Outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle system

The outdoor unit design with a cover member and resin layer addresses the risk of ignition in heat pump cycle systems by preventing refrigerant leakage into the varistor cover, ensuring safety even under high voltage conditions.

JP7845540B1Active Publication Date: 2026-04-14GENERAL CO LTD
View PDF 7 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
GENERAL CO LTD
Filing Date
2025-03-26
Publication Date
2026-04-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing heat pump cycle systems using flammable refrigerants face the risk of ignition due to refrigerant leakage into the varistor cover, which can ignite when the varistor bursts under high voltage.

Method used

An outdoor unit design with a cover member and a resin layer that covers the overvoltage protection element, ensuring the resin layer's upper surface is higher than the cover member's lower end to prevent refrigerant leakage into the varistor cover.

Benefits of technology

Reduces the risk of ignition by preventing flammable refrigerant from entering the varistor cover, even when high voltage is applied, thereby enhancing safety.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 0007845540000001_ABST
    Figure 0007845540000001_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

Even if an unexpectedly high voltage is applied to an overvoltage protection element such as a varistor, the risk of ignition when using a flammable refrigerant is reduced by preventing the flammable refrigerant that has leaked into the varistor cover from entering the interior. [Solution] An outdoor unit 1 of a heat pump cycle device S, which includes an electrical component box 5 that houses a substrate 6 equipped with an overvoltage protection element O, and uses a flammable refrigerant as the refrigerant, wherein on the mounting surface of the substrate 6 on which a plurality of elements including the overvoltage protection element O are mounted, a cover member 40 that covers the overvoltage protection element O is attached to the overvoltage protection element O, and a resin layer R coated with a first resin P1 that covers the mounting surface and the elements mounted on the mounting surface is provided, and the resin layer R is provided such that the height of the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R from the mounting surface is such that the height of the first resin P1 that contacts the cover member 40 is at least greater than or equal to the lower end of the cover member 40.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , , , , , , ,

[0005] , , , , ,

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device.

Background Art

[0002] In heat pump cycle devices such as air conditioners, generally, devices such as compressors and reactors are arranged in the machine room of the outdoor unit. Also, an electrical component box containing electrical components for controlling the heat pump cycle device is arranged in the outdoor unit. Inside the electrical component box, boards driven at high voltage, such as an inverter board and a power supply board, are arranged.

[0003] And on the board, a surge countermeasure circuit for protecting elements to be protected, such as electrolytic capacitors, from surge voltages and unexpected high voltages is mounted. This surge countermeasure circuit is composed of, for example, electronic components such as fuses and varistors. And for example, the varistor is covered with a varistor cover. This varistor cover serves to prevent the scattering of fragments even when a surge voltage or the like is applied to the varistor and the varistor bursts.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] At the same time, measures must be taken in case of refrigerant leakage. However, in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, as mentioned above, a through-hole is provided in the substrate. Therefore, the space between the lower end of the varistor cover and the substrate surface is not airtight, and if refrigerant leaks, it is conceivable that the leaked refrigerant could enter the inside of the varistor cover through the through-hole. Then, with the leaked refrigerant inside the varistor cover, there is a possibility that the sparks generated when the varistor ignites or ruptures could ignite the refrigerant. When a varistor repeatedly absorbs overvoltage, its resistance decreases due to deterioration, increasing the leakage current and causing it to heat up, leading to ignition or rupture.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle system that can reduce the risk of ignition when using a flammable refrigerant by preventing flammable refrigerant leaking into the inside of the varistor cover, even when an unexpectedly high voltage is applied to an overvoltage protection element such as a varistor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an electrical component box that houses a circuit board equipped with an overvoltage protection element, and uses a flammable refrigerant as the refrigerant. On the mounting surface of the circuit board on which a plurality of elements, including the overvoltage protection element, are mounted, a cover member is attached to the overvoltage protection element, and a resin layer coated with a first resin is provided to cover the mounting surface and the elements mounted on the mounting surface. The resin layer is provided such that the height of the upper surface of the resin layer from the mounting surface is such that at least the height of the first resin in contact with the cover member is greater than or equal to the lower end of the cover member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, even if an unexpectedly high voltage is applied to an overvoltage protection element such as a varistor, it is possible to provide an outdoor unit for a heat pump cycle system that can reduce the risk of ignition when using a flammable refrigerant by preventing flammable refrigerant leaking into the inside of the varistor cover. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a refrigerant circuit diagram of a heat pump cycle device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an external perspective view showing the entire outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the entire outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the front panel and top panel removed to reveal the interior. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the cover of the electrical component box removed. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing an example of a cover member that covers an overvoltage protection element according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the height of the insertion opening in the cover member covering the mounted overvoltage protection element and the height of the upper surface of the resin layer formed by the first resin, in a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is an enlarged perspective view of a second substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken from the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the height of the cover member covering the mounted overvoltage protection element and the height of the upper surface of the resin layer formed by the first resin in a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention, obtained by cutting the second substrate along line AA shown in Figure 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The schematic structure of the heat pump cycle device S according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of the heat pump cycle device S according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] In general, examples of heat pump cycle devices include devices such as air conditioners, heat pump water heaters, and warm water heating devices. The heat pump cycle device S exemplified in the embodiment of the present invention includes a so-called water circuit in which water is used as a secondary refrigerant on the secondary side of the refrigerant circuit, and is configured to perform air conditioning of a living room space through this water circuit.

[0013] The heat pump cycle device S includes an outdoor unit 1, a relay unit 2, and an indoor unit 3. The heat pump cycle device S also includes a primary refrigerant circuit C1 in which the outdoor unit 1 and the relay unit 2 are connected by a refrigerant pipe and the primary refrigerant circulates. On the other hand, the relay unit 2 and the indoor unit 3 are connected by a refrigerant pipe and include a secondary refrigerant circuit C2 in which the secondary refrigerant circulates.

[0014] <{ The outdoor unit 1 includes a compressor 11, a four-way valve 12, an outdoor heat exchanger 13, and a decompression mechanism 14, each of which is connected to the primary refrigerant circuit C1. The compressor 11 sucks the refrigerant that has circulated through the primary refrigerant circuit C1, compresses it, and discharges it into the refrigerant circuit C1.

[0015] In addition, a four-way valve 12 is provided between the compressor 11 and the relay unit 2, and between the compressor 11 and the outdoor heat exchanger 13. The four-way valve 12 switches whether the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows to the relay unit 2 side or the outdoor heat exchanger 13 side.

