Duct structure and air conditioning system equipped therewith

Abstract

To provide a duct structure which enables easy attachment / detachment and can efficiently supply cool air or hot air to multiple sites needing cooling or heating, and to provide an air conditioner including the duct structure.SOLUTION: A duct structure includes a duct 40 which is attached to a movable air conditioner 1 and guides air cooled or heated to an air-conditioned space. The duct has: an upper member 43 forming an upper half when the duct is placed horizontally; and a lower member 47 forming a lower half. In the upper member and the lower member, side parts along an air blowing direction are detachably connected by connecting members 44, 48, 48. The structure allows the duct to be easily formed by overlapping the upper member and the lower member and connecting the connecting members of the side parts. Further, cold air or hot air can be blown from an opening formed by partially peeling the upper member and the lower member at arbitrary positions. Thus, cool air or hot air can be supplied to multiple sites needing cooling or heating directly and efficiently to perform highly efficient air conditioning operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a duct structure of an air conditioner and an air conditioner provided with the duct structure, and particularly to a duct structure of a movable air conditioner in which a utilization side unit and a heat source side unit are integrally provided.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a movable air conditioner in which a utilization side unit and a heat source side unit are provided on one movable base and which uses a refrigeration cycle.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner including an indoor unit having an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor blower fan that sends out air flowing through the indoor heat exchanger into a room, an outdoor heat exchanger connected to the indoor heat exchanger so that refrigerant can circulate therethrough, an outdoor unit having an outdoor blower fan that sends out air flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger, and a base on which the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are placed so that wheels are movable and the suction ports of the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger face each other.

[0004] This type of air conditioner is used for spot air conditioning, such as cooling or heating a working space efficiently by sending cold air or warm air near workers in a large space where it is difficult to install a normal air conditioner, for example, a factory, a workplace, a logistics warehouse, a stadium, etc.

[0005] Also, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses an air duct connection structure connected to this type of air conditioner, including an air supply duct that guides air cooled or heated by an air conditioner placed outdoors into a room, a return air duct that guides indoor air to the air conditioner, and an air duct connection plate formed with an air supply port to which the air supply duct is connected and a return air port to which the return air duct is connected, and the air duct connection plate is removably placed in an opening connected to the room.

[0006] This configuration allows for efficient circulation of air cooled or heated by an air conditioner placed outdoors into the room via supply and return air ducts. Therefore, even with a transport-type air conditioning system where the user unit and heat source unit are integrated outdoors, it can perform highly efficient circulating cooling or heating, just like a typical air conditioner where the indoor unit is installed indoors and the outdoor unit is installed outdoors. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-11984 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-173444 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, the conventional mobile air conditioning systems described above had shortcomings in their ability to efficiently deliver cool or warm air to the areas within the air-conditioned space where cooling or heating is needed.

[0009] Specifically, the air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 has excellent performance in powerfully blowing cool air from the indoor unit, which is the user unit, toward the space to be air-conditioned, for example, when cooling a large space such as a factory. However, with conventional air conditioners, it was not easy to efficiently supply cool air to multiple locations that were a short distance apart. For example, in a factory or logistics warehouse that is the space to be air-conditioned, multiple workers may be working in locations that are a short distance apart. In such cases, it was possible to blow cool air toward the work area where many workers were, but it was difficult to directly send cool or warm air to each work area that was located at a distance.

[0010] Furthermore, by adopting the air conduit connection structure disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is possible to circulate the air cooled or heated by the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit to the air-conditioned space via the supply duct and return duct, enabling efficient air conditioning operation. However, with the air conduit connection structure disclosed in the same document, even if it is possible to cool or heat the entire interior of the air-conditioned space, it was not easy to directly supply cooled or heated air to multiple locations within the air-conditioned space. Therefore, with such an air conduit connection structure alone, it was difficult to perform highly efficient spot air conditioning by sending cool or warm air only to the vicinity of multiple locations that require cooling or heating.

[0011] Furthermore, a common conventional air conditioning duct structure is known to have a main pipe and multiple branch pipes branching off from the main pipe, allowing for the supply of cool or warm air to multiple rooms. However, conventional air conditioning ducts are formed from aluminum, steel, or other materials in a cylindrical or rectangular shape, making them difficult to install and not easily removable, relocated, or used to change the airflow location.

[0012] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a duct structure and an air conditioning system equipped with the duct structure that are easy to install and remove, can efficiently supply cool or warm air to multiple locations where cooling or heating is required, and enable highly efficient air conditioning operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The duct structure of the present invention is attached to a mobile air conditioning device and comprises a duct that guides air cooled or heated by the air conditioning device to a space to be air-conditioned, wherein the duct has an upper member that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally and a lower member that constitutes the lower half, and the upper member and the lower member are detachably connected by a connecting member at their respective edges along the direction of airflow. Furthermore, a branch duct is connected to the duct, which blows air into the space to be air-conditioned, and a branch inlet coupling member is provided at the inlet end of the branch duct, which is connected to the coupling member, and the branch duct is detachably clamped between the upper member and the lower member by the coupling of the coupling member and the branch inlet coupling member. It is characterized by the following: Furthermore, the duct structure of the present invention comprises a duct that is attached to a mobile air conditioning device and guides air cooled or heated by the air conditioning device to a space to be air-conditioned, wherein the duct has an upper member that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally and a lower member that constitutes the lower half, the upper member and the lower member are detachably connected to each other by a connecting member along the direction of airflow, the upper member and the lower member are provided with an outlet connecting member at the ends that form the outlet opening of the duct, and the duct is characterized in that the upper member and the lower member are detachably connected by the outlet connecting member and the outlet opening can be used in a closed state.

