Indoor unit and air conditioner

Abstract

One aspect of an indoor unit according to the present disclosure is an indoor unit of an air conditioning device, comprising: a heat exchanger; a drain pan disposed below the heat exchanger; a refrigerant sensor unit having a housing; and a casing accommodating the heat exchanger, the drain pan, and the refrigerant sensor unit. The drain pan has a bottom portion extending in a left-right direction and facing the heat exchanger in a vertical direction, and a peripheral wall portion extending upward from an outer edge of the bottom portion. The peripheral wall portion includes a side wall portion extending upward from a first side end portion in the left-right direction of the bottom portion. The casing has a bottom-surface panel located below the heat exchanger, and a side-surface panel located on the first side with respect to the heat exchanger. The refrigerant sensor unit is disposed in a machine room provided between the side wall portion and the side-surface panel, and overlaps with the drain pan in a front-rear direction position. The housing has a gas inlet port which opens downward. A vertical distance between the gas inlet port and the bottom-surface panel is smaller than a vertical distance between the gas inlet port and an upper end of the side wall portion.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an air conditioner in which a refrigerant sensor is attached to an indoor unit is known. Patent Document 1 discloses an indoor unit in which a drain pan is disposed below a heat exchanger, and a refrigerant sensor is disposed in the vicinity of the drain pan, so that a refrigerant gas leaking from the heat exchanger and passing through the drain pan can be detected by the refrigerant sensor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a conventional indoor unit, since the refrigerant sensor is disposed in the vicinity of the drain pan, if the condensed water accumulated in the drain pan flows out or scatters from the drain pan in an unexpected situation, the condensed water may come into contact with the refrigerant sensor, which may affect the detection accuracy of the refrigerant sensor.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an indoor unit and an air conditioner capable of suppressing the influence of condensed water on the detection accuracy of the refrigerant sensor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One embodiment of an indoor unit according to this disclosure is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising: a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows; a drain pan disposed below the heat exchanger; a refrigerant sensor unit having a refrigerant sensor capable of detecting the vaporized refrigerant and a housing for housing the refrigerant sensor; and a housing for housing the heat exchanger, the drain pan, and the refrigerant sensor unit. An electrical component box that houses a control board or terminal block inside, and a cable guide fixed to the bottom of the electrical component box, which guides cables connected to the control board or terminal block into the interior of the electrical component box, The drain pan has a bottom portion that faces the heat exchanger in the vertical direction and extends in a first direction intersecting the vertical direction, and a peripheral wall portion that extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom portion. The peripheral wall portion includes a side wall portion that extends upward from the first end of the bottom portion in the first direction. The housing has a bottom panel located below the heat exchanger and a side panel located on the first side relative to the heat exchanger. The refrigerant sensor unit is located in a machine room provided between the side wall portion and the side panel, and its position in a second direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction coincides with the drain pan. The housing has a gas inlet that opens downward. The vertical distance between the gas inlet and the bottom panel is smaller than the vertical distance between the gas inlet and the upper end of the side wall portion. The electrical component box is located in the machine room. The refrigerant sensor unit is detachably fixed to the cable guide.

[0007] One embodiment of the air conditioner according to this disclosure comprises the indoor unit described above, the refrigerant circuit, and the outdoor unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide an indoor unit and an air conditioner that can suppress the effect of condensation water on the detection accuracy of the refrigerant sensor. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the indoor unit of the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the indoor unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the drain pan according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a side view of the control unit and refrigerant sensor unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This is an exploded perspective view of the control unit and refrigerant sensor unit of the embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the refrigerant sensor unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] This is an exploded perspective view of the refrigerant sensor unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the housing body of the refrigerant sensor unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram illustrating region X in Figure 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below and can be modified at will within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure. Furthermore, in the following drawings, the scale and number of components in each structure may differ from those in the actual structure in order to make the configurations easier to understand.

[0011] Furthermore, the X, Y, and Z axes are shown in the drawings as appropriate. The X axis represents one of the horizontal directions. The Y axis represents the other of the horizontal directions. The Z axis represents the vertical direction. In the following explanation, the horizontal direction along the X axis will be called the "forward / backward direction X," the horizontal direction along the Y axis will be called the "left / right direction Y," and the vertical direction along the Z axis will be called the "vertical direction Z." The forward / backward direction X, the left / right direction Y, and the vertical direction Z are all orthogonal to each other. In the following explanation, the side of the forward / backward direction X where the X-axis arrow points (+X) will be considered the front, and the side of the forward / backward direction X opposite to the side where the X-axis arrow points (-X) will be considered the rear. Also, the side of the left / right direction where the Y-axis arrow points (+Y) will be considered the right, and the side of the left / right direction Y opposite to the side where the Y-axis arrow points (-Y) will be considered the left. Furthermore, the side of the vertical Z direction in which the Z-axis arrow points (+Z side) is defined as upward, and the side of the vertical Z direction opposite to the side in which the Z-axis arrow points (-Z) is defined as downward. Note that the left-right direction Y and the front-back direction X are merely names used to describe the relative positional relationship of each part, and the actual arrangement may be different from the arrangement indicated by these names. Also, in the following embodiments, the left-right direction Y corresponds to the "first direction," the right (+Y) corresponds to the "first side," and the left corresponds to the "second side." Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the front-back direction X corresponds to the "second direction," the front (+X) corresponds to the "third side," and the rear corresponds to the "fourth side."

[0012] <Air conditioner> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the air conditioner 100 in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioner 100 comprises an indoor unit 10, an outdoor unit 20, and a refrigerant circuit 30. The indoor unit 10 is located indoors. The outdoor unit 20 is located outdoors. The indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 20 are connected to each other by a refrigerant circuit 30 through which refrigerant 33 circulates. The indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 20 are heat exchange units that exchange heat with the air.

