Outdoor unit

Abstract

The present invention is an outdoor unit having a side-and-back-surface plate. This outdoor unit comprises a casing in which the interior is divided into a machinery chamber and a blower chamber, a compressor that is accommodated in the machinery chamber and that compresses a refrigerant, and a heat exchanger through which the refrigerant flows, the casing being provided with: a bottom plate on which the compressor and the heat exchanger are placed; a front-surface plate that extends upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate and that covers the front surfaces of the machinery chamber and the blower chamber; a side-and-back-surface plate in which a first portion that extends upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate and that covers a side surface of the machinery chamber, and a second portion that covers the lower section of the back surface of the machinery chamber, are integrally configured, the side-and-back-surface plate being removably attached to the front-surface plate; and a back-surface plate that is positioned above the second portion and that covers the upper section of the back surface of the machinery chamber, a closing valve to which is connected an end section of piping through which the refrigerant flows being fixed to the back-surface plate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a structure of a side back panel in an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a liquid shut-off valve and a gas shut-off valve are arranged horizontally in the left-right direction at the top of the back surface of an outdoor unit, and an electrical equipment unit is arranged near the side of the upper part of the machine chamber. A side back panel formed integrally with the back surface and part of the right side surface is attached to the outer casing of the outdoor unit, and the liquid shut-off valve and gas shut-off valve are attached to the back side of the side back panel.

[0003] The configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes it easy to connect pipes or open and close shut-off valves from the indoor side, i.e., from the back side of the outdoor unit, when the outdoor unit is installed under a window in a high-rise building or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-339478 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the outdoor unit of Patent Document 1, when performing service such as replacing parts inside the machine compartment, it is necessary to remove the side rear panel that encloses the machine compartment. However, in the outdoor unit of Patent Document 1, the liquid shut-off valve and gas shut-off valve are attached to the side rear panel, and removing the side rear panel requires brazing the pipes connected to the liquid shut-off valve and gas shut-off valve, making servicing work difficult. Even if servicing is possible through an opening created by removing the front panel, there are restrictions on the placement of parts inside the machine compartment, which raises concerns about the unit becoming larger in size.

[0006] Furthermore, replacing a solenoid valve coil, four-way valve coil, or thermistor is a relatively minor service that can be performed on-site, and is therefore typically performed by removing the side and rear panels. However, if the outdoor unit of Patent Document 1 is installed in a cramped environment such as a high-rise apartment building, it is difficult to remove the side and rear panels on-site. Therefore, even for minor service, the outdoor unit must be removed from the shelf or stand on which it is installed and moved to the indoor side for work. Thus, the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires complicated work to remove the side and rear panels.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an outdoor unit that improves workability from the back of an installed outdoor unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The outdoor unit according to the present disclosure includes a housing whose interior is divided into a machine chamber and a blower chamber, a compressor housed in the machine chamber for compressing a refrigerant, and a heat exchanger housed in the blower chamber and through which the refrigerant circulates, the housing comprising a bottom plate on which the compressor and the heat exchanger are placed, a front plate extending upward from an upper surface of the bottom plate and covering the front surfaces of the machine chamber and the blower chamber, a first portion extending upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate and covering the side surface of the machine chamber, and a second portion covering the lower part of the back surface of the machine chamber. , having an upper end located lower than the upper end of the first portiona second part, which is integrally formed with the housing, and which comprises a side back panel detachably attached to the front panel; a back panel located above the second part, covering the upper part of the back surface of the machine room, and having a stop valve fixed thereto, the stop valve being connected to the end of a pipe through which the refrigerant flows; and a top panel placed on top of the front panel, the back panel, and the side back panel, and on the back panel side of the housing are arranged a thermistor detection unit attached to the pipe, a four-way valve that switches the flow direction of the refrigerant, and an expansion valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant, and when the side back panel is removed, at least one of the four-way valve, the expansion valve, and the thermistor detection unit is exposed from an opening formed when the side back panel is removed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the outdoor unit of the present disclosure, the side rear panels are removably attached to the front panel, and the inside of the housing can be opened by removing the side rear panels, thereby improving workability from the back of an installed outdoor unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner having an outdoor unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is an external view of an outdoor unit according to the present embodiment, viewed from the front right side. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an external view of the outdoor unit according to the present embodiment, seen from the rear right side. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the outdoor unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is an enlarged view of a machine room with a rear panel attached according to the present embodiment, viewed from the right front side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the electrical equipment unit according to the present embodiment, as viewed from the front right side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a top view of the machine room according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a back panel according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9]10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a protective cover is removed from a rear panel according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a side rear panel according to the present embodiment has been removed. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a view of the machine room according to the present embodiment as seen from the right side. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams of hooks provided on the side rear panel according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the hook according to the present embodiment is attached to the front panel. FIG. [Figure 14] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a procedure for attaching the side rear panel according to the present embodiment. [Figure 15] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the hook according to the present embodiment. [Figure 16] 3 is a schematic diagram of a cross section taken along a plane passing through line DD in FIG. 2 and extending in the Z direction. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a rear panel according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Embodiment An outdoor unit 50 according to this embodiment will be described below. Note that the dimensional relationships between the components in the following drawings may differ from those in reality. In addition, in the following drawings, components with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this applies throughout the entire specification. Furthermore, the forms of the components shown throughout the specification are merely examples and are not limited to these descriptions.

