Air outlet unit and indoor unit of air conditioner

Abstract

To provide a wiring protection structure that suppresses wiring from becoming disoriented between a rotating mechanism and a non-rotating mechanism and protects the wiring connecting these components, and an indoor unit of an air conditioner that is equipped with the wiring protection structure.SOLUTION: A wiring protection structure in an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to one embodiment comprises a protective member that protects a wire connecting a rotating mechanism, which rotates about a predetermined central axis, and a non-rotating mechanism, which does not shift with respect to the rotating mechanism, and that allows the wire to pass inside. The protective member is provided with a wiring portion and a folding-back portion. The wiring portion defines a wiring space for the wire, which is set to a diameter dimension larger than that of the wire. The folding-back portion folds the wiring portion in such a manner that the folded position of the wiring portion can be displaced in the rotation direction of the rotating mechanism.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a structure (wiring protection structure) for protecting wiring connecting a rotating mechanism and a non-rotating mechanism that does not move relative to the rotating mechanism, and an indoor unit of an air conditioner equipped with the wiring protection structure. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, an indoor unit of an air conditioner includes an air inlet, an air outlet, an outlet cover that covers the outer casing of the outlet, a heat exchanger, a fan that generates an airflow that runs from the inlet through the heat exchanger to the outlet, and a housing that houses the heat exchanger. The outlet is provided with a louver that deflects the airflow (hereinafter referred to as "outlet air") that has been temperature-controlled by the heat exchanger and is blown into the indoor space to be air-conditioned. The louver is configured with multiple air direction plates to distribute the outlet air throughout the indoor space and efficiently adjust the indoor temperature. These air direction plates are capable of deflection by rotating around a rotation axis using a drive mechanism.

[0003] In addition to deflecting the airflow direction, by rotating and displacing the airflow direction and its rotation axis circumferentially around the central axis of the air outlet, it is possible to distribute the airflow more evenly throughout the indoor space and more efficiently adjust the indoor temperature. For example, if the rotating unit including the air outlet and airflow direction is rotatable relative to the housing and air outlet cover of the indoor unit, the wiring connected to the airflow direction drive mechanism is arranged in the space between the rotating unit and the air outlet cover, connecting the housing and the rotating unit. The wiring can be, for example, lead wires of the motor, signal wires and power wires of the control board, etc., and the number of wires is not important.

[0004] On the other hand, the rotating unit is a rotating mechanism that rotates relative to the air outlet cover, and the air outlet cover is a member that is attached to the housing and does not move (a component of the non-rotating mechanism for the rotating mechanism). Therefore, when the rotating unit rotates, the wiring between the rotating unit and the air outlet cover may become disoriented and may come off its original wiring position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 142026 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a wiring protection structure that suppresses wiring disturbance between a rotating mechanism and a non-rotating mechanism and protects the wiring connecting these components, and an indoor unit of an air conditioner that is equipped with the wiring protection structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An air outlet unit according to one embodiment includes a fan, a first cylindrical member, a second cylindrical member, and a wiring protection structure. The first cylindrical member houses the fan and constitutes a part of an air passage through which an airflow passes. The second cylindrical member has an air outlet that blows the airflow out of the air passage, and is disposed downstream of the first cylindrical member in the direction in which the airflow passes and on the same central axis as the first cylindrical member, constituting a part of the air passage and constituting a rotation mechanism that rotates around the same central axis relative to the first cylindrical member. The wiring protection structure includes wiring that connects the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member, a protection member through which the wiring passes, and Holds the protective member and a guide member. The guide member includes a fixed guide member and a movable guide member. The fixed-side guide member is disposed on the outer periphery of the first cylindrical member and is configured in an arc shape along the rotation direction of the second cylindrical member. The movable-side guide member is disposed on the outer periphery of the second cylindrical member and is configured in the same arc shape as the fixed-side guide member and faces the second cylindrical member. Fixed side guide member and Movable side guide The fixed guide member has a holding wall formed parallel to the arc shape and configured to hold the protective member. At least a portion of the fixed guide member faces the movable guide member. doThe protective member forms a folded portion that folds the wiring so as to be displaceable in the rotation direction. The fixed-side guide member and the movable-side guide member are spaced apart in the direction in which the central axis extends by a distance equal to the length of the folded portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the indoor unit taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the indoor unit taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the indoor unit with the air outlet cover removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4, schematically illustrating the wiring protection structure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a coil spring (helical spring) which is an example of a protection member in a wire protection structure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a movable guide member of the guide member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of the fixed guide member of the guide member. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically illustrating a wiring protection structure according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of an element part (link) of a chain, which is an example of a protective member in a wire protection structure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of an element part (link) of a chain, which is an example of a protective member in a wire protection structure. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a series of links are connected to form a chain. [Figure 13]FIG. 13 is a plan view that schematically shows a state in which the rotation angle of two connected pieces is minimum. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a plan view that schematically shows the state in which the rotation angle of two connected pieces is at its maximum. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Some embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an indoor unit 1 according to a first embodiment. This indoor unit 1 is connected via refrigerant piping to an outdoor unit that includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant and an outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor unit 1, the outdoor unit, and the refrigerant piping constitute an air conditioner equipped with a refrigeration cycle. The air conditioner can switch between cooling operation and heating operation, for example. However, the air conditioner may also be capable of performing only cooling operation or only heating operation.

