the fixing means is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the sealing portion.

[0054] When the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, if the sealing portion is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the opening of the electrical box body, the entire outer circumference of the opening of the electrical box body can be sealed. Furthermore, when the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, if the fixing means is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the sealing portion, the outer circumference of the sealing portion can be pressed against the electrical box body and fixed around its entire circumference. With such a configuration, sufficient airtightness can be ensured around the entire outer circumference of the opening of the electrical box body. In particular, when the electrical box is large, this configuration can effectively ensure the airtightness of the electrical box. Furthermore, "surrounding the outer perimeter of the opening" means, for example, if the shape of the opening of the electrical box body is rectangular, providing a sealing portion along all four sides of the opening.

[0055] In the electrical box of an air conditioner according to a third aspect of this disclosure, the sealing portion is integrated with the lid portion in the first or second aspect.

[0056] In this disclosure, even in this configuration, the airtightness of the electrical box can be effectively ensured. Furthermore, compared to the case where the lid and the sealing part are separate components, it is not necessary to form a groove in the lid to accommodate the sealing part, and the possibility of the sealing part falling off the lid can be eliminated.

[0057] In the electrical box of an air conditioner according to the fourth aspect of this disclosure, in any of the first to third aspects, the electrical component is a terminal block.

[0058] For example, in an air conditioner using R290 refrigerant, the terminal block can be an ignition source, so it is necessary to ensure airtightness to prevent refrigerant from entering. The electrical box for the air conditioner of this disclosure can reliably ensure airtightness of the electrical box, and therefore can be suitably used in an air conditioner using R290 refrigerant.

[0059] The outdoor unit (1) according to the fifth aspect of this disclosure comprises an electrical box for an air conditioner according to any of the first to fourth aspects.

[0060] The outdoor unit described in this disclosure is equipped with the aforementioned electrical box for the air conditioner, thus ensuring airtightness of the electrical box. Therefore, it is a highly reliable outdoor unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1 Outdoor unit 3 cabinets 4 base 4a Base Legs 4b Flat plate part 5. Fan Room 7 Machine room 9 Partition wall 11 Fan opening 13 Sub-base 15 Subbase support member 17 Compressor 17a Compressor legs 19 Water heat exchanger 21 Gas Separator 21a Gas separator body 23. Electrical box (control box) 25 Water supply piping 26 Water return piping 28 Accumulator 30 Outdoor heat exchanger 34 Refrigerant discharge hole 40 mesh 42 Refrigerant detection sensor 46 Water connection pipe 51 Electrical box body 52 Lid 53 Opening 54A, 54B Electrical components 55 Open edge 56 Fixing means 57 Straight section 58 Curved section 59 Fixed part 60 Engaging part 61 Protrusion 62 Groove 63 Protrusion 71 Seal part

Claims

1. An opening is formed on one side, and the electrical box body houses the electrical components of the air conditioner inside, A lid portion that closes the opening of the aforementioned electrical box body, In a sealed state in which the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, a sealing portion is provided which is positioned between the opening edge of the electrical box body and the lid, thereby sealing the space between the electrical box body and the lid. In a sealed state in which the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, a fixing means for pressing the lid and the sealing portion toward the electrical box body to fix the lid and the sealing portion to the electrical box body, Equipped with, The outer circumference of the lid or the electrical box body is provided with an engaging portion that engages with the fixing means. The electrical box for an air conditioner is configured to displace between a fixing position in which it engages with the engaging portion of the lid or the electrical box body to fix the lid and the seal portion, and a release position in which it disengages from the engaging portion of the lid or the electrical box body to release the fixing of the lid and the seal portion.

2. The electrical box for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein, in a sealed state in which the opening of the electrical box body is sealed by the lid, the sealing portion is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the opening of the electrical box body, and the fixing means is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the sealing portion.

3. The electrical box for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the sealing portion is integrated with the lid portion.

4. The electrical box for the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned electrical component is a terminal block.

5. An outdoor unit comprising an electrical box for an air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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