[0012] In the following drawings, the X direction indicates the left-right direction of the outdoor unit 50, and the arrow indicates the right-to-left direction. The Y direction indicates the front-to-back direction of the outdoor unit 50, and the arrow indicates the front-to-back direction. The Z direction indicates the up-to-down direction of the outdoor unit 50, and the arrow indicates the bottom-to-top direction.

[0013] <Air conditioner configuration> First, an overview of an air conditioner 500 having an outdoor unit 50 according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner 500 having an outdoor unit 50 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner 500 comprises the outdoor unit 50 and an indoor unit 40 connected to the outdoor unit 50 by a refrigerant piping 19.

[0014] The outdoor unit 50 accommodates the compressor 18, four-way valve 28, outdoor heat exchanger 14, expansion valve 27, liquid shut-off valve 6, gas shut-off valve 7, and outdoor fan 15 in a housing 55. The indoor unit 40 accommodates the indoor heat exchanger 44 and indoor fan 45 in a housing 41. The compressor 18, four-way valve 28, outdoor heat exchanger 14, expansion valve 27, liquid shut-off valve 6, gas shut-off valve 7, and indoor heat exchanger 44 are connected by refrigerant piping 19 to form a refrigerant circuit. A thermistor detection unit 33 for detecting temperature is provided in the refrigerant piping 19 extending from the outdoor heat exchanger 14.

[0015] The air conditioner 500 is provided with a control device 20a. The control device 20a controls the compressor 18, the expansion valve 27, the four-way valve 28, and the like based on the temperatures of the outdoor air, the room air, and the refrigerant detected by the thermistor detection unit 33. The four-way valve 28 is a valve for switching the flow of refrigerant between cooling operation and heating operation. In FIG. 1, the dashed line indicates the refrigerant flow through the four-way valve 28 during cooling operation, and the solid line indicates the refrigerant flow through the four-way valve 28 during heating operation. The liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7 are portions where the refrigerant piping 19 of the outdoor heat exchanger 14 is connected to the refrigerant piping 19 extending from the indoor heat exchanger 44.

[0016] During cooling operation, the control device 20a switches the four-way valve 28 to the refrigerant flow direction during cooling operation, as shown by the dashed line in Fig. 1. The gas refrigerant compressed by the compressor 18 to a high temperature and high pressure flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 14 via the four-way valve 28. The gas refrigerant that flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 14 exchanges heat with outdoor air passing outside the outdoor heat exchanger 14, becoming a high-pressure liquid refrigerant and flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 14. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 14 is decompressed by the expansion valve 27 and becomes a low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant that flows into the indoor heat exchanger 44. The two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant that flows into the indoor heat exchanger 44 exchanges heat with indoor air passing outside the indoor heat exchanger 44, becoming a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 44 and is drawn into the compressor 18 via the four-way valve 28.

[0017] During heating operation, the control device 20a switches the four-way valve 28 to the refrigerant flow direction during heating operation, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 1. The gas refrigerant compressed by the compressor 18 to a high temperature and high pressure flows into the indoor heat exchanger 44 via the four-way valve 28. The gas refrigerant that flows into the indoor heat exchanger 44 exchanges heat with indoor air passing outside the indoor heat exchanger 44, becoming a high-pressure liquid refrigerant and flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger 44. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant that flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 44 is decompressed by the expansion valve 27, becoming a low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant, and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 14. The low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant that flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 14 exchanges heat with outdoor air passing outside the outdoor heat exchanger 14, becoming a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant, flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 14, and is drawn into the compressor 18 via the four-way valve 28.

[0018] <Outdoor unit configuration> Fig. 2 is an external view of the outdoor unit 50 according to this embodiment as seen from the front right side. Fig. 3 is an external view of the outdoor unit 50 according to this embodiment as seen from the rear right side. Fig. 4 is an internal configuration diagram of the outdoor unit 50 according to this embodiment.