[0013] The air conditioner 100 can adjust the temperature of the indoor air by performing heat exchange between the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 and the indoor air where the indoor unit 10 is disposed. Examples of the refrigerant 33 include fluorine-based refrigerants or hydrocarbon-based refrigerants having a low global warming potential (GWP: Global Warming Potential). Examples of the refrigerant 33 include any single refrigerant such as R1234yf, R1234ze, R32, or R290, or a mixed refrigerant of any two or more of these, or a mixed refrigerant of any of these and another refrigerant. Further, examples of the refrigerant 33 include a mixed refrigerant containing R1132(E) or a mixed refrigerant containing R1123. Further, examples of the refrigerant 33 include mixed refrigerants such as R516A, R445A, R444A, R454C, R444B, R454A, R455A, R457A, R459B, R452B, R454B, R447B, R447A, R446A, or R459A.

[0014] The outdoor unit 20 includes a compressor 21, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, a flow rate adjustment valve 24, an outdoor unit blower 25, and a four-way valve 22. The compressor 21, the outdoor heat exchanger 23, the flow rate adjustment valve 24, and the four-way valve 22 are connected by the refrigerant circuit 30.

[0015] The four-way valve 22 is disposed at a portion of the refrigerant circuit 30 that is connected to the discharge side of the compressor 21. The four-way valve 22 can reverse the direction of the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 by switching a part of the path of the refrigerant circuit 30. When the path connected by the four-way valve 22 is the path indicated by the solid line in the four-way valve 22 of FIG. 1, the refrigerant 33 flows in the refrigerant circuit 30 in the direction indicated by the solid line arrow in FIG. 1. On the other hand, when the path connected by the four-way valve 22 is the path indicated by the broken line in the four-way valve 22 of FIG. 1, the refrigerant 33 flows in the refrigerant circuit 30 in the direction indicated by the broken line arrow in FIG. 1.

[0016] The indoor unit 10 includes a blower 15 and a heat exchanger 14 disposed around the blower 15. The indoor unit 10 can perform a cooling operation for cooling the indoor air where the indoor unit 10 is disposed and a heating operation for heating the indoor air where the indoor unit 10 is disposed.

[0017] When the indoor unit 10 is in the cooling operation, the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 flows in the direction indicated by the solid arrow in FIG. 1. That is, when the indoor unit 10 is in the cooling operation, the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 circulates through the compressor 21, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 of the outdoor unit 20, the flow rate adjustment valve 24, and the heat exchanger 14 of the indoor unit 10 in this order and returns to the compressor 21. In the cooling operation, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 in the outdoor unit 20 functions as a condenser, and the heat exchanger 14 in the indoor unit 10 functions as an evaporator.

[0018] On the other hand, when the indoor unit 10 is in the heating operation, the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 flows in the direction indicated by the broken line in FIG. 1. That is, when the indoor unit 10 is in the heating operation, the refrigerant33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 circulates through the compressor 21, the heat exchanger 14 of the indoor unit 10, the flow rate adjustment valve 24, and the outdoor heat exchanger 23 of the outdoor unit 20 in this order and returns to the compressor 21. In the heating operation, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 in the outdoor unit 20 functions as an evaporator, and the heat exchanger 14 in the indoor unit 10 functions as a condenser.

[0019] <Indoor unit> Next, the indoor unit 10 of the present embodiment will be described in more detail. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the indoor unit 10 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the indoor unit 10 of the present embodiment is a wall-mounted type indoor unit fixed to the upper region of the indoor wall surface. A remote controller 10a is attached to the indoor unit 10. The remote controller 10a transmits radio waves such as infrared rays toward the indoor unit 10 by the operation of the indoor occupant. Thereby, the occupant can remotely operate the indoor unit 10 by operating the remote controller 10a.

[0020] Figure 3 is a front view of the indoor unit 10 with the front panel 11b removed. As shown in Figure 3, the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment includes a drain pan 40, a control unit 50, and a refrigerant sensor unit 60, in addition to the housing 11, heat exchanger 14, and blower 15 described above. The housing 11 houses the heat exchanger 14, blower 15, drain pan 40, control unit 50, and refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0021] <Enclosure> As shown in Figure 2, the housing 11 of this embodiment is a roughly rectangular box shape that is long in the left-right direction Y. The housing 11 has a top panel 11a, a front panel 11b, a bottom panel 11c, a first side panel (side panel) 11d, a second side panel 11e, and a rear panel 11f. The top panel 11a covers the internal space of the housing 11 from above. The front panel 11b covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the front (+X). The bottom panel 11c covers the internal space of the housing 11 from below. The first side panel 11d covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the right (+Y). The second side panel 11e covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the left (-Y). The rear panel 11f covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the rear (-X).

[0022] The housing 11 is provided with an intake port 12 and an outlet port 13. The intake port 12 is located on the top panel 11a. The intake port 12 opens upward and extends in the left-right direction Y. A filter 12a is placed in the intake port 12 to remove dust from the air being drawn in. The outlet port 13 is located at the lower end of the front panel 11b. The outlet port 13 opens forward (+X) and downward and extends in the left-right direction Y. The outlet port 13 is provided with a wind direction vane 13a to adjust the direction of the air being blown out.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the internal space of the housing 11 is provided with a fan room 11A and a machine room 11B. The fan room 11A and the machine room 11B are arranged side by side in the left-right direction Y. The fan room 11A houses a heat exchanger 14, a blower 15, and a drain pan 40. The fan room 11A is also connected to the intake port 12 and the outlet port 13, respectively. The machine room 11B is located to the right (+Y) of the fan room 11A. The machine room 11B houses a control unit 50 and a refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0024] <Blower> The blower 15 in this embodiment is a cross-flow fan. The blower 15 has an impeller 15a extending in the left-right direction Y, and a drive motor 15b positioned to the right (+Y) of the impeller 15a. The impeller 15a is substantially cylindrical and has a plurality of blades (not shown) arranged in the circumferential direction. The drive motor 15b rotates the impeller 15a around a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction Y.

