Radiant air conditioning equipment

Abstract

To provide a cover structure which covers an indoor unit of a radiation air conditioner.SOLUTION: A cover structure has a structure which covers an air conditioner attached to a wall surface and includes: a front panel which covers a front surface of the air conditioner; a bottom panel which covers a bottom surface of the air conditioner; and side panels each of which covers a front portion and a lower portion of a side surface of the air conditioner. In the cover structure, a lower edge of the front panel and a front edge of the bottom panel are connected, and side edges of the front panel and the bottom panel and front edges and lower edges of the side panels are connected. The front panel, the bottom panel, and the side panels are provided separated from the air conditioner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a cover structure for covering an indoor unit of a radiant air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Air conditioners (commonly called air conditioners) installed in living rooms and other areas of homes blow cooled (or heated) air from an air outlet to regulate the temperature in the room. In contrast, there is known a radiant air conditioner that regulates the room temperature using a radiant panel cooled (or heated) by water or air (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] The radiant air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 has an air conditioner and a flat, hollow case attached to the ceiling surface. The flat, hollow case is composed of a moisture-permeable radiant panel and a heat-insulating panel that face each other with a gap between them, and has a structure in which an air passage is formed in the gap between the two panels and cooled (or heated) air is blown from the air conditioner. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-217630 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The method of installing an air conditioner on the ceiling, such as the radiant air conditioning system disclosed in Patent Document 1, can be applied to new buildings, but is not suitable for installation in existing buildings. Therefore, a method of installing the air conditioner on the wall like a general air conditioner can be considered. In that case, the air conditioner of the radiant air conditioning system needs to blow air toward the ceiling, so the arrangement of the air intake and exhaust ports is reversed from that of a general air conditioner, which is a problem.

[0006] Home air conditioners have an air intake on the top of the indoor unit and an air outlet on the lower front, and are designed to be functional and beautiful with an emphasis on interior design. On the other hand, the indoor unit of a radiant air conditioner has an air intake on the front, which occupies a relatively large area and therefore significantly affects the appearance. The air intake is difficult to reduce the area it occupies on the entire unit, not only to ensure the function of sucking in air, but also to minimize wind noise, and there is also the problem that its location cannot be changed due to the mechanism of the air conditioner.

[0007] In view of such problems, an object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a cover structure for covering an indoor unit of a radiant air conditioner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A cover structure according to one embodiment of the present invention has a structure for covering an air conditioner attached to a wall surface, and includes a front panel that covers the front surface of the air conditioner, a bottom panel that covers the bottom surface of the air conditioner, and side panels that cover the front and lower portions of the sides of the air conditioner. The cover structure has a lower edge of the front panel connected to a front edge of the bottom panel, and side edges of the front panel and bottom panel connected to front and lower edges of the side panels, and the front panel, bottom panel, and side panels are provided spaced apart from the air conditioner.

[0009] The air conditioner has an air intake port on the front side, and the cover structure is provided so that the front panel, bottom panel, and side panels cover the air intake port. The cover structure is installed so that the front panel, bottom panel, and side panels are arranged at a distance from the air conditioner, and the space between them forms a flow path for air to flow into the air intake port. It is preferable that the front panel, bottom panel, and side panels of the cover structure are arranged at a distance of 40 mm or more from the air conditioner.

[0010] The front panel or the side panel may have a bent portion at the upper end that is bent toward the air conditioner, and the bent portion may overlap a mounting fixture that protrudes from the air conditioner. The cover structure may also have a mounting plate provided on the side panel that bridges to the air conditioner. The cover structure may have the front panel, bottom panel, and side panel molded as one unit.