[0019] 2, 3, and 4, the housing 55 of the outdoor unit 50 is composed of a bottom plate 13, a front plate 1, a back plate 3, a side back plate 2, and a top plate 4. The interior of the housing 55 is divided into a blower chamber 9 and a machine chamber 10 by a separator 11 extending upward from the top surface of the bottom plate 13. The front plate 1 has Blow out air The air outlet 55a is open.

[0020] The compressor 18 and the outdoor heat exchanger 14 are placed on the upper surface of the bottom plate 13. The bottom plate 13 has legs 12 and forms the bottom surface of the housing 55. The front plate 1 extends upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 13 and covers the front surfaces of the blower chamber 9 and the machine chamber 10. An air outlet 55a is formed in the front plate 1. The outdoor fan 15 can be seen from the air outlet 55a.

[0021] The back panel 3 covers the upper part of the back surface of the machine room 10. A liquid shut-off valve 6, a gas shut-off valve 7, a drain pan 8, and a protective cover 5 are fixed to the back panel 3. The liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7 are connected to ends of refrigerant piping 19 inside the outdoor unit 50. The liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7 are connected to refrigerant piping 19 extending from the indoor unit 40.

[0022] The side rear panel 2 extends upward from the bottom panel 13. The side rear panel 2 has a first portion 201 that covers the right side of the machine room 10, and a second portion 202 that covers the lower part of the rear of the machine room 10. The first portion 201 and the second portion 202 are integrally formed to form the side rear panel 2. The side rear panel 2 is detachably attached to the front panel 1. The side and rear of the housing 55 can be separated by the side rear panel 2 and the rear panel 3. The rear of the blower chamber 9 forms an intake port 55b. The outdoor heat exchanger 14 is exposed at the intake port 55b.

[0023] The top panel 4 is placed on top of the front panel 1, the side rear panels 2, and the rear panel 3, and forms the upper surface of the housing 55. The top panel 4 has an outer peripheral edge portion 4a that extends in a flange shape. The outer peripheral edge portion 4a of the top panel 4 extends along the side surfaces of the front panel 1, the side rear panels 2, and the rear panel 3.

[0024] The blower chamber 9 accommodates an outdoor heat exchanger 14 and an outdoor fan 15. The outdoor heat exchanger 14 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes 14a through which a refrigerant flows. The outdoor heat exchanger 14 has, for example, an L-shape when viewed from above. The outdoor heat exchanger 14 is supported by a heat exchanger support plate 32 at the end closest to the machine chamber 10.

[0025] The outdoor fan 15 is disposed in front of the outdoor heat exchanger 14. The outdoor fan 15 is attached to a motor 16 that is held by a motor mounting base 17 that is disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger 14 and the outdoor fan 15. When the outdoor fan 15 is driven, air passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 14 and flows into the outdoor unit 50, and then passes through the outdoor fan 15 and flows out in front of the outdoor unit 50. As a result, during cooling operation, for example, the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 14 is cooled by the air, and the air that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 14 is heated by exchanging heat with the refrigerant.

[0026] The machine room 10 accommodates the compressor 18, an expansion valve 27 (see FIG. 5), and a four-way valve 28 (see FIG. 5). The machine room 10 accommodates refrigerant piping 19 connecting the compressor 18, the four-way valve 28, the outdoor heat exchanger 14, and the expansion valve 27. In addition to the compressor 18, the expansion valve 27, and the four-way valve 28, refrigerant circuit components such as a refrigerant liquid reservoir or a muffler for silencing noise (not shown) are also arranged in the machine room 10. Refrigerant sent from the indoor unit 40 is compressed in the compressor 18, passes through the refrigerant piping 19, and is sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 14 or the indoor heat exchanger 44.

[0027] An electrical equipment unit 20 is disposed above a separator 11 that separates the fan chamber 9 from the machinery chamber 10, straddling the two chambers. An inverter control board 21 is provided in the electrical equipment unit 20. The inverter control board 21 is held by a board support member 25. The inverter control board 21 supplies power to, for example, each component. The board support member 25 also holds a control board that constitutes the control device 20a.

[0028] The control device 20a has a microcomputer. The microcomputer has a control arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The microcomputer has an I / O port that manages input and output. The microcomputer has a memory unit (not shown). The memory unit is a volatile memory device such as a random access memory (RAM) that can temporarily store data, or a non-volatile auxiliary memory device such as a hard disk or flash memory that can store data long-term. The memory unit has data in the form of a program that is the processing procedure to be performed by the control arithmetic processing device. The control arithmetic processing device executes processing based on the program data, and the processing of each unit is realized.

[0029] <Machine room configuration> Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the machine room 10 with the back panel 3 according to this embodiment attached, viewed from the right front side. For simplicity of explanation, the electrical equipment unit 20 is not shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the four-way valve control coil 22 and the expansion valve control coil 23, which are serviceable parts, are located close to each other on the right side of the machine room 10. The operation of the expansion valve 27 is controlled by the expansion valve control coil 23. The operation of the four-way valve 28 is controlled by the four-way valve control coil 22.