[0025] <Heat exchanger> The heat exchanger 14 is located in front of (+X) and above (+Z) the blower 15. A refrigerant flows inside the heat exchanger 14. The heat exchanger 14 performs heat exchange between the air in the fan chamber 11A and the refrigerant. As a result, the heat exchanger 14 cools or heats the air drawn into the blower 15.

[0026] <Drain pan> The drain pan 40 is located below the heat exchanger 14 and above the bottom panel 11c of the housing 11. The drain pan 40 extends in the left-right direction Y. The drain pan 40 receives condensation water that condenses and drips from the surface of the heat exchanger 14 from below. The condensation water received by the drain pan 40 is discharged to the outside via a drain hose (not shown). In addition, if refrigerant leakage occurs from the heat exchanger 14, the drain pan 40 receives vaporized refrigerant (hereinafter referred to as refrigerant gas) from below. The refrigerant gas accumulated in the drain pan 40 overflows from the drain pan 40 and is detected by the refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0027] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the drain pan 40. The drain pan 40 has a drain pan body 41 and a stabilizer 45. In this embodiment, the drain pan 40 is a resin molded product in which the drain pan body 41 and the stabilizer 45 are integrated. However, the drain pan body 41 and the stabilizer 45 may be made of separate components. The drain pan 40 receives condensed water and refrigerant gas in the drain pan body 41, and the stabilizer 45 regulates the airflow in the fan chamber 11A. Both the drain pan body 41 and the stabilizer 45 extend in the left-right direction Y. The stabilizer 45 is positioned behind (-X) the drain pan body 41. The stabilizer 45 has a tongue portion 46 that protrudes to the rear (-X). The tongue portion 46 extends in the left-right direction Y. The tongue portion 46 faces the outer circumferential surface of the impeller 15a (see Figure 3) with a gap in between.

[0028] The drain pan body 41 has a storage space A that opens upward. The drain pan body 41 is capable of storing condensation water in the storage space A. The drain pan body 41 has a bottom 42 and a peripheral wall 43. The bottom 42 is plate-shaped and extends along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The bottom 42 extends in the left-right direction Y. The bottom 42 faces the heat exchanger 14 in the vertical direction Z. The bottom 42 is located below the storage space A. The condensation water in the storage space A accumulates above the upper surface of the bottom 42. A drain hole (not shown) connected to a drain hose opens in the bottom 42.

[0029] The peripheral wall portion 43 extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom portion 42. The peripheral wall portion 43 surrounds the storage space A from the front, back, left, and right when viewed from above. The peripheral wall portion 43 has a front wall portion 43a, a rear wall portion 43b, a first side wall portion (side wall portion) 43c, and a second side wall portion 43d. The front wall portion 43a is located in front of (+X) the storage space A. The rear wall portion 43b is located behind (-X) the storage space A. The first side wall portion 43c is located to the right (+Y) of the storage space A. The second side wall portion 43d is located to the left (-Y) of the storage space A. In this embodiment, the heights of the upper ends of each part of the peripheral wall portion 43 are approximately the same. That is, the heights of the upper ends of the front wall portion 43a, the rear wall portion 43b, the first side wall portion 43c, and the second side wall portion 43d are the same as each other. However, the heights of the upper ends of the front wall portion 43a, the rear wall portion 43b, the first side wall portion 43c, and the second side wall portion 43d may be different from each other. In this case, it is preferable that the upper end of the first side wall portion 43c is located lower than the upper ends of the front wall portion 43a, the rear wall portion 43b, and the second side wall portion 43d. This allows the refrigerant gas accumulated in the storage space A of the drain pan 40 to preferentially overflow from the first side wall portion 43c. As a result, it is possible to easily guide the refrigerant gas in the drain pan 40 to the machine room 11B located to the right (+Y) of the first side wall portion 43c, and the refrigerant gas can be immediately detected by the refrigerant sensor unit 60 located in the machine room 11B.

[0030] The front wall 43a and the rear wall 43b face each other in the front-rear direction X. The front wall 43a is inclined in a direction that is forward (+X) as it extends upward. The rear wall 43b is inclined in a direction that is backward (-X) as it extends upward. In other words, the front wall 43a and the rear wall 43b are separated from each other in the front-rear direction X as they extend upward. As a result, the front wall 43a and the rear wall 43b can secure a wide opening in the storage space A in the front-rear direction X, and can receive condensation water over a wide range in the front-rear direction X and guide the condensation water to the upper surface of the bottom 42.

[0031] The first side wall portion 43c and the second side wall portion 43d face each other in the left-right direction Y. The first side wall portion 43c and the second side wall portion 43d each extend along a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction Y. The first side wall portion 43c is located at the far right (+Y) of the peripheral wall portion 43. As shown in Figure 3, the machine room 11B is provided between the first side wall portion 43c, which is located at the far right (+Y) of the peripheral wall portion 43, and the first side panel 11d of the housing 11.