[0010] In this embodiment, the X, Y, and Z directions are defined as shown in FIG. 1. These X, Y, and Z directions are perpendicular to one another. The Z direction is parallel to the vertical direction. In the following description, the Z direction may be referred to as upward, the opposite direction as downward, and the Y direction as forward.

[0011] The indoor unit 1 includes a housing 2 and an air outlet unit 4 having an air outlet 3 at its tip. The housing 2 includes a front panel 20, a front cover 21 arranged above the front panel 20, a back panel 22 facing the front panel 20 and the front cover 21, a pair of side panels 23 and 24 facing each other, a bottom panel 25, and a top panel 26 facing the bottom panel 25. The indoor unit 1 may be installed alone, or may be installed in multiple layers stacked in the Z direction by connecting the back panel 22 to a frame arranged along a pillar or wall of a building, for example. Furthermore, multiple indoor units 1 may be lined up in the X direction, or may be installed at positions separated from each other.

[0012] The front panel 20, front cover 21, and rear panel 22 are parallel to the XZ plane defined by the X and Z directions. The side panels 23 and 24 are parallel to the YZ plane defined by the Y and Z directions. The bottom panel 25 and top panel 26 are parallel to the XY plane defined by the X and Y directions. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the housing 2 is a flat rectangular parallelepiped whose width in the Y direction is sufficiently smaller than its widths in the X and Z directions. However, the shape of the housing 2 is not limited to this example.

[0013] The front cover 21 is disposed between the front plate 20 and the top plate 26 in the Z direction. The front cover 21 is attached to the front plate 20 with screws 211. For example, a pair of claws are provided on the back surface of the front cover 21, and these claws are hooked into mounting holes provided in the side plates 23, 24. In this structure, the front cover 21 can be attached and detached to other parts of the housing 2 by removing the screws 211. Note that the structure for making the front cover 21 detachable is not limited to the example given here.

[0014] The air outlet unit 4 includes a cylindrical cover (hereinafter referred to as the air outlet cover) 40 that tapers toward the air outlet 3. The air outlet cover 40 covers the outer peripheral surfaces of a first cylindrical member 92 and a second cylindrical member 31 (described later), protecting the components of the air outlet unit 4 including the air outlet 3 (such as a rectifying plate 94, the first cylindrical member 92, and the second cylindrical member 31 (described later)) and improving the design of the exterior. The air outlet cover 40 is attached to the front panel 20 with at least screws 41. As a result, the air outlet cover 40, together with the housing 2, constitutes a non-rotating mechanism that does not move relative to a rotating unit 30 (rotating mechanism) (described later). In the example shown in FIG. 1, a recess 42 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the air outlet cover 40, and a screw 41 is passed through a through hole in the end face of the recess 42 facing the housing 2. The outline of the air outlet cover 40 is curved.

[0015] The air outlet unit 4 further includes a louver 5 provided at the air outlet 3. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the louver 5 is configured with three rotatable air deflectors 51, 52, and 53. The number of air deflectors is not limited to three, and the louver 5 may be configured with two or less or four or more air deflectors. The air deflectors 51, 52, and 53 adjust the angle of the airflow blown out from the air outlet 3.

[0016] Figures 2 to 4 show a schematic configuration of the indoor unit 1. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the indoor unit 1 with the air outlet cover 40 removed. 2 and 3, a heat exchanger 6 is disposed inside the housing 2. The heat exchanger 6 includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes 60 extending in the X direction and a plurality of fins 61 connected to the heat transfer tubes 60. As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of fins 61 have a shape that is elongated in the Z direction, and are arranged at intervals in the X direction.

[0017] The back panel 22 is provided with connection ports 62, 63 for refrigerant piping for connection to the outdoor unit, and an intake port 27 facing the heat exchanger 6. For example, the connection port 62 is connected to the inlet of a flow path formed by each heat transfer tube 60, and the connection port 63 is connected to the outlet of the flow path.

[0018] A drain pan 64 is disposed below the heat exchanger 6 to receive condensation water generated in the heat exchanger 6. The condensation water collected in the drain pan 64 is discharged to the outside of the housing 2 through piping (not shown).

[0019] A mounting plate 70 parallel to the XZ plane is disposed above the heat exchanger 6. The mounting plate 70 faces the front cover 21 and the back panel 22. A partition plate 71 parallel to the XY plane is connected to the lower end of the mounting plate 70. A heat insulating material 65 is disposed between the partition plate 71 and the heat exchanger 6. The mounting plate 70 and the partition plate 71 may be integrally formed by bending a single plate material into an L shape, or may be separate plate materials. The mounting plate 70, the partition plate 71, the front cover 21, and the top panel 26 form a space S1 for accommodating the control unit 8.

[0020] The control unit 8 includes a control board 80 and various electronic components 81. The control board 80 is attached to the mounting plate 70. The electronic components 81 are mounted on one side of the control board 80 facing the front cover 21. The control unit 8 is connected to communication lines and power lines for communicating with a remote controller, outdoor unit, other indoor units, etc. installed outside the indoor unit 1. These communication lines and power lines extend to the outside of the indoor unit 1 through insertion holes provided in the back panel 22, for example.