[0030] <Configuration of electrical equipment unit> FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the electrical equipment unit 20 according to this embodiment, viewed from the front right side. As shown in FIG. 6, a terminal block 29 is attached to the control board of the electrical equipment unit 20. Lead wires 24 extending from the four-way valve control coil 22, the expansion valve control coil 23, and the thermistor detection unit 33 are connected to the control board of the electrical equipment unit 20. When the electrical equipment unit 20 is attached to the machinery chamber 10, the lead wires 24 extend from a connector position (not shown) on the front right side of the machinery chamber 10. The connector position is located close to the side rear panel 2 inside the machinery chamber 10, making it easily accessible when the side rear panel 2 is removed. A lead wire hook 25a is provided on the side of the board support member 25. The lead wires 24 extending from the connector position are hooked onto the lead wire hook 25a of the board support member 25.

[0031] Fig. 7 is a top view of the machine room 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, the compressor 18 is disposed on the front side of the machine room 10. The rear side of the machine room 10 forms a piping area 26. The piping area 26 houses refrigerant circuit components such as an expansion valve 27, a four-way valve 28, and other refrigerant liquid reservoirs or mufflers for silencing noise (not shown). The piping area 26 houses refrigerant piping 19 that interconnects the expansion valve 27, the four-way valve 28, and other refrigerant circuit components (not shown).

[0032] The expansion valve 27 is disposed adjacent to the right side of the machine room 10. Near the expansion valve 27, the expansion valve control coil 23 is disposed adjacent to the right side of the machine room 10. The four-way valve control coil 22 connected to the four-way valve 28 is disposed in the piping area 26, adjacent to the right side of the four-way valve 28. The four-way valve control coil 22 is disposed so that there is no obstruction in the direction of arrow A.

[0033] <Rear panel configuration> Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of rear panel 3 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which protective cover 5 is removed from rear panel 3 according to the present embodiment.

[0034] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a liquid shut-off valve 6 and a gas shut-off valve 7 are fixed to the rear panel 3. A protective cover 5 is detachably attached to the rear panel 3 above the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7. A drain pan 8 is attached below the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7. The second part 202 of the side rear panel 2 is located below the drain pan 8. The drain pan 8 is attached so as to cover the upper end of the second part 202 of the side rear panel 2. This prevents water or foreign matter from entering the drain pan 8 and the interior of the machine room 10 from the outside.

[0035] The protective cover 5 is a flat member with a folded peripheral edge forming a flange portion 51. A terminal block fixing plate 30 having a terminal block 29 attached thereto is fixed to the portion covered by the protective cover 5.

[0036] An internal / external connection line 31, which is connected to an external power source, is connected to the terminal block 29. The internal / external connection line 31 supplies external power to the electrical equipment unit 20. The terminal block 29 is disposed above the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7, and prevents short-circuiting of the terminal block 29 due to dew dripping from the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7. The terminal block 29 can be seen through a service window 3c formed in the back panel 3. An LED viewing window 3b is formed adjacent to the service window 3c.

[0037] A cover-side guide portion 5a that protrudes downward and to the right is formed on the lower right portion of the protective cover 5 as viewed from the outdoor unit 50. The edge of the cover-side guide portion 5a does not form a flange portion 51, but serves as a wiring path for the internal and external connection wires 31 that are connected to an external power source.

[0038] The rear panel 3 is formed with a rear step portion 301 that is recessed in a shape that conforms to the shape of the protective cover 5. The flange portion 51 of the protective cover 5 is fitted into the rear step portion 301, and the protective cover 5 is attached to the rear panel 3.

[0039] At a position of the rear step portion 301 corresponding to the cover-side guide portion 5a, the rear step portion 301 is provided with a step-side guide portion 3a that protrudes downward to the right toward the outdoor unit 50. The cover-side guide portion 5a and the step-side guide portion 3a form a gap 300 when the protective cover 5 is attached to the rear panel 3.

[0040] An internal / external connection line 31 connected to an external power source is inserted through a gap 300 formed by the cover-side guide portion 5a and the step-side guide portion 3a. By providing the gap 300 formed by the cover-side guide portion 5a and the step-side guide portion 3a at an obliquely lower portion of the protective cover 5, the internal / external connection line 31 connected to the external power source can be drawn out obliquely downward. This prevents the internal / external connection line 31 from coming into contact with the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7 below the internal / external connection line 31. Furthermore, it becomes possible to arrange the terminal block 29, the liquid shut-off valve 6, and the gas shut-off valve 7 close to each other, thereby reducing the area of ​​the back panel 3.