[0032] <Department Head> Figure 5 is a side view of the control unit 50 and the refrigerant sensor unit 60. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the control unit 50 and the refrigerant sensor unit 60. As shown in Figure 6, the control unit 50 includes an electrical components box 52, a control board 51, a terminal block 54, a cable 53, a cable guide 59, and a receiving device 58. That is, the indoor unit 10 includes an electrical components box 52, a control board 51, a terminal block 54, a cable 53, a cable guide 59, and a receiving device 58. The control board 51 controls the components necessary for the heating and cooling operation of the air conditioner 100. The control board 51 controls each part of the indoor unit 10. The control board 51 controls the blower 15 and the heat exchanger 14, etc., based on the measurement results of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and various sensors provided on the heat exchanger 14. The control board 51 can also communicate with the control unit (not shown) of the outdoor unit 20 via the terminal block 54. A cable 53 extending from the outdoor unit 20 is connected to the terminal block 54. The terminal block 54 functions as a relay for communication between the control board 51 of the indoor unit 10 and the control unit of the outdoor unit 20.

[0033] The control board 51 has a plurality of electronic components mounted on its surface. These plurality of electronic components include, for example, transistors and a microcomputer. In this embodiment, the case in which the control unit 50 has only one control board 51 is described, but the control unit 50 may have a plurality of control boards 51. In this case, the plurality of control boards 51 are connected to each other.

[0034] Multiple cables 53 are connected to the control board 51 or terminal block 54. Some of the multiple cables 53 connect various parts of the indoor unit 10 to the control board 51. Also, some of the multiple cables 53 connect the terminal block 54 to the control unit (not shown) of the outdoor unit 20.

[0035] The electrical component box 52 is a box that houses the control board 51 or the terminal block 54 inside. The lower part 52a of the electrical component box 52 is provided with an opening that opens downwards to the internal space of the electrical component box 52. In addition, a cable guide 59 that covers the opening is fixed to the lower part 52a of the electrical component box 52.

[0036] The cable guide 59 has a hollow section 59A inside that communicates with an opening provided in the lower part 52a of the electrical component box. The cable guide 59 also has a cable insertion section 59a that opens the hollow section 59A to the rear (-X). Multiple cables 53 are inserted through the cable insertion section 59a, pass through the hollow section 59A of the cable guide 59, and are guided from the lower part 52a of the electrical component box 52 into the internal space of the electrical component box 52. In other words, the cable guide 59 guides multiple cables 53 into the interior of the electrical component box 52.

[0037] The cable guide 59 has a sensor fixing section 59d and a receiver fixing section 59b. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is fixed to the sensor fixing section 59d. The receiver 58 is fixed to the receiver fixing section 59b. The sensor fixing section 59d and the receiver fixing section 59b are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction X. The sensor fixing section 59d is located behind (-X) the receiver fixing section 59b.

[0038] The sensor fixing portion 59d has a sensor support surface 59f, a first boss 59e, and a locking portion 59g. The sensor support surface 59f is positioned between the first boss 59e and the locking portion 59g in the front-rear direction X. The sensor support surface 59f is a flat surface perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The first boss 59e is located in front of (+X) the sensor support surface 59f. The first boss 59e is cylindrical and protrudes downward. A screw hole 59h opening downward is provided on the lower end surface of the first boss 59e. A fixing screw 59j for screw-fixing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is inserted into the screw hole 59h. The locking portion 59g is plate-shaped and extends along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The locking portion 59g is located behind (-X) the sensor support surface 59f. The locking portion 59g is also located below the sensor support surface 59f. The locking portion 59g has a front edge that faces forward (+X). A notch 59k is provided at the front edge of the locking portion 59g. The notch 59k opens forward (+X). The method for fixing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 in the sensor fixing portion 59d will be described later.

[0039] The receiving device fixing section 59b has a plurality of second bosses 59c arranged in the left-right direction Y. The second bosses 59c are cylindrical in shape and protrude downward. Screw holes opening downward are provided on the lower end faces of the second bosses 59c. The receiving device 58 is screwed to the second bosses 59c from below. In other words, the receiving device 58 is fixed to the cable guide 59.

[0040] The receiving device 58 includes an antenna unit (not shown), a receiving board (not shown) on which the antenna unit is mounted, a receiving device case 58a housing these, and a display unit 58b provided on the front of the receiving device case 58a. The receiving device 58 receives radio waves from the remote controller 10a transmitted from the front (+X) of the indoor unit 10. For this reason, the receiving device 58 is positioned inside the housing 11 facing forward (+X). Furthermore, a window 11w is provided on the front panel 11b of the housing 11 in the part located in front (+X) of the receiving device 58 to prevent damage to the radio waves reaching the receiving device 58. The display unit 58b is, for example, a light-emitting diode, which displays the operating status of the indoor unit 10 by emitting light. The display unit 58b is positioned so that it can be seen from the indoor side through the window 11w.

[0041] <Refrigerant sensor unit> The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned below the control unit 50. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is detachably fixed to the cable guide 59. As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned rearward (-X) from the receiving device 58. Also, as shown in Figure 6, at least a portion of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 overlaps with the receiving device 58 when viewed from the front-to-back direction X. According to this embodiment, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and the receiving device 58 can be arranged side by side in the front-to-back direction X, and the machine room 11B can be miniaturized in the left-to-right direction Y. In addition, by positioning the refrigerant sensor unit 60 rearward (-X) from the receiving device 58, interference between the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and radio waves reaching the receiving device 58 from the remote controller 10a can be suppressed.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned to the right (+Y) of the drain pan 40. When refrigerant gas leaks from the heat exchanger 14, it flows downwards because it is heavier than air and accumulates in the storage space A of the drain pan 40. Furthermore, the refrigerant gas flows beyond the first side wall 43c of the drain pan 40 into the machine room 11B and accumulates above the bottom panel 11c, which is located below the drain pan 40. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 detects the refrigerant gas accumulating above the bottom panel 11c and transmits the detection result to the control unit 50.

