Indoor unit of an air conditioner

Abstract

This indoor unit of an air conditioner comprises: a main body section which has a heat exchanger and a blower therein and performs air conditioning; and an air purification section which is attached to an air intake port of the main body section from outside the main body section and purifies air flowing into the main body section, wherein the air purification section has a box portion which is formed in a box shape and attached to the air intake port of the main body section from outside the main body section, a filter which is attached to the box portion and removes dust from the air sucked into the box portion, and an air purification unit portion which is disposed inside the box portion and purifies, by means of electrical discharge, the air sucked into the box portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner equipped with an air purifying device.

Background Art

[0002] Some conventional indoor units of air conditioners have an air purifying device inside the indoor unit to purify the air flowing into the indoor unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The indoor unit of the air conditioner of Patent Document 1 has an air purifying device inside the indoor unit. For example, when maintaining the air purifying device mounted on an indoor unit embedded in the ceiling, an operator needs to work in the ceiling space. In an environment such as the ceiling space, the working space is narrow, the visibility is dark, and the footing is often poor. In an indoor unit equipped with an air purifying device inside the indoor unit like the indoor unit of Patent Document 1, when performing maintenance on the air purifying device, depending on the installation environment, the removal and installation work of each component becomes difficult in relation to components related to air conditioning, and the maintenance of the air purifying device may become difficult. Conventionally, in the indoor unit of an air conditioner, an air purifying section is provided inside the main body, and when an operator touches a component that requires maintenance of the air purifying section, it is necessary to consider the equipment for performing air conditioning. Therefore, there is a demand for an indoor unit of an air conditioner that can easily perform maintenance of the air purifying device.

[0005] The present disclosure is for solving the above problems, and provides an indoor unit of an air conditioner that can easily perform maintenance of components related to air purification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to this disclosure comprises a main body that has a heat exchanger and a blower inside and performs air conditioning, and an air purification unit that is attached to the air intake of the main body outside the main body and purifies the air that flows into the main body, the air purification unit is formed in a box shape and is attached to the outside of the main body, One Intake port on the main unit Covering the whole thing It can be attached A duct is attached to the other side. It comprises a box section, a filter attached to the box section that removes dust from the air drawn into the box section, and an air purification unit section located inside the box section that purifies the air drawn into the box section by discharge. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to this disclosure has a main unit that performs air conditioning and an air purification unit that purifies the air. The air purification unit has a box attached to the air intake of the main unit outside the main unit, a filter attached to the box, and an air purification unit that is located inside the box and purifies the air. The indoor unit has an air purification unit that is separate from the main unit that performs air conditioning, and combines the filter and the air purification unit into one independent unit. Therefore, when an operator performs maintenance on parts related to air purification, they can access the parts that need maintenance at once without having to consider the air conditioning equipment, and maintenance on parts related to air purification can be easily performed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1, to which a duct is attached. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the main body of the indoor unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the main body of the indoor unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the air purification unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] This is an exploded perspective view of the air purification unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] This is an exploded perspective view of the air purification unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 9] This is a partial conceptual diagram showing an example of the air purification unit in the air purification unit according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view from the front of the air purification unit according to Embodiment 2, with the air purification unit pulled out from the box. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view from the rear side of the air purification unit according to Embodiment 2, with the air purification unit pulled out from the box. [Figure 12] Figure 11 is an enlarged perspective view of section A in the air purification unit. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view showing the box portion of the air purification unit. [Figure 14] Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view showing the air purification unit in the air purification section. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view of the air purification unit according to Embodiment 3, as seen from the front. [Figure 16] This is a perspective view of the air purification unit according to Embodiment 3, with the air purification unit pulled out from the box. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings and the like. In the following drawings including FIG. 1, the relative dimensional relationships and shapes of the respective constituent members may be different from the actual ones. Also, in the following drawings, those denoted by the same reference numerals are the same or corresponding ones, and this shall be common throughout the entire text of the specification. In addition, for the sake of easy understanding, terms indicating directions (e.g., up, down, right, left, front, rear, etc.) are used as appropriate, but their notations are only described as such for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the arrangement and orientation of the device or components.

[0010] Embodiment 1 [Air conditioner 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. The air conditioner 1 will be described using FIG. 1. The air conditioner 1 performs air conditioning by heating or cooling the interior by transferring heat between the outside air and the indoor air via a refrigerant. The air conditioner 1 has an outdoor unit 20 and an indoor unit 10.

[0011] In the air conditioner 1, the outdoor unit 20 and the indoor unit 10 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 2, and a refrigerant circuit 3 through which the refrigerant circulates is formed. In the refrigerant circuit 3 of the air conditioner 1, a compressor 21, a flow path switching device 22, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, an expansion valve 24, and a heat exchanger 11 are sequentially connected via the refrigerant pipe 2. Note that the air conditioner 1 may not have the flow path switching device 22.

[0012] [Outdoor unit 20] The outdoor unit 20 has a compressor 21, a flow path switching device 22, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, and an expansion valve 24. The compressor 21 compresses and discharges the inhaled refrigerant. The flow path switching device 22 is, for example, a four-way valve and switches the direction of the refrigerant flow path. The air conditioner 1 can realize a heating operation or a cooling operation by switching the refrigerant flow using the flow path switching device 22 based on an instruction from a control device (not shown).

[0013] The outdoor heat exchanger 23 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outdoor air. The outdoor heat exchanger 23 functions as an evaporator during heating operation and as a condenser during cooling operation. An outdoor fan 25 is provided with the outdoor heat exchanger 23 to improve the efficiency of heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outdoor air. The expansion valve 24 is a throttling device (flow rate control means) and functions as a pressure reducing device by adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the expansion valve 24, adjusting the refrigerant pressure by changing the opening degree.

[0014] [Indoor unit 10] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1, to which the duct 300 is attached. The solid arrows shown in Figures 2 and 3 indicate the airflow. In the following drawings, including Figures 2 and 3, the X-axis indicates the width direction of the indoor unit 10, the Y-axis indicates the depth direction or front-to-back direction of the indoor unit 10, and the Z-axis indicates the up-and-down direction of the indoor unit 10.

[0015] The indoor unit 10 will be described as follows: when viewed from the front of the intake side, X1 is the left side and X2 is the right side; on the Y axis, Y1 is the intake side and Y2 is the exhaust side; Z1 is the upper side and Z2 is the lower side. Furthermore, the positional relationships between each component in this specification (e.g., up and down relationships) are, in principle, those when the indoor unit 10 is installed in a usable state.

[0016] The indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 1 is installed, for example, embedded in the ceiling of a room, and is used to provide air conditioning for the room. The indoor unit 10 supplies conditioned air to an air-conditioned space such as a room by utilizing a refrigeration cycle that circulates a refrigerant. The indoor unit 10 has a main body 100 that houses the air conditioning equipment and an air purification unit 200 that purifies the air flowing into the main body 100. Although the indoor unit 10 is envisioned as being installed embedded in the ceiling, it may also be installed in other configurations, such as being mounted on the ceiling or hung on the wall of a room.