[0041] The LED viewing window 3b provided on the back panel 3 is a window for visually checking the LEDs arranged on the inverter control board 21. The LED is configured to light up or flash if the compressor 18 of the outdoor unit 50 stops unintentionally due to various abnormalities. A service technician can determine whether there is a malfunction or what the malfunction is without removing the back panel 3 by removing the protective cover 5 and checking the number of times the LED is lit or flashing through the LED viewing window 3b.

[0042] The terminal block 29, the liquid shutoff valve 6, and the gas shutoff valve 7 may be positioned so that they are aligned in the left-right direction.

[0043] <Configuration of side and rear panels> Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the side back panel 2 according to this embodiment has been removed. As shown in Fig. 10, the side back panel 2 has a detachable structure and is removed during servicing.

[0044] Because the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7 are not fixed to the side rear panel 2, they can be attached and removed without removing the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7 from the refrigerant piping 19 inside the outdoor unit 50. When the side rear panel 2 is removed, the lower part of the side and rear of the machine room 10 is open. This makes it easier to access the machine room 10, ensures visibility into the inside of the machine room 10, and improves the ease of work such as replacing parts.

[0045] A thermistor detector 33 is disposed in the machine room 10. The thermistor detector 33 is attached to, for example, the heat transfer tube 14a of the outdoor heat exchanger 14. The thermistor detector 33 is connected to the electrical component unit 20 via lead wires 24.

[0046] Furthermore, if the terminal block 29, liquid shut-off valve 6, and gas shut-off valve 7 on the rear panel 3 are arranged in the left-right direction, the height of the rear panel 3 is reduced and the height of the second part 202 of the side rear panel 2 can be increased, thereby making it possible to increase the opening area.

[0047] Fig. 11 is a view of the machine room 10 according to this embodiment as seen from the right side. As shown in Fig. 11, the right end 101 of the front panel 1 extends in a flange-like shape in a direction perpendicular to the front panel 1. A slit 35 extending in the vertical direction is formed in the right end 101. The slit 35 is formed so that the side rear panel 2 can be detachably attached.

[0048] When servicing the outdoor unit 50, the side rear panel 2 is removed from the outdoor unit 50, and the machine room 10 is opened. The machine room 10 is equipped with a thermistor detection unit 33, an expansion valve control coil 23, and a four-way valve control coil 22 as serviceable parts that require relatively minor servicing. For simplicity, the lead wires 24 are not shown in Figure 11.

[0049] During servicing, to remove the four-way valve control coil 22, first, the lead wires 24 are detached from the lead wire hooks 25a located on the right side surface of the board support member 25. Next, the lead wires 24 extending from the four-way valve control coil 22 are removed from the electrical component unit 20, and the screws 22a securing the four-way valve control coil 22 are removed. This allows for servicing, such as replacement of the four-way valve control coil 22.

[0050] To remove the expansion valve control coil 23 during servicing, first, the lead wire 24 is detached from the lead wire hook 25a located on the right side of the board support member 25. Next, the lead wire 24 extending from the expansion valve control coil 23 is removed from the electrical component unit 20, and the expansion valve control coil 23 is removed by pulling it out from the expansion valve 27 body. This allows for servicing, such as replacement of the expansion valve control coil 23.

[0051] To remove the thermistor detection unit 33 during servicing, first, the lead wires 24 are detached from the lead wire hooks 25a located on the right side surface of the board support member 25. Next, the lead wires 24 extending from the thermistor detection unit 33 are removed from the electrical component unit 20, and the thermistor detection unit 33 is removed from the holder. This allows for servicing, such as replacing the thermistor detection unit 33.

[0052] In this way, the inside of the machine room 10 is opened by removing the side rear panel 2 from the outdoor unit 50 during servicing, which allows easy access to the components in the machine room 10, ensures visibility into the interior, and improves the workability of replacing components to be serviced. In addition, the four-way valve control coil 22, the expansion valve control coil 23, and the connection part between the lead wires 24 extending from the thermistor detection part 33 and the electrical component unit 20 are easily accessible, and there is nothing to obstruct the view, improving the workability.

[0053] <Hook configuration> Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a hook 203 provided on the side rear panel 2 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 12, a hook 203 is provided on a side end 2a of the side rear panel 2. The hook 203 is used to detachably attach the side rear panel 2 to the front panel 1.

[0054] The hook 203 has a base end 203a that protrudes from the side end 2a of the side back panel 2 and a tip end 203b that extends in a direction away from the base end 203a. An upper groove 204 is formed above the base end 203a of the hook 203, and is formed so that a gap 204b between the base end 203a of the hook 203 and the side end 2a of the side back panel 2 decreases downward. The lowest part of the upper groove 204 is a root part 204a where the gap 204b between the base end 203a of the hook 203 and the side end 2a of the side back panel 2 is constant.