[0011] The cover structure may be provided with at least one of a lighting device, a speaker, and a projector. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cover structure is installed to cover the air conditioner of a radiant air conditioning device, so that the air intake port is not visible from the outside, and by being positioned away from the air conditioner, an air flow path to the air intake port can be formed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a radiant air-conditioning device according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a perspective view from above, and (B) shows a perspective view from below. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a structure of a cover structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the structure of a cover structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a front view and (B) shows a side view. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the structure of a cover structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a plan view and (B) shows a rear view. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a cover structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a configuration to which a lighting fixture is added, and (B) shows a configuration to which a decorative panel is further provided. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a cover structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a configuration to which a lighting fixture is added, and (B) shows a configuration to which a projector is added. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a cover structure for one embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a configuration in which a planar speaker is added, and (B) shows an example in which the cover structure is configured with a planar speaker. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different aspects, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below. In order to make the explanation clearer, the drawings may be schematic in terms of the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part compared to the actual aspect, but they are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention. In this specification and each figure, elements similar to those described above with respect to the previous figures may be given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the letters "first" and "second" attached to each element are convenient labels used to distinguish each element, and have no further meaning unless otherwise specified.

[0015] 1. Overall configuration of the radiative cooling device Figures 1(A) and (B) are perspective views showing the configuration of a radiant air conditioning device 100. Figure 1(A) shows a perspective view of the radiant air conditioning device 100 seen from above, and Figure 1(B) shows a perspective view of the radiant air conditioning device 100 seen from below. Note that because the radiant air conditioning device 100 is installed on a wall surface and a ceiling surface, the structure shown in Figure 1(A) is not directly visible.

[0016] The radiant air conditioner 100 includes an air conditioner 102, a cover structure 104, a heat insulating panel 106, and a radiant panel 108. The air conditioner 102 is attached to a wall surface inside a room. The air conditioner 102 has an air intake (not shown) on the front surface, and an air outlet 114 on the top surface (ceiling side). Most of the air conditioner 102 is covered by the cover structure 104, so that the air intake 112 is not directly visible from the outside.

[0017] The heat insulating panel 106 is provided from the portion overlapping with the air conditioner 102 to the front. The heat insulating panel 106 is formed of, for example, resin, gypsum, urethane, glass wool, rock wool, etc. The heat insulating panel 106 is attached to the ceiling surface by fasteners 110 attached to the ceiling surface.

[0018] The insulating panel 106 may be divided into multiple parts before being attached to the ceiling. For example, as shown in Fig. 1(A), it may be divided into three parts: a first insulating panel 106a above the air conditioner 102, a second insulating panel 106b in front of that, and a third insulating panel 106c in front of that. The first insulating panel 106a is provided so as to be inserted between the air conditioner 102 and the ceiling surface. The second insulating panel 106b is provided based on the position of the first insulating panel 106a, and then the third insulating panel 106c is provided.

[0019] The first insulating panel 106a has a groove formed therein that spreads over the entire surface so as not to block the air outlet 114 of the air conditioner 102, and the second insulating panel 106b and the third insulating panel 106c also have grooves formed therein. The radiating panel 108 is provided so as to cover the entire second insulating panel 106b and the third insulating panel 106c. The radiating panel 108 is made of, for example, cloth, and has a structure in which it is stretched over a frame so as to spread out like a flat plate. Such a radiating panel 108 is removably attached to the ceiling surface.

[0020] A flow path for air blown from the air outlet 114 is formed between the grooves provided in the second insulating panel 106b and the third insulating panel 106c and the radiant panel 108. The grooves are open at the tip of the third insulating panel 106c, and the air that flows through this flow path flows directly into the room. The radiant air-conditioning device 100 conditions the room by radiative cooling or thermal radiation by blowing cooled or heated air blown from the air conditioner 102 through this flow path. The radiant air-conditioning device 100 not only directly adjusts the room temperature with cooled or heated air, but also performs air-conditioning using the radiant panel 108, so that a sufficient air-conditioning effect can be achieved even if the volume of air blown from the air conditioner 102 is small. In other words, even if a cover structure 104 is provided in front of the air conditioner 102, it is possible to prevent the operation from being affected.