[0016] The outdoor heat exchanger 13 is disposed inside the outdoor unit 1. For example, in the case of heating operation, in the outdoor heat exchanger 13, the primary refrigerant flowing out from the relay unit 2 and the air (outside air) flowing into the outdoor unit 1 are heat-exchanged to evaporate the primary refrigerant.

[0017] In the primary refrigerant circuit C1, a pressure reducing mechanism 14 is provided between the relay unit 2 and the outdoor heat exchanger 13. The pressure reducing mechanism 14 is, for example, an expansion valve, and reduces the pressure of the primary refrigerant that has passed through the relay unit 2 or the outdoor heat exchanger 13.

[0018] In addition, for other devices that the outdoor unit 1 usually has, such as an outdoor fan, etc., although their drawing is omitted in FIG. 1, they will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0019] The relay unit 2 thermally connects (relays) the primary refrigerant circuit C1 in which the primary refrigerant circulates and the secondary refrigerant circuit C2 in which the secondary refrigerant described later circulates. A secondary refrigerant circuit C2 in which the secondary refrigerant circulates is connected to the relay unit 2. The secondary refrigerant circuit C2 is connected to a circulation pump 21 for circulating the secondary refrigerant, an intermediate heat exchanger 22 for performing heat exchange between the secondary refrigerant and the primary refrigerant, and an indoor unit 3.

[0020] In FIG. 1 showing the heat pump cycle device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, each of the outdoor unit 1, the relay unit 2, and the indoor unit 3 described later is surrounded by a dashed line to show its configuration. Among these, the relay unit 2 may be arranged inside the outdoor unit 1 or inside the indoor unit 3, or may be arranged independently of the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 3.

[0021] The circulation pump 21 circulates the secondary refrigerant in the secondary refrigerant circuit C2. For example, water is used as the secondary refrigerant. On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, the primary refrigerant circulating in the primary refrigerant circuit C1 is, for example, a flammable refrigerant such as R290.

[0022] In the intermediate heat exchanger 22, heat exchange is performed between the primary refrigerant circulating in the primary refrigerant circuit C1 and the secondary refrigerant circulating in the secondary refrigerant circuit C2. The secondary refrigerant flowing out of the intermediate heat exchanger 22 flows into the indoor unit 3 and exchanges heat with the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger 31. Here, the indoor unit 3 is, for example, a fan coil unit or a floor heating device that uses water as a refrigerant to perform heating and cooling.

[0023] Note that in the relay unit 2 shown in Figure 1, only the circulation pump 21 and intermediate heat exchanger 22 are depicted, but other equipment may also be included. Similarly, in the indoor unit 3, only the indoor heat exchanger 31 is depicted, and other equipment included in the indoor unit 3, such as the indoor fan, is omitted from the depiction.

[0024] To illustrate the function of this relay unit 2, let's first consider the case where heating operation is performed in the indoor unit 3 as an example. During heating operation, the primary refrigerant, which has been compressed by the outdoor unit's compressor 11 into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas phase state, is supplied to the intermediate heat exchanger 22.

[0025] The primary refrigerant, in a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous phase state, flows through the intermediate heat exchanger 22 and exchanges heat with water, which is the secondary refrigerant circulating in the secondary refrigerant circuit C2. This exchange of heat with the water is then heated and flows into the indoor unit 3.

[0026] In the indoor heat exchanger 31 of the indoor unit 3, the incoming water (secondary refrigerant) exchanges heat with the indoor air drawn in by the indoor fan (not shown) of the indoor unit 3, thereby releasing heat. The air that has exchanged heat with the secondary refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger 31 is heated and supplied to the room. The secondary refrigerant that has exchanged heat with the air flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 31 and flows back into the circulation pump 21.

[0027] The primary refrigerant, in liquid phase after passing through the intermediate heat exchanger 22, passes through the depressurization mechanism 14, where it is depressurized and becomes a low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase state. The primary refrigerant, now in a depressurized gas-liquid two-phase state, then flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 13. The low-temperature primary refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 13 absorbs heat and evaporates by exchanging heat with the outside air taken in by an outdoor fan (not shown in Figure 1), becoming a gaseous state.

[0028] The primary refrigerant, in its gaseous phase state, that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 13 returns to the compressor 11, for example, via an accumulator (not shown). The primary refrigerant is then compressed in the compressor 11 and returns to a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous phase state.

[0029] Next, the function of the relay unit 2 when the indoor unit 3 is operating in cooling mode is as follows. First, the four-way valve 12 is switched from the state shown in Figure 1 so that the primary refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows to the outdoor heat exchanger 13 side.

[0030] As a result of the four-way valve 12 being switched in this manner, the primary refrigerant circulates through the primary refrigerant circuit C1 in the following order: the compressor 11, the four-way valve 12, the outdoor heat exchanger 13, the pressure reducing mechanism 14, the intermediate heat exchanger 22, the four-way valve 12, and the compressor 11, all located in the outdoor unit 1.

[0031] Meanwhile, the secondary refrigerant circulates within the secondary refrigerant circuit C2 in the following order: circulation pump 21 located inside the relay unit 2, intermediate heat exchanger 22, indoor heat exchanger 31 of the indoor unit 3, and circulation pump 21. This flow of secondary refrigerant remains unchanged whether the unit is operating in heating or cooling mode.

[0032] During cooling operation, the primary refrigerant, which has been compressed by the outdoor unit's compressor 11 into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous phase state, is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 13. The high-temperature, high-pressure primary refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 13 exchanges heat with the outside air taken into the outdoor heat exchanger 13 by an outdoor fan (not shown in Figure 1), releasing heat and condensing into a liquid phase state.

[0033] The primary refrigerant, which is in a liquid phase state, passes through the depressurization mechanism 14, where it is depressurized and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase state. This primary refrigerant then flows into the intermediate heat exchanger 22 of the relay unit 2. The low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase primary refrigerant flowing through the intermediate heat exchanger 22 absorbs heat and evaporates into a gas phase state by exchanging heat with the secondary refrigerant circulating in the secondary refrigerant circuit C2, such as water. The water that has exchanged heat with the low-temperature, low-pressure primary refrigerant passing through the intermediate heat exchanger 22 is cooled and flows into the indoor unit 3.

[0034] In the indoor heat exchanger 31 of the indoor unit 3, the incoming water (secondary refrigerant) absorbs heat by exchanging heat with the indoor air drawn in by the indoor fan (not shown) of the indoor unit 3. The air that has exchanged heat with the secondary refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger 31 is cooled and supplied to the room. The secondary refrigerant that has exchanged heat with the air flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 31 and flows back into the circulation pump 21.