[0014] Furthermore, the air conditioning device of the present invention is characterized by being provided with the aforementioned duct structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The duct structure of the present invention is attached to a mobile air conditioning device and comprises a duct that guides air cooled or heated by the air conditioning device to a space to be air-conditioned. The duct has an upper member that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally and a lower member that constitutes the lower half. The upper member and the lower member are detachably connected at their respective edges along the direction of airflow by connecting members. With this configuration, the duct can be easily formed by overlapping the upper member and the lower member and connecting the connecting members at their edges. In other words, air blown out from an air conditioning device can be efficiently delivered to a space requiring air conditioning without having to carry out large-scale renovation work on factories, warehouses, etc., which are the spaces to be air-conditioned. Furthermore, the duct formed by the detachably connected members is easy to disassemble into upper and lower members, as well as to transport and store. In addition, since the edges of the upper and lower members connected by the connecting members are detachable, it is possible to partially separate the upper and lower members at any location to form an opening. In other words, near areas requiring cooling or heating, the edges of the upper and lower members can be partially separated to form an opening, through which cool or warm air can be blown out. Therefore, this duct mechanism allows for the direct and efficient supply of cool or warm air to multiple locations within an air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, enabling highly efficient air conditioning operation even in large spaces.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the upper member and the lower member are provided with inlet connecting members at the ends that form the inlet opening of the duct, and the duct may be detachably connected to the air conditioning device by the inlet connecting member. This makes it easy to attach and detach the duct to the air conditioning device. The air conditioning device and duct can be easily moved and installed in places where air conditioning is needed, and suitable cool or warm air can be delivered to multiple locations close to each worker, etc.

[0017] Furthermore, the duct structure of the present invention comprises a branch duct connected to the duct and blowing air into the space to be air-conditioned, and a branch inlet coupling member that connects to the coupling member is provided at the inlet end of the branch duct, and the branch duct may be detachably clamped between the upper member and the lower member by the coupling of the coupling member and the branch inlet coupling member. With such a configuration, multiple branch ducts can be provided in the duct, and the necessary cool or warm air for air conditioning can be directly supplied to locations far from the duct. Multiple branch ducts can be provided in the duct, and the positions where the branch ducts are connected are arbitrary. Therefore, the necessary air for cooling or heating can be suitably delivered to multiple work areas, etc. that require cooling or heating, and in large spaces such as factories, it is possible to perform air conditioning operation that is suitable for each worker, efficient and with low energy consumption.

[0018] Furthermore, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the upper member and the lower member are provided with outlet coupling members at the ends that form the outlet opening of the duct, and the duct is characterized in that the upper member and the lower member are detachably coupled by the outlet coupling member and the duct can be used with the outlet opening closed. This reduces the amount of air blown out from the outlet opening at the end of the duct and allows for appropriate adjustment of the amount of air sent to each location from openings formed on the side of the duct. Therefore, it is possible to supply a suitable amount of cool or warm air to each work area that requires air conditioning, and to perform highly efficient air conditioning with minimal waste.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the branch duct has an upper branch member that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower branch member that constitutes the lower half, and the upper branch member and the lower branch member may be detachably connected at their respective edges along the airflow direction by a branch duct connecting member. With this configuration, the branch duct can be easily formed by overlapping the upper branch member and the lower branch member and connecting the branch duct connecting members at their edges. In other words, an airflow path that efficiently delivers air to multiple locations requiring air conditioning can be easily formed without carrying out large-scale renovation work. Then, the air blown out from the air conditioning unit can be efficiently delivered to multiple locations requiring air conditioning via the branch duct. In addition, the branch duct formed by detachably connecting the upper branch member and the lower branch member can be easily disassembled, transported, and stored. Furthermore, since the edges of the branch upper member and branch lower member, which are connected by a branch duct coupling member, are detachable, the branch upper member and branch lower member can be separated at any location to form an opening. That is, near a location where cooling or heating is required, the edges of the branch upper member and branch lower member can be partially separated to form a partial opening from which cool or warm air can be blown out. Therefore, with this duct mechanism, cool or warm air can be supplied directly and efficiently to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, enabling highly efficient air conditioning operation even in large spaces.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the branch upper member and the branch lower member are provided with a branch outlet coupling member at the outlet end of the branch duct, and the branch duct may be detachably connected to the branch upper member and the branch lower member by the branch outlet coupling member, and can be used with the outlet end closed. This reduces the amount of air blown out from the opening at the outlet end of the branch duct, and allows for appropriate adjustment of the amount of air sent to each location from openings formed on the side of the branch duct or openings of other branch ducts. Therefore, it is possible to supply a suitable amount of cool or warm air to each work area that requires air conditioning, and to perform highly efficient air conditioning with minimal waste.