[0017] [Main body 100] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the main body 100 of the indoor unit 10 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the main body 100 of the indoor unit 10 according to Embodiment 1. Note that in Figure 5, the top surface 16a is omitted from the illustration in order to show the internal configuration of the main body 100.

[0018] The main body 100 has a heat exchanger 11 and a blower 12, which will be described later, inside it to provide air conditioning. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the main body 100 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, including an upper surface 16a, a lower surface 16b, and side surfaces 16c. However, the shape of the main body 100 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped, and may be other shapes such as a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, a conical shape, a shape with multiple corners, or a shape with multiple curved surfaces.

[0019] The main body 100 has a discharge side section 16c1 on which an air outlet 17 is formed, as one of its side sections 16c. The main body 100 also has an intake side section 16c2 on the side of the side section 16c opposite to the side on which the air outlet 17 is formed, on which an intake port 18 is formed. An air purification unit 200, which will be described later, is positioned in the intake port 18. The positions where the air outlet 17 and intake port 18 are formed are not limited to the side section 16c, but may also be on the bottom section 16b or the top section 16a.

[0020] As shown in Figure 5, the main body 100 is provided with a partition plate 19 inside. The internal space of the main body 100 is divided by the partition plate 19 into an intake-side space 10a, where the blower 12 is located and air is drawn in, and an outlet-side space 10b, where the heat exchanger 11 is located and air from the blower 12 is blown out.

[0021] The main body 100 includes a blower 12 and a heat exchanger 11, housing the blower 12 and the heat exchanger 11 inside. The blower 12 is, for example, a centrifugal blower and forms an airflow. The blower 12 takes in air into the main body 100 through the intake port 18, performs heat exchange between the taken-in air and the refrigerant flowing inside the heat exchanger 11, and blows out the conditioned air after heat exchange from the outlet 17 of the main body 100.

[0022] The blower 12 comprises a centrifugal fan 13, a scroll casing 14 that houses the centrifugal fan 13, and a motor 15 that rotates the centrifugal fan 13. The motor 15 is supported by a motor support 15b fixed to the upper surface 16a of the main body 100. The motor 15 includes a motor shaft 15a that transmits the rotation of the motor 15 to the centrifugal fan 13. The number of blowers 12 arranged inside the main body 100 may be one or two or more.

[0023] The heat exchanger 11 is positioned opposite the discharge port 14a of the blower 12 and is located within the main body 100 in the air passage for the air discharged by the blower 12. The heat exchanger 11 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside the heat exchanger 11 and the air supplied from the blower 12.

[0024] The heat exchanger 11 adjusts the temperature and humidity of the air that is drawn into the main body 100 from outside through the intake port 18 and blown out from inside the main body 100 through the outlet port 17 into the air-conditioned space. During heating operation, the heat exchanger 11 functions as a condenser, condensing and liquefying the refrigerant. During cooling operation, the heat exchanger 11 functions as an evaporator, evaporating and vaporizing the refrigerant.

[0025] The indoor unit 10 draws in air from the intake port 18 of the main unit 100 using a blower 12, exchanges the heat of the drawn-in air with a heat exchanger 11 to produce cool or warm air, and blows the cool or warm air into the room from the outlet 17. The indoor unit 10 has an air purification unit 200 located on the air intake side of the main unit 100. As shown in Figure 3, the indoor unit 10 may also have a duct 300 connected to the air purification unit 200.

[0026] [Air purification unit 200] The air purification unit 200 is located outside the main unit 100 and is attached to the air intake port 18 of the main unit 100, and purifies the air that flows into the main unit 100. The air purification unit 200 removes dust and pollen contained in the air that passes through the inside of the air purification unit 200, kills bacteria, or inactivates viruses, thereby making the air clean.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the air intake side of the main body 100 is designated as the intake side AI and the air outlet side as the outlet side AO, the air purification unit 200 is positioned on the air intake side AI of the main body 100. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the air purification unit 200 is attached to the intake port 18 of the main body 100 outside of the main body 100. That is, the air purification unit 200 is attached to the intake side portion 16c2 where the intake port 18 is formed.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the air purification unit 200 may be configured such that the duct 300 is attached to the air inflow side and the air outflow side is attached to the main unit 100 in the direction of airflow through the air purification unit 200. In other words, the air purification unit 200 may be installed so as to be located between the main unit 100 of the indoor unit 10 and the duct 300.

[0029] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the air purification unit 200 has a filter 210, an air purification unit 220, and a box 230 that houses them. The indoor unit 10 is designed so that both the filter 210 and the air purification unit 220 can be mounted in the box 230 which can be connected to the air intake 18 of the main unit 100.

[0030] (Filter 210) The filter 210 collects dust and other particles from the air passing through it. The filter 210 is attached to the box section 230 and removes dust from the air drawn into the box section 230. The filter 210 removes dust and other particles from the air passing through the air purification section 200 by the airflow formed by the operation of the blower 12 of the main body section 100.

[0031] The filter 210 is housed inside the box-shaped box section 230. Alternatively, the filter 210 is attached to the side of the intake side AI of the box-shaped box section 230. The filter 210 is positioned on the air intake side AI relative to the air purification unit section 220. In the direction of airflow passing through the inside of the air purification section 200, the filter 210 is positioned upstream of the air purification unit section 220.

[0032] (Air purification unit section 220) The air purification unit 220 is located inside the box section 230 and purifies the air drawn into the box section 230 by discharge. The air purification unit 220 is a device that charges airborne particles and then collects them by electrostatic force. The air purification unit 220 also forms an electric field and a discharge space, inactivating and suppressing allergens such as pollen or viruses that pass through the electrostatic and discharge spaces.

[0033] Furthermore, the air purification unit 220 forms an electric field and a discharge space, sterilizing and suppressing bacteria and other microorganisms that pass through the electrolytic and discharge spaces. The air purification unit 220 is also called an air purifier, air purifier, electrostatic precipitator, dust removal device, sterilization device, sterilization unit, discharge device, or virus removal device.

[0034] The air purification unit 220 is housed inside a box-shaped container 230. The air purification unit 220 is positioned on the air outlet side AO relative to the filter 210. The air purification unit 220 is positioned downstream of the filter 210 in the direction of airflow passing through the inside of the container 230.

[0035] The air purification unit 220 is detachably attached to the box section 230. The air purification unit 220 is inserted into and removed from the box section 230 through a box opening 235a (see Figure 7) provided in the box section 230, which will be described later. The air purification unit 220 is inserted into the box section 230 through the box opening 235a and attached to the box section 230. The air purification unit 220 is pulled out from the box section 230 through the box opening 235a and removed from the box section 230.