[0035] The primary refrigerant, in a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase state, passes through the intermediate heat exchanger 22 and then through the four-way valve 12, and returns to the compressor 11 via an accumulator (not shown), for example. There, the primary refrigerant is compressed again and returns to a high-temperature, high-pressure gas phase state.

[0036] In addition, as shown in Figure 1, the heat pump cycle device S includes an electrical component box 5 inside the outdoor unit 1, which houses a circuit board that supplies driving power to the load and a circuit board that controls the load. The placement of the electrical component box 5 in the outdoor unit 1 will be explained next using Figures 2 and 3.

[0037] Next, the outdoor unit 1 in an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is an external perspective view showing the entire outdoor unit 1 of the heat pump cycle device S according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] The outdoor unit 1 is equipped with a box-shaped casing 15. That is, as shown in Figure 2, when the outdoor unit 1 is installed on a horizontal plane, the vertical direction (up and down direction in the drawing) is referred to as vertical, and when the outdoor unit 1 shown in Figure 2 is viewed from the front panel 151 side, which will be described later, the left and right direction is referred to as horizontal.

[0039] In the following description of the outdoor unit, we will use the outdoor unit 1, which has the shape shown in Figure 2, as an example. However, in addition to the shape shown in Figure 2, the shape (aspect ratio) of the outdoor unit 1 can be freely set depending on the size and number of various devices installed inside the housing 15.

[0040] In the following explanation, the up and down directions will be described as upper / lower and the left / right directions as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2. Furthermore, the front panel 151 visible in the front of the drawing will be referred to as the front, and the opposite side, the rear, will be referred to as the rear. The same applies to Figures 2 and subsequent figures.

[0041] The enclosure 15 has six sides: a front panel 151 located at the front, a rear panel 152 located at the rear opposite the front panel 151, a top panel 153 located above, a bottom panel 154 on which the compressor 11 and outdoor heat exchanger 13 are mounted, a left side panel 155 located to the left of the front panel 151, and a right side panel 156 located to the right of the front panel 151. Intake ports (not shown) are formed in the rear panel 152 and the left side panel 155.

[0042] The front panel 151, together with the front service panel 158 (described later), constitutes the front panel FP. A fan guard 157 is provided on the front side of the front panel 151. This is positioned in front of the outdoor fan 16 (described later) to prevent direct access to the outdoor fan 16 (preventing fingers or other objects from touching the rotating outdoor fan 16).

[0043] Furthermore, a front service panel 158 is provided to the right of the fan guard 157. This front service panel 158 is normally fixed with screws, and can be removed by unscrewing the screws. Therefore, in the event of a malfunction in equipment located in the outdoor unit 1, such as the compressor 11, the screws can be removed to detach the front service panel 158, making it easier to access the equipment located inside the housing 15.

[0044] The rotation of the outdoor fan 16 causes outside air to flow into the housing 15 through an intake port (not shown) located on the rear or left side of the housing 15. The outside air that flows into the housing 15 and exchanges heat with the primary refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is blown out to the front of the housing 15 through an outlet 159 located on the front panel 151 of the housing 15.

[0045] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the entire outdoor unit 1 of a heat pump cycle device S according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the front panel FP (front plate 151, front service panel 158), fan guard 157, and top plate 153 removed.

[0046] Inside the casing 15 of the outdoor unit 1, a partition plate 17 is positioned to divide the interior of the casing 15 into left and right sections. This partition plate 17 divides the interior of the casing 15 into a left-side fan compartment 18 and a right-side machine compartment 19.

[0047] An outdoor heat exchanger 13 and an outdoor fan 16 are arranged in the blower chamber 18. In this embodiment of the present invention, the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is formed in a substantially L-shape. The shorter portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is positioned to face an intake port (not shown) formed in the left side panel 155 of the housing 15.

[0048] An outdoor heat exchanger 13 and an outdoor fan 16 are arranged in the blower chamber 18. In this embodiment of the present invention, the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is formed in a substantially L-shape. The short portion 13a of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 is positioned to face an intake port (not shown) formed in the left side panel 155 of the housing 15. The long portion 13b of the outdoor heat exchanger 13, which is formed in a substantially L-shape when viewed from above, is positioned to face an intake port (not shown) formed in the back panel 152 of the housing 15.

[0049] The outdoor fan 16 is positioned in front of the outdoor heat exchanger 13, between the longitudinal portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 and the front panel 151 in the front-to-back direction of the fan chamber 18. An outlet 159 is provided on the front side of the outdoor fan 16. Therefore, as the outdoor fan 16 rotates, outside air taken in from the intake ports located on the rear and left sides of the housing 15 undergoes heat exchange with the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 13 and is blown out from the front outlet 159.

[0050] The machine room 19 houses a compressor 11, a four-way valve 12, and a pressure reducing mechanism 14. In addition to the equipment listed above, the machine room 19 also houses various other devices and various types of piping connecting these devices, but descriptions of equipment other than those necessary for the explanation of the present invention will be omitted.

[0051] The front end of the partition plate 17 in the front-rear direction is connected to the inner surface of the front panel 151, and the rear end of the partition plate 17 in the front-rear direction is connected to and fixed to the end of the outdoor heat exchanger 13 on the machine room 19 side. As a result, a gap is formed between the rear end of the partition plate 17 in the front-rear direction and the back panel 152 that is large enough to accommodate the outdoor heat exchanger 13, which will be described later.

[0052] An electrical component box 5 is positioned above the blower room 18 and the machine room 19, straddling both rooms. The electrical component box 5 is located inside the enclosure 15 and houses electrical components and wires that supply power to loads such as the compressor 11 and the outdoor fan 16.

[0053] Furthermore, the electrical component box 5 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is a box-like structure with six sides. As described above, the electrical component box 5 is positioned such that its bottom surface 51 faces the blower room 18 and the machine room 19. In addition, four sides are formed rising upward from the four edges of the bottom surface 51.

[0054] Figure 4 is a plan view of the outdoor unit 1 of a heat pump cycle device S according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the electrical component box 5 with the cover 57 removed. As shown in Figure 4, of these four sides, the side 52 formed on the left short side of the housing 15 faces the short side of the L-shaped outdoor heat exchanger 13. Therefore, this side 52 faces the left side panel 155 of the housing 15 with the outdoor heat exchanger 13 in between. Also, the side 53 formed on the rear long side of the housing 15 faces the long side of the L-shaped outdoor heat exchanger 13. This side 53 faces the back panel 152 of the housing 15 with the outdoor heat exchanger 13 in between.