[0021] Further, according to the duct structure of the present invention, at least one of the coupling member and the inlet coupling member may be a surface fastener or a magnet. Thereby, the duct can be easily assembled, attached, and detached, and a duct with suitable strength capable of withstanding wind pressure can be obtained.

[0022] Further, according to the duct structure of the present invention, the upper member and the lower member may be formed of a synthetic resin sheet material or a woven or non-woven fabric made of synthetic fibers. Thereby, attachment, detachment, transportation, and storage are easy, and a high-performance duct can be obtained.

[0023] Further, the air conditioner of the present invention is characterized in that the duct structure is provided. Thereby, the cold air or warm air blown out from the air conditioner can be branched and directly and efficiently supplied to a plurality of locations in the air-conditioned space respectively. Therefore, highly efficient air-conditioning operation can be performed.

[0024] Further, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, a user-side unit provided with a user-side heat exchanger and a user-side blower fan, a heat-source-side unit provided with a heat-source-side heat exchanger and a heat-source-side blower fan, and a pedestal on which the user-side unit and the heat-source-side unit are placed are provided, and the duct may be connected to the air outlet of the user-side unit. With such a configuration, the movement, installation of the air conditioner, and the attachment and detachment work of the duct can be efficiently performed. And the air conditioner disposed inside the air-conditioned space sends the low-temperature air cooled by the user-side heat exchanger or the high-temperature air heated by the user-side heat exchanger to the duct, and at a plurality of locations on the side surface of the duct, air can be sent out from between the upper member and the lower member toward each location that requires cooling or heating. Therefore, highly efficient spot air-conditioning operation in a large-scale space becomes possible.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the main body of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the duct section of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an exploded view showing a schematic configuration of a duct in an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is an exploded view showing the schematic configuration of a branch duct of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Hereinafter, an air conditioning system 1 equipped with a duct structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an air conditioning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning system 1 is a portable, powerful spot air conditioner in which a user-side unit 10 and a heat source-side unit 20 are integrally mounted on a frame 30. The air conditioning system 1 is equipped with a duct 40 connected to the user-side unit 10.

[0028] Air conditioning system 1 is a portable device for cooling or heating large spaces where it is difficult to install conventional packaged air conditioners or other air conditioning units. For example, it is used for air conditioning in factories, workshops, logistics warehouses, gymnasiums, etc.

[0029] The duct 40 is attached to the main body 2 of the air conditioning unit 1 and is the main duct that guides the air cooled or heated by the air conditioning unit 1 to the space to be air-conditioned. Specifically, the duct 40 is detachably connected to the outlet 16 from which the cooled or heated air is blown out of the user-side unit 10, and supplies the air for heating and cooling blown out from the outlet 16 to multiple locations in the space to be air-conditioned.

[0030] The duct 40 is provided with a number of branch ducts 50 that send the cool or warm air flowing through the duct 40 to predetermined locations within the space to be air-conditioned. The branch ducts 50 are detachably connected to any point on the duct 40 and send the air cooled or heated by the user-side unit 10 to the vicinity of the respective locations where cooling or heating is required.

[0031] Figure 2 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the main body 2 of the air conditioning unit 1. Referring to Figure 2, the user-side unit 10 is a device that cools or heats the air on the user side and supplies it. The user-side unit 10 has a configuration equivalent to the indoor unit of a typical packaged air conditioner.

[0032] Specifically, the user-side unit 10 has a housing 11 which is a roughly box-shaped enclosure made of a metal plate or the like, and a user-side heat exchanger 12 and a user-side blower fan 13, which are components that make up the refrigeration cycle, are provided inside the housing 11.

[0033] The heat source unit 20 is a device that dissipates or absorbs heat from the exhaust air. The heat source unit 20 has a configuration equivalent to the outdoor unit of a typical packaged air conditioner.

[0034] Specifically, the heat source side unit 20 has a housing 21 as the user side housing, which is a roughly box-shaped enclosure made of metal sheet material or the like, and a heat source side heat exchanger 22 and a heat source side blower fan 23, which are components that constitute the refrigeration cycle, are provided inside the housing 21.

[0035] The user-side heat exchanger 12 of the user-side unit 10 is connected to the heat source-side heat exchanger 22 of the heat source-side unit 20 via refrigerant piping 28. More specifically, the user-side heat exchanger 12 and the heat source-side heat exchanger 22 are connected via a compressor (not shown) that compresses low-pressure refrigerant to high pressure, an expansion valve (not shown) that expands high-pressure refrigerant to low pressure, refrigerant piping 28, and other refrigerant piping (not shown), forming a vapor compression type refrigeration cycle circuit. The refrigerant used in the refrigeration cycle is, for example, an HFC refrigerant.

