Ceiling-mounted indoor unit

Abstract

To provide a ceiling-hung indoor unit which enables a worker to check dirt and clogging in an area near a drain socket visually without disassembling a housing and a drain pan etc. and enables the area near the drain socket to be in a cleanable state.SOLUTION: A ceiling-hung indoor unit includes: a housing 10 defining a fan chamber 18, in which a fan is disposed, and a heat exchange chamber 19, in which a heat exchanger is disposed in the inside; a drain pan which is installed below the heat exchanger in the heat exchange chamber 19; and a drain socket 44 which allows the heat exchange chamber 19 and the fan chamber 18 to communicate with each other and to which drain water accumulated in the drain pan is discharged. An opening 21 which can communicate with the heat exchange chamber and face the drain socket 44 from the outside of the housing 10 is formed on a side panel 11 of the housing 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a ceiling-mounted indoor unit.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in a ceiling-mounted indoor unit as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a drain outlet (drain socket) for discharging drain water accumulated in the drain pan is provided.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a ceiling-mounted indoor unit, the drain socket on the drain pan may be clogged due to the influence of bacteria in the drain water.

[0005] In this case, it is necessary to inspect and / or clean the drain socket on the drain pan through disassembly work such as removing the side cover covering the side of the housing, the bottom surface of the housing, and the drain pan, which has been troublesome work for maintenance workers.

[0006] This disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a ceiling-mounted indoor unit capable of visually checking dirt and clogging near the drain socket and cleaning the vicinity of the drain socket without performing disassembly work on the housing, drain pan, etc.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, the ceiling-mounted indoor unit of this disclosure employs the following means. In other words, a ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a housing that defines a fan chamber in which a fan is arranged and a heat exchange chamber in which a heat exchanger is arranged inside, a drain pan installed below the heat exchanger in the heat exchange chamber, and a drain socket that connects the heat exchange chamber and the fan chamber and through which drain water accumulated in the drain pan is discharged, and an opening is formed on the side of the housing that communicates with the heat exchange chamber and allows the drain socket to be viewed from the outside of the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, dirt and blockages near the drain socket can be visually inspected without disassembling the housing or drain pan, and the area around the drain socket can be made cleanable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a view from below of an indoor unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows the indoor unit with the side cover removed. [Figure 3] This is a view from above, obliquely, of an indoor unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, with the top surface removed. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of an indoor unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the vicinity of the opening of an indoor unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure (with the cover member removed). [Figure 6] This is a close-up view of the opening. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the vicinity of the opening of an indoor unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure (with the cover member attached). [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the lid component. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of the side panel to which the lid component is attached. [Figure 10] This is a front view showing an example of a lid member.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, a ceiling-suspended indoor unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for the indoor unit 1, a side cover 51 is installed on the side surface (side panel 11) of the housing 10, a grill 52 is installed at the suction port 22 formed at the bottom of the housing 10, and a louver 53 is installed at the blowout port 23 formed on the front surface of the housing 10.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a fan chamber 18 and a heat exchange chamber 19 are defined inside the housing 10.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 3, in the fan chamber 18, a plurality of blower fans (fans) 41 are installed across the width direction (left-right direction in the figure) of the indoor unit 1. The blower fan 41 is a device for sucking indoor air from the suction port 22 and blowing the air toward the heat exchanger 42. The blower fan 41 is, for example, a sirocco fan.

[0013] In the heat exchange chamber 19, a heat exchanger 42 extending in the width direction of the indoor unit 1 is installed. The heat exchanger 42 is a device for performing heat exchange between the air sent from the blower fan 41 and the refrigerant.

[0014] The fan chamber 18 and the heat exchange chamber 19 are separated by a partition plate 45 except for the blowing portion of the blower fan 41. The partition plate 45 extends in the width direction of the indoor unit 1 and stands upright in the height direction.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the heat exchange chamber 19, a drain pan 43 is installed below the heat exchanger 42. The drain pan 43 is a tray for receiving drain water (condensed water) adhering to the heat exchanger 42. The drain pan 43 is formed with an inclined surface configured to collect the drain water dripping from the heat exchanger 42 at a predetermined location. Also, a drain socket 44 is provided at the location where the drain water is collected. In the case of this embodiment, the drain socket 44 is provided near the side panel 11.

[0016] The drain socket 44 is an opening portion that communicates the heat exchange chamber 19 and the fan chamber 18, and is configured such that the drain water on the drain pan 43 is naturally drained from the heat exchange chamber 19 to the fan chamber 18 side.

[0017] In the fan chamber 18, a pipe (not shown) is connected to the drain socket 44, and the drain water guided to the fan chamber 18 through the drain socket 44 is configured to be naturally discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 1.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an opening 21 is formed in the side panel 11 of the housing 10. The opening 21 is an opening that communicates with the heat exchange chamber 19 above the drain pan 43, and is formed at a position where the drain socket 44 can be seen from the outside of the housing 10 (the outside of the indoor unit 1 with the side cover 51 removed).