[0055] Furthermore, the side 54 formed on the right short side of the housing 15 faces the right side panel 156 of the housing 15, with the terminal box 55 attached to the side 54 of the electrical component box 5 in between. On the other hand, the side 56 formed on the front long side of the housing 15 faces the front panel 151 and the front service panel 158.

[0056] The electrical component box 5 is formed into a box shape by the bottom surface 51 and these sides which are formed to be continuous with the four sides of the bottom surface 51. Electrical components and wires connected to them, which will be described later, are housed inside.

[0057] Then, adjacent to these four sides, a cover 57, as shown in Figure 3, is detachably attached in a position opposite the bottom surface 51 and the electrical components it houses. In the perspective view of the inside of the housing 15 shown in Figure 3, the cover 57 is shown attached to the electrical component box 5, and the inside of the electrical component box 5 is not visible.

[0058] On the other hand, Figure 4 shows the outdoor unit 1, which was shown in the perspective view in Figure 3, viewed from above, and the electrical component box 5 is shown with the cover 57 removed. As mentioned above, the sides 52 and 53 are arranged to be roughly surrounded by the outdoor heat exchanger 13.

[0059] However, the entire length of the side surface 53 does not face the longitudinal portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 13; approximately the right one-third does not face the outdoor heat exchanger 13. This is because, as described above, the electrical equipment box 5 in this embodiment of the present invention is arranged across the fan room 18 and the machine room 19. Although not shown in the plan view of Figure 4, a partition plate 17 is connected at the end of the longitudinal portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 13.

[0060] As shown in the plan view of the housing 15 in Figure 4, two circuit boards 6 are arranged on the bottom surface 51 inside the electrical component box 5. The circuit board 6 closer to the side surface 52 will be referred to as the "first circuit board 61" for convenience, and the circuit board 6 located to its right will be referred to as the "second circuit board 62" for convenience. When providing a description common to both circuit boards, they will be collectively referred to as "circuit board 6," and when describing each circuit board individually, they will be referred to as "first circuit board 61" and "second circuit board 62" as described above.

[0061] As shown in Figure 4, with the cover 57 removed, two circuit boards 6 are visible. Various electrical components are mounted on these circuit boards 6 (hereinafter, the side of the circuit board 6 on which the electrical components are mounted will be referred to as the "mounting side" as appropriate). However, for the sake of explanation, these electrical components are not shown in Figure 4. In this example, the circuit board 6 consists of two circuit boards, but the number of circuit boards can be arbitrarily set as long as the contents of the present invention described below are satisfied.

[0062] Furthermore, in the electrical component box 5 shown in Figure 4, the wires arranged inside the electrical component box 5, and the wires connecting the circuit board 6 and the various parts provided on the outdoor unit 1 outside the electrical component box 5, are not depicted.

[0063] The first circuit board 61 is provided with a power supply unit 611 and a drive unit 612. The drive unit 612 also includes an inverter unit. In the following description, the inverter unit will be appropriately denoted by the same reference numerals as the drive unit. On the other hand, the second circuit board 62 is provided with a control unit 621 and a filter unit 622.

[0064] The filter unit 622 is located at the external power input of the outdoor unit and removes noise contained in the external power supply to which the outdoor unit 1 is connected. The power supply unit 611 consists of an AC / DC converter, etc., and receives the power from which noise has been removed in the filter unit 622, converting the AC external power supply to DC. The drive unit (inverter unit) 612 converts the DC to AC by switching control of power elements such as IGBTs and supplies the power necessary to drive the compressor 11. The control unit 621 is connected to the power supply unit 611 and the inverter unit 612 and transmits control signals to each of them.

[0065] In other words, the power supplied to the heat pump cycle device S from an external power source is input to the filter unit 622 via wires that are drawn through the machine room 19, from the terminal box 55 to the electrical equipment box 5 via the cable gland 7.

[0066] Multiple cable glands 7 are provided on the right side of the second circuit board 62. The cable glands 7 allow electrical wires to be passed between the inside and outside of the electrical component box 5 while maintaining airtightness inside the electrical component box 5.

[0067] While various types of cable glands 7 exist, as mentioned above, the heat pump cycle device S in the embodiment of the present invention uses highly flammable R290 (propane) as the primary refrigerant. Since the electrical wires are routed from the electrical equipment box 5 to the machine room 19, it is necessary to prevent the leaked primary refrigerant from entering the electrical equipment box 5 via the cable gland 7 if it leaks in the machine room 19. The cable gland 7 is made of a flame-retardant material.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, in the electrical component box 5 of the embodiment of the present invention, the cable glands 7 are provided on the right side inside the electrical component box 5, as described above, with two on the bottom surface 51, and two each on the side surface 54 and side surface 56.

[0069] The cable gland 7 located on the bottom surface 51 is used to pass wires downward from the electrical equipment box 5 to the machine room 19. On the other hand, the cable gland 7 located on the side surface 54 is used to pass wires out to the terminal box 55 before passing them to the machine room 19. Furthermore, the cable gland 7 located on the side surface 56 is used to pass wires out to the front side of the housing 15 before passing them to the machine room 19.

[0070] Looking at the second substrate 62 shown in Figure 4, the mounting surface 62a is provided with a plurality of partition members 8 that demarcate a part of the second substrate 62. On this second substrate 62, the control unit 621 and the filter unit 622 are separated by the largest partition member 8a. Furthermore, the first resin P1 is applied to the mounting surface 62a in the area of ​​the filter unit 622 and other areas, such as within the control unit 621 that are demarcated by the partition members 8.

[0071] The first resin P1 is a silicone-based resin that has excellent durability (weather resistance) against ultraviolet rays and humidity, and whose viscosity does not change in environments below a specified temperature (for example, 105°C).

[0072] Furthermore, in the second substrate 62 of the embodiment of the present invention, the filter portion 622 to which the first resin P1 is applied is a place where a large current flows, and as will be described later, if leaked flammable refrigerant enters, it is highly likely to become a source of ignition. Therefore, by covering the elements mounted on the filter portion 622 with the first resin P1, ignition of leaked refrigerant is prevented.

[0073] On the other hand, the area of ​​the control unit 621 partitioned by the partition member 8a is not coated with the first resin P1. This is because the current flowing through the control unit 621 is small, and therefore it is considered unlikely to become a source of ignition.