[0036] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the air purification unit 220 according to Embodiment 1. The structure of the air purification unit 220 will be described using Figures 7 and 8. The air purification unit 220 has a base portion 221 and a side plate portion 222. The air purification unit 220 also has an electrical box 223, a power supply device 224, and a purification unit 225.

[0037] The base portion 221 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate. When the air purification unit portion 220 is installed inside the box portion 230, the plate surface of the base portion 221 is positioned to face the direction of airflow passing through the inside of the box portion 230. That is, inside the box portion 230, the base portion 221 is positioned so that its plate surface faces the air intake side AI and the air outlet side AO. The base portion 221 is formed to extend in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) of the indoor unit 10.

[0038] The base 221 is fitted with an electrical box 223, a power supply 224, and a cleaning unit 225. The base 221 holds the electrical box 223, power supply 224, and cleaning unit 225 that are fitted to it. The base 221 maintains the arrangement of the electrical box 223, power supply 224, and cleaning unit 225 that are fitted to it inside the box 230. At least the cleaning unit 225 is fitted to the base 221.

[0039] The base portion 221 is provided with an opening 221a, which is a through hole. The air purification unit portion 220 is positioned such that the opening 221a of the base portion 221 is located downstream of the purification portion 225 in the direction of airflow passing through the inside of the air purification portion 200. The air purification unit portion 220 is positioned such that the purification portion 225 and the opening 221a overlap when viewed in the direction of airflow passing through the inside of the air purification portion 200. The air that has passed through the purification portion 225 passes through the opening 221a and is drawn into the intake port 18 of the main body portion 100.

[0040] The base portion 221 includes a plate-shaped lower wall portion 221b that is slidably positioned on a guide portion 231a (see Figure 7), which will be described later, at its lower end. The lower wall portion 221b is provided at the lower end of the base portion 221. The lower wall portion 221b is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate. The lower wall portion 221b is formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the base portion 221. Furthermore, the lower wall portion 221b is formed to extend in the direction that allows the air purification unit portion 220 to be moved in and out of the box portion 230. That is, the lower wall portion 221b is formed to extend in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and the front-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the indoor unit 10. The lower wall portion 221b is formed so that its plate surface faces up and down (Z-axis direction).

[0041] The lower wall portion 221b constitutes one side wall located at the lower end of the rectangular base portion 221. When the air purification unit portion 220 is attached to the box portion 230, the lower wall portion 221b is positioned on the guide portion 231a (see Figure 7) of the box portion 230, which will be described later.

[0042] The side plate portion 222 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate. When the air purification unit portion 220 is installed inside the box portion 230, the surface of the side plate portion 222 is positioned to align with the direction of airflow passing through the inside of the box portion 230. That is, the side plate portion 222 is formed to extend in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the indoor unit 10. The side plate portion 222 is formed so that its surface faces left-to-right (X-axis direction).

[0043] The side plate portion 222 is attached to one side of the rectangular base portion 221, located at the left-right (X-axis direction) end. The side plate portion 222 is fixed to the left-right (X-axis direction) end of the rectangular base portion 221. When viewed in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) of the indoor unit 10, the side plate portion 222 and the base portion 221 are formed in a T-shape or L-shape.

[0044] The side panel portion 222 is attached to the opening wall portion 235 of the box portion 230, where the box opening 235a is formed, when the air purification unit portion 220 is installed inside the box portion 230. The side panel portion 222 also serves as a lid to cover the box opening 235a provided in the box portion 230, which will be described later, when the air purification unit portion 220 is installed inside the box portion 230.

[0045] The side panel 222, together with the opening wall 235, covers the right side of the air purification unit 220, including the electrical box 223, power supply 224, and purification unit 225, when the air purification unit 220 is attached to the box 230.

[0046] The electrical box 223 is box-shaped and contains a control board 223c that controls the air purification unit 220. The electrical box 223 has a box-shaped box body 223a with one side open, and a lid 223b that covers the opening of the box body 223a. The electrical box 223 houses the control board 223c inside the box body 223a.

[0047] In Embodiment 1, the air purification unit 200 is configured such that when the air purification unit 220 is attached to the box 230, the electrical box 223 is housed inside the box 230. The air purification unit 220 is attached to the box 230 with the electrical box 223 housed inside the box 230.

[0048] The electrical box 223 is positioned above the power supply unit 224 and the air purification unit 225 in the air purification unit section 220. When the air purification unit section 220 is installed inside the box section 230, the electrical box 223 is positioned in the air passage inside the air purification unit 200. Depending on the operating environment, such as high temperature and humidity, water droplets may form in the air passage inside the air purification unit 200. In the event that water droplets form in the air passage, the electrical box 223 is positioned higher than the power supply unit 224 and the air purification unit 225 to prevent the droplets from traveling along the wiring and reaching the control board 223c.

[0049] The power supply unit 224 is connected to an external power supply via the main unit 100, or connected to an external power supply without going through the main unit 100, and supplies power to the control board 223c and the cleaning unit 225.

[0050] The purification unit 225 is a device that constitutes the part of the air purification unit 220 that purifies the air. For example, the purification unit 225 discharges electricity in the air purification unit 220 to charge airborne particles, and then collects those particles by electrostatic force.

[0051] The purification unit 225 forms an electric field and a discharge space within the air purification unit 220, inactivating and suppressing allergens such as pollen, or viruses, that pass through the electrolytic and discharge space. Furthermore, the purification unit 225 forms an electric field and a discharge space within the air purification unit 220, sterilizing and suppressing bacteria and other organisms that pass through the electrolytic and discharge space.

[0052] Figure 9 is a partial conceptual diagram showing an example of a purification section 225 in the air purification section 200 according to Embodiment 1. The purification section 225, as an example, has a discharge electrode 225a and a counter electrode 225b. Air that has passed through the filter 210 passes through the "discharge space and electric field space" formed by the discharge electrode 225a and the counter electrode 225b, exits through the box opening 235a, and flows into the main body 100 via the intake port 18 of the main body 100.

[0053] Viruses or bacteria floating in the air are inactivated when they pass through the "discharge space and electric field space" formed by the discharge electrode 225a and the counter electrode 225b, by receiving a discharge. Receiving a discharge means that components in the air are excited by a high voltage and collide with each other while carrying energy. Furthermore, when bacteria are subjected to a high electric field at the same time as the discharge, polarization charges occur in the cell membrane of the bacteria, creating pores inside, and then irreparable holes are formed, making the bacteria more easily inactivated. Similarly, viruses are more strongly affected by the discharge and more easily inactivated when they are under the influence of an electric field.

[0054] The cleaning unit 225 can be any well-known type of air purifier that uses electrical discharge. For example, the cleaning unit 225 may be an electrostatic precipitator air purifier that utilizes static electricity from high-voltage discharge. Alternatively, the cleaning unit 225 may be an air purifier that utilizes discharge products such as ions or ozone.