[0055] A lower groove 205 is formed below the base end 203a of the hook 203, and the gap 205a between the base end 203a of the hook 203 and the side end 2a of the side back panel 2 decreases upward.

[0056] 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which hook 203 according to this embodiment is attached to front panel 1. As shown in FIG. 13, hook 203 has a shape that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the surface of side rear panel 2. Hook 203 provided on side edge 2a of side rear panel 2 is inserted into slit 35 formed in front panel 1.

[0057] Gap 204b of upper groove 204 of hook 203 is configured to decrease in size downward, so that upper edge 35a of slit 35 is easily guided into upper groove 204 of hook 203. Gap 204b at base 204a of hook 203 is constant and is equal to the thickness of front panel 1. The lower edge of slit 35 is pressed into and held by base 204a of hook 203.

[0058] The rear side panel 2 may have other hooks in addition to the hook 203. The positions at which the other hooks are arranged are not limited to those described above. The slits for attaching the other hooks may be provided at positions corresponding to the other hooks.

[0059] As another hook, for example, a second hook may be formed on the side end 2a of the second portion 202 of the side back panel 2. The second hook may have the same shape as the hook 203, and may be formed to protrude from the side end 2a of the second portion 202 along the surface direction of the side end 2a. A second slit may be formed in the heat exchanger support plate 32, and the second hook may be configured to be inserted into the second slit. The side back panel 2 can be detachably attached to the heat exchanger support plate 32 by the second hook.

[0060] <Side rear panel installation procedure> Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the procedure for attaching the side back panel 2 according to this embodiment. Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the hook 203 according to this embodiment.

[0061] As shown in (1) of Figures 14 and 15, to attach the side rear panel 2, first, move the side rear panel 2 in the direction of arrow B in Figure 14 to insert the hook 203 into the slit 35. The direction of arrow B in Figure 14 is the same as the direction in which the hook 203 provided on the side end 2a of the first portion 201 of the side rear panel 2 protrudes from the side end 2a of the first portion 201. The direction of arrow B in Figure 14 is also perpendicular to the opening plane of the slit 35. This allows the hook 203 to be smoothly inserted into the slit 35, which opens on a plane in a direction intersecting the protruding direction of the hook 203.

[0062] 15(2), the side rear panel 2 is slid in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 14 by a stroke amount d to attach the side rear panel 2 to the front panel 1. At this time, the upper edge 35a of the slit 35 is inserted into the gap 204b of the upper groove 204 of the hook 203. The gap 204b of the upper groove 204 of the hook 203 is configured to narrow downward, so that the upper edge 35a of the slit 35 is easily guided into the upper groove 204, improving the ease of insertion of the hook 203.

[0063] When the side rear panel 2 is moved further upward, the base 204a of the hook 203 reaches the upper edge 35a of the slit 35. Since the gap 204b of the base 204a is equal to the thickness of the front panel 1 in which the slit 35 is formed, the hook 203 abuts against the slit 35, preventing the side rear panel 2 from moving upward.

[0064] When the side rear panel 2 is pushed further upward, the base portion 204a of the hook 203 is pushed into the upper edge portion 35a of the slit 35. This causes the side rear panel 2 to be temporarily fixed to the front panel 1. The hook 203 is temporarily fixed to the slit 35 due to friction with the slit 35, and is prevented from falling off downward.

[0065] Thereafter, the side rear panel 2, in a temporarily fixed state, is fixed to the top panel 4, bottom panel 13, rear panel 3, and heat exchanger support plate 32 with the mounting screws 213. This completes the installation of the side rear panel 2.

[0066] When removing the side rear panel 2, first the mounting screws 213 are removed. With the mounting screws 213 removed, the side rear panel 2 is temporarily fixed to the front panel 1, so that the side rear panel 2 is prevented from falling off.

[0067] Then, with the mounting screws 213 removed, the side rear panel 2 is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow C in Figure 14, whereby the upper edge 35a of the slit 35 that was pressed into the base 204a of the hook 203 is pulled out. After the side rear panel 2 has been moved by the stroke amount d, the side rear panel 2 is slid in the direction opposite to the arrow B in Figure 14. This causes the hooks 203 that were inserted in the slits 35 to come out of the slits 35, completing the removal of the side rear panel 2.

[0068] When removing the side rear panel 2, if the temporary fixation is released with the mounting screws 213 of the side rear panel 2 removed, the side rear panel 2 may fall. As shown in Figure 15 (3), when the side rear panel 2 falls and moves downward by more than the stroke amount d, the lower groove 205 of the hook 203 abuts against the lower edge 35b of the slit 35. This limits the downward movement of the side rear panel 2, preventing it from falling.

