Indoor unit of air conditioner and air conditioner

Abstract

Provided are an indoor unit for an air conditioner and an air conditioner that, when connecting the other ends of heat transfer tubes to each other, can improve the degree of freedom in determining where the other ends are connected. [Solution] The indoor unit of the air conditioner comprises an indoor heat exchanger (40) including a plurality of fins (41) and a plurality of heat transfer tubes (42), and a first plate structure (50, 60) in which a first refrigerant passage (51, 61) is formed, wherein at least one of a gas pipe (12a) and a liquid pipe (13a) is connected to one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42), and the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) is connected to the other end (B) of the heat transfer tube (42), and the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) includes a first passage connected to a first other end and a second other end of the plurality of other ends (B), and a second passage connected to a third other end and a fourth other end of the plurality of other ends (B), and the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner and an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner. The air conditioner described in Patent Document 1 includes a heat exchange unit. The heat exchange unit includes heat transfer tubes, fins joined to the heat transfer tubes, a folded portion, and a stacked header. The stacked header is connected to one end of the heat transfer tube. A refrigerant pipe (gas pipe or liquid pipe) is connected to the stacked header. A folded portion is connected to the other end of the heat transfer tube. The folded portion is formed in a substantially U-shape and connects the other ends of adjacent heat transfer tubes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 042866 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when the other ends of the heat transfer tubes are connected to each other by a folded portion, the other ends are limited to be connected to adjacent other ends, which reduces the degree of freedom in selecting the other ends to be connected (path selection).

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to improve the degree of freedom in determining the destination of connection of the other ends of heat transfer tubes when connecting the other ends of heat transfer tubes to each other. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first aspect is directed to an indoor unit of an air conditioner. The indoor unit of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger (40) including a plurality of fins (41) and a plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) attached to the plurality of fins (41), and a first plate structure (50, 60) in which a first refrigerant passage (51, 61) is formed, and each of the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) includes one end (A) located on one side (Z1) in an arrangement direction (Z) of the plurality of fins (41) and another end (B) located on the other side (Z2) in the arrangement direction (Z). The one end (A) connects the indoor heat exchanger (40) and the outdoor heat exchanger (22). At least one of a gas pipe (12a) and a liquid pipe (13a) connected to the other end (B) is connected to the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60), and the other end (B) is connected to the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60), and the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) includes a first passage connected to a first other end and a second other end of the plurality of other ends (B) and a second passage connected to a third other end and a fourth other end of the plurality of other ends (B), and a distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from a distance between the third other end and the fourth other end.

[0007] In the first aspect, by connecting the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42) to each other via the first refrigerant passages (51, 61), the combination of the other ends (B) to be connected to each other can be changed depending on the shape of the first refrigerant passages (51, 61), thereby improving the flexibility in selecting the connection destination (path selection) of the other ends (B).

[0008] The second aspect is the first aspect, in which the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end, meaning that the distance dimension (D1) between the first other end (B12) and the second other end (B13) is different from the distance dimension (D2) between the third other end (B22) and the fourth other end (B33).

[0009] In the second form, the other ends (B) can be connected to each other so that the distances between the other ends (B) connected to each other are not the same.

[0010] The third aspect is the first or second aspect, in which the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end, meaning that the alignment direction (Y1) of the first other end (B11) and the second other end (B21) is different from the alignment direction (Y2) of the third other end (B22) and the fourth other end (B14).

[0011] In the third embodiment, the other ends (B) can be connected to each other so that the arrangement of the other ends (B) to be connected to each other is not the same.

[0012] In a fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes a branch pipe (71) connecting the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) to three or more of the one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44), and the three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) are adjacent to each other.

[0013] In the fourth aspect, when the liquid pipe (13a) or the gas pipe (12a) is connected to the one end (A) of each of three or more heat transfer tubes (42) via the branch pipe (71), the liquid pipe (13a) or the gas pipe (12a) is connected to the one end (A) of each of adjacent heat transfer tubes (42), so that the three or more different heat transfer tubes (42) can be arranged so that their supercooling regions or heating regions are adjacent to each other. As a result, it is possible to suppress a deterioration in the performance of the indoor heat exchanger (40) due to heat conduction.

[0014] In a fifth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) includes a third passage (51e) connecting the other end (B14) of the single heat transfer tube (42) having the one end (A) connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a), to a plurality of the other end portions (B21, B22) of the single heat transfer tube (42) other than the other end portion (B14) of the single heat transfer tube (42).

[0015] In the fifth aspect, the refrigerant sent from the one end (A) can be divided into a plurality of other ends (B14) by the third passage (51e).

[0016] In a sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the indoor heat exchanger (40) includes a first heat exchange section (43a) and a second heat exchange section (43b) connected to the first heat exchange section (43a), and is bent at a location where the first heat exchange section (43a) and the second heat exchange section (43b) are connected, and the first refrigerant passage (51) of the first plate structure (50) includes fourth passages (51j, 51k) connecting the other end sections (B51, B54) of the heat transfer tubes (42) arranged in the first heat exchange section (43a) and the other end sections (B52, B53) of the heat transfer tubes (42) arranged in the second heat exchange section (43b).

[0017] In the sixth aspect, even when the heat exchanger has a bent shape, the degree of freedom in selecting the connection destination of the other end (B) can be improved.

[0018] In a seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, the indoor unit of the air conditioner does not include a refrigerant pipe connecting the one end (A) of the heat transfer pipe (42) arranged in the first heat exchange section (43a) and the one end (A) of the heat transfer pipe (42) arranged in the second heat exchange section (43b).

[0019] In the seventh aspect, the piping structure for sending the refrigerant between the one end portions (A) can be simplified.

[0020] In an eighth aspect, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, the first refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) include a fifth passage (51f) connecting the other ends (B11, B32) located at positions separated by one or more stages in the heat exchange path.

[0021] In the eighth aspect, the connection destination of the other end (B) is not limited to the adjacent other end (B), and the degree of freedom in the connection destination of the other end (B) can be improved.

[0022] In a ninth aspect, in the eighth aspect, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes refrigerant piping (48) that connects the one ends (A) of the heat transfer pipes (42) to each other, and the refrigerant piping (48) does not connect the one ends (A) that are located at positions that are more than one stage apart in the stages of the heat exchange path to each other.

[0023] In the ninth aspect, the piping structure for sending the refrigerant between the one end portions (A) can be simplified.

[0024] In a tenth aspect, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) includes a sixth passage (51g) that branches and is connected to three or more of the other end portions (B31, B43, B44).

[0025] In the tenth aspect, the connection destination of the other end (B) is not limited to the adjacent other end (B), and the degree of freedom in the connection destination of the other end (B) can be improved.