[0036] The user-side unit 10 has an air intake port 15 for drawing in air and an air outlet port 16 for blowing out air. Inside the air intake port 15, there is a user-side heat exchanger 12 that performs heat exchange between the air drawn in from outside the housing 11 and the refrigerant. As a result, for example, during cooling operation, the user-side heat exchanger 12 acts as an evaporator, and the air drawn in from outside the housing 11 is cooled by the refrigerant that evaporates inside the user-side heat exchanger 12.

[0037] Inside the outlet 16, a user-side blower fan 13 is provided to blow out the air from inside the housing 11 that has exchanged heat with the user-side heat exchanger 12. The user-side blower fan 13 is, for example, a propeller fan and is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown).

[0038] In the air conditioning system 1 according to this embodiment, a particularly powerful user-side blower fan 13 is installed. Specifically, the user-side blower fan 13 has a powerful air-blowing capacity that blows air from the outlet 16 at a wind speed of 8 m / s. This allows a strong, directional wind to be delivered far from the outlet 16, enabling efficient cooling or heating of large rooms.

[0039] The air outlet 16 is provided with a wind direction guide 14 for adjusting the direction of airflow supplied by the user-side blower fan 13. The wind direction guide 14 has an outer circumference that surrounds the outer circumference of the user-side blower fan 13, for example, having a substantially cylindrical shape. The interior of the wind direction guide 14, surrounded by its outer circumference, is an opening connected to the air outlet 16, where a variable wind direction adjustment plate (not shown) for adjusting the airflow may be provided.

[0040] A duct support portion 17 for connecting a duct 40 (see Figure 1) is provided on the outer circumference of the wind direction guide 14. The duct support portion 17 is, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener, and more specifically, a hook-and-loop fastener having a male side. The duct support portion 17 is detachably connected to a hook-and-loop fastener serving as an inlet coupling member 45 (see Figure 4) provided on the inner circumferential surface of the inlet opening 41 (see Figure 1) of the duct 40.

[0041] The heat source unit 20 has an air intake port 25 for drawing in air and an air outlet port 26 for blowing out air. Inside the air intake port 25, there is a heat source side heat exchanger 22 that performs heat exchange between the air drawn in from the outside and the refrigerant. As a result, for example, during cooling operation, the refrigerant in the heat source side heat exchanger 22 is cooled by the air flowing in from the air intake port 25. In other words, the air drawn in from the air intake port 25 is heated by heat exchange with the refrigerant in the heat source side heat exchanger 22.

[0042] Inside the outlet 26, a heat source side blower fan 23 is provided to blow out the air from inside the housing 21 that has exchanged heat with the heat source side heat exchanger 22. The heat source side blower fan 23 is, for example, a propeller fan and is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown). For example, two heat source side blower fans 23 are provided, one above the other.

[0043] Furthermore, the air outlet 26 may be provided with an airflow guide 24 for adjusting the direction of air blown out by the heat source side blower fan 23. The airflow guide 24 has an outer frame that surrounds the outer circumference of the heat source side blower fan 23, for example, in a roughly rectangular shape, and is made of a metal plate material, a resin plate material, or the like. The airflow guide 24 is provided in pairs, for example, one above the other, corresponding to the two heat source side blower fans 23 that are provided separately above and below each other.

[0044] The support frame 30 is a base that integrally supports the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20. The support frame 30 is formed from, for example, angle steel, channel steel, or other steel materials. A base 31 is formed at the lower part of the support frame 30, with its outer circumference forming a roughly rectangular frame shape when viewed from above. The heat source-side unit 20 is fixed to the upper part of the base 31.

[0045] The frame 30 has a user-side unit mounting base 32 on which the user-side unit 10 is installed. The user-side unit mounting base 32 is formed to protrude upward from the top of the base 31 so that the bottom of the user-side unit 10 can be supported at a higher position than the bottom of the heat source-side unit 20.

[0046] By providing a user-side unit mounting base 32 on top of the base 31, the user-side unit 10 is fixed at a higher position than the heat source-side unit 20. As a result, the position of the air outlet 16 of the user-side unit 10 is raised, and even when the duct 40 is not connected, air can be blown widely and efficiently to workspaces and other areas that require cool or warm air for air conditioning.

[0047] Furthermore, the user-side unit 10 is mounted on top of the user-side unit mounting base 32, and the top surface of the user-side unit 10 and the top surface of the heat source-side unit 20 are at approximately the same height. The top surfaces of the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20 are connected and fixed by a connecting member 33. This connecting member 33 supports the top surfaces of the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20, suppressing deformation of the air conditioning system 1 due to the load of the duct 40 and vibrations during transport and use.

[0048] A drain pan (not shown) may be provided below the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20. The drain pan is a component for receiving moisture that adheres to and drips from the user-side heat exchanger 12 of the user-side unit 10 or the heat source-side heat exchanger 22 of the heat source-side unit 20, and draining it into a drain pipe (not shown). By providing a drain pan, moisture dripping from the user-side heat exchanger 12 or the heat source-side heat exchanger 22 can be collected and drained effectively, preventing moisture from splashing into the work area, etc.