[0043] Figure 4 schematically shows the arrangement of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 relative to the drain pan 40. As shown in Figure 4, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned to the right (+Y) of the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40. Also, the position of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 in the front-rear direction X coincides with that of the drain pan 40. According to this embodiment, by positioning the refrigerant sensor unit 60 to the right (+Y) of the drain pan 40 and in its vicinity, it is easy to immediately detect refrigerant gas overflowing from the drain pan 40 to the right (+Y).

[0044] In this specification, "the position of one member in one direction overlaps with that of another member" means that the range of position of one member in one direction overlaps with the range of position of the other member in one direction. Therefore, "the position of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 in the front-rear direction X overlaps with that of the drain pan 40" means that the range of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 from its front end to its rear end in the front-rear direction X overlaps, at least in part, with the range of the drain pan 40 from its front end to its rear end in the front-rear direction X.

[0045] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. As shown in Figure 8, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 has a refrigerant sensor 70 and a housing 80. The refrigerant sensor 70 is housed inside the housing 80. The refrigerant sensor 70 has a sensor substrate 73, a sensor element 71 and an element case 72.

[0046] The sensor substrate 73 is fixed to the inner surface of the housing 80. The sensor substrate 73 extends along a plane perpendicular to the front-to-back direction X. The sensor substrate 73 has a mounting surface 73a on which multiple elements are mounted. In this embodiment, the mounting surface 73a is the surface facing forward (+X).

[0047] The sensor element 71 detects vaporized refrigerant gas. The sensor element 71 is mounted on the mounting surface 73a of the sensor substrate 73. The sensor element 71 is surrounded by an element case 72. Thus, the sensor element 71 is protected by the element case 72. The element case 72 is cylindrical and extends forward (+X) from the mounting surface 73a. The element case 72 has a base end 72a fixed to the mounting surface 73a and a tip end 72b which is the end opposite to the base end 72a. The base end 72a of the element case 72 is fixed to the mounting surface 73a without any gaps by adhesive or the like. The tip end 72b of the element case 72 is provided with a case opening 72h that guides the refrigerant gas into the inside of the element case 72. The refrigerant gas flows into the inside of the element case 72 from the case opening 72h.

[0048] As shown in Figure 7, a housing space B for accommodating the refrigerant sensor 70 is provided inside the housing 80. A gas inlet 80a is also provided on the bottom surface of the housing 80. The gas inlet 80a takes in refrigerant gas leaking from the heat exchanger 14 into the housing space B.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8, the housing 80 includes a lid 81, a housing body 82, and a sealing member 89. The lid 81 and the housing body 82 are assembled together to form a housing space B. In this specification, the direction in which the lid 81 and the housing body 82 are assembled is referred to as the assembly direction D1. In this embodiment, the assembly direction D1 is the vertical direction Z. Also in this embodiment, the housing body 82 is located below the lid 81.

[0050] The lid 81 has a first box-shaped portion 81b, a first flange portion 81c, and a pair of projections 81d. The first box-shaped portion 81b opens downward at the first opening 81a. The first opening 81a faces the housing body 82 side in the assembly direction D1. The first flange portion 81c connects to the outer edge of the first opening 81a. The first flange portion 81c protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the first opening 81a. The first flange portion 81c surrounds the first opening 81a when viewed from the assembly direction D1. The pair of projections 81d are provided on the sides of the first flange portion 81c. The pair of projections 81d are arranged on both sides of the first opening 81a in the left-right direction Y, so as to sandwich the first opening 81a. The pair of projections 81d each protrude in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the first opening 81a. The tip surface of the projection 81d is inclined in a direction that increases the projection height as it moves away from the housing body 82 in the assembly direction D1.

[0051] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the housing body 82. As shown in Figure 9, the housing body 82 has a second box-shaped portion 82b, a second flange portion 82c, a fixing plate portion 82e, a locking hook 84, and a pair of arm portions 82d. The second box-shaped portion 82b opens at the second opening 82a. The second opening 82a faces the lid 81 side in the assembly direction D1.

[0052] A gas inlet 80a is provided in the second box-shaped portion 82b. A groove 82m is provided on the inner surface 82k of the second box-shaped portion 82b that extends along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The groove 82m is connected to the gas inlet 80a. The groove 82m extends upward (+Z) from the gas inlet 80a. The groove 82m faces the case opening 72h of the element case 72 shown in Figure 8 in the front-rear direction X. By providing the groove 82m on the inner surface 82k of the second box-shaped portion 82b, the refrigerant gas that enters the interior of the housing 80 from the gas inlet 80a is smoothly guided through the groove 82m to the case opening 72h. This smoothly guides the refrigerant gas that enters the interior of the housing 80 into the interior of the element case 72, allowing the sensor element 71 inside the element case 72 to immediately detect the refrigerant gas. As a result, the responsiveness of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be improved.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, the second box-shaped section 82b is composed of a plurality of wall sections arranged in a box shape. The plurality of wall sections of the second box-shaped section 82b include a first wall section 80b, a second wall section 80d, a third wall section 80e, and a lower end wall section 80c. The first wall section 80b and the lower end wall section 80c extend along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The lower end wall section 80c is located at the lowest of the plurality of wall sections that make up the second box-shaped section 82b. The downward-facing surface of the lower end wall section 80c constitutes the lower end surface of the housing 80. The first wall section 80b is located above the first wall section 80b. A gas inlet 80a opens in the first wall section 80b. The second wall section 80d and the third wall section 80e connect the first wall section 80b and the lower end wall section 80c. The second wall portion 80d extends downward from the left (-Y) end of the first wall portion 80b. The second wall portion 80d extends along a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction Y. In this embodiment, the second wall portion 80d is provided with a stepped portion, but the second wall portion 80d may be a uniform, flat plate. In this embodiment, the position of the second wall portion 80d in the front-rear direction X coincides with the gas inlet 80a. That is, the range in the front-rear direction X from the front end to the rear end of the second wall portion 80d overlaps, at least in part, with the range in the front-rear direction X from the front end to the rear end of the gas inlet 80a. The third wall portion 80e extends downward from the rear (-X) end of the first wall portion 80b. The third wall portion 80e extends along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction X.