[0026] In an eleventh aspect, in any one of the first to tenth aspects, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes a refrigerant pipe (73) that connects the one end portions (A) of the heat transfer pipes (42), and the refrigerant pipe (73) connects the one end portion (A) of a single first heat transfer pipe (42) and the one end portion (A) of a single second heat transfer pipe (42).

[0027] In the eleventh aspect, the structure of the refrigerant pipe (73) can be simplified.

[0028] A twelfth aspect is any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the first refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) include seventh refrigerant passages (51h, 51, 51i) that intersect with each other when viewed in the arrangement direction (Z).

[0029] In the twelfth aspect, the other ends (B) are connected to each other using the seventh refrigerant passages (51h, 51, 51i) that intersect with each other, thereby improving the degree of freedom in selecting the destination to which the other ends (B) are connected.

[0030] A thirteenth aspect is any one of the first to twelfth aspects, wherein the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes a first pipe (73) that connects the first one ends (A) together and a second pipe (73) that connects the second one ends (A) together, and the first pipe (73) and the second pipe (73) do not intersect when viewed in the arrangement direction (Z).

[0031] In the thirteenth aspect, the pipes (73) do not have a crossing structure, and therefore the piping structure for sending refrigerant between the one ends (A) can be simplified.

[0032] In a fourteenth aspect, in any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes a second plate structure (81, 82) having a second refrigerant passage formed therein, and the second refrigerant passage of the second plate structure (81, 82) is connected to the one end (A).

[0033] In the fourteenth aspect, the space occupied by the entire indoor heat exchanger (40) can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the indoor unit can be improved.

[0034] A fifteenth aspect is any one of the first to fourteenth aspects, wherein the first plate structure (50, 60) is brazed to the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42).

[0035] In the fifteenth aspect, the joint between the first plate structure (50, 60) and the heat transfer tube (42) can be sealed, thereby reducing the risk of refrigerant leakage.

[0036] A sixteenth aspect is any one of the first to fifteenth aspects, wherein the heat transfer tube (42) is a flat multi-hole tube.

[0037] In the sixteenth aspect, the heat transfer area of ​​the heat transfer tube (42) is increased, which enables efficient heat exchange and improves the cooling and heating performance.

[0038] A seventeenth aspect is any one of the first to sixteenth aspects, wherein the first plate structure (50, 60) includes five or less stacked plate-shaped members.

[0039] In the seventeenth aspect, the space occupied by the entire indoor heat exchanger (40) can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the indoor unit can be improved.

[0040] An eighteenth aspect is the seventeenth aspect, wherein each of the five or less plate-like members has a thickness of 3 mm or less.

[0041] In the eighteenth aspect, the space occupied by the entire indoor heat exchanger (40) can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the indoor unit can be improved.

[0042] A nineteenth aspect is any one of the first to eighteenth aspects, further comprising a tube plate (49) that supports the other side (Z2) of the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42), and the distance between the tube plate (49) and the first plate structure (50, 60) is 30 mm or less.

[0043] In the nineteenth aspect, the space occupied by the entire indoor heat exchanger (40) can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the indoor unit can be improved.

[0044] A twentieth aspect is directed to an air conditioner. The air conditioner is provided with an indoor unit according to any one of the first to nineteenth aspects. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0045] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a piping diagram of an air conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the air conditioning indoor unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioning indoor unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the internal structure of the air conditioning indoor unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a connection portion of the indoor heat exchanger. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the plate structure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the plate structure. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram showing the other ends of the heat transfer tubes connected to the plate structure and a first example of a refrigerant passage connecting the other ends. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram showing the other ends of the heat transfer tubes connected to the plate structure and a second example of a refrigerant passage connecting the other ends. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which the other end portions adjacent to each other in the row direction are connected to each other. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which the other ends of adjacent pixels in the column direction are connected to each other. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a third example of the other ends of the heat transfer tubes connected to the plate structure and the refrigerant passages connecting the other ends. [Figure 12A] FIG. 12A is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration for connecting one ends of heat transfer tubes to each other. [Figure 12B] FIG. 12B is a schematic diagram showing a fourth example of the other ends of the heat transfer tubes connected to the plate structure and the refrigerant passages connecting the other ends. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a fifth example of the other ends of the heat transfer tubes connected to the plate structure and the refrigerant passages connecting the other ends. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the connection portion. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the heat transfer tube. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a modified example of the arrangement of a plurality of heat transfer tubes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown below, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure. Since the drawings are intended to conceptually explain the present disclosure, dimensions, ratios, or numbers may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary to facilitate understanding.

[0047] (1) Overall configuration of the air conditioning unit This embodiment is an air conditioner 10 including a heat exchanger unit. The air conditioner 10 adjusts the temperature of air in an indoor space I, which is a target space.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner (10) is an example of a refrigeration cycle device including a refrigerant circuit (11). The refrigerant circuit (11) is filled with a refrigerant. The refrigerant circuit (11) performs a refrigeration cycle by circulating the refrigerant.

[0049] The air conditioner (10) includes an outdoor unit (20), an indoor unit (30), a first connecting pipe (12), and a second connecting pipe (13). The air conditioner (10) has one or more outdoor units (20) and one or more indoor units (30). In this embodiment, the air conditioner (10) is a pair type having one outdoor unit (20) and one indoor unit (30). The first connecting pipe (12) is a gas connecting pipe, and the second connecting pipe (13) is a liquid connecting pipe.

[0050] The outdoor unit (20) is installed outdoors and includes an outdoor casing (20a), and a compressor (21), an outdoor heat exchanger (22), an outdoor expansion valve (23), a four-way selector valve (24), and an outdoor fan (25) housed in the outdoor casing (20a).

[0051] The compressor (21) is a rotary compressor such as a swing piston type, rotary type, or scroll type. The outdoor heat exchanger (22) exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air. The outdoor heat exchanger (22) is a fin-and-tube type. The outdoor expansion valve (23) reduces the pressure of the refrigerant. The outdoor expansion valve (23) is an electronic expansion valve. The four-way selector valve (24) switches between a first state (a state indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1 ) and a second state (a state indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1 ). In the first state, the four-way selector valve (24) connects the discharge port of the compressor (21) to the gas end of the outdoor heat exchanger (22) and connects the suction port of the compressor (21) to the first connecting pipe (12). The four-way selector valve (24) in the second state communicates the discharge port of the compressor (21) with the first connecting pipe (12) and also communicates the suction port of the compressor (21) with the gas end of the outdoor heat exchanger (22). The outdoor fan (25) transports the air flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger (22). The outdoor fan (25) is a propeller fan.