[0021] The front panel 20 has an opening 29 that overlaps with the heat exchanger 6 in the Y direction. A fan 9 is arranged inside the air outlet cover 40, facing the heat exchanger 6 through the opening 29. The fan 9 generates an airflow whose temperature has been adjusted by heat exchange in the heat exchanger 6. The fan 9 is, for example, an axial flow fan, and includes a fan motor 90 and a plurality of blades 91 that rotate about an axis AX by the fan motor 90. In this embodiment, the axis AX is parallel to the Y direction.

[0022] The fan 9 is disposed inside a first cylindrical member 92 that is coaxial with the axis AX. The first cylindrical member 92 is fixed to the housing 2, and surrounds the opening 29 outside the housing 2 and inside the air outlet cover 40. At least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical member 92 is covered with a heat insulating material 93.

[0023] The louver 5 is disposed at the end of the second cylindrical member 31 coaxial with the axis AX. The airflow direction plates 51, 52, 53 of the louver 5 are rotated by a drive mechanism 33 including a motor 34 (hereinafter referred to as a louver drive mechanism), for example.

[0024] At least a portion of the outer peripheral surface 31a of the second cylindrical member 31 is covered with a heat insulating material 32. The air outlet 3 corresponds to an opening on the tip side of the second cylindrical member 31. In the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, the center of the air outlet 3 is on the axis AX (the central axis of the air outlet 3 and the axis AX coincide).

[0025] 3 and 4, a louver drive mechanism 33 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 31a of the second cylindrical member 31. The louver drive mechanism 33 includes gears and the like for changing the angle of the airflow direction vanes 51, 52, and 53 using the driving force of a motor 34, and rotates the airflow direction vanes 51, 52, and 53 to a predetermined inclination. The motor 34 is connected to a control board 80 by predetermined wiring (motor lead wires).

[0026] The louver 5, the second cylindrical member 31, the heat insulating material 32, the louver drive mechanism 33, and the motor 34 constitute the rotating unit 30. The rotating unit 30 is held by the holding member 10 so as to be rotatable about an axis AX. In this embodiment, the axis AX is the central axis about which the rotating unit 30 rotates. The rotating unit 30 rotates within a range of 180° about the axis AX. The rotatable range is within a range of 180° about the axis AX from a state in which the rotating unit 30 is positioned so that the rotation axes of the airflow direction vanes 51, 52, and 52 are horizontal (parallel to the XY plane) (the state shown in FIG. 4; hereinafter referred to as the reference state). In other words, the rotating unit 30 rotates within a range in which it is turned upside down from the reference state. However, the rotatable range is not limited to this range.

[0027] Specifically, the holding member 10 connects the second cylindrical member 31 to the first cylindrical member 92 so that the second cylindrical member 31 can rotate relative to the first cylindrical member 92. The holding member 10 includes a motor 11. The motor 11, for example, meshes a gear provided at the end of the second cylindrical member 31 with a gear on the rotating shaft to feed the second cylindrical member 31 in a circumferential direction around the axis AX. This causes the second cylindrical member 31 to rotate relative to the first cylindrical member 92. The second cylindrical member 31 may be manually rotatable. In this case, for example, three gears may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis AX and meshed with the gears to support the second cylindrical member 31 rotatably relative to the first cylindrical member 92. To rotate the rotating unit 30, the protrusion 311 is pinched and the rotating unit 30 is rotated a desired amount in the circumferential direction around the axis AX. The protrusion 311 is an input portion provided on the periphery of the air outlet 3 of the second cylindrical member 31, and acts as a handle, to which a force for rotating the rotating unit 30 is applied.

[0028] The first cylindrical member 92 and the second cylindrical member 31 form an air passage AD. The air passage AD is a flow path through which air that has been heat exchanged (temperature-controlled) in the heat exchanger 6 passes as an airflow due to the rotation of the fan 9. The central axis of the air passage AD coincides with the axis AX. In the air passage AD, a rectifying plate 94 is disposed between the fan 9 and the louver 5. The rectifying plate 94 is supported by the first cylindrical member 92 and rectifies the turbulent airflow generated by the fan 9 so that it is approximately parallel to the axis AX. The rectifying plate 94 has, for example, a honeycomb structure in which a large number of hexagonal openings are arranged, but is not limited to this example. The first cylindrical member 92, the second cylindrical member 31, and the rectifying plate 94 are included as components of the air outlet unit 4.

[0029] When fan 9 rotates, an air current is generated that passes through air inlet 27, heat exchanger 6, rectifying vane 94, and air outlet 3 in that order. During cooling operation, heat exchanger 6 functions as an evaporator, cooling the air drawn in through air inlet 27. During heating operation, heat exchanger 6 functions as a condenser, warming the air drawn in through air inlet 27. The temperature-controlled air current is rectified by rectifying vane 94, and is blown out of air outlet 3 into the indoor space in a direction according to the angle of air direction vanes 51, 52, and 53 of louver 5.

[0030] The control unit 8 controls the rotation speed of the fan 9 based on information input from the outside and the intake temperature and outlet temperature detected by a temperature sensor provided in the indoor unit 1. The control unit 8 also controls the holding member 10 and the louver 5 based on wind direction setting information input from the outside. By rotating the rotating unit 30 with the holding member 10 and changing the angle of the wind direction plates 51, 52, and 53 of the louver 5, it is possible to blow air in various directions.