[0049] Wheels 34 are provided near the lower corners of the base 31. The wheels 34 are casters, for example, rubber wheels, and one end may be a fixed wheel that can move in a predetermined direction, while the other end may be a swivel wheel that can change direction. With the wheels 34 provided, the frame 30 is configured to be movable while integrally supporting the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20.

[0050] The user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20 are mounted on the frame 30 such that their air intake ports 15 and 25 face each other. In other words, the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20 are arranged so that the user-side heat exchanger 12 side and the heat source-side heat exchanger 22 side face each other.

[0051] In other words, the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20 are arranged back-to-back so that their outlets 16 and 26 face in opposite directions, respectively, causing them to blow air in opposite directions.

[0052] As described above, by arranging the intake ports 15 and 25 opposite each other so that the air outlets 16 and 26 blow air in opposite directions, and by arranging the user-side unit 10 and the heat source-side unit 20 back to back, efficient air conditioning can be achieved for logistics warehouses, large factories, gymnasiums, and the like.

[0053] In other words, cooled or heated air can be efficiently and powerfully blown from the outlet 16 of the user-side unit 10 into the air-conditioned space via the duct 40. Then, air that is not needed for air conditioning operation is blown out from the outlet 26 of the heat source-side unit 20, which faces the opposite side from the outlet 16 of the user-side unit 10.

[0054] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the duct section of the air conditioning unit 1. Referring to Figure 3, the duct 40 has an upper member 43 that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower member 47 that constitutes the lower half. The upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are detachably connected near their respective edges along the direction of airflow, and an air passage is formed inside the duct 40 sandwiched between the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 through which air flows.

[0055] The branch duct 50 has a branch upper member 53 that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally, and a branch lower member 57 that constitutes the lower half. The branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 are detachably connected. Specifically, the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 are detachably connected near their respective edges along the airflow direction, and an air passage is formed inside the branch duct 50 sandwiched between the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 through which air flows.

[0056] Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the schematic configuration of the duct 40. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 have a roughly rectangular shape and may be formed from, for example, a sheet material made of synthetic resin or a woven or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic fibers. As a result, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are lightweight and foldable, making them easy to transport and store.

[0057] Furthermore, at least one of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 may be made of a slightly breathable material. This prevents condensation on the surface of the duct 40 when cold air is flowed through it, such as during cooling operation.

[0058] Furthermore, for example, in heating operation, the lower member 47 may be made of a breathable material. This allows warm air to be supplied towards the floor of the air-conditioned space, enabling comfortable heating operation.

[0059] A connecting member 44 is provided near the edge of the upper member 43 along the airflow direction, and a connecting member 48 is provided near the edge of the lower member 47 along the airflow direction. The connecting members 44 and 48 are members that detachably connect the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners.

[0060] Specifically, the connecting member 44 provided on the upper member 43 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female surface on its inner circumference, and the connecting member 48 provided on the lower member 47 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a male surface on its inner circumference to connect with the connecting member 44 of the upper member 43. Note that the male and female surfaces of the hook-and-loop fasteners on the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 may be configured in the opposite way to the above.

[0061] This configuration makes it easy to assemble and disassemble the duct 40. Furthermore, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 can be securely joined together with easy operation, preventing them from separating due to wind pressure.

[0062] Specifically, by overlapping the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 and connecting the connecting members 44 and 48 near the edges, a duct 40 in a substantially cylindrical shape can be easily formed. This allows air blown from the main body 2 (see Figure 2) of the air conditioning unit 1 (see Figure 1) to be efficiently delivered to the space requiring air conditioning without requiring large-scale renovation work on factories, warehouses, or other spaces to be air-conditioned. Furthermore, the duct 40, formed by the detachable connection of the connecting members 44 and 48, is easy to disassemble into the upper member 43 and lower member 47, as well as for transport and storage.

[0063] Furthermore, since the edges of the upper member 43 and lower member 47, which are joined by connecting members 44 and 48, are detachable, it is possible to partially separate the upper member 43 and lower member 47 at any location to form an opening. That is, near a location where cooling or heating is required, an opening can be formed by partially separating the edges of the upper member 43 and lower member 47, and cool or warm air can be blown out from that opening. Therefore, with this duct mechanism, cool or warm air can be directly and efficiently supplied to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, enabling highly efficient air conditioning operation even in large spaces.

[0064] Furthermore, the connecting members 44 and 48 may employ a magnetic coupling mechanism. For example, the upper member 43 may be configured to include a magnet such as neodymium as the connecting member 44, and the lower member 47 may be provided with a magnetic material as the connecting member 48. The attachment targets of the magnet and magnetic material may also be reversed. With such a configuration, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are firmly fixed so as not to come apart due to wind pressure, etc., and the work of joining the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 to form the duct 40, and the work of separating the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 to disassemble the duct 40 can be easily performed.