[0069] The gap 205a of the lower groove 205 of the hook 203 narrows upward, and the lower edge 35b of the slit 35 is easily guided into the lower groove 205, reliably preventing the side back panel 2 from falling. Unlike a typical veranda or balcony, in window-type installations where the outdoor unit 50 is installed in a space intended to accommodate an integrated indoor / outdoor air conditioner known as a window-type or a separate-type outdoor unit, there is often no fall prevention wall on the perimeter. Providing the lower groove 205 in the hook 203 of the side back panel 2 prevents the side back panel 2 from falling when removed, ensuring safety during servicing in window-type installations.

[0070] The ease of insertion of hook 203 can be ensured by increasing the overall length of slit 35 relative to the overall length of hook 203. Furthermore, it is even better to keep the difference between the overall length of slit 35 and the overall length of hook 203 to about 3 mm or less, as this prevents hook 203 from falling off slit 35.

[0071] Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram of a cross section taken along a plane that passes through line DD in Fig. 2 and extends in the Z direction. As shown in Fig. 16, an upper step portion 211 is formed at the upper part of side rear panel 2. Upper step portion 211 of side rear panel 2 is a recess that faces inward into housing 55. Upper step portion 211 of side rear panel 2 overlaps with flange-like extending outer peripheral edge portion 4a of top panel 4, thereby preventing rainwater, small animals, and external fire sources from entering the interior of housing 55.

[0072] The overlap amount 2c between the upper step portion 211 and the outer peripheral edge portion 4a is smaller than the stroke amount d by which the side rear panel 2 is moved when the side rear panel 2 is attached, i.e., smaller than the depth of the upper groove 204. This allows the side rear panel 2 to be attached and detached while the top panel 4 remains attached.

[0073] The rear panel 3 may be divided into two parts, an upper part and a lower part. In this case, the upper part may be configured to be detachable and have a terminal block fixing plate 30 for the terminal block 29 attached thereto, and the lower part may be configured to have the liquid shut-off valve 6 and the gas shut-off valve 7 attached thereto. This configuration makes it possible to remove only the upper rear panel, increasing the opening area of ​​the machine room 10 and further improving the workability for service response.

[0074] When the back panel 3 is divided into two, the upper and lower parts can be overlapped to prevent foreign matter from entering the machine room 10. When the back panel 3 is divided into two, it is also advisable to attach a waterproofing component between the upper and lower parts to prevent water from entering.

[0075] <Modification> Fig. 17 is a diagram illustrating a rear panel 3 according to a modified example. As shown in Fig. 17, the rear panel 3 according to the modified example has a detachable terminal block fixing plate 30 that was fixed to the service window 3c. With the terminal block fixing plate 30 removed, the four-way valve control coil 22 can be seen from the service window 3c. Because the terminal block fixing plate 30 is detachable, if the terminal block fixing plate 30 is temporarily removed, it can be used as a window for viewing the inside of the machine room 10 together with the LED viewing window 3b located adjacent to the terminal block fixing plate 30.

[0076] Even if placement restrictions prevent serviceable parts from being placed close to the right side, visibility can be ensured by temporarily removing the terminal block fixing plate 30 attached to the rear panel 3. This makes it possible to directly view and work on serviceable parts such as the four-way valve control coil 22. The configuration according to the modified example improves the freedom of placement of serviceable parts and contributes to space-saving piping arrangement.

[0077] According to the outdoor unit 50 according to the present embodiment described above, the housing 55 includes the back plate 3 to which the liquid shut-off valve 6, to which the end of the refrigerant pipe 19 is connected, the gas shut-off valve 7, and the terminal block 29 are fixed, and the side back plate 2 detachably attached to the front plate 1. Therefore, the side back plate 2 can be removed and the inside of the housing 55 can be opened to the outside without removing the liquid shut-off valve 6, the gas shut-off valve 7, and the terminal block 29, improving the workability of maintenance of the outdoor unit 50.

[0078] Furthermore, the side rear panels 2 can be attached by inserting the hooks 203 into the slits 35 formed in the front panel 1, so that the attachment and positioning of the side rear panels 2 is easy.

[0079] Furthermore, because the hook 203 is formed with a lower groove 205, when the mounting screw 213 of the side rear panel 2 is removed and the side rear panel 2 is lowered, the lower groove 205 of the hook 203 comes into contact with the lower edge 35b of the slit 35, restricting the downward movement of the side rear panel 2. This prevents the side rear panel 2 from falling.

[0080] Furthermore, since the upper groove 204 of the hook 203 is configured to reduce the gap 204b, the upper groove 204 of the hook 203 is easily guided into the upper edge 35a of the slit 35, making it easy to position the side back panel 2 in the specified position.