[0054] By assembling the housing body 82 to the lid 81, the first opening 81a and the second opening 82a overlap each other. This connects the internal space of the first box-shaped part 81b and the internal space of the second box-shaped part 82b, forming the storage space B. The second flange portion 82c connects to the outer edge of the second opening 82a. The second flange portion 82c protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the second opening 82a. The second flange portion 82c surrounds the second opening 82a when viewed from the assembly direction D1. A pair of arm portions 82d are connected to the second flange portion 82c.

[0055] A pair of arms 82d are positioned on both sides of the second opening 82a in the left-right direction Y. Each arm 82d has a pair of connecting pieces 82i extending toward the lid 81 in the assembly direction D1, and a locking piece 82j connecting the tips of the pair of connecting pieces 82i. When the housing body 82 is assembled to the lid 81, the projection 81d of the lid 81 is inserted into the area enclosed by the pair of connecting pieces 82i, the locking piece 82j, and the outer edge of the second flange portion 82c. The housing body 82 is fixed to the lid 81 by the pair of projections 81d each catching on the pair of locking pieces 82j. In addition, because the tip surfaces of the projections 81d are inclined, when the housing body 82 is assembled to the lid 81, the locking piece 82j slides along the tip surfaces of the projections 81d, causing the pair of arms 82d to elastically deform. This allows the worker to easily hook the locking piece 82j onto the projection 81d.

[0056] The fixing plate portion 82e is plate-shaped and extends along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The fixing plate portion 82e is provided on the outer edge of the second flange portion 82c. The fixing plate portion 82e protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the second opening 82a. In this embodiment, the fixing plate portion 82e protrudes forward (+X). The fixing plate portion 82e is provided with a screw insertion hole 82h that penetrates the fixing plate portion 82e in the thickness direction. As shown in Figure 6, a fixing screw 59j is inserted into the screw insertion hole 82h. The fixing screw 59j is then tightened into the screw hole 59h of the cable guide 59. In this way, the fixing plate portion 82e is fixed to the cable guide 59.

[0057] As shown in Figure 9, the locking hook 84 is provided on the outer edge of the second flange portion 82c. The locking hook 84 protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the second opening 82a. In this embodiment, the locking hook 84 protrudes rearward (-X). The locking hook 84 and the fixing plate portion 82e are located on opposite sides of the second opening 82a in the front-rear direction X and protrude in the opposite direction of the front-rear direction X. The locking hook 84 has a crank-shaped first projection 84a, a second projection 84b, and a locking plate portion 84c. The first projection 84a extends rearward (-X) from the second flange portion 82c. The second projection 84b extends upward (+Z) from the tip of the first projection 84a. The locking plate portion 84c extends rearward (-X) from the upper end of the second projection 84b. The locking plate portion 84c is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the assembly direction D1. The locking plate portion 84c is provided with a downward-facing locking surface 84f. The locking surface 84f extends along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. As shown in Figure 6, with the refrigerant sensor unit 60 fixed to the cable guide 59, the locking hook 84 is inserted into the notch 59k of the cable guide 59. The locking surface 84f of the locking hook 84 is also provided with a notch 59k and faces and contacts the upper surface of the locking portion 59g. As a result, the locking hook 84 is locked to the locking portion 59g.

[0058] As shown in Figure 8, the sealing member 89 is sandwiched between the first flange portion 81c of the housing 80 and the second flange portion 82c of the housing body 82. The sealing member 89 is made of a sponge-like elastic material. The sealing member 89 is frame-shaped when viewed from the assembly direction D1. The sealing member 89 is compressed in the assembly direction D1 between the first flange portion 81c and the second flange portion 82c. As a result, the sealing member 89 seals the gap between the lid 81 and the housing body 82, sealing the housing space B to the outside.

[0059] The procedure for fixing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 to the cable guide 59 will be explained based on Figure 6. First, the worker inserts the locking hook 84 of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 into the notch 59k of the cable guide 59 from the front (+X). Next, the worker passes the fixing screw 59j through the screw insertion hole 82h of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and then tightens the fixing screw 59j into the screw hole 59h of the cable guide 59. As a result, the upper surface 60u of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 provided on the cover 81 comes into contact with and is pressed against the sensor support surface 59f of the cable guide 59. According to this embodiment, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be firmly fixed to the cable guide 59 by the step of tightening one fixing screw 59j.

[0060] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating region X in Figure 3, and is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the drain pan 40, control unit 50, and refrigerant sensor unit 60. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is located in the machine room 11B. The lower end wall portion 80c of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned along the bottom panel 11c of the housing 11. A small gap is provided between the lower surface of the lower end wall portion 80c and the upper surface of the bottom panel 11c. In addition, the first wall portion 80b, located above the lower end wall portion 80c, faces the bottom panel 11c in the vertical direction Z with a gap between them. As described above, the lower end wall portion 80c is provided with a gas inlet 80a that opens downward. The gas inlet 80a faces the bottom panel 11c.