[0019] Thereby, without performing disassembling work on the housing 10, the drain pan 43, etc., an operator can visually check for dirt and clogging near the drain socket 44 by looking into the heat exchange chamber 19 through the opening 21. Also, the operator can clean the dirt and clogging through the opening 21.

[0020] Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the opening 21 is preferably formed on the fan chamber 18 side of the heat exchanger 42 in the heat exchange chamber 19. Also, the opening 21 is more preferably formed at a position where there are no obstacles (other components, etc.) between the opening 21 and the drain socket 44. Also, the opening 21 is preferably formed at a position that does not interfere with the hanging bracket 55 or the bracket 56 that fixes the hanging bracket 55 to the housing 10.

[0021] As shown in Figure 5, the opening 21 is, for example, a rectangular shape with sides of about 70 mm to 100 mm, but it is preferable that the shape be such that it does not interfere with the hanging bracket 55 or the bracket 56 that fixes the hanging bracket 55 to the housing 10.

[0022] As shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the indoor unit 1 is equipped with a cover member 30 for closing the opening 21. As shown in Figure 8, the lid member 30 has a plate material (plate-shaped part) 31 and insulation (fitting part) 32.

[0023] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the plate material 31 is a sheet metal portion sized to cover the opening 21, and it overlaps and abuts against the side panel 11 around the opening 21. Holes 31a are formed in two places on the left and right sides of the plate material 31 through which screws 57 are inserted.

[0024] The insulation 32 is a part that fits inside the opening 21 and is provided on the surface of the plate material 31. The insulation 32 has a heat insulating portion 32a and a wind-blocking portion 32b. The insulation section 32a is a portion located in the central region of the plate material 31 and provides insulation. The insulation section 32a is made of, for example, foamed polyethylene. The thickness of the insulation section 32a is approximately equal to the thickness of the side panel 11. The windbreak section 32b is a part that surrounds the entire perimeter of the heat-insulating section 32a and, by abutting against the stepped section 21a (described later), provides a windbreak function between it and the opening 21. The windbreak section 32b is made of foamed ethylene or propylene rubber. The thickness of the windbreak section 32b is smaller than the thickness of the side panel 11, thereby forming a stepped section between it and the heat-insulating section 32a.

[0025] The lid member 30 is fastened to the side panel 11 by two screws 57 inserted through holes 31a in the plate material 31. When the plate material 31 is fastened to the side panel 11, the insulation 32 fits inside the opening 21, so that the opening 21 can be closed by the cover member 30 while maintaining airtightness.

[0026] Furthermore, by providing a stepped portion 21a around the periphery of the opening 21, the wind-blocking portion 32b of the insulation 32 can be brought into contact with it, thereby enabling the wind-blocking function of the insulation 32.

[0027] Furthermore, it is preferable that the plate material 31 and insulation 32 of the lid member 30 have a point-symmetric shape when viewed from the side. Examples of point-symmetric shapes include the quadrilateral shape described above, as well as a square shape, a circular shape, etc. This allows the lid member 30 to be attached to the opening 21 while being positioned at any position by rotating the lid member 30 at a predetermined angle when the housing 10 is viewed from the side. In particular, as shown in Figure 10, by making the plate material 31 and insulation 32 of the lid member 30 square in shape and forming holes 31a in four places on the top, bottom, left, and right of the plate material 31, the lid member 30 can be attached to the opening 21 while positioning it at any position rotated by 90° increments when the housing 10 is viewed from the side. In this case, it goes without saying that the shape of the opening 21 is also point-symmetrical, corresponding to the shape of the insulation 32.

[0028] The opening 21, cover member 30, and drain socket 44 described above may be provided on the side panels 11 on both sides of the indoor unit 1. In this case, even if the indoor unit 1 is installed so that one side panel 11 is close to the building wall, the drain socket 44 can be visually confirmed through the opening 21 formed in the other side panel 11.

[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, an annular clip 33 that can be opened and closed may be provided on the surface of the plate material 31 (the surface opposite to the surface on which the insulation 32 is provided). This makes it easier to remove the lid member 30 by allowing the worker to grasp the clip 33. Wiring can also be hung on the clip 33.

[0030] In this embodiment, the following effects are achieved. In other words, the side panel 11 of the housing 10 has an opening 21 that communicates with the heat exchange chamber 19 and allows the drain socket 44 to be viewed from outside the housing 10. This allows workers to visually check for dirt or blockages near the drain socket 44 on the drain pan 43 without having to disassemble the housing 10 or the drain pan 43. Furthermore, workers can clean the dirt or blockages through the opening 21.

[0031] Furthermore, since the opening 21 communicates with the heat exchange chamber 19 on the fan chamber 18 side of the heat exchanger 42, the drain socket 44 can be directly visually inspected from the opening 21.