[0055] (Box section 230) The box section 230 has a filter 210 attached to it and houses the air purification unit section 220 inside. The filter 210 is attached to the intake side, i.e., the duct side, of the box section 230, and the air purification unit section 220 is attached to the exhaust side, i.e., the main body section 100 side.

[0056] As shown in Figure 7, the box portion 230 is formed in a box shape and is attached to the intake port 18 of the main body portion 100 on the outside of the main body portion 100. As shown in Figure 7, the box portion 230 has its X-axis direction as the longitudinal direction or left-right direction, its Y-axis direction as the short direction or front-back direction, and its Z-axis direction as the up-down direction. The box portion 230 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having six faces: a bottom wall portion 231, an upper wall portion 232, an intake side wall portion 233, an outlet side wall portion 234, an opening wall portion 235, and side wall portions 236.

[0057] As shown in Figure 7, the bottom wall portion 231 is the part that constitutes the lower surface of the box-shaped box portion 230. When the air purification unit portion 220 is attached to the box portion 230, the bottom wall portion 231 covers the lower part of the air purification unit portion 220, including the electrical box 223, power supply unit 224, and purification unit 225. The bottom wall portion 231 supports the air purification unit portion 220 which is located inside the box portion 230.

[0058] The bottom wall portion 231 of the box portion 230 has a guide portion 231a that constitutes a rail for the movement of the air purification unit portion 220. The guide portion 231a is a rail for sliding the air purification unit portion 220 when inserting or removing it from the box portion 230. The guide portion 231a guides the movement of the air purification unit portion 220 when an operator inserts or removes the air purification unit portion 220 from the box portion 230. The guide portion 231a guides the direction of movement of the air purification unit portion 220 so that it moves in a direction that crosses the direction of airflow (Y-axis direction) passing through the inside of the box portion 230.

[0059] The guide portion 231a is provided so as to extend in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230. The guide portion 231a has a cross-section along the direction of airflow (Y-axis direction) passing through the inside of the box portion 230, and when this cross-section is viewed in the direction in which the air purification unit portion 220 is inserted into and removed from the box portion 230 (X-axis direction), it is formed in a substantially U-shape.

[0060] The guide portion 231a has a bottom portion 231a1, a front wall portion 231a2, and a rear wall portion 231a3. The bottom portion 231a1 forms a surface that extends in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) and the left-to-right direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230, and forms a surface that faces in the up-and-down direction (Z-axis direction). When viewed in the up-and-down direction (Z-axis direction), the bottom portion 231a1 is formed in a rectangular shape.

[0061] The front wall portion 231a2 and the rear wall portion 231a3 form surfaces that extend in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and the left-right direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230, and form surfaces that face in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction). When viewed in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction), the front wall portion 231a2 and the rear wall portion 231a3 are formed in a rectangular shape.

[0062] The front wall portion 231a2 is positioned upstream of the rear wall portion 231a3 in the direction of airflow passing through the box portion 230. That is, the rear wall portion 231a3 is positioned downstream of the front wall portion 231a2 in the direction of airflow passing through the box portion 230.

[0063] The front wall portion 231a2 is formed along one upstream side of the rectangular bottom portion 231a1 in the direction of airflow passing through the box portion 230. The rear wall portion 231a3 is formed along one downstream side of the rectangular bottom portion 231a1 in the direction of airflow passing through the box portion 230.

[0064] When the air purification unit 220 is placed inside the box section 230, the lower wall section 221b (see Figure 8) of the air purification unit 220 rests on the upper surface of the bottom section 231a1. Also, when the air purification unit 220 is placed inside the box section 230, the air purification unit 220 is positioned between the front wall section 231a2 and the rear wall section 231a3 in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the box section 230. When the air purification unit 220 is placed inside the box section 230, the front wall section 231a2 and the rear wall section 231a3 face the air purification unit 220 in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the box section 230.

[0065] As shown in Figure 7, the upper wall portion 232 is the part that constitutes the upper surface of the box-shaped box portion 230. When viewed in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), the upper wall portion 232 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate. When the air purification unit portion 220 is attached to the box portion 230, the upper wall portion 232 covers the top of the electrical box 223, power supply unit 224, and purification unit 225 of the air purification unit portion 220.

[0066] The suction side wall portion 233, the discharge side wall portion 234, the opening wall portion 235, and the side wall portion 236 are parts that constitute the side surface of the box-shaped box portion 230. In the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the box portion 230, the suction side wall portion 233 and the discharge side wall portion 234 are formed to face each other. In the direction of airflow passing through the box portion 230, the suction side wall portion 233 is located upstream of the discharge side wall portion 234, and the discharge side wall portion 234 is located downstream of the suction side wall portion 233.

[0067] A filter 210 is attached and fixed to the suction side wall 233, for example. The filter 210 is detachably attached to the suction side wall 233. However, if the filter 210 is designed to be attached to the box section 230, it does not need to be attached to the suction side wall 233. For example, the filter 210 may be housed inside the box section 230, similar to the air purification unit section 220.

[0068] The intake side wall portion 233 has an inlet opening 233a through which air flowing into the box portion 230 passes. The discharge side wall portion 234 has an outlet opening 234a through which air flowing out from the box portion 230 passes. The inlet opening 233a and the outlet opening 234a constitute a through hole. When the air purification unit 200 is attached to the main body portion 100, the outlet opening 234a of the box portion 230 communicates with the intake port 18 of the main body portion 100.

[0069] In the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the box section 230, the opening wall section 235 and the side wall section 236 are formed to face each other. In the box section 230 shown in Figure 7, the opening wall section 235 is provided on the right side (X2 side) and the side wall section 236 is provided on the left side (X1 side). However, in the box section 230, the formation positions of the opening wall section 235 and the side wall section 236 may be reversed from the formation positions in the box section 230 shown in Figure 7.

[0070] The opening wall portion 235 constitutes the side surface of the box portion 230. The opening wall portion 235 has a box opening 235a formed therein for inserting the air purification unit portion 220 into the box portion 230 and removing the air purification unit portion 220 from the box portion 230. The box opening 235a constitutes a through hole.

[0071] The worker inserts and removes the air purification unit 220 into the box section 230 through the box opening 235a. The worker can also perform maintenance on the electrical box 223, power supply unit 224, and purification unit 225 of the air purification unit 220 by inserting and removing the air purification unit 220 into the box section 230 through the box opening 235a. Maintenance refers to inspection, cleaning, or replacement.

[0072] The side wall portion 236 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate when viewed in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230. When the air purification unit portion 220 is attached to the box portion 230, the side wall portion 236, together with the side plate portion 222 of the air purification unit portion 220, covers the left side of the electrical box 223, power supply unit 224, and purification unit 225 of the air purification unit portion 220.