[0021] 2. Cover structure configuration Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a cover structure 104 attached to an air conditioner 102 of a radiant air conditioner 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Also, Fig. 3(A) shows a front view of the cover structure 104, Fig. 3(B) shows a side view of the cover structure 104, Fig. 4(A) shows a plan view of the cover structure 104, and Fig. 4(B) shows a rear view of the cover structure 104. The following description will refer to these drawings.

[0022] The air conditioner 102 has an air intake port 112 on the front surface, and an air outlet 114 on the top surface (ceiling side). The cover structure 104 has a structure that covers at least a part of the front surface, bottom surface, and side surfaces of the air conditioner 102. Specifically, the cover structure 104 is composed of a front panel 104a that covers the front surface of the air conditioner 102, a bottom panel 104b that covers the bottom surface, and a side panel 104c that covers the side surfaces. The side panels 104c are preferably provided on both the left and right sides of the air conditioner 102.

[0023] The air conditioner 102 is installed at a relatively high position in the room. In other words, the air conditioner 102 is installed at a position close to the ceiling in the room. The front panel 104a has a size and shape that makes the air intake port invisible when the air conditioner 102 is viewed from the front and diagonally below. The bottom panel 104b has a size and shape that makes the air intake port invisible when viewed from below the air conditioner 102. The side panel 104c is provided so that the air intake port is invisible when the air conditioner 102 is viewed from the side.

[0024] As described below, the cover structure 104 is provided to cover the air conditioner 102, and is also provided to form an intake path as another function. In order to achieve the function of forming an intake path, it is preferable that the cover structure 104 has a shape that covers only a part of the side surface of the air conditioner 102 installed on a wall surface, rather than covering the entire side surface. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable that the cover structure 104 has an L-shape that covers the front portion to the lower portion. Although not shown, the side panel 104c may have a triangular shape that widens from the top end to the bottom end.

[0025] In this embodiment, the cover structure 104 will be described divided into a front panel 104a, a bottom panel 104b, and a side panel 104c, but it is preferable that each panel is continuous in order to hide the appearance of the air conditioner 102. In other words, it is preferable that the front panel 104a, the bottom panel 104b, and the side panel 104c are integrated. For example, the cover structure 104 may be integrally molded.

[0026] The cover structure 104 can be designed to have a beautiful appearance by connecting the front panel 104a, the bottom panel 104b, and the side panel 104c. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the cover structure 104 can be formed into a gently curved shape from the bottom of the front panel 104a to the front of the bottom panel 104b. Although not shown, the front panel 104a to the side panel 104c and the bottom panel 104b to the side panel 104c can also be similarly curved.

[0027] The cover structure 104 may be colored or have a pattern, figure, or abstract painting drawn on it. In other words, the cover structure 104 may be used as part of the interior, and may have a design that harmonizes with the room in which it is installed.

[0028] The cover structure 104 is preferably made of a material that is stable in shape (capable of retaining its shape) and lightweight. The cover structure 104 is preferably made of, for example, plastic, metal, nonwoven fabric, etc. The cover structure 104 may also be made of a fine mesh member. Furthermore, the cover structure 104 may be made of a structure in which Japanese paper is stretched over a thin wooden frame.

[0029] The cover structure 104 is not placed in close contact with the air conditioner 102, but is installed at a distance from the front, bottom, and sides of the air conditioner 102. A space is formed between the cover structure 104 and the air conditioner 102, forming a flow path for air to flow to the air intake 112. If the flow path is narrow, a load is placed on the air conditioner 102, and the rotation speed must be increased to blow out a predetermined amount of air to the radiant panel 108. On the other hand, expanding the space more than necessary is not preferable as it simply increases the size of the cover structure 104.