[0052] The indoor unit (30) includes a casing (31), and an indoor heat exchanger (40), an indoor fan (32), and an indoor expansion valve (37) housed in the casing (31).

[0053] (2) Air conditioning indoor unit The indoor unit (30), which is an indoor air conditioner, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 4. The indoor unit (30) of this embodiment is a wall-mounted type installed on a wall of the indoor space (I). In the following description, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," "left," "front," and "rear" correspond to the directions of the arrows shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the left-right directions are based on the case where the indoor casing (31) is viewed from the front.

[0054] (2-1) Casing As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the casing (31) is formed in the shape of a laterally elongated box.

[0055] An air inlet (33) is formed in the upper part of the casing (31), and an air outlet (34) is formed in the lower part of the casing (31). An air passage (P) is formed inside the casing (31) from the air inlet (33) to the air outlet (34). The air inlet (33) extends in the longitudinal direction of the casing (31). The air inlet (33) is an opening for taking air from the indoor space into the air passage (P). The air outlet (34) extends in the longitudinal direction of the casing (31). The air outlet (34) is an opening for blowing air from the air passage (P) into the indoor space.

[0056] (2-2) Filter The indoor unit (30) includes a filter (35). The filter (35) is located at the back of the air inlet (33) and upstream of the indoor heat exchanger (40). The filter (35) collects dust in the air sent from the air inlet (33) to the indoor heat exchanger (40). The indoor unit (30) may include a dust removal mechanism that removes the dust collected by the filter (35).

[0057] (2-3) Heat exchanger unit The heat exchanger unit (U) includes one indoor heat exchanger (40) and one indoor expansion valve (37). The indoor heat exchanger (40) includes one heat exchanger body (4X) and two plate structures (50, 60). The heat exchanger body (4X) of the indoor heat exchanger (40) is disposed so as to cross the air passage (P). The air passage (P) is divided into an upstream side and a downstream side of the heat exchanger body (4X). The plate structures (50, 60) are an example of a first plate structure.

[0058] (2-4) Indoor fan The indoor fan (32) is disposed in the air passage (P). The indoor fan (32) is disposed in the air passage (P) downstream of the indoor heat exchanger (40). The indoor fan (32) is a cross-flow fan. The fan rotor of the indoor fan (32) extends in the longitudinal direction of the casing (31).

[0059] (2-5) Flap The indoor unit (30) has a flap (36) that adjusts the direction of air blown out from the air outlet (34). The flap (36) adjusts the air direction in the vertical direction. The indoor unit (30) may have multiple flaps (36). The flap (36) may adjust the air direction in the horizontal direction.

[0060] (3) Heat exchanger unit The heat exchanger unit (U) includes an indoor heat exchanger (40), an indoor expansion valve (37), a gas pipe (12a), a liquid pipe (13a), and a connection part (70). The gas pipe (12a) and the liquid pipe (13a) connect the indoor heat exchanger (40) and the outdoor heat exchanger (22).

[0061] (3-1) Indoor heat exchanger The indoor heat exchanger (40) shown in Figures 3 to 6 includes a heat exchanger body (4X) and plate structures (50, 60) connected to the heat exchanger body (4X). The indoor heat exchanger (40) is a fin-and-tube heat exchanger having fins (41) and heat transfer tubes (42). The indoor heat exchanger (40) exchanges heat between air and a refrigerant.

[0062] The heat exchanger body (4X) has a plurality of fins (41) arranged in the longitudinal direction of the casing (31) and a plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) extending in the arrangement direction (Z) of the fins (41). The plate structures (50, 60) have therein refrigerant passages (51, 61) (first refrigerant passages) that communicate with the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42).

[0063] The arrangement direction (Z) of the fins (41) corresponds to the longitudinal direction (here, the left-right direction) of the casing (31). The fins (41) are rectangular plate-shaped having long sides and short sides. The thickness direction of the fins (41) corresponds to the arrangement direction (Z) of the fins (41). The fins (41) are arranged at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction (arrangement direction (Z)). This interval forms an air passage. The fins (41) are made of a material such as an aluminum alloy.

[0064] The heat transfer tubes (42) are straight tubes. The heat transfer tubes (42) are made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. A refrigerant passage is formed inside the heat transfer tubes (42). Each of the heat transfer tubes (42) extends along the arrangement direction (Z). The heat transfer tubes (42) (each having one end (A) and the other end (B)) are arranged in multiple rows along the row direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 8A) and in multiple columns along the row direction (the air passage direction) intersecting the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer tubes (42). The heat transfer tubes (42) are arranged adjacent to each other in a staggered pattern (see FIG. 8A). Each of the heat transfer tubes (42) is attached to a plurality of fins (41). The heat transfer tubes (42) are arranged parallel to each other and pass through the plurality of fins (41) along the arrangement direction (Z). Each of the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) includes one end (A) located on one side (Z1) of the arrangement direction (Z) and the other end (B) located on the other side (Z2) of the arrangement direction (Z).

[0065] One end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42), which is a right end, protrudes to the right of the fin (41). One end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) is connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a).

[0066] The other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42), that is, left ends, protrude to the left of the fins (41). The other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42) are connected to the plate structures (50, 60).

[0067] The connection unit (70) is a mechanism for connecting different one end portions (A) of the plurality of one end portions (A) to each other and for connecting the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) to any one of the plurality of one end portions (A). The connection unit (70) includes a flow divider (71) that branches the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a), a connection pipe (72) that connects the flow divider (71) and the one end portion (A) of the heat transfer tube (42), and a U-shaped tube (73). The U-shaped tube (73) connects the one end portion (A) of a single first heat transfer tube (42) to the one end portion (A) of a single second heat transfer tube (42). The U-shaped tube (73) connects adjacent one end portions (A) of the plurality of one end portions (A) to each other. In other words, the U-shaped tube (73) does not connect one end portion (A) that is located more than one stage apart in the heat exchange path.

[0068] Two or more of the plurality of one end portions (A) are connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) via a flow divider (71) and a connecting pipe (72). Among the plurality of one end portions (A), two adjacent one end portions (A) other than the one end portion (A) connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) are connected to each other via a U-shaped pipe (73). Two one end portions (A) being adjacent to each other means that the two one end portions (A) are adjacent to each other in the row or column direction, and no other one end portion (A) is located between the two one end portions (A).

[0069] The indoor heat exchanger (40) of this embodiment includes a heat exchange section. The heat exchange section has a front heat exchange section (40A) that is a first heat exchange section and a rear heat exchange section (40B) that is a second heat exchange section. The front heat exchange section (40A) is located toward the front side of the casing (31), and the rear heat exchange section (40B) is located toward the rear side of the casing (31). The front heat exchange section (40A) and the rear heat exchange section (40B) are aligned in a direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the axial direction of the heat transfer tube (42), i.e., in the front-rear direction, with the indoor fan (32) between them.