[0031] Next, a wiring protection structure that protects the wiring connecting the rotating unit 30 and the holding member 10 will be described. In the indoor unit 1, the rotating unit 30 is a rotating mechanism that rotates around an axis AX. The holding member 10 is fixed to the housing 2 via a first cylindrical member 92, and is one of the components of the non-rotating mechanism that does not move relative to the rotating unit 30. The lead wire 1a (see FIG. 6) that connects the motor 34 and the control board 80 is a wiring that connects the rotating unit 30 and the holding member 10.

[0032] Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 4, schematically illustrating the wire protection structure 100. The wire protection structure 100 includes a protective member 101 that protects the lead wire 1a by passing it therethrough, and a guide member 102 that holds the protective member 101. Protective member 101 is a member that continues from one end to the other along the wiring path of lead wire 1a and has wiring portion 1b and folded portion 1c. FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of protective member 101. In the example shown in FIG. 6, protective member 101 is a coil spring (helical spring) 103. Coil spring 103 is formed by winding a wire, for example, metal wire 300, and continues in a spiral shape from one end 103a to the other end 103b, allowing elastic deformation such as bending and expansion. Metal wire 300 has strength (rigidity) and durability sufficient to protect lead wire 1a wired within the internal space of the spiral winding when rotating unit 30. As long as it has such strength (rigidity) and durability, the wire of coil spring 103 may be made of resin or the like.

[0033] The wiring portion 1b is a portion of the protective member 101 that defines a space (wiring space) through which the wiring passes. In the coil spring 103, the portion where the metal wire 300 is wound spirally to form a continuous internal space, or more simply, the spirally wound metal wire 300, corresponds to the wiring portion 1b. The lead wire 1a is wired through the wiring portion 1b, that is, the internal space (wiring space) defined by the spirally wound metal wire 300. Therefore, when the coil spring 103 elastically deforms, the lead wire 1a wired to the wiring portion 1b also changes shape accordingly. Specifically, the folding position of the lead wire 1a changes.

[0034] Wiring portion 1b defines an internal space with a dimension across (for example, an inner diameter) larger than the dimension across (for example, an outer diameter) of lead wire 1a. In other words, coil spring 103 has a predetermined gap (play) between lead wire 1a passing through wiring portion 1b and metal wire 300 wound in a spiral shape corresponding to wiring portion 1b. Therefore, lead wire 1a wired in the wiring space of wiring portion 1b is not in close contact with metal wire 300 and is able to move relatively within the wiring space.

[0035] The fold portion 1c is a portion of the coil spring 103 where the wiring portion 1b is bent and folded back. The lead wire 1a is folded back at the fold portion 1c and routed into the internal space of the wiring portion 1b. The fold portion 1c folds back the wiring portion 1b so that the folding position of the wiring portion 1b can be displaced in the rotation direction of the rotating unit 30. The rotation direction of the rotating unit 30 is the direction in which the rotating unit 30 rotates with respect to the air outlet cover 40, and corresponds to the circumferential direction around the axis AX (hereinafter simply referred to as the rotation direction).

[0036] In this embodiment, the metal wire 300 is elastically deformed, causing the folded portion 1c to displace the folded position of the wiring portion 1b in the rotation direction. The folded portion 1c displaces the folded position of the wiring portion 1b between a position before one end 103a of the coil spring 103 (specifically, the wiring portion 1b) and a position before the other end 103b. In other words, the wiring portion 1b has a length such that at the start point of the rotation distance (rotatable range) of the rotating unit 30, the one end 103a is located before the folded portion 1c in the rotation direction, and at the end point of the rotation distance, the other end 103b is located before the folded portion 1c in the rotation direction.

[0037] The guide member 102 holds the wiring portion 1b and determines the displacement direction of the folded portion 1c, in other words, the folded position of the wiring portion 1b. That is, the wiring portion 1b is maintained in its posture within the range of the guide member 102, and the folded position is determined. The displacement direction of the folded portion 1c is approximately the same as the rotation direction. In this embodiment, the guide member 102 is provided in pairs on the rotating unit 30 and the holding member 10, respectively.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, one guide member 102 is a guide member on the rotating side (hereinafter referred to as movable-side guide member 2a) provided on the rotating unit 30. The movable-side guide member 2a fixes one end 103a of the wiring portion 1b. In contrast, the other guide member 102 is a guide member on the non-rotating side (hereinafter referred to as fixed-side guide member 2b) provided on the holding member 10 and does not move with respect to the movable-side guide member 2a. In other words, the fixed-side guide member 2b is provided on a part of the holding member 10, and the holding member 10 is configured to also serve as the fixed-side guide member 2b. The fixed-side guide member 2b fixes the other end 103b of the wiring portion 1b.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration of the movable-side guide member 2a. As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 7, the movable-side guide member 2a is an arc-shaped member extending in the rotation direction and is provided on the outer periphery of the heat insulating material 32 that covers the outer periphery of the second cylindrical member 31. In the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the movable-side guide member 2a is disposed over approximately the upper half of the second cylindrical member 31. The movable-side guide member 2a holds the wiring portion 1b (specifically, the coil spring 103) along the holding surface 21a and holding walls 22a and 23a. The holding surface 21a is a curved surface that is concavely curved with a curvature approximately equal to the curvature of the spiral of the spirally wound metal wire 300. The holding wall 22a stands up from the inner circumferential edge of the holding surface 21a, and the holding wall 23a stands up from the outer circumferential edge of the holding surface 21a and faces the holding wall 22a. The peripheral surfaces of the holding walls 22a and 23a are flat, but may be concavely curved with a curvature substantially equal to the curvature of the spiral of the spirally wound metal wire 300. In the movable-side guide member 2a, the space surrounded by the holding surface 21a and the holding walls 22a and 23a defines the holding space for the wiring portion 1b. A portion of the holding space (the portion facing the fixed-side guide member 2b, hereinafter referred to as the open portion 24a) is open.