[0074] Although not shown in Figure 4, an overvoltage protection element is mounted on the mounting surface 62a. This overvoltage protection element is a component that prevents malfunction or damage to the circuit provided on the substrate when a voltage higher than expected is applied due to static electricity, lightning surges, etc. Examples of such voltage protection elements include varistors and arresters.

[0075] In the outdoor unit 1 of the heat pump cycle device S in the embodiment of the present invention, a varistor is mounted in the filter section 622. A disc varistor with lead wires is preferably used as the varistor.

[0076] In the outdoor unit 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, an overvoltage protection element of this form is used, and a cover member is attached to the overvoltage protection element. Figure 5 is a plan view showing an example of a cover member 40 that covers the overvoltage protection element O according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0077] The cover member 40 shown in Figure 5 is formed in a flattened shape and is shaped to match the shape of the leaded disc varistor. Because the cover member 40 is formed in this shape, the left-right direction in the drawing of the cover member 40 shown in Figure 5 is referred to as the width direction.

[0078] The cover member 40 includes a housing section 41 for housing the overvoltage protection element O, and an insertion section 42 formed continuously from the housing section 41 and having an insertion opening 42a for inserting the overvoltage protection element O. In Figure 5, a dashed circle is shown in the housing section 41. This indicates that the disc-shaped portion of the overvoltage protection element O is housed in the housing section 41.

[0079] The insertion part 42 is formed such that its width dimension decreases from the insertion port 42a toward the connection part 43 with the storage part 41. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, if the width dimensions (width sizes) in the width direction at two locations of the connection part 43 between the storage part 41 and the insertion part 42 are L1, and the width dimension of the insertion port 42a is L2, the two are formed such that the relationship L1 < L2 holds. This is to make it difficult for the cover member 40 to come off from the overvoltage protection element O after the overvoltage protection element O is stored in the storage part 41.

[0080] The material of the cover member 40 is selected such that no deformation or compositional modification occurs in an environment at or below a predetermined temperature (for example, 105°C). In the embodiment of the present invention, the cover member 40 is formed of vinyl chloride.

[0081] Also, when the cover member 40 is attached to the overvoltage protection element O, the insertion port 42a located at the lower end of the cover member 40 is arranged at a position facing the mounting surface 62a. That is, when the overvoltage protection element O is mounted on the mounting surface 62a, as shown in FIG. 5, the lead wire is fixed to the mounting surface 62a, and the disk-shaped part is located above the mounting surface 62a. Therefore, when the cover member 40 is placed over the overvoltage protection element O, the insertion port 42a is arranged away from the mounting surface 62a at a position close to the mounting surface 62a below the disk-shaped part of the overvoltage protection element O.

[0082] The specific procedure for attaching the cover member 40 over the overvoltage protection element O is as follows. First, the lead wire of the overvoltage protection element O is connected and mounted to the mounting surface 62a by soldering or the like. After that, the cover member 40 is attached to the overvoltage protection element O. First, the insertion port 42a of the cover member 40 is applied to the disk-shaped part of the overvoltage protection element O, and the cover member 40 is pushed toward the mounting surface 62a and the disk-shaped part of the overvoltage protection element O is housed in the storage part 41.

[0083] When the cover member 40 is attached to the overvoltage protection element O in this manner, the widest diameter disc portion of the overvoltage protection element O gets caught at the connection portion 43. This is because, as is clear from Figure 5, the width L1 between the connection portions 43, 43 is shorter than the width of the disc.

[0084] However, as mentioned above, the cover member 40 is made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride. Therefore, even if the disc-shaped portion gets caught at the connection portion 43, the cover member 40 stretches slightly, allowing the largest diameter disc-shaped portion of the overvoltage protection element O to pass through the connection portion 43.

[0085] The entire disc-shaped portion of the overvoltage protection element O is then housed in the housing 41. At this time, as shown by the dashed line in the cover member 40 in Figure 5, much of the outer edge of the disc-shaped portion of the overvoltage protection element O comes into contact with the housing 41. Therefore, the cover member 40 cannot be pulled down any further toward the mounting surface 62a. When the cover member 40 is attached to the overvoltage protection element O, the insertion opening 42a located at the lower end of the cover member 40 is positioned facing the mounting surface 62a and is located at a predetermined distance from the mounting surface 62a. Here, the predetermined distance between the lower end of the cover member 40 and the mounting surface 62a is set to prevent the lower end of the cover member 40 from hitting the mounting surface 62a when the cover member 40 is pushed in and attached to the overvoltage protection element O, which would prevent the disc-shaped portion of the overvoltage protection element O from fitting into the housing 41, and to ensure that the lower end of the cover member 40 is covered with the first resin P1 without applying an excessive amount of the first resin P1.

[0086] As described above, the mounting surface 62a of the filter portion 622 of the second substrate 62 is coated with the first resin P1 and covered with the first resin P1. The first resin P1 is applied after the cover member 40 is attached to the overvoltage protection element O.

[0087] As mentioned above, the insertion opening 42a located at the lower end of the cover member 40 is positioned facing the mounting surface 62a and is located at a predetermined distance from the mounting surface 62a. In other words, there is a gap between the insertion opening 42a of the cover member 40 and the mounting surface 62a. If flammable refrigerant leaks and reaches the filter section 622, the flammable refrigerant will enter the interior of the cover member 40 through this gap.

[0088] In this state, with the flammable refrigerant having entered the interior of the cover member 40, if an overvoltage is applied to the second substrate 62 and the overvoltage protection element O ruptures, the sparks generated by the ignition or rupture of the overvoltage protection element O may act as an ignition source, potentially igniting the flammable refrigerant.

[0089] Therefore, in the outdoor unit 1 of the heat pump cycle device S in the embodiment of the present invention, even if flammable refrigerant leaks, the amount of the first resin P1 applied to the mounting surface of the substrate 6 is controlled to seal the insertion opening 42a of the cover member 40 with the first resin P1, thereby preventing the flammable refrigerant from leaking. This prevents intrusion into the interior of the cover member 40.

[0090] More specifically, the first resin P1 is applied to the mounting surface 62a such that the upper surface of the resin layer formed by the application of the first resin P1 is at a height equal to or greater than the lower end (insertion opening 42a) of the cover member 40.

[0091] As described above, by applying the first resin P1, airtightness inside the cover member 40 can be maintained, thereby blocking the flow of air between the inside and outside of the cover member 40. In other words, even if flammable refrigerant leaks and enters the inside of the electrical component box 5, it is possible to prevent the flammable refrigerant from entering the inside of the cover member 40. If flammable refrigerant does not enter the interior of the cover member 40, it is possible to prevent the flammable refrigerant from igniting even if the overvoltage protection element O ruptures due to overvoltage.