[0070] The front heat exchange section (40A) includes a front main heat exchange section (43), a first auxiliary heat exchange section (44), a second auxiliary heat exchange section (45), and a tube plate (49).

[0071] The tube plate (49) is disposed so that its plate surface extends in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction, and is located on the left side of the fins (41). The tube plate (49) faces a front plate structure (50). A plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) penetrate the tube plate (49). There is almost no gap between the tube plate (49) and each heat transfer tube (42), and the tube plate (49) supports the fins (41) and the heat transfer tubes (42). A front plate structure (50) for U-shaped tubes (73) is disposed on the left side of the tube plate (49), i.e., on the opposite side of the tube plate (49) from the fins (41). The distance (E) (the dimension in the arrangement direction (Z)) between the tube plate (49) and the front plate structure (50) may be 30 mm or less. This allows the indoor heat exchanger (40) to be formed compactly. As a result, This reduces the overall space occupied by the indoor heat exchanger (40), thereby improving the degree of freedom in designing the indoor unit (30).

[0072] The front main heat exchange section (43) is disposed in the front heat exchange section (40A) closer to the indoor fan (32). The front main heat exchange section (43) has a V-shaped outer shape when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer tubes (42). The tip of the V faces forward.

[0073] The first auxiliary heat exchange section (44) is provided on the inlet side (front side) of the first front main heat exchange section (43a). The second auxiliary heat exchange section (45) is provided on the inlet side (front side) of the second front main heat exchange section (43b). The rear heat exchange section (40B) has a rear main heat exchange section (46), a third auxiliary heat exchange section (47), and a tube plate. The rear main heat exchange section (46) is disposed in the rear heat exchange section (40B) closer to the indoor fan (32). The third auxiliary heat exchange section (47) is provided on the inlet side (rear side) of the rear main heat exchange section (46). The tube plate of the rear heat exchange section (40B) faces the rear plate structure (60). The distance between the tube plate of the rear heat exchange section (40B) and the rear plate structure (60) may be 30 mm or less.

[0074] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7, the other end (B) of the heat transfer tube (42) is connected to the connecting pipes (53, 63) of the plate structures (50, 60).

[0075] The plate structures (50, 60) are arranged to the left of the leftmost fin (41) and parallel to the fin (41). The plate structures (50, 60) are connected to the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42). As shown in FIG. 6, the plate structures (50, 60) include a front plate structure (50) connected to the heat transfer tubes (42) of the front heat exchange section (40A) and a rear plate structure (60) connected to the heat transfer tubes (42) of the rear heat exchange section (40B). The front plate structure (50) is arranged to overlap the front heat exchange section (40A) in the axial direction of the heat transfer tubes (42). The rear plate structure (60) is arranged to overlap the rear heat exchange section (40B) in the axial direction of the heat transfer tubes (42).

[0076] (3-2) Indoor expansion valve, gas pipe, liquid pipe 1, 4, and 5, the indoor expansion valve (37) is an electronic expansion valve with a variable opening. The indoor expansion valve (37) is connected to one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) of the front heat exchange section (40A) via a first internal pipe (38), and is connected to one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) of the rear heat exchange section (40B) via a second internal pipe (39) (see FIG. 1).

[0077] One end of the gas pipe (12a) is connected to one end (A) of the heat transfer tubes (42) of the rear heat exchange section (40B) via a flow divider (71, 71a). The other end of the gas pipe (12a) is connected to the first interconnecting pipe (12) via a joint. One end of the liquid pipe (13a) is connected to one end (A) of the heat transfer tubes (42) of the front heat exchange section (40A) via a flow divider (71, 71b). The other end of the liquid pipe (13a) is connected to the second interconnecting pipe (13) via a joint.

[0078] (4) Plate structure The plate structures (50, 60) will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0079] (4-1) Front plate structure The front plate structure (50) includes a front main body portion (52) having a refrigerant passage (51) therein, and a plurality of front connecting pipes (53) connecting the other ends (B) of the plurality of heat transfer pipes (42) of the front heat exchange portion (40A) to the refrigerant passage (51).

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , in this embodiment, the front main body portion (52) is a thick plate-like member formed by stacking a plurality (five) of front plates. The front plates are plate-like members. The stacking direction of the front plates is the same as the axial direction (arrangement direction (Z)) of the heat transfer tubes (42). In the front plate structure (50), a first front plate (521), a second front plate (522), a third front plate (523), a fourth front plate (524), and a fifth front plate (525), which are plate-like members, are stacked in order from the side closest to the front heat exchange section (40A). The second front plate (522), the third front plate (523), and the fourth front plate (524) are intermediate plates sandwiched between the first front plate (521) and the fifth front plate (525). Each of the front plates constituting the intermediate plate of the front plate structure (50) has a hole formed therein. The holes communicate with each other to form the refrigerant passages (51) of the front plate structure (50). The shape of the refrigerant passages (51) can be changed by appropriately changing the shape of the holes formed in the front plates. As a result, when the other ends (B) are connected to each other through the refrigerant passages (51), the destinations to which the other ends (B) are connected (the combinations of the other ends (B) to be connected to each other) can be changed depending on the shape of the refrigerant passages (51) (i.e., the shape of the holes formed in the front plates). The number of front plates is merely an example, and the number of front plates may be four or less, or six or more. Having five or fewer front plates contributes to a reduction in the size of the casing (31) while maintaining the flexibility in the formation of the refrigerant passages (51) of the front plate structure (50). Therefore, it is preferable that the number of front plates be five or less. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the respective front plates, they will simply be referred to as front plates.

[0081] The front connecting pipe (53) is fixed to the first front plate (521). The front connecting pipe (53) may be molded seamlessly and integrally with the first front plate (521).

[0082] (4-2) Rear plate structure The rear plate structure (60) includes a rear main body portion (62) having a refrigerant passage (61) therein, and a plurality of rear connecting pipes (63) connecting the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) of the rear heat exchange portion (40B) to the refrigerant passage (61).