[0081] Furthermore, since the upper groove 204 of the hook 203 has a base portion 204a, when attaching the side rear panel 2, the lower edge portion 35b of the slit 35 can be sandwiched between the base portion 204a and the side rear panel 2, thereby temporarily fixing the side rear panel 2. This makes it possible to attach the side rear panel 2 safely and easily.

[0082] Furthermore, since the overlapping distance between the side back panel 2 and the outer peripheral edge 4a of the top panel 4 is smaller than the depth of the upper groove 204, the engagement between the hook 203 and the slit 35 can be released and the side back panel 2 can be removed without removing the top panel 4.

[0083] Furthermore, when the side back panel 2 is removed, the machine room 10 is opened and the four-way valve 28, the expansion valve 27, and the thermistor detection unit 33 are exposed, facilitating servicing work. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1 front panel, 2 side rear panel, 2a side edge, 2c overlap amount, 3 rear panel, 3a step side guide portion, 3b LED viewing window, 3c service window, 4 top panel, 4a outer peripheral edge portion, 5 protective cover, 5a cover side guide portion, 6 liquid stop valve, 7 gas stop valve, 8 drain pan, 9 blower room, 10 machine room, 11 separator, 12 legs, 13 bottom plate, 14 outdoor heat exchanger, 14a heat transfer tube, 15 outdoor fan, 16 motor, 17 motor mounting base, 18 compressor, 19 refrigerant piping, 20 electrical equipment unit, 20a control device, 21 inverter control board, 22 four-way valve control coil, 22a screw, 23 expansion valve control coil, 24 lead wire, 25 board support member, 25a lead wire hook, 26 Piping area, 27 expansion valve, 28 four-way valve, 29 terminal block, 30 terminal block fixing plate, 31 internal / external connecting wire, 32 heat exchanger support plate, 33 thermistor detection part, 35 slit, 35a upper edge part, 35b lower edge part, 40 indoor unit, 41 housing, 44 indoor heat exchanger, 45 indoor fan, 50 outdoor unit, 51 flange part, 55 housing, 55a outlet, 55b intake port, 101 right end part, 201 first part, 202 second part, 203 hook, 203a base end, 203b tip, 204 upper groove, 204a root part, 204b gap, 205 lower groove, 205a gap, 211 upper step part, 213 mounting screw, 300 gap, 301 Rear step, 500 air conditioner.

Claims

1. a housing whose interior is divided into a machine room and a blower room; a compressor housed in the machine room and compressing a refrigerant; a heat exchanger housed in the blower chamber and through which the refrigerant flows; Equipped with The housing includes: a bottom plate on which the compressor and the heat exchanger are placed; a front plate extending upward from an upper surface of the bottom plate and covering front surfaces of the machine chamber and the fan chamber; a side rear panel detachably attached to the front panel, the side rear panel including a first portion extending upward from the top surface of the bottom panel and covering the side surface of the machine chamber, and a second portion covering the lower part of the back surface of the machine chamber and having an upper end located lower than an upper end of the first portion, the side rear panel being integrally formed; a back plate located above the second portion, covering an upper portion of the back surface of the machine room, and having a stop valve fixed thereto, the stop valve being connected to an end of a pipe through which the refrigerant flows; a top panel placed on top of the front panel, the rear panel, and the side rear panels, a thermistor detector attached to the piping, a four-way valve for switching the flow direction of the refrigerant, and an expansion valve for decompressing the refrigerant are arranged on the rear panel side of the housing; When the side rear panel is removed, at least one of the four-way valve, the expansion valve, and the thermistor detection unit is exposed from an opening formed by removing the side rear panel. outdoor unit.

2. The side rear panel and the front panel are detachable with hooks. The hook has a base end protruding from a side end of the side rear panel; a distal end extending in a direction away from the proximal end; The outdoor unit according to claim 1 .

3. The front panel has a slit into which the hook is inserted, The tip of the hook is inserted into the slit, and the side rear panel is detachably attached to the front panel. The outdoor unit according to claim 2 .

4. A lower groove is formed in the lower part of the base end, and the gap between the base end and the side end of the side rear plate decreases upward. The outdoor unit according to claim 2 or 3.

5. An upper groove is formed at the upper portion of the base end, and the gap between the base end and the side end of the side rear plate decreases downward. The outdoor unit according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. At the bottom of the upper groove: A base portion is formed in which the gap between the base end and the side end of the side back plate is constant downward. The outdoor unit according to claim 5.

7. the top panel has an outer peripheral edge portion extending downward along the side and rear panels, The distance at which the side rear panel and the outer peripheral edge of the top panel overlap is The depth of the upper groove is smaller than the depth of the upper groove. The outdoor unit according to claim 5 or 6.

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