[0040] Fixed portions 25a and 26a are provided at both ends of the movable-side guide member 2a for connecting to the second cylindrical member 31. The fixed portion 25a fixes one end of the movable-side guide member 2a to the second cylindrical member 31, and the fixed portion 26a fixes the other end of the movable-side guide member 2a to the second cylindrical member 31. The fixed portion 25a also fixes one end 103a of the wiring portion 1b. The other end 103b of the wiring portion 1b extends from the open portion 24a to the outside of the movable-side guide member 2a.

[0041] A plurality of ribs 27a are provided at predetermined intervals at several locations in the circumferential direction on the holding surface 21a and the holding walls 22a and 23a. The ribs 27a are continuous protrusions (stripe) that rise from the holding surface 21a and the holding walls 22a and 23a in a direction intersecting the rotation direction. The ribs 27a are engageable with a spirally wound metal wire 300. Therefore, when the rotation unit 30 rotates, the ribs 27a sequentially engage with the metal wire 300 and function as a non-slip barrier for the wiring portion 1b (specifically, the coil spring 103) of the movable-side guide member 2a. In the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the holding surface 21a has an opening 28a in a portion thereof, but the opening 28a can be omitted.

[0042] Fig. 8 shows a schematic configuration of the fixed-side guide member 2b. As described above, in this embodiment, the fixed-side guide member 2b is provided as part of the holding member 10, and the holding member 10 is configured to also serve as the fixed-side guide member 2b. As shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 8, the holding member 10 is an annular member that extends along the rotation direction.

[0043] The fixed-side guide member 2b is provided over approximately the upper half of the front side of the holding member 10. As a result, in the standard state shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fixed-side guide member 2b partially overlaps the movable-side guide member 2a when viewed from the front. In other words, within the range in which the turning unit 30 can turn in the turning direction, the fixed-side guide member 2b is arranged so that at least a portion of it faces the movable-side guide member 2a. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the fixed-side guide member 2b is divided into two structures, but it may also be one continuous structure or three or more structures.

[0044] The fixed-side guide member 2b holds the wiring portion 1b (specifically, the coil spring 103) along the holding surface 21b and the holding walls 22b and 23b. The holding surface 21b is a flat surface, but may be a curved surface that is concavely curved with a curvature substantially equal to the curvature of the spiral of the spirally wound metal wire 300. The holding wall 22b stands up from the inner peripheral edge of the holding surface 21b, and the holding wall 23b stands up from the outer peripheral edge of the holding surface 21b and faces the holding wall 22b. The peripheral surfaces of the holding walls 22b and 23b are flat surfaces, but may be concavely curved with a curvature substantially equal to the curvature of the spiral of the spirally wound metal wire 300. In the fixed-side guide member 2b, the space surrounded by the holding surface 21b and the holding walls 22b and 23b defines a holding space for the wiring portion 1b. A part of the holding space (a part facing the movable-side guide member 2a, hereinafter referred to as an open part 24b) is open.

[0045] The fixed-side guide member 2b has a fixed portion 25b at one end thereof. The fixed portion 25b fixes the other end 103b of the wiring portion 1b. One end 103a of the wiring portion 1b extends from the open portion 24b to the outside of the fixed-side guide member 2b.

[0046] A plurality of ribs 26b are provided at predetermined intervals at several locations in the circumferential direction on the holding surface 21b and the holding walls 22b, 23b. The ribs 26b are continuous protrusions (stripe) that rise from the holding surface 21b and the holding walls 22b, 23b in a direction intersecting the rotation direction. The ribs 26b are engageable with a spirally wound metal wire 300. Therefore, when the rotating unit 30 rotates, the ribs 26b engage with the metal wire 300 and function as a non-slip surface for the wiring portion 1b (specifically, the coil spring 103) of the movable-side guide member 2a.

[0047] As described above, according to this embodiment, one end 103a of the coil spring 103 is fixed to the movable-side guide member 2a, and the other end 103b is fixed to the fixed-side guide member 2b. Therefore, when the turning unit 30 turns, the coil spring 103 elastically deforms in accordance with the turning of the turning unit 30. At this time, the wiring portion 1b bends and expands and contracts freely while being held by the guide members 102 (the movable-side guide member 2a and the fixed-side guide member 2b), and the folded-back portion 1c is displaced along the turning direction.

[0048] In response to the bending and expansion of wiring portion 1b and the displacement of folded portion 1c, lead wire 1a also changes shape to the same shape as wiring portion 1b and is folded back at the position of folded portion 1c. In other words, even when rotating unit 30 rotates, lead wire 1a is wired in the internal space defined by wiring portion 1b, i.e., spirally wound metal wire 300, and does not come out of this internal space. Therefore, when rotating unit 30 rotates, it is possible to prevent the position of lead wire 1a from becoming unstable between rotating unit 30 and holding member 10.