[0061] In this embodiment, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned on the side of the drain pan 40, allowing for immediate detection of refrigerant gas overflowing from the drain pan 40. However, because the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned near the drain pan 40, there is a concern that if condensation water accumulated in the drain pan 40 flows out or splashes from the drain pan 40, the condensation water may enter the interior of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. In this embodiment, the gas inlet 80a of the housing 80 opens downwards, making it difficult for condensation water to enter the gas inlet 80a. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the effect of condensation water on the operation of the refrigerant sensor 70, thereby improving the reliability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0062] In this specification, the distance dimension in the vertical direction Z between the gas inlet 80a and the upper end 43p of the first side wall portion 43c is defined as the first vertical direction distance L1. Also, the distance dimension in the vertical direction Z between the gas inlet 80a and the bottom panel 11c is defined as the second vertical direction distance L2. In the present embodiment, the second vertical direction distance L2 is smaller than the first vertical direction distance L1 (L2 < L1). When the condensed water accumulated in the drain pan 40 flows out or scatters from the drain pan 40, the condensed water enters the machine room 11B beyond the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40. Therefore, by ensuring that the first vertical direction distance L1 is sufficiently large, it becomes difficult for the condensed water flowing out or scattering from the drain pan 40 to reach the gas inlet 80a. Also, by making the second vertical direction distance L2 sufficiently small, it becomes easier for the refrigerant gas accumulated above the bottom panel 11c to flow into the housing 80, and the responsiveness of the detection by the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be enhanced. That is, according to the present embodiment, by making the first vertical direction distance L1 relatively large and the second vertical direction distance L2 relatively small, the responsiveness of the detection can be enhanced while ensuring the reliability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0063] Also, FIG. 10 shows the center line CL located at the center in the left - right direction Y of the housing 80. In the present embodiment, the gas inlet 80a is located on the opposite side of the drain pan 40 with respect to the center line CL. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the gas inlet 80a is arranged on the right side (+Y) of the center in the left - right direction Y of the housing 80. According to the present embodiment, the gas inlet 80a can be arranged sufficiently separated from the drain pan 40 in the left - right direction Y, and the intrusion of condensed water into the housing 80 can be suppressed.

[0064] <Summary> As shown in Figure 1, the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment is the indoor unit 10 of an air conditioner 100. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the indoor unit 10 comprises a heat exchanger 14, a drain pan 40, a refrigerant sensor unit 60, and a housing 11. The heat exchanger 14 has a refrigerant flowing through its interior. The drain pan 40 is located below the heat exchanger 14. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 has a refrigerant sensor 70 capable of detecting vaporized refrigerant, and a housing 80 that houses the refrigerant sensor 70. The housing 11 houses the heat exchanger 14, the drain pan 40, and the refrigerant sensor unit 60. As shown in Figure 10, the drain pan 40 faces the heat exchanger 14 in the vertical direction Z and has a bottom portion 42 that extends in the left-right direction (first direction) Y that intersects the vertical direction Z, and a peripheral wall portion 43 that extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom portion 42. The peripheral wall portion 43 includes a first side wall portion 43c extending upward from the right (first side, +Y) end 42a of the bottom portion 42. The housing 11 has a bottom panel 11c located below the heat exchanger 14 and a first side panel 11d located to the right (+Y) of the heat exchanger 14. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is located in a machine room 11B provided between the first side wall portion 43c and the first side panel 11d, and its position in the front-to-back direction (second direction) X, which is perpendicular to both the vertical direction Z and the left-to-right direction Y, coincides with the drain pan 40. The housing 80 has a gas inlet 80a that opens downward. The vertical distance between the gas inlet 80a and the bottom panel 11c (second vertical distance L2) is smaller than the vertical distance between the gas inlet 80a and the upper end 43p of the first side wall portion 43c (first vertical distance L1).

[0065] With the above configuration, by positioning the drain pan 40 below the heat exchanger 14, refrigerant gas leaking from the heat exchanger 14 can be received by the drain pan 40. Furthermore, by positioning the refrigerant sensor unit 60 so that its position in the front-rear direction X coincides with the drain pan 40 to the right (+Y) of the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can immediately detect refrigerant gas overflowing from the drain pan 40 beyond the first side wall portion 43c. However, because the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is positioned near the heat exchanger 14, some of the condensation water received by the drain pan 40 is more likely to reach the refrigerant sensor unit 60 if it flows out or splashes from the drain pan 40. With the above configuration, by having the gas inlet 80a of the housing 80 open downwards, it is possible to suppress condensation water from entering the inside of the housing 80 through the gas inlet 80a. Furthermore, if condensation water flows out or splashes from the drain pan 40, the condensation water will exceed the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40 and reach the refrigerant sensor unit 60. With the above configuration, by ensuring a sufficiently large first vertical distance L1, it becomes difficult for condensation water to reach the gas inlet 80a from the drain pan 40, and the intrusion of condensation water into the housing 80 can be suppressed. As a result, the influence of condensation water on the operation of the refrigerant sensor 70 can be suppressed, and the reliability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be improved. In addition, with the above configuration, by making the second vertical distance L2 sufficiently small, refrigerant gas can be immediately allowed to flow into the housing 80 when it accumulates above the bottom panel 11c, and the responsiveness of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 in detecting refrigerant gas leakage can be improved.

[0066] In the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment, the gas inlet 80a is positioned to the right (+Y) of the center line CL, which is the center of the housing 80 in the left-right direction Y. With this configuration, compared to the case where the gas inlet 80a is positioned to the left (-Y) of the center line CL, the gas inlet 80a can be positioned at a sufficient distance from the drain pan 40 in the left-right direction Y. As a result, condensation water is less likely to reach the gas inlet 80a from the drain pan 40, the intrusion of condensation water into the housing 80 can be suppressed, and the reliability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be improved.