[0065] Furthermore, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 are provided with an inlet connecting member 45 near the end that forms the inlet opening 41 of the duct 40. The inlet connecting member 45 is a member that detachably connects the duct 40 to the main body 2 of the air conditioning unit 1, and is, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0066] Specifically, the hook-and-loop fastener serving as the inlet connecting member 45 is provided on the inner circumferential surface near the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and has a female side on its inner circumferential surface. In contrast, the hook-and-loop fastener serving as the duct support part 17 provided on the user-side unit 10 (see Figure 2) has a male side on its outer circumferential surface. Note that the male and female sides of the hook-and-loop fastener only need to be able to connect the inlet connecting member 45 and the duct support part 17, and the reverse configuration may also be adopted.

[0067] As described above, since the upper member 43 and lower member 47 of the duct 40 are provided with inlet connecting members 45, the user-side unit 10 and the duct 40 are securely fixed together by the pressure of the air supplied from the user-side blower fan 13 (see Figure 2) so that they do not come apart. Furthermore, the work of attaching and detaching the duct 40 from the user-side unit 10 is easy. Therefore, the air conditioning system 1 and the duct 40 can be easily moved and installed in locations where air conditioning is required.

[0068] Furthermore, a magnetic connection method may be used for connecting the duct 40. Specifically, a neodymium magnet or other magnet-containing member may be provided as the inlet coupling member 45 of the duct 40, and a magnetic material may be provided as the duct support part 17 of the user-side unit 10. Alternatively, the configuration of the magnet and magnetic material may be reversed. With such a configuration, the duct 40 can be easily and safely attached to the user-side unit 10, and can also be easily removed.

[0069] Near the end of the duct 40 that forms the outlet opening 42, an outlet coupling member 46 is provided on the upper member 43 and an outlet coupling member 49 is provided on the lower member 47. The outlet coupling members 46 and 49 are members that detachably connect the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners.

[0070] Specifically, the outlet coupling member 46 provided on the upper member 43 is a hook-and-loop fastener with a female side on its inner circumference, and the outlet coupling member 49 provided on the lower member 47 is a hook-and-loop fastener with a male side on its inner circumference so as to connect to the outlet coupling member 46 of the upper member 43. The male and female sides of the hook-and-loop fastener may be configured in the reverse order. Furthermore, the outlet coupling members 46 and 49 may employ a coupling means that utilizes magnetic force, similar to the coupling members 44 and 48 described earlier.

[0071] By providing outlet connecting members 46 and 49 near the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 can be connected near the outlet opening 42 of the duct 40, thereby closing the outlet opening 42 of the duct 40.

[0072] Furthermore, the outlet opening 42 does not need to be completely closed, and the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 may be partially joined to reduce the opening area. Specifically, the length L1 of the outlet joining members 46 and 49, that is, the length L1 of the outlet joining members 46 and 49 in the direction of the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, may be shorter than the length L2 of the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47. For example, the length L1 of the outlet joining members 46 and 49 may be 1 / 10 to 9 / 10, preferably 1 / 3 to 2 / 3, of the length L2 of the ends of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47.

[0073] In this way, by providing outlet connecting members 46 and 49 on the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, the upper member 43 and the lower member 47 can be connected by the outlet connecting members 46 and 49 to adjust the amount of air blown out from the outlet opening 42 at the end of the duct 40 to decrease or increase. This allows for appropriate adjustment of the amount of air sent to each location from the openings formed on the side of the duct 40. Therefore, it is possible to supply an appropriate amount of cool or warm air to each work area that requires air conditioning, enabling highly efficient air conditioning with minimal waste.

[0074] Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the schematic configuration of the branch duct 50. Referring to Figures 3 and 5, the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 have a roughly rectangular shape and are formed from a sheet material made of synthetic resin or a woven or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic fibers. As a result, the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 are lightweight and foldable, making them easy to transport and store.

[0075] Furthermore, the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 may be made of a slightly breathable material. This prevents condensation on the surface of the branch duct 50 when cold air is flowed through it, such as during cooling operation.

[0076] Furthermore, for example, in heating operation, the branch lower member 57 may be made of a breathable material. This allows warm air to be supplied towards the floor of the air-conditioned space, enabling comfortable heating operation.

[0077] The upper branch member 53 is provided with a branch duct connecting member 54 extending along the airflow direction near its edge, and the lower branch member 57 is provided with a branch duct connecting member 58 extending along the airflow direction near its edge. The branch duct connecting members 54 and 58 are detachably connected members and, like the connecting members 44 and 48 already described, are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners.

[0078] Specifically, the branch duct coupling member 54 provided on the branch upper member 53 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female surface on its inner circumference, and the branch duct coupling member 58 provided on the branch lower member 57 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a male surface on its inner circumference to connect with the branch duct coupling member 54 of the branch upper member 53. Note that the configuration of the male and female surfaces of the hook-and-loop fastener may be reversed.

[0079] With this configuration, the branch duct 50 can be easily formed by overlapping the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 and connecting the branch duct connecting members 54 and 58 near the edges. In other words, it is possible to easily form an air supply path that efficiently delivers air to multiple locations requiring air conditioning without having to carry out large-scale renovation work using conventional circular or rectangular air conditioning ducts made of aluminum or steel.