[0049] Furthermore, since the lead wire 1a is folded back at the position of the folding portion 1c which is displaced along the rotation direction, the folding position of the lead wire 1a, i.e., the bending position, can be varied sequentially. This eliminates the need to concentrate the bending positions of the lead wire 1a at a specific point, thereby preventing problems such as breakage of the lead wire 1a.

[0050] That is, the lead wire 1a connecting the rotating unit 30 and the holding member 10 is prevented from moving wildly between them when the rotating unit 30 rotates, and the lead wire 1a can be wired in a desired shape within a desired range, thereby ensuring appropriate protection of the lead wire 1a.

[0051] In addition, the movable guide member 2a is provided with a rib 27a, and the fixed guide member 2b is provided with a rib 26b. Therefore, even if the wiring portion 1b bends or expands when the rotating unit 30 rotates, the ribs 27a and 26b can sequentially engage with the metal wire 300. This prevents the wiring portion 1b from slipping on the guide member 102 (the movable guide member 2a and the fixed guide member 2b), and the wiring portion 1b can be reliably held by the guide members 2a and 2b. Therefore, for example, when the rotating unit 30 rotates, the coil spring 103 can be prevented from falling off the guide members 2a and 2b.

[0052] Furthermore, by configuring the wire protection structure 100 using the coil spring 103 and the guide members 2a and 2b, the wire protection structure 100 can be configured simply with a small number of parts, and costs can also be reduced.

[0053] As described above, in the wire protection structure 100 of this embodiment, the protection member 101 is the coil spring 103, but the protection member 101 is not limited to the coil spring 103. Hereinafter, another embodiment of the protection member 101 will be referred to as the second embodiment. This will be explained as a form.

[0054] [Second embodiment] 9 schematically shows a wire protection structure 200 according to a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the basic configuration of the indoor unit other than the wire protection structure 200 is the same as that of the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 8). Therefore, configurations that are the same as or similar to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0055] 9, in the wire protection structure 200 of this embodiment, the protection member 101 is a chain 104. As will be described in detail later, because the range of motion of the chain 104 is limited, a member equivalent to the guide member 102 (FIGS. 7 and 8) is omitted from the wire protection structure 200. However, the wire protection structure 200 may also include a predetermined member that holds the chain 104 and determines its folding position.

[0056] The chain 104 is made up of a plurality of element parts (hereinafter referred to as links) 400 linked together. In the example shown in FIG. 9, these links 400 have the same shape. However, the chain may be made up of several types of links linked together with different shapes. In this embodiment, the links 400 are made of resin, but they may also be made of metal, etc. In either case, the links 400 are made of a material that has the strength (rigidity) and durability to protect the lead wire 1a wired in the internal space (part of the wiring portion 1b) when the rotating unit 30 rotates, as will be described later.

[0057] Figures 10 and 11 show a schematic configuration of the top 400. Figure 10 is a perspective view, and Figure 11 is a plan view. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the top 400 is configured to have seven plate-like pieces 401 to 407.

[0058] The first piece 401 and the second piece 402 each define an inner circumferential surface (curved surface) along the rotation direction of the top 400. The first piece 401 and the second piece 402 are curved pieces with curvatures that differ by an amount equal to their thicknesses (the heights of step portions 401a and 402a, which will be described later). The third piece 403 and the fourth piece 404 each define an outer circumferential surface (curved surface) along the rotation direction of the top 400. The third piece 403 and the fourth piece 404 are curved pieces with curvatures that differ by an amount equal to their thicknesses (the heights of step portions 403a and 404a, which will be described later). The curvatures of the third piece 403 and the fourth piece 404 are smaller than the curvatures of the first piece 401 and the second piece 402.

[0059] The first arm 401 and the third arm 403 face each other at a fixed distance. The first arm 401 has a step portion 401a that narrows the distance between the first arm 401 and the third arm 403 by the thickness of the first arm. The third arm 403 has a step portion 403a that narrows the distance between the first arm 401 and the third arm 403 by the thickness of the third arm. The second arm 402 and the fourth arm 404 face each other at a fixed distance that is narrower than the distance between the first arm 401 and the third arm 403. The second arm 402 has a step portion 402a that is raised by the thickness of the second arm and is continuous with the step portion 401a. The fourth arm 404 has a step portion 404a that is raised by the thickness of the fourth arm and is continuous with the step portion 403a. The first arm 401 and the second arm 402 are continuous via the step portions 401a and 402a. The third arm 403 and the fourth arm 404 are continuous with each other via steps 403a and 404a.

[0060] The fifth arm 405 and the sixth arm 406 each define a surface (flat surface) on one side of the top 400 in the Y direction (the extension direction of the axis AX). The fifth arm 405 spans between the first arm 401 and the third arm 403. The sixth arm 406 spans between the second arm 402 and the fourth arm 404. The seventh arm 407 defines a surface (flat surface) on the other side of the top 400 in the Y direction. The seventh arm 407 spans between the continuous portion between the first arm 401 and the second arm 402 and the continuous portion between the third arm 403 and the fourth arm 404. The fifth arm 405 and the sixth arm 406 face the seventh arm 407 at a fixed distance.