[0092] As mentioned earlier, the first resin P1 is a silicone-based resin, and the cover member 40 is made of polyvinyl chloride. Both silicone-based resins and polyvinyl chloride are chemically stable, and chemical reactions are unlikely to occur even when they come into contact.

[0093] Therefore, simply having the first resin P1 in contact with the insertion opening 42a of the cover member 40 may result in insufficient adhesion between the two to prevent leaked flammable refrigerant from entering the interior of the cover member 40.

[0094] Therefore, in order to more reliably prevent the intrusion of flammable refrigerant into the interior of the cover member 40, it is preferable that the resin layer formed by applying the first resin P1 covers the periphery of the insertion opening 42a, as shown in Figure 6, and also covers the upper part of the periphery of the insertion opening 42a, for example, covering up to 5 mm above the lower end of the cover member 40n.

[0095] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the height of the insertion opening 42a in the cover member 40 covering the mounted overvoltage protection element O in the second substrate 62 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the height of the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R formed by the first resin P1.

[0096] In Figure 6, for the sake of explanation, the cover member 40 is shown viewed from the side. That is, the cover member 40 is attached to the overvoltage protection element O, but the overvoltage protection element O that the cover member 40 covers is not shown in the drawing. As described above using Figure 5, the cover member 40 is arranged so that, from the side closest to the mounting surface 62a, it has an insertion opening 42a, an insertion section 42, a connection section 43, and a storage section 41.

[0097] In Figure 6, the second substrate 62 is shown at the very bottom. A coating agent C is applied to the mounting surface 62a of the second substrate 62. The coating agent C will be described later.

[0098] Then, the first resin P1 is applied on top of the coating agent C to form a resin layer R. The insertion opening 42a located at the lower end of the cover member 40 is positioned facing the mounting surface 62a and opens toward the mounting surface 62a, but the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R is located above the insertion opening 42a.

[0099] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a covering portion R2 is formed around the cover member 40 on the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R, which rises along the insertion portion 42 due to surface tension. At this time, the height h1 from the mounting surface 62a at the highest point on the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R on the cover member 40 (= the highest point on the covering portion R2 which is in contact with the cover member 40) is higher than the height h2 from the mounting surface 62a to the upper surface R1 excluding the covering portion R2.

[0100] As shown in Figure 6, forming a resin layer R increases the contact area between the resin layer R and the insertion opening 42a of the cover member 40, thereby improving their adhesion. This ensures that the resin layer R completely covers the area around the insertion opening 42a, and also improves the adhesion between the resin layer R and the cover member 40. As a result, there is no gap between the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R and the insertion opening 42a, preventing the flammable refrigerant from entering the interior of the cover member 40.

[0101] Figure 7 shows the state in which the first resin P1 has been applied. Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the second substrate 62 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the direction of arrow P shown in Figure 4. The second substrate 62 is housed in the second substrate case K2, which will be described later, and a terminal T is provided at the front. In Figure 7, there are three such terminals T, and one end of a wire connected to a commercial power supply is connected to each terminal T.

[0102] The external power supply input to the circuit provided on the second circuit board 62 via the wire connected to terminal T contains noise. This noise is removed by the filter unit 622.

[0103] In this case, the external power supply is input from terminal T to the filter section 622 circuit via the protection element F and the overvoltage protection element O. The protection element F is, for example, a fuse, and two of them are provided on the second circuit board 62 shown in Figure 7.

[0104] The overvoltage protection element O is mounted after the protection element F, which is located after the input terminal (terminal T) of the commercial power supply. By connecting the overvoltage protection element O at this position, if a voltage higher than expected is applied due to static electricity or lightning surges, the overvoltage protection element O will receive a current corresponding to the overvoltage, thereby preventing malfunction or damage to the circuit after the protection element F. Furthermore, even if the overvoltage protection element O ruptures due to an even higher voltage being applied, the protection element F will melt, protecting the components mounted after it.

[0105] Furthermore, the resin layer R formed by applying the first resin P1 onto the mounting surface 62a is provided such that, as described above, the height of the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R that contacts the cover member 40 from the mounting surface 62a is greater than or equal to the height from the mounting surface 62a to the lower end of the cover member 40. In addition, as shown in Figure 6, the area around the insertion opening 42a is covered by forming a covering portion R2 along the insertion portion 42 of the cover member 40.

[0106] By applying the first resin P1 to this height, the cover member 40 is immersed in the resin layer R, and the resin layer R and the cover member 40 adhere firmly to each other. As a result, airtightness is maintained inside the cover member 40, so even if a flammable refrigerant leaks, it can be prevented from penetrating into the interior of the cover member 40.

[0107] Furthermore, behind the second substrate 62 shown in Figure 7, a portion of the partition member 8(8a) that demarcates a part of the second substrate 62 as explained using Figure 4 is shown. Here, the height of the partition member 8a from the mounting surface 62a is formed to be higher than the insertion opening 42a of the cover member 40.

[0108] Therefore, when applying the first resin P1 to the mounting surface 62a, by applying a resin agent that forms a resin layer R based on the height of the partition member 8a, the resin layer R can be easily and reliably provided such that the height of the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R from the mounting surface 62a is greater than or equal to the height from the mounting surface 62a to the lower end of the cover member 40.

[0109] By controlling the amount of the first resin P1 applied in this way, the area around the cover member 40 can be covered with a resin layer R. However, to further strengthen the adhesion between the cover member 40 and the resin layer R, it is possible to apply the first resin P1 so that it reaches higher up on the cover member 40, by raising the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R shown in Figure 6.

[0110] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the height of the cover member 40 covering the mounted overvoltage protection element O in a substrate 6 according to an embodiment of the present invention and the height of the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R formed by the first resin P1. Note that the overvoltage protection element O is not depicted in Figure 8 either.

[0111] As explained using Figure 6, the cover member 40 shown in Figure 8 is also shown with the first resin P1 applied so as to cover the area around its insertion opening 42a. However, unlike the cover member 40 shown in Figure 6, the first resin P1 is applied so that the upper surface R1 of the resin layer R reaches the height of the connection portion 43 of the cover member 40.

[0112] As described above, in the cover member 40, the width dimension of the connection portions 43, 43 is smaller than the width dimension of the insertion port 42a. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the cover member 40 has a constricted shape between the storage portion 41 and the insertion portion 42. Thus, when the first resin P1 is applied up to the position of this connection portion 43 to form the resin layer R and the cover member 40 is immersed in the resin layer R, since the portion from the connection portion 43 to the insertion port 42a of the cover member 40 has a shape that widens downward (L1 < L2 in FIG. 6), even if a force acts in the direction in which the cover member 40 detaches from the resin layer R, it is difficult for the cover member 40 to detach from the resin layer R, and the airtightness of the cover member 40 can be more reliably maintained to prevent the intrusion of leaked combustible refrigerant.