[0073] [Operation of indoor unit 10] When the blower 12 of the main unit 100 is driven, air is drawn from outside the indoor unit 10 into the indoor unit 10. At this time, the air outside the indoor unit 10 passes through the air purification unit 200 and is drawn into the main unit 100. The air passing through the air purification unit 200 passes through the filter 210 and then through the purification unit 225 of the air purification unit 220. The air passing through the filter 210 is filtered by the filter 210, and dirt and dust are removed from the air. The air from which dust has been removed by the filter 210 passes through the purification unit 225, where it is sterilized by discharge or the like, and viruses and the like are inactivated.

[0074] [Effects of indoor unit 10] The indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner 1 has a main unit 100 that performs air conditioning and an air purification unit 200 that purifies the air. The air purification unit 200 has a box section 230 attached to the air intake 18 of the main unit 100 outside the main unit 100, a filter 210 attached to the box section 230, and an air purification unit section 220 that is located inside the box section 230 and purifies the air. The indoor unit 10 has an air purification unit 200 that combines the filter 210 and the air purification unit section 220 into one independent unit, separate from the main unit 100 that performs air conditioning. Therefore, when a worker performs maintenance on parts related to air purification, they can access the parts that need maintenance at once without having to consider the air conditioning equipment, making it easy to perform maintenance on parts related to air purification.

[0075] For example, the indoor unit 10 allows for easy maintenance of air purification-related components without removing the outer casing of the main unit 100 or disconnecting the ducts connected to the indoor unit 10. Furthermore, the indoor unit 10 utilizes the dedicated ceiling opening (inspection port) for maintenance of the main unit 100, allowing for maintenance of air purification-related components without creating a new ceiling opening for maintenance of the air purification unit 200. Additionally, since the purification unit 225 has discharge electrodes, the indoor unit 10 requires insulation measures against high voltage. In the indoor unit 10, the box portion 230 of the air purification unit 200 is separated from the main unit 100. Therefore, compared to the case where the purification unit 225 is located inside the main unit 100 which contains air conditioning-related components, the indoor unit 10 does not need to consider the relationship with the arrangement of other components, making insulation measures easier to implement.

[0076] Furthermore, the air purification section 200 of the indoor unit 10 has an air purification section 200 which includes a filter 210 and an air purification unit section 220. The indoor unit 10 can use the filter 210 and the air purification unit section 220 simultaneously in the air purification section 200. The air purification section 200 can capture dust in the air flowing into the indoor unit 10 with the filter 210, and inactivate minute substances such as viruses or pollen that pass through the filter 210 with the purification section 225 installed in the air purification unit section 220. The indoor unit 10 combines the functions of a filter 210 and an air purification device by installing both the filter 210 and the air purification unit section 220 inside a box section 230 connected to the air intake port 18 of the indoor unit 10.

[0077] Furthermore, the air purification unit 220 is positioned downstream of the filter 210 in the direction of airflow passing through the box 230. Also, since the air purification unit 200 of the indoor unit 10 collects dust with the filter 210 mounted on the intake side AI of the box 230, the inflow of dust into the air purification unit 220, which is positioned downstream of the filter 210, can be suppressed. As a result, the indoor unit 10 can reduce the frequency of maintenance of the purification unit 225 of the air purification unit 220.

[0078] Furthermore, the air purification unit 200 is configured such that when the air purification unit 220 is attached to the box section 230, the electrical box 223 is housed inside the box section 230. In other words, the air purification unit 220 is attached to the box section 230 with the electrical box 223 housed inside the box section 230. If there is no concern about condensation inside the box section 230, as in the air purification unit 200, the electrical box 223 can be placed inside the air passage of the box section 230, eliminating any part that protrudes outside the box section 230. Therefore, by placing the electrical box 223 inside the air passage of the box section 230, the indoor unit 10 can make better use of space such as above the ceiling.

[0079] Embodiment 2 Figure 10 is a front perspective view of the air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 2, with the air purification unit 220 extended from the box portion 230. Figure 11 is a rear perspective view of the air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 2, with the air purification unit 220 extended from the box portion 230. Parts having the same configuration as those in Figures 1 to 8 of the air purification unit 200 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. The air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 2 specifies the fitting state between the box portion 230 and the air purification unit 220.

[0080] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, in the air purification unit 200, all components related to the air purification device other than the filter 210 are grouped together in the air purification unit 220. The air purification unit 220 can be inserted and removed from a box opening 235a provided on the side of the box 230. The box opening 235a serves as a maintenance port for performing maintenance on the air purification unit 220. The air purification unit 220 is attached to the opening wall 235 while inserted inside the box 230 via the box opening 235a.

[0081] When performing maintenance on the air purification unit 220, the worker pulls the air purification unit 220 out of the box 230 through the box opening 235a and performs maintenance on the air purification unit 220. After completing maintenance on the air purification unit 220, the worker inserts the air purification unit 220 back into the box 230 through the box opening 235a and places the purification unit 225 inside the box 230.

[0082] The air purification unit 220 also serves as the lid for the box opening 235a. When the air purification unit 220 is fully inserted into the box 230, the air purification unit 220 is structured to block the box opening 235a.

[0083] Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in the air purification unit 200 of Figure 11. Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the box portion 230 in the air purification unit 200 of Figure 12. Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view showing the air purification unit portion 220 in the air purification unit 200 of Figure 12. As shown in Figure 13, the box portion 230 has a groove portion 231b and a claw portion 231c in the guide portion 231a.

[0084] A groove 231b is formed in the guide portion 231a at the end closest to the opening wall portion 235. The groove 231b is a portion where the bottom portion 231a1 is cut out. The groove 231b is formed in a groove shape in the guide portion 231a, and when the corner portion of the lower end of the air purification unit portion 220 is placed in this portion, the air purification unit portion 220 falls into the groove 231b. The groove 231b is formed in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230, at a position close to the opening wall portion 235.

[0085] The guide portion 231a includes an inclined piece portion 231d at the boundary between the bottom portion 231a1 and the groove portion 231b in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230. The inclined piece portion 231d is a plate piece and is inclined downward from the bottom portion 231a1 toward the interior of the groove portion 231b. The inclined piece portion 231d is inclined such that its plate surface faces the opening wall portion 235 and upward.

[0086] When the air purification unit 220 falls into the groove 231b, it falls along the slope of the inclined piece 231d, so it falls into the groove 231b gently. Therefore, when the air purification unit 220 falls into the groove 231b, no impact occurs due to collision between the air purification unit 220 and the box 230, eliminating the risk of damage to the air purification unit 200 due to impact and the risk to the work.

[0087] The box section 230 has a hook-shaped claw portion 231c that engages with the air purification unit section 220. When the air purification unit section 220 is pulled out of the box section 230, the claw portion 231c engages with the fitting hole portion 221c (see Figure 14) of the box section 230, which will be described later.