[0083] The rear body portion (62) has basically the same configuration as the front body portion (52), except for the shape of the outer edge of the plate as viewed in the axial direction of the heat transfer tubes (42) and the internal refrigerant passages (61). The rear body portion (62) is a thick plate-like member formed by stacking a plurality of (five) rear plates. The rear plates are plate-like members. The stacking direction of the rear plates is the same as the axial direction of the heat transfer tubes (42). In the rear plate structure (60), a first rear plate (621), a second rear plate (622), a third rear plate (623), a fourth rear plate (624), and a fifth rear plate (625), which are plate-like members, are stacked in order from the side closest to the rear heat exchange section (40B). The second rear plate (622), the third rear plate (623), and the fourth rear plate (624) are intermediate plates sandwiched between the first rear plate (621) and the fifth rear plate (625). Each of the front plates constituting the intermediate plate of the rear plate structure (60) has a hole formed therein, and the holes communicate with each other to form the refrigerant passages (61) of the rear plate structure (60). The shape of the refrigerant passages (61) can be changed by appropriately changing the shape of the holes formed in the rear plates. As a result, when the other ends (B) are connected to each other via the refrigerant passages (61), the destinations to which the other ends (B) are connected (the combinations of the other ends (B) to be connected to each other) can be changed depending on the shape of the refrigerant passages (61) (i.e., the shape of the holes formed in the rear plates). The number of rear plates is merely an example, and the number of rear plates may be four or less or six or more. Incidentally, if the number of rear plates is five or less, it is possible to maintain the degree of freedom in forming the refrigerant passages (61) of the rear plate structure (60) while contributing to the miniaturization of the casing (31). Therefore, it is preferable that the number of rear plates is five or less. The number of front plates and the number of rear plates may be different. Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the respective rear plates, they will simply be referred to as rear plates.

[0084] (5) Driving behavior The air conditioner (10) performs cooling operation, heating operation, and dehumidifying operation.

[0085] (5-1) Cooling operation As shown in FIG. 1, in cooling operation, the controller of the air conditioner (10) operates the compressor (21), the outdoor fan (25), and the indoor fan (32), sets the four-way switching valve (24) to the first state (the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 1), appropriately adjusts the opening of the outdoor expansion valve (23), and fully opens the indoor expansion valve (37).

[0086] During the cooling operation, the refrigerant circuit (11) performs a refrigeration cycle in which the outdoor heat exchanger (22) functions as a condenser (heat radiator) and the indoor heat exchanger (40) functions as an evaporator.

[0087] The indoor unit (30) draws indoor air from the indoor space (I) into the air passage (P) through the inlet (33). The air in the air passage (P) is cooled by the indoor heat exchanger (40). The cooled air is supplied to the indoor space (I) through the outlet (34).

[0088] (5-2) Heating operation In the heating operation, the controller of the air conditioner (10) operates the compressor (21), the outdoor fan (25), and the indoor fan (32), sets the four-way switching valve (24) to the second state (the state indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1 ), adjusts the opening of the outdoor expansion valve (23) to a predetermined opening, and fully opens the indoor expansion valve (37).

[0089] During the heating operation, the refrigerant circuit (11) performs a refrigeration cycle in which the indoor heat exchanger (40) functions as a condenser (heat radiator) and the outdoor heat exchanger (22) functions as an evaporator.

[0090] The indoor unit (30) draws indoor air from the indoor space (I) into the air passage (P) through the inlet (33). The air in the air passage (P) is heated by the indoor heat exchanger (40). The heated air is supplied to the indoor space (I) through the outlet (34).

[0091] (5-3) Dehumidification operation In the dehumidifying operation, the controller of the air conditioner (10) operates the compressor (21), the outdoor fan (25), and the indoor fan (32), sets the four-way switching valve (24) to the first state (the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 1), and appropriately adjusts the openings of the outdoor expansion valve (23) and the indoor expansion valve (37).

[0092] During the dehumidifying operation, the refrigerant circuit (11) performs a refrigeration cycle in which the outdoor heat exchanger (22) and the front heat exchange section (40A) of the indoor heat exchanger (40) function as condensers (radiators), and the rear heat exchange section (40B) of the indoor heat exchanger (40) functions as an evaporator.

[0093] The indoor unit (30) draws room air from the indoor space (I) into the air passage (P) through the inlet (33). The rear heat exchanger (40B) cools the air in the air passage (P) to a temperature below the dew point. The front heat exchanger (40A) heats the air in the air passage (P). The air passing through both the rear heat exchanger and the front heat exchanger mixes in the air passage (P) to produce low-humidity air. The dehumidified air is supplied to the indoor space (I) through the outlet (34).

[0094] (6) Features of the indoor unit Conventionally, U-shaped tubes (73) have been used to connect the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42). When the other ends (B) are connected via the U-shaped tubes (73), only adjacent other ends (B) in the row or column direction can be connected. In contrast, in the indoor unit (30) of the present embodiment, the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42) are connected to a front plate structure (50) and are connected to each other via refrigerant passages (51) in the front plate structure (50). By appropriately shaping the refrigerant passages (51), not only adjacent other ends (B) but also non-adjacent other ends (B) can be connected, thereby improving the flexibility of the connection destination (path selection) of the other ends (B).

[0095] The indoor unit (30) of this embodiment has the following features. These features are achieved by utilizing a configuration that improves the flexibility of the connection destination of the other ends (B) by using the refrigerant passages (51) of the front plate structure (50) when connecting the other ends (B).

[0096] In the indoor unit (30), the refrigerant passage (51) of the front plate structure (50) includes a first passage connected to a first other end and a second other end of the plurality of other ends (B), and a second passage connected to a third other end and a fourth other end of the plurality of other ends, and the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end. That is, a feature of the indoor unit (30) of this embodiment is that the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end. Hereinafter, "the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end" may be simply referred to as "the distance between the other ends (B) is different." The difference in the distance between the other ends (B) corresponds to the first or second example described below. The indoor unit (30) includes the configuration of the first example or the second example. The first and second examples will be described with reference to Figures 8A and 8B. In Figures 8A to 13, the dotted line connecting the other ends (B) indicates the refrigerant passages (51, 61). Refrigerant passages (51a) to (51k), which will be described later, are included in the refrigerant passage (51).

[0097] (6-1) Example 1 In the first example, the different spacing of the other ends (B) means that a first spacing dimension is different from a second spacing dimension. The first spacing dimension is the spacing dimension between the first other end and the second other end. The second spacing dimension is the spacing dimension between the third other end and the fourth other end. The spacing dimension is the shortest distance between the centers of the other ends (B).