[0113] Next, the relationship between the substrate 6 and the substrate case K in the embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the substrate 6 is housed in the substrate case K. That is, the first substrate 61 is housed in the first substrate case K1, and the second substrate 62 is housed in the second substrate case K2. The substrate case K is fixed to the bottom surface 51 of the electrical component box 5.

[0114] Also, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A - A showing the second substrate 62 in the substrate 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 9, the vertical direction of the drawing corresponds to the vertical direction of the outdoor unit 1, and the horizontal direction of the drawing corresponds to the front - rear direction of the outdoor unit 1.

[0115] In FIG. 9, a state in which the second substrate 62 is housed in the second substrate case K2 is shown. The upper surface of the second substrate 62 corresponds to the mounting surface 62a. On the other hand, the surface opposite to the mounting surface 62a corresponds to the back surface 62b of the second substrate 62.

[0116] As shown in FIG. 9, the substrate 6 is not arranged in contact with the bottom surface Ka of the substrate case K, but is arranged at a distance above the bottom surface Ka. Therefore, a space N is formed between the bottom surface Ka and the back surface 62b of the second substrate 62.

[0117] In the space N, for example, an element E that consumes more power than the elements placed on the mounting surface 62a is mounted. Here, an example of element E is an element for driving the motor of the compressor 11.

[0118] On the other hand, multiple elements (not shown in Figure 9) are mounted on the mounting surface 62a. A coating agent C is applied above the mounting surface 62a and below the resin layer R, including these elements. The coating agent C is applied over the entire surface of the mounting surface 62a to protect the elements mounted on the mounting surface 62a.

[0119] In other words, as described above, the first resin P1 is applied to provide a resin layer R that covers the periphery of, for example, the cover member 40. However, while the silicon-based resin used as the first resin P1 has excellent weather resistance, it may cause sulfidation of surrounding components (e.g., chip resistors). Therefore, the coating agent C is applied to protect the components mounted in the area where the first resin P1 is applied from sulfidation by the resin layer R.

[0120] In other words, on the second substrate 62, the first resin P1 is applied on top of the layer formed by the coating agent C. That is, first the coating agent C is applied to the substrate 6, then the partition member 8 described above is placed, and the first resin P1 is applied to the area partitioned by the partition member 8.

[0121] Furthermore, since the coating agent C is used to minimize the influence of the first resin P1 being a silicone-based resin, as described above, a polyolefin-based material, rather than a silicone-based one, is used.

[0122] Furthermore, a second resin P2, which is different from the first resin P1 described above, for example, a higher viscosity silicone-based resin, is applied between the second substrate case K2 and the outer circumference of the second substrate 62 that is in contact with the second substrate case K2. By applying this second resin P2 between the second substrate 62 and the second substrate case K2, the space N provided between the back surface 62b of the second substrate 62 and the bottom surface Ka of the second substrate case K2 is sealed.

[0123] As described above, in the space N, that is, the back surface 62b of the mounting surface 62a, elements that consume more power than the elements placed on the mounting surface 62a, such as motor drive elements, are mounted. Furthermore, unlike the mounting surface 62a, no layer of coating agent C or first resin P1 is formed on the back surface 62b. Therefore, if small animals such as insects enter the space N, a short circuit may occur between patterns on the back surface 62b or between terminals of element E. Also, if a flammable refrigerant enters the space N, element E may malfunction and generate sparks, which could ignite the flammable refrigerant.

[0124] By applying a second resin P2 between the second substrate case K2 and the outer circumference of the second substrate 62 in contact with the second substrate case K2, the space N can be sealed, thereby preventing small animals from entering the space N and preventing short circuits caused by small animals on the back surface 62b of the space N. Furthermore, since the entry of flammable refrigerant into the space N can also be prevented, the situation in which the flammable refrigerant ignites in the space N can be prevented.

[0125] As mentioned above, since the second resin P2 is applied along the outer circumference of the second substrate 62, Figure 9 shows the state in which the second resin P2 is applied not only to the front and rear sides of the second substrate 62, but also to the area behind them.

[0126] As explained above, the substrate case K also serves as the partition member 8. That is, in the second substrate shown in Figure 4, the second substrate case K2 located opposite the side surface 53 of the filter section 622 also functions as a partition member. Therefore, if the first resin P1 is applied to the entire area of ​​the filter section 622, for example, the second substrate case K2 acts as a partition member, preventing the first resin P1 from being applied beyond the second substrate 62.

[0127] It should be noted that this invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but rather represents an example of the present invention. In the implementation stage, the components can be modified and materialized without departing from the spirit of the invention, and various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the above embodiments.

[0128] For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be combined as appropriate, and such modified or improved forms may also be included in the present invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and essence of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents.

[0129] As explained above, due to the material properties of the resin layer and the cover member, in the embodiments of the present invention, it is preferable that the resin layer be formed to cover the area around the insertion opening. However, depending on the material properties of the resin layer and the cover member, if a strong bond can be achieved by the two coming into contact, the amount of the first resin applied may be controlled so that the height of the upper surface of the resin layer that comes into contact with the cover member from the mounting surface is the same height as the lower end of the cover member.

[0130] Furthermore, in the explanations so far, for the sake of explanation, it has been used as an example that a resin layer R is provided in the filter section partitioned by a partition member on the second substrate. However, in order to prevent flammable refrigerant that has leaked into the inside of the cover member from entering, it is necessary that the first resin be applied to the periphery of the cover member that covers the overvoltage protection element O to form a resin layer.

[0131] On the other hand, for example, due to salt damage, copper contained in the mounted element may migrate to other locations due to its ionization tendency, and this phenomenon is particularly pronounced in high-voltage areas. If copper migrates, tracking may occur, potentially causing sparks. Therefore, from this perspective, applying the first resin to the entire filter section may reduce the aforementioned problems.

[0132] Furthermore, if the first resin is applied to the entire filter section, even if the overvoltage protection element ruptures due to the application of excessive voltage, causing the cover member to tear and fragments of the ruptured overvoltage protection element to scatter onto the substrate, the presence of the resin layer on the mounting surface can suppress the occurrence of a short circuit due to the rupture.