[0088] The lower part 231c1 of the claw portion 231c extends in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The upper part 231c2 of the claw portion 231c extends from the opening wall portion 235 side toward the bottom portion 231a1. That is, the upper part 231c2 of the claw portion 231c extends from the opening wall portion 235 side toward the side wall portion 236 side. The claw portion 231c is formed to extend in the short direction (Y-axis direction) and the long direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230.

[0089] The claw portion 231c is formed at the end of the guide portion 231a that is closer to the opening wall portion 235. The claw portion 231c is provided above the groove portion 231b. The claw portion 231c is positioned above the portion of the groove portion 231b that is closer to the opening wall portion 235. The tip of the claw portion 231c is located above the groove portion 231b, and the tip is facing towards the side wall portion 236.

[0090] The air purification unit section 220 has a fitting hole section 221c that forms a through hole for fitting with the claw section 231c. As shown in Figure 14, the fitting hole section 221c is formed in the lower wall section 221b of the air purification unit section 220. The fitting hole section 221c is sized to allow the claw section 231c to pass through. In the air purification unit section 220, if the tip in the direction of insertion into the box section 230 is considered the unit tip section 220a, the fitting hole section 221c is formed closer to the unit tip section 220a than to the side plate section 222 (see Figure 7).

[0091] As shown in Figure 12, when the air purification unit 220 is pulled out of the box 230, the corner of the lower end of the air purification unit 220 falls into the groove 231b. As shown in section B of Figure 12, when the corner of the lower end of the air purification unit 220 falls into the groove 231b, the claw portion 231c passes through the fitting hole 221c and engages with the inner edge of the fitting hole 221c. Once the claw portion 231c is engaged with the fitting hole 221c, the air purification unit 220 cannot be pulled out any further from the box 230.

[0092] When the air purification unit 220 is pulled out from the box opening 235a to a maintainable position, the air purification unit 220 falls into the groove 231b, and the claw 231c and the fitting hole 221c engage. The maintainable position is the position where, when the air purification unit 220 is pulled out from the box 230, at least the purification part 225 of the air purification unit 220 is exposed from the box 230. Alternatively, the maintainable position may also be the position where, when the air purification unit 220 is pulled out from the box 230, the electrical box 223 and the power supply unit 224 are exposed from the box 230 along with the purification part 225 of the air purification unit 220.

[0093] When the claw portion 231c engages with the fitting hole portion 221c, the upper part 231c2 of the claw portion 231c comes into contact with the lower wall portion 221b located between the fitting hole portion 221c and the unit tip portion 220a, restricting the upward movement of the lower wall portion 221b. As a result, the air purification unit 200 can maintain the posture of the air purification unit portion 220 in the box portion 230 without the side plate portion 222 of the air purification unit portion 220 tilting downward, thus preventing the air purification unit portion 220 from falling out of the box portion 230.

[0094] Furthermore, even if the side plate portion 222 of the air purification unit portion 220 is tilted slightly downward, the upper part of the air purification unit portion 220 will still be in contact with the upper wall portion 232 of the box portion 230, preventing the air purification unit portion 220 from tilting significantly. Therefore, the air purification unit 200 can maintain the posture of the air purification unit portion 220 within the box portion 230, preventing the air purification unit portion 220 from falling out of the box portion 230.

[0095] When the air purification unit 220 is pulled out from the box opening 235a to a maintainable position, the claw portion 231c and the fitting hole portion 221c engage, restricting the movement of the air purification unit 220. The air purification unit 200 maintains the position of the air purification unit 220 within the box portion 230. In other words, the angle between the guide portion 231a of the box portion 230 and the lower wall portion 221b of the air purification unit 220 is maintained before and after it is pulled out.

[0096] [Effects of indoor unit 10] In the case of an indoor unit without an air purification unit 200, where the indoor unit is connected to a duct and the area around the indoor unit's intake and outlet is covered by the duct, it becomes difficult for workers to access the air purification-related components located near the intake or outlet due to the presence of the duct. Therefore, when an indoor unit without an air purification unit 200 is connected to a duct, it becomes difficult for workers to perform maintenance on the air purification-related components located near the intake or outlet due to the duct.

[0097] The air purification unit 200 has a box section 230 and an air purification unit section 220. The box section 230 has an opening wall section 235 which forms the side of the box section 230 and has a box opening 235a formed therein for inserting the air purification unit section 220 into the box section 230 and removing the air purification unit section 220 from the inside of the box section 230. The air purification unit section 220 is attached to the opening wall section 235 while inserted into the inside of the box section 230 through the box opening 235a.

[0098] The air purification unit 200 of the indoor unit 10 is configured so that the air purification unit 220 can be inserted into and removed from a box opening 235a located next to the box 230. By pulling out the air purification unit 220 from the box 230, the worker can access all the parts that require maintenance at once, making it easy to maintain the air purification-related parts even when the duct 300 (see Figure 3) is connected to the indoor unit 10.

[0099] Furthermore, the air purification unit 220 includes a purification section 225 housed inside the box section 230 and constituting the part that purifies the air, and an electrical box 223 having a control board 223c inside that controls the air purification unit 220. The air purification unit 220 also includes a power supply device 224 connected to an external power supply that supplies power to the control board 223c and the purification section 225.

[0100] When installing an air purifier, an electrical box containing a control board for the air purifier and a power supply unit are also required, resulting in a large number of parts that require maintenance. When there are many parts that require maintenance, and each part is located in a different place, maintenance of each individual part takes time.

[0101] The indoor unit 10 integrates air purification-related components such as the electrical box 223, power supply unit 224, and purification unit 225 into a single unit, the air purification unit 220. By integrating the air purification-related components into the air purification unit 220, the indoor unit 10 allows access to all components requiring maintenance at once by pulling out the air purification unit 220 from the box unit 230. Therefore, when performing maintenance on air purification-related components, workers can access all components requiring maintenance at once, making maintenance of air purification-related components easier.

[0102] The air purification unit 220 integrates air purification-related components such as the electrical box 223, power supply 224, and purification unit 225 into a single unit. As a result, the total weight of the air purification unit 220 is heavier compared to a unit in which components such as the purification unit 225 are not integrated into a single unit.

[0103] The air purification unit 220 moves along a guide section 231a, which acts as a rail, within the box section 230, so not much force is required to pull the air purification unit 220 out of the box section 230. However, if the air purification unit 220 is completely pulled out of the box section 230, its load is released, and the weight of the air purification unit 220 is suddenly placed on the worker's arm. When performing maintenance in places such as attics, workers often work on unstable scaffolding, so if the weight of the air purification unit 220 is suddenly placed on the worker's arm, it can become a dangerous operation.

[0104] The air purification section 200 of the indoor unit 10 has a box section 230 and an air purification unit section 220. The box section 230 has a hook-shaped claw section 231c that engages with the air purification unit section 220, and the air purification unit section 220 has a fitting hole section 221c that forms a through hole that engages with the claw section 231c. When the air purification unit section 220 is pulled out from the box opening 235a to a maintainable position, the claw section 231c and the fitting hole section 221c engage.