[0067] In the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment, the housing 80 has a first wall portion 80b through which a gas inlet 80a opens, and a second wall portion 80d extending downward from the left (-Y) end of the first wall portion 80b. As shown in Figure 8, the second wall portion 80d is positioned so that its position in the front-rear direction X coincides with the gas inlet 80a. With this configuration, the second wall portion 80d is positioned between the gas inlet 80a and the drain pan 40. Therefore, even if some of the condensation water scattered from the drain pan 40 adheres to the outer surface of the housing 80, the condensation water flows downward along the second wall portion 80d, making it difficult for it to reach the gas inlet 80a, thus suppressing the intrusion of condensation water into the gas inlet 80a.

[0068] As shown in Figure 6, the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment is located in the machine room 11B and includes an electrical component box 52 that houses a control board 51 or terminal block 54, and a cable guide 59 fixed to the lower part of the electrical component box 52 that guides a cable 53 connected to the control board 51 or terminal block 54 into the electrical component box 52. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is detachably fixed to the cable guide 59. With this configuration, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be fixed to the electrical component box 52 using the cable guide 59. Therefore, there is no need to prepare separate parts for fixing the refrigerant sensor unit 60, and the number of parts in the indoor unit 10 can be reduced, thereby saving resources. Furthermore, since the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is detachable from the cable guide 59, maintenance of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is made easier.

[0069] In this embodiment, the indoor unit 10 is fixed to the cable guide 59 and includes a receiving device 58 that receives radio waves from the remote controller 10a transmitted from the front (third side, +X). The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is located behind the receiving device 58 (fourth side, -X), and at least a portion of it overlaps with the receiving device 58 when viewed from the front-to-back direction X. By arranging the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and the receiving device 58 side by side in the front-to-back direction X, the area behind the receiving device 58 (-X) can be effectively utilized, and the enlargement of the machine room 11B associated with the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by arranging the refrigerant sensor unit 60 behind the receiving device 58 (-X), interference between the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and the radio waves reaching the receiving device 58 from the remote controller 10a can be suppressed.

[0070] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described above, and the following configurations and methods may also be adopted. Furthermore, the configurations and methods described herein can be combined as appropriate, within the bounds of non-inconsistency.

[0071] For example, the above-described embodiment described the case in which the refrigerant sensor unit is used in a wall-mounted indoor unit. However, the refrigerant sensor unit of the embodiment can also be used in other types of indoor units, and can be widely used in various devices equipped with ventilation means other than air conditioners. The method of attaching the refrigerant sensor unit in the above-described embodiment is just one example, and the refrigerant sensor unit may be fixed to the cable guide in any configuration as long as it is detachable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 10...Indoor unit, 10a...Remote controller, 11...Housing, 11c...Bottom panel, 11d...First side panel (side panel), 11B...Machine room, 14...Heat exchanger, 20...Outdoor unit, 30...Refrigerant circuit, 33...Refrigerant, 40...Drain pan, 42...Bottom, 42a...End, 43...Peripheral wall, 43c...First side wall (side wall), 43p...Top, 51...Control board, 52...Electrical component box, 52a...Lower part, 53...Cable Bull, 54...Terminal block, 58...Receiver, 59...Cable guide, 60...Refrigerant sensor unit, 70...Refrigerant sensor, 80...Housing, 80a...Gas inlet, 80b...First wall section, 80d...Second wall section, 100...Air conditioner, X...Front / back direction (second direction), +X...Front (third side), -X...Rear (fourth side), Y...Left / right direction (first direction), +Y...Right (first side), -Y...Left (second side), Z...Vertical direction

Claims

1. It is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, A heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows, A drain pan is located below the heat exchanger, A refrigerant sensor unit having a refrigerant sensor capable of detecting the vaporized refrigerant, and a housing for housing the refrigerant sensor, The heat exchanger, the drain pan, and the housing that houses the refrigerant sensor unit, An electrical component box that houses a control board or terminal block inside, The electrical component box is equipped with a cable guide fixed to the lower part of the electrical component box, which guides the cable connected to the control board or the terminal block into the interior of the electrical component box. The drain pan is, A bottom portion that faces the heat exchanger in the vertical direction and extends in a first direction intersecting the vertical direction, It has a peripheral wall portion extending upward from the outer edge of the bottom portion, The peripheral wall portion includes a side wall portion extending upward from the first end of the bottom portion in the first direction, The aforementioned enclosure is A bottom panel located below the heat exchanger, The heat exchanger has a side panel located on the first side, The refrigerant sensor unit is located in a machine room provided between the side wall and the side panel, and its position in a second direction perpendicular to both the vertical and the first direction coincides with the drain pan. The housing has a gas inlet that opens downward, The vertical distance between the gas inlet and the bottom panel is smaller than the vertical distance between the gas inlet and the upper end of the side wall. The aforementioned electrical equipment box is located in the machine room. The refrigerant sensor unit is detachably fixed to the cable guide. Indoor unit.

2. The cable guide is fixed to the receiving device which receives radio waves from the remote controller transmitted from the third side in the second direction, The refrigerant sensor unit is located on the fourth side in the second direction relative to the receiving device, and at least a portion of it overlaps with the receiving device when viewed from the second direction. The indoor unit according to claim 1.

3. The gas inlet is positioned on the first side of the center of the housing in the first direction. The indoor unit according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned housing is The first wall portion through which the gas inlet opens, It has a second wall portion extending downward from the second end of the first wall portion in the first direction, The second wall portion is positioned such that its position in the second direction coincides with the gas inlet. The indoor unit according to claim 1.

5. An indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A refrigerant circuit through which the refrigerant circulates, Equipped with an outdoor unit, Air conditioner.

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