[0061] The first piece 401 has a through hole 401b, and the third piece 403 has a through hole 403b with the same diameter as the through hole 401b. As shown in FIG. 11, the through holes 401b and 403b are arranged so that a straight line L1 connecting their centers passes through a center point C. The center point C is an arbitrary point on the axis AX. The second piece 402 has an axis 402b, and the fourth piece 404 has an axis 404b with the same diameter as the axis 402b. As shown in FIG. 11, the axes 402b and 404b are arranged so that a straight line L2 connecting their centers passes through the center point C. Furthermore, the diameters of the axes 402b and 404b are slightly smaller than the diameters of the through holes 401b and 403b so that the axes are inserted into the through holes 401b and 403b and rotatably supported. The length (height) of the shafts 402b and 404b is approximately the thickness of the respective pieces 402 and 404, and is approximately the same as the step (height) of the stepped portions 401a and 403a.

[0062] The first piece 401 has a curved portion 401c at one corner of the end opposite the step portion 401a. The third piece 403 has a curved portion 403c at one corner of the end opposite the step portion 403a. The curved portions 401c, 403c are curved with the same curvature along the periphery of the through holes 401b, 403b. The second piece 402 has a curved portion 402c at the end opposite the step portion 402a. The fourth piece 404 has a curved portion 404c at the end opposite the step portion 404a. The curved portions 402c, 404c are curved with the same curvature along the circumferential surfaces of the shafts 402b, 404b.

[0063] The links 400 configured as described above are connected by inserting the axles 402b into the through-holes 401b and the axles 404b into the through-holes 403b of adjacent links, as shown in FIG. 12 . Connecting multiple links 400 together forms a chain 104. For each link 400 constituting the chain 104, lines L1 connecting the centers of the through-holes 401b and 403b intersect at a center point C, as do lines L2 connecting the centers of the axles 402b and 404b. As a result, the chain 104 is configured in a continuous arc shape extending from one end 104a to the other end 104b along the rotation direction. One end 104a of the chain 104 is fixed to the second cylindrical member 31, and the other end 104b is fixed to the holding member 10. The chain 104 may be fixed by any method, such as by screws or by a fastener such as a bracket.

[0064] By connecting multiple links 400, a continuous internal space is formed, defined by the seven segments 401 to 407 of each link 400. In the chain 104, the portion of the chain 104 where multiple links 400 are connected to form a continuous internal space, in short, the multiple connected links 400, corresponds to the wiring section 1b. The lead wire 1a is wired through the wiring section 1b, that is, the internal space (wiring space) of the multiple connected links 400 (in other words, the chain 104).

[0065] 13 and 14 show how the tops 400 are connected. In the illustrated example, the shaft 404b (402b) of one top 400b is inserted into the through-hole 403b (401b) of the other top 400a. This allows the tops 400a and 400b to rotate relatively around the shaft 404b (402b). FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the rotation angle of the two connected tops 400a and 400b is minimum. FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the rotation angle of the two connected tops 400a and 400b is maximum. As an example, the rotation angle is the angle at which the one top 400b is tilted relative to the other top 400a in the two connected tops 400a and 400b (angle θ as shown in FIG. 14).

[0066] That is, the two tops 400a, 400b rotate relatively between the minimum rotation angle position shown in Fig. 13 and the maximum rotation angle position shown in Fig. 14. In other words, the rotatable range of the two tops 400a, 400b is between the minimum rotation angle (θ is approximately 0°) shown in Fig. 13 and the maximum movable angle (θ is approximately 90°) shown in Fig. 14. Because of the curved portion 403c (401c), the two tops 400a, 400b rotate within the rotatable range without interference between the end 403d (401d) of top 400a and the step portion 404a (402a) of top 400b. Furthermore, since the two pieces 400a and 400b have the curved portion 404c (402c), the two pieces 400a and 400b can rotate within the rotational range without interference between the step portion 403a (401a) of the piece 400a and the fourth piece 404 (second piece 402) of the piece 400b.

[0067] 13, the end 403d (401d) of the top 400a and the step 404a (402a) of the top 400b interfere with each other, inhibiting further rotation of the tops 400a and 400b. The end 403d (401d) is located on the opposite side of the third piece 403 (first piece 401) from the step 403a (401a), and is an end having the curved portion 403c (401a).

[0068] 14, the side portion 403e (401e) of the top 400a and the step portion 404a (402a) of the top 400b interfere with each other, preventing further rotation of the tops 400a and 400b. The side portion 403e (401e) is one of the two side portions of the third piece 403 (first piece 401) that is continuous with the curved portion 403c (401a).

[0069] That is, the end portion 403d (401d), the side portion 403e (401e), and the step portion 404a (402a) are restricting portions that limit the relative rotation of the adjacent pieces 400a and 400b to a rotation-allowed range.

[0070] As described above, according to this embodiment, the two adjacent linked links 400a, 400b rotate relatively around the shaft 404b (402b), and therefore the internal space of the links 400a, 400b (part of the wiring portion 1b) changes shape within the range of their rotational range. That is, the wiring portion 1b of the chain 104, which is formed by linking multiple links 400, changes shape within the range where the rotational ranges of adjacent links 400 are successively continuous. Therefore, when the rotating unit 30 rotates, the turn-back portion 1c of the chain 104 is displaced along the rotational direction. In other words, the turn-back position of the wiring portion 1b changes along the rotational direction. At this time, in response to the turn-back position of the wiring portion 1b, i.e., the displacement of the turn-back portion 1c, the lead wire 1a also changes shape to the same shape as the wiring portion 1b (in short, the chain 104) and is turned back at the turn-back portion 1c.