[0133] Furthermore, the technology described in the embodiments of the present invention may also employ the following configurations. (1) An outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle system that includes an electrical component box housing a circuit board equipped with an overvoltage protection element, and in which a flammable refrigerant is used as the refrigerant, On the mounting surface of the substrate on which the multiple elements including the overvoltage protection element are mounted, The overvoltage protection element is fitted with a cover member that covers the overvoltage protection element. The mounting surface and the resin layer coated with a first resin that covers the element mounted on the mounting surface are provided. An outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device, characterized in that the height of the upper surface of the resin layer that contacts the cover member from the mounting surface is set to be greater than or equal to the lower end of the cover member. (2) The cover member is formed in a flattened shape, A housing for the overvoltage protection element, It comprises an insertion section formed continuously from the storage section and having an insertion opening for inserting the overvoltage protection element, The insertion portion is formed such that its width decreases from the insertion opening towards the connection portion with the storage portion. When the cover member is attached to the overvoltage protection element, the insertion opening located at the lower end of the cover member is positioned to face the mounting surface and is open toward the mounting surface. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to (1) above, characterized in that the resin layer is provided so as to cover the area around the inlet. (3) The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to (2) above, characterized in that the resin layer is provided such that the upper surface of the resin layer reaches the connection between the insertion part and the storage part. (4) The mounting surface is provided with a partition member that demarcates a part of the substrate, The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to (2) or (3) above, characterized in that the height of the partition member from the mounting surface is formed to be higher than the insertion opening of the cover member. (5) The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device is equipped with a circuit board case for housing the circuit board, The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to (4) above, characterized in that the outer periphery of the substrate case has the function of the partition member. (6) The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to any one of (1) to (5) above, characterized in that the first resin is a silicone-based resin. (7) The resin layer is provided on top of the coating layer applied to the mounting surface, The outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device according to any one of (1) to (6) above, characterized in that the coating layer is provided by applying a coating agent made of a non-silicone resin. (8) On the back surface of the mounting surface, an element that consumes more power than the element placed on the mounting surface is mounted. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to any one of (5) to (7) above, characterized in that a second resin is applied between the substrate case and the outer circumference of the substrate in contact with the substrate case. (9) The overvoltage protection element is a varistor, The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to any one of (1) to (8) above, characterized in that the varistor is mounted further downstream of a protective element located downstream of the input terminal of the commercial power supply. (10) The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device described in (9) above, characterized in that the varistor is a disc varistor with lead wires. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0134] 1...Outdoor unit, 11...Compressor, 12...Four-way valve, 13...Outdoor heat exchanger, 14...Pressure reducing mechanism, 15...Enclosure, 151...Front panel, 152...Rear panel, 153...Top panel, 154...Bottom panel, 155...Left side panel, 156...Right side panel, 157...Fan guard, 158...Front service panel, 159...Air outlet, 16...Outdoor fan 17...Partition plate, 18...Blower room, 19...Machine room, 2...Intermediate unit, 21...Circulation pump, 22...Intermediate heat exchanger, 3...Indoor unit, 31...Indoor heat exchanger, 5...Electrical components box, 51...Bottom, 52...Side, 53...Side, 54...Side, 55...Terminal box, 56...Side, 6...Circuit board, 61...First circuit board 62...Second circuit board, 62a...Mounting side, 62b...Back side, 611...Power supply unit, 612...Drive unit (inverter unit), 621...Control unit, 622...Filter unit, 7...Cable gland, 8...Partition member, 8a...Partition member, 40...Cover member, 41...Storage unit, 42...Insertion unit, 42a...Insertion opening, 43...Connection unit, C... • Coating agent, C1... Primary refrigerant circuit, C2... Secondary refrigerant circuit, E... Element, F... Protection element, FP... Front panel, K1... First circuit board case, K2... Second circuit board case, N... Space, O... Overvoltage protection element, P... Arrow, S... Heat pump cycle device, T... Terminal, R... Resin layer, R1... Top surface, R2... Covering part

Claims

1. An outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle system, comprising an electrical component box that houses a circuit board equipped with an overvoltage protection element, and using a flammable refrigerant as the refrigerant, On the mounting surface of the substrate on which the multiple elements including the overvoltage protection element are mounted, The overvoltage protection element is fitted with a cover member that covers the overvoltage protection element. The mounting surface and the resin layer coated with a first resin that covers the element mounted on the mounting surface are provided. An outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device, characterized in that the height of the upper surface of the resin layer that contacts the cover member from the mounting surface is set to be greater than or equal to the lower end of the cover member.

2. The cover member is formed in a flattened shape, A housing for the overvoltage protection element, It comprises an insertion section formed continuously from the storage section and having an insertion opening for inserting the overvoltage protection element, The insertion portion is formed such that its width decreases from the insertion opening towards the connection portion with the storage portion. When the cover member is attached to the overvoltage protection element, the insertion opening located at the lower end of the cover member is positioned to face the mounting surface and is open toward the mounting surface. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to claim 1, characterized in that the resin layer is provided so as to cover the area around the inlet.

3. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to claim 2, characterized in that the resin layer is provided such that the upper surface of the resin layer reaches the connection between the insertion portion and the storage portion.

4. The mounting surface is provided with a partition member that demarcates a portion of the substrate. The outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device according to claim 2, characterized in that the height of the partition member from the mounting surface is formed to be higher than the insertion opening of the cover member.

5. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device includes a circuit board case for housing the circuit board, The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to claim 4, characterized in that the outer periphery of the substrate case has the function of the partition member.

6. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first resin is a silicone-based resin.

7. The resin layer is provided on top of the coating layer applied to the mounting surface. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to claim 1, characterized in that the coating layer is provided by applying a coating agent made of a non-silicone resin.

8. On the back surface of the aforementioned mounting surface, an element that consumes more power than the element placed on the aforementioned mounting surface is mounted. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to claim 5, characterized in that a second resin is applied between the substrate case and the outer periphery of the substrate in contact with the substrate case.

9. The overvoltage protection element is a varistor. The outdoor unit of a heat pump cycle device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the varistor is mounted further downstream of a protective element located downstream of the input terminal of the commercial power supply.

10. The outdoor unit of the heat pump cycle device according to claim 9, characterized in that the varistor is a disc varistor with lead wires.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Terminal box unit

    JP1991207235A

  • Motor control module and air-conditioning apparatus therewith

    JP2003143871A

  • Thunder protection equipment capable of separating body on breaking down metal oxide varistor

    JP2006179842A

  • Air conditioner

    JP2007163098A

  • Refrigeration cycle device

    JP2023088895A