[0080] Furthermore, the connecting members 54 and 58 for the branch duct may be detachable connecting means that utilize magnetic force, similar to the connecting members 44 and 48 for the duct 40. This allows for easy assembly and disassembly of the branch duct 50, and provides a branch duct 50 with suitable strength to withstand wind pressure.

[0081] The upper branch member 53 is provided with a branch inlet coupling member 55 that connects to the coupling member 44 of the upper member 43 of the duct 40, near the end on the inlet side of the branch duct 50, i.e., the branch inlet 51 side. The lower branch member 57 is provided with a branch inlet coupling member 59 that connects to the coupling member 48 of the lower member 47 of the duct 40, near the end on the branch inlet 51 side. The branch inlet coupling members 55 and 59 are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners.

[0082] Specifically, the branch inlet coupling member 55 provided on the branch upper member 53 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a male side on its outer circumference and coupling to the coupling member 44 of the upper member 43 of the duct 40. The branch inlet coupling member 59 provided on the branch lower member 57 is a hook-and-loop fastener having a female side on its outer circumference to coupling to the coupling member 48 of the lower member 47. Note that the configuration of the male and female sides of the hook-and-loop fastener can also be reversed to match the coupling members 44 and 48 of the upper member 43 and lower member 47.

[0083] Furthermore, the branch inlet coupling members 55 and 59 only need to be configured to be detachably coupled to the coupling members 44 and 48 of the upper member 43 and the lower member 47, and coupling means utilizing magnetic force may also be used. With such a configuration, the branch duct 50 can be easily attached and detached, and the branch duct 50 can be attached with a suitable strength that can withstand wind pressure.

[0084] Thus, the branch duct 50 has branch inlet connecting members 55 and 59 that can be attached to and detached from the connecting members 44 and 48 of the upper member 43 and lower member 47 of the duct 40, and the end near the branch inlet 51 is detachably clamped by the upper member 43 and lower member 47 by the connection of the branch inlet connecting members 55 and 59 with the connecting members 44 and 48.

[0085] With this configuration, multiple branch ducts 50 can be provided at appropriate locations in the duct 40, and the cool or warm air necessary for air conditioning, blown out from the air conditioning unit 1, can be directly supplied via the branch ducts 50 to locations far from the duct 40.

[0086] In other words, multiple branch ducts 50 can be easily installed in the duct 40, and the connection points of the branch ducts 50 can be arbitrary. Therefore, the air necessary for cooling or heating can be suitably supplied to multiple work areas that require cooling or heating, and in large spaces such as factories, it is possible to perform air conditioning that is suitable for each worker, efficient, and energy-efficient.

[0087] Furthermore, the branch duct 50, formed by the detachable connection members 54 and 58 for the branch duct, allows for easy disassembly, transport, and storage of the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57. In addition, since the vicinity of the edges of the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57, which are connected by the branch duct connection members 54 and 58, are detachable, an opening can be formed by separating the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 at any desired location.

[0088] In other words, near a location requiring cooling or heating, the edges of the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 can be partially peeled away to form a partial opening from which cool or warm air can be blown out. Therefore, according to the duct mechanism of this embodiment, cool or warm air can be directly and efficiently supplied to multiple locations in the air-conditioned space that require cooling or heating, enabling highly efficient spot air conditioning operation even in large spaces.

[0089] Furthermore, the upper branch member 53 is provided with a branch outlet connecting member 56 near the end of the branch duct 50 on the outlet 52 side, and the lower branch member 57 is provided with a branch outlet connecting member 60 near the end of the branch duct 52 side. The branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60 are, for example, hook-and-loop fasteners that detachably connect the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 near the end of the branch duct 50 on the outlet 52 side.

[0090] Specifically, the branch outlet coupling member 56 provided on the branch upper member 53 is a hook-and-loop fastener with a female side on its inner circumference, and the branch outlet coupling member 60 provided on the branch lower member 57 is a hook-and-loop fastener with a male side on its inner circumference so as to connect to the branch outlet coupling member 56 of the branch upper member 53. The male and female sides of the hook-and-loop fastener may be configured in the reverse order.

[0091] This makes it easy to connect and disconnect the branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60, and provides a suitable strength that can withstand wind pressure. The branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60 may also be connected using magnetic force, similar to the connecting members 44 and 48 described earlier. Connecting using magnetic force also provides good work efficiency and a safe connection strength.

[0092] By providing the branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60 near the ends of the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 in this manner, the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57 can be connected near the outlet 52 of the branch duct 50, thereby reducing the opening area on the outlet 52 side of the branch duct 50.

[0093] More specifically, the outlet 52 of the branch duct 50 does not have to be completely closed, and the ends of the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57 may be partially connected to reduce the opening area. The length of the branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60, i.e., the length L3 of the branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60 in the direction of the ends of the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57, may be shorter than the length L4 of the ends of the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57. For example, the length L3 of the branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60 may be 1 / 10 to 9 / 10, preferably 1 / 3 to 2 / 3, of the length L4 of the ends of the upper branch member 53 and the lower branch member 57.