[0071] Therefore, even when the rotating unit 30 rotates, the lead wire 1a will not come out of the internal space because it is wired in the wiring portion 1b, that is, the internal space of the connected multiple links 400. Therefore, when the rotating unit 30 rotates, the position of the lead wire 1a between the rotating unit 30 and the holding member 10 can be prevented from becoming unstable.

[0072] At this time, the wiring portion 1b is deformable within a range in which the rotational ranges of adjacent links 400 are continuous. Therefore, the deformable range of the wiring portion 1b, or more specifically, the chain 104, can be limited within this range. This makes it possible to stop the wild movement (repulsion) of the lead wire 1a within the deformable range of the chain 104. In other words, the lead wire 1a connecting the rotating unit 30 and the holding member 10 is prevented from wild movement between them when the rotating unit 30 rotates, and the lead wire 1a can be wired within a desired range and in a desired shape. This makes it possible to appropriately protect the lead wire 1a.

[0073] In addition, the chain 104 is made up of multiple links 400 of the same shape connected together. Therefore, compared to when a chain is made up of, for example, several different types of links connected together, mold costs can be reduced, and the manufacturing costs of the chain 104 can also be suppressed.

[0074] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1...indoor unit, 1a...lead wire, 1b...wiring section, 1c...folded section, 2...casing, 2a...guide member (movable side guide member), 2b...guide member (fixed side guide member), 3...air outlet, 4...air outlet unit, 5...louver, 6...heat exchanger, 8...control section, 9...fan, 10...holding member, 21a, 21b...holding surface, 22a, 22b, 23a, 23b...holding wall, 24a, 24b...opening section, 25a, 25b, 26a...fixed section, 26b, 27a...rib, 28a...opening, 30...rotating unit, 31... Second cylindrical member, 32...insulating material, 33...louver drive mechanism, 34...motor, 40...air outlet cover, 51, 52, 53...air deflector, 90...fan motor, 91...blade, 92...first cylindrical member, 94...rectifier plate, 100, 200...wiring protection structure, 101...protective member, 102...guide member, 103...coil spring (helical spring), 104...chain, 300...metal wire, 400, 400a, 400b...link, AD...air path, AX...axis, C...center point, L1, L2...straight line connecting centers, θ...tilt angle.

Claims

1. With fans, a first cylindrical member that houses the fan and constitutes a part of an air passage through which an airflow passes; a second cylindrical member having an air outlet for blowing the airflow out of the air passage, disposed downstream of the first cylindrical member in the direction in which the airflow passes and on the same central axis as the first cylindrical member, constituting a part of the air passage and constituting a rotation mechanism that rotates around the same central axis relative to the first cylindrical member; a wiring protection structure including: a wiring that connects the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member; a protection member through which the wiring passes; and a guide member that holds the protection member; the guide member includes a fixed-side guide member that is disposed on the outer periphery of the first cylindrical member and that is configured in an arc shape along the rotation direction of the second cylindrical member, and a movable-side guide member that is disposed on the outer periphery of the second cylindrical member and that faces the fixed-side guide member and that is configured in the same arc shape, the fixed-side guide member and the movable-side guide member each include a holding wall formed in parallel to the arc shape to hold the protection member, the fixed guide member is disposed so that at least a portion of the fixed guide member faces the movable guide member, the protective member has a folded portion that folds back the wiring so as to be displaceable in the rotation direction, The fixed guide member and the movable guide member are spaced apart in the direction in which the central axis extends by the same distance as the length of the folded portion. Air outlet unit.

2. the second cylindrical member includes a louver provided at the air outlet to adjust the inclination of the airflow blown out from the air outlet, and a motor to rotate the louver, The wiring is connected to the motor. The air outlet unit according to claim 1 .

3. A straightening plate is disposed in the air passage between the fan and the air outlet, and straightens the turbulent airflow generated by the fan so that it is parallel to the central axis. The air outlet unit according to claim 2 .

4. The protective member is a coil spring made of a continuous spiral wire. The air outlet unit according to claim 1 .

5. With fans, a first cylindrical member that houses the fan and constitutes a part of an air passage through which an airflow passes; a second cylindrical member having an air outlet for blowing the airflow out of the air passage, disposed downstream of the first cylindrical member in the direction in which the airflow passes and on the same central axis as the first cylindrical member, constituting a part of the air passage and constituting a rotation mechanism that rotates around the same central axis relative to the first cylindrical member; a wiring protection structure including a wiring connecting the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member and a protection member through which the wiring passes, the protective member is a chain including a plurality of element parts that are continuously formed from one end to the other end in an arc shape along the rotation direction of the second cylindrical member, the one end and the other end of the chain are spaced apart in a direction in which the central axis extends, and rotate relatively in a rotation direction about the central axis as the second cylindrical member rotates relative to the first cylindrical member, A folded portion that folds back the wiring of the chain is displaced along the rotation direction when the second cylindrical member rotates relative to the first cylindrical member. Air outlet unit.

6. The air outlet unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and a heat exchanger arranged upstream of the air outlet unit in the direction in which the airflow passes. Air conditioner indoor unit.

Images