[0030] Like a general air conditioner, the radiant air conditioner blows out cool or warm air to adjust the room temperature. The radiant air conditioner 100 only needs to control the temperature of the radiant panel 108, and does not need the air volume of a general air conditioner. Therefore, the space between the cover structure 104 and the air conditioner 102 can be relatively narrow. For example, the distance between the cover structure 104 and the air conditioner 102 can be 10 mm or more and 300 mm or less, for example, 30 mm or more and 300 mm or less, and preferably 40 mm or more and 300 mm or less. For example, the cover structure 104 is preferably disposed at a distance of about 40 mm from the air conditioner 102. By covering the air conditioner 102 with such a distance, the cover structure 104 forms a flow path for air flowing into the air intake 112 and hides the air intake 112 from the outside, and can be a size that does not give a sense of incongruity to the viewer.

[0031] The cover structure 104 is attached to the air conditioner 102 at multiple locations. For example, it is preferable that attachment members are provided at four locations on the left, right, upper and lower sides of the air conditioner 102. By attaching the cover structure 104 to the air conditioner 102 at multiple locations in this manner, it can be installed in a stable state.

[0032] The cover structure 104 is attached to the air conditioner 102 by an attachment member. The structure and shape of the attachment member are selected as appropriate. Since the cover structure 104 is disposed away from the air conditioner 102, an attachment plate 116 may be used to bridge the side panel 104c and the air conditioner 102. The attachment plate 116 may have flat surfaces on both ends, and these portions may be in contact with the side panel 104c and the air conditioner 102 and secured with fasteners such as screws.

[0033] Furthermore, the front panel 104a or the side panel 104c may be provided with a folded portion 105 in which the upper end is folded toward the air conditioner 102. The folded portion 105 may be arranged so as to overlap with a mounting fixture 115 protruding from the air conditioner 102, and may be fastened at this portion with a fastener such as a screw. Note that the mounting structure of the cover structure 104 illustrated here is merely an example, and other structures may be used.

[0034] In this way, the cover structure 104 according to one embodiment of the present invention covers the outer surface of the air conditioner 102 that constitutes the radiant air conditioning system 100, and is installed at a predetermined distance from the air conditioner 102, making it possible to make the air intake 112 invisible and to form a flow path for air to flow to the air intake 112. This makes it possible to maintain the functionality of the air conditioner without compromising the aesthetic appearance, even when the air conditioner 102 of the radiant air conditioning system 100 is installed on a wall surface inside a room.

[0035] 3. Cover structure with added functions The cover structure 104 can have two functions, that is, to cover the air inlet 112 to improve the aesthetic appearance and to form an air flow path, and can also have a new function of attaching a separate member. An example of this is shown below.

[0036] 5(A) shows an example in which a lighting fixture is installed on the cover structure 104. The lighting fixture 118 can be installed on the front panel 104a, for example. The lighting fixture 118 can be used as indirect lighting by directing light toward the radiation panel 108. By using an LED as the light source of the lighting fixture 118, it is possible to achieve a reduction in size and weight. In addition, the lighting fixture 118 may have color rendering properties by making the color tone of the light source variable.

[0037] When the radiant air conditioning device 100 is installed in a bedroom, the radiant panel 108 is installed above the bed. Because the radiant panel 108 is made of fabric as described above, the light from the lighting fixtures 118 can render colors in the bedroom. As shown in Fig. 5(B), a decorative panel 120 may be provided on the cover structure 104 so that the lighting fixtures 118 cannot be directly seen from below. As shown in Figs. 5(A) and (B), the shape of the lighting fixtures 118 and the number of light sources can be selected as appropriate.

[0038] Fig. 6(A) shows an example of a lighting fixture 118 installed on the bottom panel 104b. In this example, by using a highly directional lighting fixture 118, it is possible to directly illuminate a small area and use it as a reading light, for example. As shown in Figs. 5(A) and (B) and Fig. 6(A), by installing the lighting fixture 118 on the cover structure 104, it is possible to use it for lighting purposes without impairing the function of the air conditioner 102.