[0105] The air purification unit 200 restricts the movement of the air purification unit 220 when the claw portion 231c and the fitting hole portion 221c are fitted together, and the position of the air purification unit 220 is maintained in the box portion 230. Therefore, the worker does not have to pull the air purification unit 220 out of the box portion 230 all at once, and the entire weight of the air purification unit 220 does not suddenly fall on the worker's arm, allowing for safe work. The air purification unit 200 is designed to stop once before the air purification unit 220 is completely removed from the box portion 230, so that the weight does not suddenly fall on the worker, and the worker can perform maintenance work safely. In addition, the indoor unit 10 can maintain only the necessary parts of the air purification unit 220 without completely pulling the air purification unit 220 out of the box portion 230 during maintenance.

[0106] Furthermore, the box portion 230 has a guide portion 231a that constitutes a rail for the movement of the air purification unit portion 220, and the guide portion 231a has a groove portion 231b formed at the end closer to the opening wall portion 235. The claw portion 231c of the box portion 230 is formed at the end of the guide portion 231a closer to the opening wall portion 235. The air purification unit portion 220 has a plate-shaped base portion 221 to which at least the purification portion 225 is attached, and the base portion 221 includes a plate-shaped lower wall portion 221b that is slidably positioned on the guide portion 231a at its lower end. The fitting hole portion 221c of the air purification unit portion 220 is formed in the lower wall portion 221b. When the air purification unit 220 is pulled out from the box opening 235a to a maintainable position, the air purification unit 220 falls into the groove 231b, and the claw 231c and the fitting hole 221c engage.

[0107] When the air purification unit 220 is pulled out of the box section 230 by the groove 231b of the air purification unit 200, as shown in Figure 12, when the air purification unit 220 is pulled out to a position where maintenance is possible, the air purification unit 220 falls into the groove 231b by its own weight. The air purification unit 200 prevents the air purification unit 220 from being pulled out any further from the box section 230 by fitting the claw portion 231c of the box section 230 into the fitting hole portion 221c formed in the lower wall portion 221b of the air purification unit 220.

[0108] To completely remove the air purification unit 220 from the box 230, the worker must lift the air purification unit 220 from the state in which the claw portion 231c and the fitting hole portion 221c are engaged, and then disengage the claw portion 231c of the box 230 from the fitting hole portion 221c. Therefore, the worker does not pull the air purification unit 220 out of the box 230 all at once, and the entire weight of the air purification unit 220 is not suddenly placed on the worker's arm, allowing for safe work.

[0109] Furthermore, unless the operator lifts the air purification unit 220 to release the shape of the claw portion 231c and the fitting hole portion 221c, the air purification unit 200 can maintain its position in the box portion 230. Therefore, when maintaining the air purification unit 220, the indoor unit 10 can maintain only the necessary parts without completely removing the air purification unit 220 from the box portion 230. When the indoor unit 10 pulls the air purification unit 220 out of the box portion 230, it stops once before being completely removed from the box portion 230 and is structured to maintain its position as long as the air purification unit 220 is not lifted.

[0110] Embodiment 3 Figure 15 is a perspective view of the air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 3, viewed from the front. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 3, with the air purification unit 220 extended from the box 230. Note that parts having the same configuration as the air purification unit 200 in Figures 1 to 14 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0111] The air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 3 differs from the air purification unit 200 of Embodiments 1 and 2 in that the position of the electrical box 223 of the air purification unit 220 is different. Furthermore, the air purification unit 200 according to Embodiment 3 specifies the mounting position of the filter 210.

[0112] The electrical boxes 223 of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 are attached to the base portion 221 (see Figure 7) of the air purification unit portion 220 and housed inside the box portion 230. The electrical boxes 223 of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 are positioned within the air passage of the box portion 230.

[0113] In Embodiment 3, the electrical box 223 is attached to the side plate portion 222 of the air purification unit portion 220, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, and is not housed inside the box portion 230. In Embodiment 3, the electrical box 223 is positioned to be attached to the outer surface of the box portion 230 and is not located within the air passage of the box portion 230.

[0114] In Embodiment 3, the electrical box 223 is located on the side opposite the cleaning unit 225 relative to the side plate 222. When the air purification unit 220 is inserted into the box 230 and attached to the box 230, the electrical box 223 is positioned to protrude outward from the box 230.

[0115] In Embodiment 3, the air purification unit 200 is configured such that when the air purification unit 220 is attached to the box 230, the electrical box 223 is located outside the box 230. In Embodiment 3, the air purification unit 200 is arranged so that the electrical box 223 is exposed to the outside of the box 230. The air purification unit 220 is attached to the box 230 with the electrical box 223 located outside the box 230.

[0116] Whether the electrical box 223 is placed inside or outside the air passage of the box section 230 is determined according to the operating environment of the indoor unit 10. If high-temperature, high-humidity air is expected to flow into the indoor unit 10 and condensation is expected to occur inside the box section 230, which is the primary side of the air conditioner, the electrical box 223 is placed outside the air passage of the box section 230, as in the air purification unit 200 of Embodiment 3.

[0117] In Embodiments 1 and 2, the filter 210 is externally attached to the box section 230, as shown in Figure 6, for example. In contrast, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the filter 210 of Embodiment 3 is housed within the box section 230.

[0118] The filter 210 can be inserted and removed through a box opening 235a located on the side of the box section 230. The box opening 235a serves as a maintenance port for performing maintenance on the filter 210. The filter 210 is positioned to be easily inserted and removed from inside the box section 230 via the box opening 235a, and is attached to the opening wall 235 while inserted inside the box section 230 via the box opening 235a.

[0119] When performing maintenance on the filter 210, the worker pulls the filter 210 out of the box section 230 through the box opening 235a and performs maintenance on the filter 210. When installing the filter 210 back into the box section 230, the worker inserts the filter 210 into the box section 230 through the box opening 235a and places the filter 210 inside the box section 230.

[0120] The filter side plate portion 211 of the filter 210 also serves as a lid for the box opening 235a. When the filter 210 is fully inserted into the box portion 230, the filter side plate portion 211 of the filter 210 is structured to block the box opening 235a.

[0121] The bottom wall portion 231 of the box portion 230 has a rail guide portion 231f. The rail guide portion 231f is a rail that allows the filter 210 to slide when inserting or removing the filter 210 into or removing it from the box portion 230. The rail guide portion 231f guides the movement of the filter 210 when an operator inserts or removes the filter 210 into or removes it from the box portion 230. The rail guide portion 231f is provided to extend in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the box portion 230.

[0122] Furthermore, it is desirable that the air purification unit 220 in Embodiments 1 to 3 be configured to be the same size as existing filters such as long-life filters or high-performance filters. By configuring the air purification unit 220 to be of this size, existing filters can be replaced with the air purification unit 220. In addition, by configuring the air purification unit 220 to be of this size, the filter 210 and the air purification unit 220 can be used selectively according to the user's needs.