[0098] 8A shows a first example of a configuration in which the intervals between the other ends (B) are different. As shown in FIG. 8A, the multiple other ends (B) include the other end (B11) to the other end (B14), the other end (B21) to the other end (B24), the other end (B31) to the other end (B34), and the other end (B41) to the other end (B44). In FIG. 8A, if the refrigerant passage (51a) is the first passage, the refrigerant passage (51b) is the second passage, the other end (B12) is the first other end, the other end (B13) is the second other end, the other end (B22) is the third other end, and the other end (B33) is the fourth other end, then the first distance (D1) between the other ends (B12) and (B13) is different from the second distance (D2) between the other ends (B22) and (B33). In this embodiment, the other end (B12) and the other end (B13) are adjacent to each other in the stage (stage direction) of the heat exchange path, and the other end (B22) and the other end (B33) are one stage apart in the stage of the heat exchange path (one other end (B23) is located there), so that the second spacing dimension (D2) is larger than the first spacing dimension (D1) (D2>D1).

[0099] (6-2) Second Example In the second example, the difference in the spacing between the other ends (B) means that the first arrangement direction is different from the second arrangement direction. The first arrangement direction is the arrangement direction between the first other end and the second other end. The second arrangement direction is the arrangement direction between the third other end and the fourth other end. The arrangement directions are the extension directions of imaginary lines connecting the centers of the other ends (B).

[0100] 8B shows a second example of a configuration in which the intervals between the other ends (B) are different. In FIG. 8B, the refrigerant passage (51c) is the first passage, the refrigerant passage (51d) is the second passage, the other end (B11) is the first other end, the other end (B21) is the second other end, the other end (B22) is the third other end, and the other end (B14) is the fourth other end. The first arrangement direction (Y1) of the other ends (B11) and (B21) differs from the second arrangement direction (Y2) of the other ends (B22) and (B14). In this embodiment, the other ends (B11) and (B21) are located on the same level, and the other ends (B22) and (B14) are located on different levels, so that the first arrangement direction (Y1) differs from the second arrangement direction (Y2). In this embodiment, the first arrangement direction (Y1) is the row direction, and the second arrangement direction (Y2) is the column direction.

[0101] In the first example configuration (the configuration in which the first spacing dimension is different from the second spacing dimension), the first arrangement direction may be the same as or different from the second arrangement direction. Also, in the second example configuration (the configuration in which the first arrangement direction is different from the second arrangement direction), the first spacing dimension may be the same as or different from the second spacing dimension.

[0102] As described above, when the intervals between the other ends (B) are different, this corresponds to the first example (the first interval dimension is different from the second interval dimension) or the second example (the first arrangement direction is different from the second arrangement direction). In other words, when the intervals between the other ends (B) are different, this does not result in the configuration shown in FIG. 9 and does not result in the configuration shown in FIG. 10. The configuration shown in FIG. 9 is a configuration in which all combinations of two adjacent other ends (B) are connected in the row direction by refrigerant passages (51). The configuration shown in FIG. 10 is a configuration in which all combinations of two adjacent other ends (B) are connected in the column direction by refrigerant passages (51).

[0103] The refrigerant passages (61) formed in the rear plate structure (60) and the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42) connected to the rear plate structure (60) may also have the same configuration as the refrigerant passages (51) formed in the front plate structure (50) and the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42) connected to the front plate structure (50) (a configuration in which the spacing between the other ends (B) is different, i.e., a configuration corresponding to the first or second example described above).

[0104] (7) Effects of the embodiment As described above, the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60) are connected to the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42), and the distance between the first other ends (B12, B11) and the second other ends (B13, B21) is different from the distance between the third other end (B22) and the fourth other end (B33, B14) (the distances between the other ends (B) are different). Thus, by appropriately forming the refrigerant passages (51, 61), not only adjacent other ends (B) but also non-adjacent other ends (B) can be connected, thereby improving the flexibility in selecting the connection destination (path selection) of the other ends (B).

[0105] (8) Modification of refrigerant passage The indoor unit (30) described above may have the following modified configurations: Differences from the above embodiment will be described below.

[0106] 11, the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60) may include a refrigerant passage (51f) connecting other ends (B11, B32) that are located at positions that are separated by one or more stages in the heat exchange path. This allows the other ends (B) of the heat transfer tubes (42) that are located opposite to the side to which the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) is connected to be routed between the adjacent other ends (B), thereby improving the flexibility of the route.

[0107] The connection portion (70) (see FIG. 5) of the heat transfer tube (42) on the side where the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) is connected can be configured to use a U-shaped tube (73) that connects adjacent one end portions (A) of the heat transfer tube (42), eliminating the need to connect one end portions (A) that are located at positions separated by one or more stages in the heat exchange path. This simplifies the configuration of the connection portion (70).

[0108] 11, the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structures (50, 60) may include a refrigerant passage (51g) that branches and is connected to three or more other ends (B31, B43, B44). In this way, the branching of the refrigerant passage (51g) can improve the flexibility of the path selection of the other end (B) of the heat transfer tube (42) that is located on the opposite side to the end to which the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) is connected.

[0109] In the connection part (70) (see FIG. 5), one end part (A) of a single first heat transfer tube (42) and one end part (A) of a single second heat transfer tube (42) are connected by a U-shaped tube (73), so that it is not necessary to have a configuration in which a pipe is branched to connect three or more end parts (A), thereby simplifying the configuration of the connection part (70).

[0110] As shown in FIG. 11, the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60) may include refrigerant passages (51h, 51, 51i) that intersect with each other as viewed in the arrangement direction (Z) (see FIG. 4). In the arrangement direction (Z), the refrigerant passages (51h) and (51i) do not communicate with each other because their intersections are located at different positions as viewed in the arrangement direction (Z). This allows the refrigerant passages (51h) and (51i) to form independent passages. This improves the flexibility of the path selection for the other end (B) of the heat transfer tube (42) that is located opposite to the end to which the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) is connected.

[0111] The connection portion (70) (see FIG. 5) does not have to have a configuration in which the first pipe connecting the first end portions (A) and the second pipe connecting the second end portions (A) cross each other when viewed in the arrangement direction (Z). For example, it does not have to have a configuration in which two U-shaped pipes (73) are arranged to cross each other. This simplifies the configuration of the connection portion (70).