[0094] In this way, by providing branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60 on the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57, the branch outlet connecting members 56 and 60 can be used to connect the branch upper member 53 and the branch lower member 57, thereby adjusting the amount of air blown out from the outlet 52 at the end of the branch duct 50.

[0095] By adjusting the opening area using these branch outlet coupling members 56 and 60, the amount of air sent to each location from the opening formed on the side of the branch duct 50 or from the outlet 52 of the other branch duct 50 can be appropriately adjusted. Therefore, it is possible to supply an appropriate amount of cool or warm air to each work area that requires air conditioning, enabling highly efficient air conditioning with minimal waste.

[0096] Thus, the air conditioning system 1 of the present invention, by having a duct 40 and a branch duct 50, can divide the cool or warm air blown out from the air conditioning system 1 and supply it directly and efficiently to multiple locations in the space to be air-conditioned. Therefore, highly efficient air conditioning operation can be performed.

[0097] As described above, the air conditioning system 1 according to this embodiment is easy to move and install, and the assembly, disassembly, and installation / removal of the duct 40 and branch duct 50 can be performed efficiently. Cooled low-temperature air or heated high-temperature air from the user-side heat exchanger 12 is sent to the duct 40, which serves as the main duct, and then distributed to multiple locations requiring cooling or heating via branch ducts 50 that are detachably attached to the side of the duct 40. Therefore, highly efficient air conditioning operation in large spaces becomes possible.

[0098] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from its spirit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0099] 1. Air conditioning system 2 Main unit 10 User Units 11 Housing 12 User side heat exchanger 13. User-side blower fan 14 Wind Direction Guide 15 Inlet 16 Air outlet 17 Duct support section 20 Heat source side unit 21 Housing 22 Heat source side heat exchanger 23 Heat source side blower fan 24 Wind Direction Guide 25 Inlet 26 Air outlet 28 Refrigerant Piping 30 mounting bases 31 Base 32. Installation stand for user-side unit 33 Connecting member 34 wheels 40 ducts 41 Entrance opening 42 Exit opening 43 Upper member 44 Connecting member 45 Inlet coupling member 46 Outlet coupling member 47 Lower member 48 Connecting member 49 Outlet coupling member 50 branch duct 51 Branch entrance 52 Exit 53 Branch upper member 54. Connecting member for branch duct 55 Connecting member for branch inlet 56. Connecting member for branch outlet 57 Lower branch member 58 Connecting member for branch duct 59. Connecting member for branch inlet 60. Connecting member for branch outlet

Claims

1. It is attached to a portable air conditioning unit and includes a duct that guides the air cooled or heated by the air conditioning unit to the space to be air-conditioned. The duct has an upper member that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower member that constitutes the lower half. The upper member and the lower member are detachably connected by a connecting member at their respective edges along the airflow direction. A branch duct is connected to the aforementioned duct, which blows air into the space to be air-conditioned. The inlet end of the branch duct is provided with a branch inlet coupling member that connects to the coupling member, The duct structure is characterized in that the branch duct is detachably clamped between the upper member and the lower member by the connection of the connecting member and the branch inlet connecting member.

2. It is attached to a portable air conditioning unit and includes a duct that guides the air cooled or heated by the air conditioning unit to the space to be air-conditioned. The duct has an upper member that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower member that constitutes the lower half. The upper member and the lower member are detachably connected by a connecting member at their respective edges along the airflow direction. The upper member and the lower member are provided with outlet connecting members at the ends that form the outlet opening of the duct. The duct structure is characterized in that the upper member and the lower member are detachably connected by the outlet coupling member, and the outlet opening can be used in a closed state.

3. The aforementioned branch duct has an upper branch member that constitutes the upper half when placed horizontally, and a lower branch member that constitutes the lower half. The duct structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper branch member and the lower branch member are detachably connected to each other at their respective edges along the airflow direction by a connecting member for branch ducts.

4. The aforementioned branch upper member and the branch lower member are provided with a branch outlet connecting member at the outlet end of the branch duct. The duct structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the branch duct is detachably connected to the branch upper member and the branch lower member by the branch outlet connecting member, and the outlet side can be used in a closed state.

5. The upper member and the lower member are provided with an inlet connecting member at the end that forms the inlet opening of the duct. The duct structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the duct is detachably connected to the air conditioning device by the inlet coupling member.

6. The upper member and the lower member are provided with an inlet connecting member at the end that forms the inlet opening of the duct. The duct structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the duct is detachably connected to the air conditioning device by the inlet coupling member.

7. The duct structure according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the connecting member and the inlet connecting member is a hook-and-loop fastener or a magnet.

8. The duct structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper member and the lower member are formed from a sheet material made of synthetic resin or a woven or nonwoven fabric made of synthetic fibers.

9. An air conditioning system characterized by being provided with a duct structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A user-side unit equipped with a user-side heat exchanger and a user-side blower fan, A heat source side unit equipped with a heat source side heat exchanger and a heat source side blower fan, The system comprises a frame on which the user-side unit and the heat source-side unit are mounted, The air conditioning device according to claim 9, characterized in that the duct is connected to the outlet of the user-side unit.

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