[0123] [Effects of indoor unit 10] The air purification unit 200 of the indoor unit 10 is configured such that when the air purification unit 220 is attached to the box 230, the electrical box 223 is located outside the box 230. In other words, the air purification unit 220 is attached to the box 230 with the electrical box 223 located outside the box 230. When high temperature and high humidity air is expected to flow into the indoor unit 10, the air purification unit 200 of the indoor unit 10 can avoid condensation forming on the electrical box 223 by placing the electrical box 223 outside the airflow path of the box 230.

[0124] If no duct is connected to the air purification unit 200, the operator can attach and detach the filter 210 to the box unit 230 from the outside of the box unit 230. However, if a duct is connected to the air purification unit 200, the presence of the duct makes it difficult for the operator to attach and detach the filter 210 to the box unit 230 from the outside of the box unit 230. Therefore, if a duct is connected to the air purification unit 200, it may be difficult for the operator to perform maintenance on the filter 210.

[0125] The filter 210 of the indoor unit 10 is positioned to be easily inserted and removed from the inside of the box section 230 via a box opening 235a, and is attached to the opening wall section 235 while inserted inside the box section 230 via the box opening 235a. The air purification section 200 of the indoor unit 10 is configured so that the filter 210 can be inserted and removed from the box opening 235a located on the side of the box section 230. Workers can perform maintenance by pulling the filter 210 out of the box section 230 via the box opening 235a. Therefore, maintenance of the filter 210 is easy for workers even when a duct 300 (see Figure 3) is connected to the indoor unit 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0126] 1 Air conditioner, 2 Refrigerant piping, 3 Refrigerant circuit, 10 Indoor unit, 10a Intake side space, 10b Discharge side space, 11 Heat exchanger, 12 Blower, 13 Centrifugal fan, 14 Scroll casing, 14a Discharge port, 15 Motor, 15a Motor shaft, 15b Motor support, 16a Top section, 16b Bottom section, 16c Side section, 16c1 Discharge side section, 16c2 Intake side section, 17 Discharge outlet, 18 Intake port, 19 Partition plate, 20 Outdoor unit, 21 Compressor, 22 Flow path switching device, 23 Outdoor heat exchanger, 24 Expansion valve, 25 Outdoor blower, 100 Main body section, 200 Air purification section, 210 Filter, 211 Filter side plate section, 220 Air purification unit section, 220a Unit tip, 221 Base, 221a Opening, 221b Bottom wall, 221c Fitting hole, 222 Side plate, 223 Electrical box, 223a Box body, 223b Lid, 223c Control board, 224 Power supply, 225 Cleaning section, 225a Discharge electrode, 225b Counter electrode, 230 Box section, 231 Bottom wall, 231a Guide section, 231a1 Bottom, 231a2 Front wall, 231a3 Rear wall, 231b Groove, 231c Claw, 231c1 Lower part, 231c2 Upper part, 231d Inclined piece, 231f Rail guide section, 232 Upper wall, 233 Suction side wall, 233a Inlet side opening, 234 Discharge side wall section, 234a Outlet side opening, 235 Opening wall section, 235a Box opening, 236 Side wall section, 300 Duct, AI Intake side, AO Discharge side.

Claims

1. The main unit has a heat exchanger and a blower inside and performs air conditioning, An air purification unit is provided on the outside of the main body, attached to the air intake of the main body, to purify the air flowing into the interior of the main body. Equipped with, The aforementioned air purification unit is It is formed in a box shape, and on the outside of the main body, one end of the box is attached so as to cover the entire intake port of the main body, and the other end of the box is attached to a duct, A filter attached to the box section to remove dust from the air drawn into the box section, An air purification unit is located inside the box section and purifies the air drawn into the box section by discharge, An indoor unit of an air conditioner.

2. The aforementioned box section is The box portion has an opening wall portion which forms the side surface of the box portion, into which the air purification unit portion is inserted, and into which the air purification unit portion is removed from the inside of the box portion, The aforementioned air purification unit section is The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, which is attached to the opening wall portion while being inserted into the box portion through the box opening portion.

3. A main body having a heat exchanger and a blower inside for air conditioning, An air purification unit is provided on the outside of the main body, attached to the air intake of the main body, to purify the air flowing into the interior of the main body. Equipped with, The aforementioned air purification unit is It is formed in a box shape, and on the outside of the main body, it has a box part that is attached to the intake port of the main body, A filter attached to the box section to remove dust from the air drawn into the box section, An air purification unit is located inside the box section and purifies the air drawn into the box section by discharge, It has, The aforementioned box section is The side of the box portion is formed by an opening wall portion into which the air purification unit portion is inserted and into the box portion, and into which the air purification unit portion is removed from the inside of the box portion, It has a hook-shaped claw portion that fits into the aforementioned air purification unit, The aforementioned air purification unit section is It has a fitting hole portion that constitutes a through hole that engages with the claw portion, and is attached to the opening wall portion while inserted into the inside of the box portion through the box opening. The aforementioned air purification unit is An indoor unit of an air conditioner, wherein when the air purification unit is pulled out from the box opening to a maintainable position, the claw portion and the fitting hole portion engage, restricting the movement of the air purification unit and maintaining the position of the air purification unit within the box portion.

4. The aforementioned air purification unit section is The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1 or 3, which is positioned downstream of the filter in the direction of airflow passing through the box section.

5. The aforementioned filter is It is detachably placed inside the box section through the box opening, The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 3, which is attached to the opening wall portion while being inserted into the box portion through the box opening portion.

6. The aforementioned air purification unit section is The cleaning unit, which is housed inside the box section and constitutes a part that purifies the air, An electrical box formed in a box shape, having a control board inside for controlling the air purification unit, A power supply unit connected to an external power supply and supplying power to the control board and the cleaning unit, An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 3, having the above characteristics.

7. The aforementioned box section is The air purification unit has a guide section that forms a rail for movement, The guide portion has a groove formed at the end closest to the opening wall portion. The aforementioned claw portion is In the guide portion, it is formed at the end closest to the opening wall portion, The aforementioned air purification unit section is It has at least a plate-shaped base portion to which the cleaning unit is attached, The base portion is, The lower end includes a plate-shaped lower wall portion that is slidably positioned on the guide portion, The aforementioned fitting hole portion is Formed in the lower wall portion, The aforementioned air purification unit is The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein when the air purification unit is pulled out from the box opening to a maintainable position, the air purification unit falls into the groove and the claw and the fitting hole engage.

8. The aforementioned air purification unit is The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein when the air purification unit is attached to the box, the electrical box is configured to be housed inside the box.

9. The aforementioned air purification unit is The indoor unit of an air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein when the air purification unit is attached to the box, the electrical box is configured to be located outside the box.

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