[0112] As shown in FIG. 12A , three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) via the branch pipe (71) may be adjacent to each other. In this case, the plate structure (50, 60) forms the refrigerant passage (51) such that the three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) are adjacent to each other. The three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) being adjacent to each other means that no other one end portion (A) is located between the three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44). An example of the configuration of the refrigerant passage (51) in this case will be described below. As shown in FIG. 12A, the plurality of one end portions A of the heat transfer tube 42 include one end portion A11 to one end portion A14, one end portion A21 to one end portion A24, one end portion A31 to one end portion A34, and one end portion A41 to one end portion A44. As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the one end portions A11 and B11 are opposite ends of a single heat transfer tube 42. The one end portions A12 and B12 to the one end portions A14 and B14, the one end portions A21 and B21 to the one end portions A24 and B24, the one end portions A31 and B31 to the one end portions A34 and B34, and the one end portions A41 and B41 to the one end portions A44 and B44 are also opposite ends of a single heat transfer tube 42, respectively. The one end portions (A12, A13), one end portions (A22, A23), one end portions (A32, A33), and one end portions (A42, A43) are connected to each other by a U-shaped pipe (73). The one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) are arranged in the row direction and adjacent to each other in the row direction. The one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) are connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) via the connecting pipe (72) and the branch pipe (71). The other ends (B11, B12), (B13, B14), (B21, B22), (B23, B24), (B31, B32), (B33, B34), (B41, B42), and (B43, B44) are connected to each other by a refrigerant passage (51), thereby forming four passages.The first passage is a passage that connects one end (A11), the other end (B11), the other end (B12), one end (A12), one end (A13), the other end (B13), the other end (B14), one end (A14), the connecting pipe (72), the flow divider (71), and the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) in this order. The second passage is a passage that starts from one end (A21) and connects to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a). The third passage is a passage that starts from one end (A31) and connects to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a). The fourth passage starts from the one end (A41) and is connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) (see the arrows in FIGS. 12A and 12B for the specific connection order of the second to fourth passages). As described above, by connecting the plate structure (50, 60) to the other end (B) of the heat transfer tube (42), the refrigerant passage (51) in the plate structure (50, 60) can be formed so that three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) are adjacent to each other. This allows three or more different heat transfer tubes (42) (three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44)) to be arranged so that their supercooling regions or heating regions are adjacent to each other. As a result, the supercooled or heated regions can be concentrated, and the area affected by heat conduction from the supercooled or heated regions (the area affected by heat conduction from the supercooled or heated regions on the refrigerant flowing through the surrounding heat transfer tubes (42)) can be narrowed compared to when the supercooled or heated regions are dispersed, thereby preventing the performance of the indoor heat exchanger (40) from being reduced due to heat conduction from the supercooled or heated regions.

[0113] The one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) may be lined up in the column direction and adjacent to each other in the order of the arrangement. That is, "three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) being adjacent" includes not only the three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) being lined up in the row direction, but also the three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) being lined up in the column direction. Also, "three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) being adjacent" includes the three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) being lined up in the row direction, and the other three or more one end portions (A14, A24, A34, A44) being lined up in the column direction.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 11, the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60) may include a refrigerant passage (51e). The refrigerant passage (51e) connects the other end (B14) of a single heat transfer tube (42) having one end (A) connected to the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) with the other end (B21, B22) of the single heat transfer tube (42) other than the other end (B14). In this case, since the refrigerant passage (51e) forms a branching passage at the other end (B) of the heat transfer tube (42), a flow divider (71) does not need to be provided at the connection part (70) (see FIG. 8) located at the one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42). As a result, the configuration of the connection part (70) can be simplified.

[0115] 3 and 13, the front heat exchange section (40A) includes a first front main heat exchange section (43a) and a second front main heat exchange section (43b) connected to the first front main heat exchange section (43a), and is bent at a location where the first front main heat exchange section (43a) and the second front main heat exchange section (43b) are connected. The refrigerant passage (51) of the plate structure (50) may include refrigerant passages (51j, 51k) connecting the other ends (B51, B54) of the heat transfer tubes (42) arranged in the first heat exchange section (43a) and the other ends (B52, B53) of the heat transfer tubes (42) arranged in the second heat exchange section (43b). In this case, the connection part (70) (see FIG. 8) does not need to be provided with a refrigerant pipe connecting the one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) arranged in the first heat exchange part (43a) and the one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) arranged in the second heat exchange part (43b), thereby simplifying the configuration of the connection part (70).

[0116] (9) Other embodiments As shown in Fig. 6, the number of stacked plate-like members in the plate structure (50, 60) may be five or less. Each of the five or less plate-like members may have a thickness of 3 mm or less. This reduces the overall space occupied by the indoor heat exchanger (40), and improves the degree of freedom in designing the indoor unit (30).

[0117] The plate structures (50, 60) may be joined to the heat transfer tubes (42) by brazing, thereby sealing the joints between the plate structures (50, 60) and the heat transfer tubes (42), thereby reducing the risk of refrigerant leakage.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 14, the connection portion (70) may be provided with plate structures (81, 82). One end portion (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) provided in the front heat exchange section (40A) is connected to the plate structure (81). One end portion (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) provided in the rear heat exchange section (40B) is connected to the plate structure (82). Second refrigerant passages are formed inside the plate structures (81, 82). The second refrigerant passages formed inside the plate structures (81, 82) are connected (communicate) with the one end portions (A) of the heat transfer tubes (42). The one end portions (A) of the heat transfer tubes (42) are connected to each other via the second refrigerant passages. The plate structures (81, 82) are made of a plurality of plate-shaped The plate structure (81, 82) is a plate stack formed by stacking members. The plate structure (81, 82) is a thick plate-like member formed by stacking a plurality of plate-like members, and has a second refrigerant passage formed therein using a structure similar to that of the plate structure (50, 60). The second refrigerant passage is connected to the first internal pipe (38) and the liquid pipe (13a). The second refrigerant passage is connected to the second internal pipe (39) and the gas pipe (12a). The second refrigerant passage may function as a flow divider (71). The plate structure (81, 82) is an example of a second plate structure.

[0119] The front plate structure (50) may be formed from a single plate. The front plate structure (50) of the modified example has a refrigerant passage formed therein, as in the above-described embodiment. The front plate structure (50) of the modified example is manufactured by sintering metal powder using a 3D printer. The rear plate structure (60) and the plate structures (81, 82) may also each be formed from a single plate.

[0120] The indoor heat exchanger (40) does not have to be of a fin-and-tube type, but may be of a corrugated type in which corrugated fins are arranged between adjacent heat transfer tubes.

[0121] As shown in Fig. 15, the heat transfer tube (42) may be a flat multi-hole tube. The heat transfer tube (42) is made of, for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and has flat surfaces (42a) that serve as heat transfer surfaces and a large number of small internal flow paths (42b) through which the refrigerant flows. A plurality of fin grooves (41a) are formed in the fins (41). The heat transfer tube (42) is attached to the fins (41) by being inserted into the fin grooves (41a).

[0122] The indoor heat exchanger (40) may have a single heat exchange section, without including the front heat exchange section (40A) and the rear heat exchange section (40B). In this case, the first internal pipe (38), the second internal pipe (39), and the indoor expansion valve (37) are omitted.

[0123] The heat transfer tubes 42 of the heat exchanger body 4X may be made of a copper alloy instead of an aluminum alloy. When the heat transfer tubes 42 are made of a copper alloy, it is preferable that the plate structures 50, 60 are also made of a copper alloy.