[0039] 6(B) shows an example in which a projector 122 is attached to the cover structure 104. A radiating panel 108 is provided diagonally above the cover structure 104. The radiating panel 108 is flat and can be used as a screen for projecting images. If the projector 122 is thin, it can be installed inside the cover structure 104 and project images from a projection hole in the front panel 104a.

[0040] FIG. 7(A) shows an example in which a speaker 124 is installed on the cover structure 104. The speaker 124 may be a cone-type speaker, but if it is a flat speaker, it can be installed directly on the surface of the cover structure 104. FIG. 7(A) shows an example in which the speaker 124 is installed on the front panel 104a, but the speaker 124 may be provided on the left and right side panels 104c. Also, as shown in FIG. 7(B), the entire cover structure 104 may be composed of flat speakers. When the radiant air-conditioning device 100 is installed in a bedroom, a better sleeping environment can be provided by playing ambient music from the speaker 124 provided on the cover structure 104.

[0041] A plurality of functions can be added to the cover structure 104. For example, by combining the lighting fixture 118 with the speaker 124, it is possible to produce an indoor environment according to a purpose (sleep, wake up, rest, etc.) by combining color rendering and sound effects by lighting. Also, it is possible to configure an audio-visual system by combining the projector 122 with the speaker 124.

[0042] In this way, the cover structure 104 according to one embodiment of the present invention not only covers the air conditioner 102 and forms an air inflow path, but also makes it possible to add different functions by attaching a separate member. Because the air conditioner 102 is installed at a relatively high position on the wall, there is an advantage that adding a new function to the cover structure 104 does not affect the living space. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 100: radiant air conditioner, 102: air conditioner, 104: cover structure, 104a: front panel, 104b: bottom panel, 104c: side panel, 105: bent portion, 106: heat insulating panel, 106a: first heat insulating panel, 106b: second heat insulating panel, 106c: third heat insulating panel, 108: radiant panel, 110: fixture, 112: air intake, 114: air outlet, 115: mounting fixture, 116: mounting plate, 118: lighting fixture, 120: decorative panel, 122: projector, 124: speaker

Claims

1. A radiant air conditioning device having a radiant panel attached to a ceiling, an air conditioner attached to a wall surface and blowing air to the radiant panel, and a cover structure for covering the air conditioner, The cover structure includes: A front panel that covers the front surface of the air conditioner; A bottom panel covering a bottom surface of the air conditioner; A side panel covering a front portion and a lower portion of a side of the air conditioner; Including, The lower edge of the front panel is connected to the front edge of the bottom panel, and the side edges of the front panel and the bottom panel are connected to the front edges and lower edges of the side panels, the air conditioner has an air inlet on a front surface, the air inlet being covered by the front panel, the bottom panel, and the side panel so as not to be visible from the outside; The front panel, the bottom panel, and the side panel are provided at a distance from the air conditioner, thereby forming a continuous space between the front panel, the bottom panel, and the side panel and the air conditioner; A radiant air conditioning device characterized in that at least a portion of the continuous space forms a flow path for air flowing into the intake port, and an open portion formed by separating the side panel from the air conditioner forms an inlet for air flowing into the flow path.

2. The radiant air-conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the front panel or the side panel has a folded portion at an upper end folded toward the air conditioner, the folded portion overlapping a mounting fixture protruding from the air conditioner.

3. The radiant air-conditioning device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the side panel is provided with an attachment plate bridging the side panel to the air conditioner.

4. The radiant air-conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the front panel, the bottom panel, and the side panel are arranged at a distance of 40 mm or more from the air conditioner.

5. The radiant air-conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the front panel, the bottom panel, and the side panels are integrally molded.

6. The radiant air-conditioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of a lighting fixture, a speaker, and a projector is attached to at least a portion of the front panel, the bottom panel, and the side panels.

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