[0032] Furthermore, since the lid member 30 has a plate material 31 that abuts against the side panel 11 of the housing 10 surrounding the opening 21 and insulation 32 that fits inside the opening 21, the lid member 30 can close the opening 21 while maintaining airtightness.

[0033] Furthermore, since the shape of the opening 21 and the shape of the lid member 30 are square when the housing 10 is viewed from the side, the lid member 30 can be attached to the opening 21 while being positioned at any position by rotating the lid member 30 by 90° increments when the housing 10 is viewed from the side.

[0034] The embodiments described above can be understood, for example, as follows. In other words, a ceiling-mounted indoor unit (1) according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a housing (10) that defines a fan chamber (18) in which a fan (41) is arranged and a heat exchange chamber (19) in which a heat exchanger (42) is arranged inside, a drain pan (43) installed below the heat exchanger in the heat exchange chamber, and a drain socket (44) that connects the heat exchange chamber and the fan chamber and through which drain water accumulated in the drain pan is discharged, and an opening (21) is formed on the side surface (11) of the housing that communicates with the heat exchange chamber and allows the drain socket to be viewed from outside the housing.

[0035] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit of this embodiment, an opening is formed on the side of the housing that communicates with the heat exchange chamber and allows the drain socket to be viewed from the outside of the housing. Therefore, without disassembling the housing or drain pan, a worker can visually check for dirt or blockages near the drain socket on the drain pan. Furthermore, the worker can clean the dirt or blockages through the opening.

[0036] Furthermore, in a ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to one aspect of this disclosure, the opening communicates with the heat exchange chamber on the fan chamber side of the heat exchanger.

[0037] In the ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to this embodiment, the opening communicates with the heat exchange chamber on the fan chamber side of the heat exchanger, so the drain socket can be directly visually inspected from the opening.

[0038] Furthermore, in a ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to one aspect of this disclosure, the opening is formed on both sides of the housing.

[0039] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit of this embodiment, since openings are formed on both sides of the housing, even if the ceiling-mounted indoor unit is installed so that one side is close to a building wall, the drain socket can be visually confirmed through the opening formed on the other side.

[0040] Furthermore, a ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a cover member (30) that closes the opening, and the cover member has a plate-shaped portion (31) that abuts against the side surface of the housing surrounding the opening and a fitting portion (32) that fits inside the opening.

[0041] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit of this embodiment, a cover member is provided to close the opening, and the cover member has a plate-shaped portion that abuts against the side surface of the housing surrounding the opening and a fitting portion that fits into the inside of the opening, so that the opening can be closed while maintaining airtightness with the cover member.

[0042] Furthermore, in a ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to one aspect of this disclosure, the shape of the opening and the shape of the cover member are point-symmetrical when the housing is viewed from the side.

[0043] According to the ceiling-mounted indoor unit of this embodiment, the shape of the opening and the shape of the cover member are point-symmetrical when the housing is viewed from the side. Therefore, when the housing is viewed from the side, the cover member can be attached to the opening while being positioned at any position by rotating the cover member at a predetermined angle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1. Indoor unit (ceiling-mounted indoor unit) 10 cabinets 11. Side Panel 18 Fan Room 19 Heat exchange room 21 Opening 21a Stepped section 22 Inlet 23 air outlets 30 Lid member 31. Board material (board-like part) 31a hole 32. Insulation (fitting part) 32a Insulation section 32b Wind shield 33 clips 41. Blower fan (fan) 42 Heat exchanger 43 Drain pan 44 Drain socket 45 partition plates 51 Side cover 52 Grill 53 Louvers 55 Hanging hardware 56 Brackets 57 screws

Claims

1. A housing that defines a fan chamber in which a fan is located and a heat exchange chamber in which a heat exchanger is located, In the heat exchange chamber, a drain pan is installed below the heat exchanger, A drain socket connects the heat exchange chamber and the fan chamber, and through which drain water accumulated in the drain pan is discharged. Equipped with, An opening is formed on the side of the housing that communicates with the heat exchange chamber and allows the drain socket to be viewed from outside the housing. The opening is closed by a lid member, The lid member has a plate-shaped portion that abuts against the side surface of the housing around the opening and a fitting portion that fits inside the opening. The fitting portion has a heat insulating portion provided in the central region of the plate-like portion and a wind-blocking portion provided so as to surround the entire periphery of the heat insulating portion. A stepped portion is formed around the periphery of the opening such that the thickness dimension of the side surface of the housing is reduced. The windbreak portion is a ceiling-mounted indoor unit that is in contact with the stepped portion.

2. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the opening communicates with the heat exchange chamber on the fan chamber side of the heat exchanger.

3. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the openings are formed on both sides of the housing.

4. The ceiling-mounted indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shape of the opening and the shape of the cover member are point-symmetrical when the housing is viewed from the side.

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