[0124] The heat transfer tubes (42) may be arranged in parallel such that the direction in which the heat transfer tubes (42) arranged in the row direction are aligned perpendicular to the direction in which the heat transfer tubes (42) arranged in the column direction are aligned (see FIG. 16).

[0125] In this embodiment, all of the multiple other ends (B) are connected to the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60). However, not all of the multiple other ends (B) need to be connected to the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60). In this case, for example, a group (first group) of the multiple other ends (B) is connected to the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60), and a refrigerant pipe is connected to the remaining group (second group) of the multiple other ends (B). That is, among the multiple other ends (B), the multiple other ends (B) included in the first group are connected to each other via the refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the plate structure (50, 60), and the multiple other ends (B) included in the second group are connected to each other via the refrigerant pipe.

[0126] In this embodiment, the front plate structure 50 is separate from the rear plate structure 60. However, the front plate structure 50 may be integral with the rear plate structure 60.

[0127] Although the embodiments and modifications have been described above, it will be understood that various modifications in form and details are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. Furthermore, the above embodiments, modifications, and other embodiments may be combined or substituted as appropriate as long as the functionality of the subject matter of the present disclosure is not impaired.

[0128] The terms "first," "second," "third," etc. mentioned above are used to distinguish the terms to which these terms are attached, and do not limit the number or order of the terms. [Industrial Applicability]

[0129] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present disclosure is useful for an indoor unit of an air conditioner and an air conditioner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] 11 Refrigerant circuit 12a Gas pipe 13a Liquid pipe 22 Outdoor heat exchanger 40 Indoor heat exchanger 40A Front heat exchanger 40B Rear heat exchange section 41 Finn 42 Heat transfer tube 50 Front plate structure 51 Refrigerant passage 60 Rear plate structure 61 Refrigerant passage A One end B Other end Z array direction Z1 One direction side Z2 Other direction side

Claims

1. an indoor heat exchanger (40) including a plurality of fins (41) and a plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) attached to the plurality of fins (41); a first plate structure (50, 60) having a first refrigerant passage (51, 61) formed therein; Equipped with Each of the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42) includes a first end (A) located on one side (Z1) in the arrangement direction (Z) of the plurality of fins (41) and a second end (B) located on the other side (Z2) in the arrangement direction (Z), At least one of a gas pipe (12a) and a liquid pipe (13a) connecting the indoor heat exchanger (40) and the outdoor heat exchanger (22) is connected to the one end (A), the other end (B) is connected to the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60); the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) includes a first passage connected to a first other end portion and a second other end portion of the plurality of other ends (B), and a second passage connected to a third other end portion and a fourth other end portion of the plurality of other ends (B), An indoor unit for an air conditioner, wherein a distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from a distance between the third other end and the fourth other end.

2. 2. The indoor unit of an air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end, indicating that the distance dimension (D1) between the first other end (B12) and the second other end (B13) is different from the distance dimension (D2) between the third other end (B22) and the fourth other end (B33).

3. 2. The indoor unit of an air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the first other end and the second other end is different from the distance between the third other end and the fourth other end, indicating that the arrangement direction (Y1) of the first other end (B11) and the second other end (B21) is different from the arrangement direction (Y2) of the third other end (B22) and the fourth other end (B14).

4. 4. The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a branch pipe (71) connecting the gas pipe (12a) or the liquid pipe (13a) to three or more of the one ends (A14, A24, A34, A44), and the three or more one ends (A14, A24, A34, A44) are adjacent to each other.

5. 4. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) includes a third passage (51 e) connecting the other end (B14) of a single heat transfer tube (42) having the one end (A) connected to the gas pipe (12 a) or the liquid pipe (13 a) and a plurality of the other ends (B21, B22) of the single heat transfer tube (42) other than the other end (B14).

6. the indoor heat exchanger (40) includes a first heat exchange section (43a) and a second heat exchange section (43b) connected to the first heat exchange section (43a), and is bent at a location where the first heat exchange section (43a) and the second heat exchange section (43b) are connected to each other; 4. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the first refrigerant passage (51) of the first plate structure (50) includes a fourth passage (51j, 51k) connecting the other end (B51, B54) of the heat transfer tube (42) arranged in the first heat exchange section (43a) and the other end (B52, B53) of the heat transfer tube (42) arranged in the second heat exchange section (43b).

7. 7. The air-conditioning indoor unit according to claim 6, wherein the indoor unit does not include a refrigerant pipe connecting the one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) arranged in the first heat exchange section (43a) and the one end (A) of the heat transfer tube (42) arranged in the second heat exchange section (43b).

8. 4. The air-conditioning indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) includes a fifth passage (51f) connecting the other ends (B11, B32) located at positions separated by at least one stage in a heat exchange path.

9. a refrigerant pipe (48) connecting the one ends (A) of the heat transfer tubes (42), The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant pipes (48) do not connect the one ends (A) located at positions separated by one or more stages in the heat exchange path.

10. 4. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the first refrigerant passage (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) includes a sixth passage (51g) branching and connected to three or more of the other end portions (B31, B43, B44).

11. a refrigerant pipe (73) connecting the one ends (A) of the heat transfer tubes (42), 11. The air-conditioning indoor unit according to claim 10, wherein the refrigerant pipe (73) connects the one end (A) of a single first heat transfer pipe (42) to the one end (A) of a single second heat transfer pipe (42).

12. 4. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the first refrigerant passages (51, 61) of the first plate structure (50, 60) include seventh refrigerant passages (51h, 51, 51i) that intersect with each other when viewed in the arrangement direction (Z).

13. a first pipe (73) connecting the first one ends (A) together; a second pipe (73) connecting the second one ends (A) to each other; Equipped with The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 12, wherein the first pipe (73) and the second pipe (73) do not intersect with each other as viewed in the arrangement direction (Z).

14. a second plate structure (81, 82) having a second refrigerant passage formed therein; The air conditioner indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second refrigerant passage of the second plate structure (81, 82) is connected to the one end (A).

15. The air conditioner indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first plate structure (50, 60) is brazed to the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42).

16. The air conditioner indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat transfer tube (42) is a flat multi-hole tube.

17. The air conditioner indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first plate structure (50, 60) includes five or less plate-shaped members stacked one on top of the other.

18. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 17, wherein each of the five or less plate-shaped members has a thickness of 3 mm or less.

19. a tube plate (49) for supporting the other side (Z2) of the plurality of heat transfer tubes (42), 4. The air conditioner indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the tube plate (49) and the first plate structure (50, 60) is equal to or less than 30 mm.

20. An air conditioning apparatus comprising the indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images