Air conditioner

Abstract

The present invention is provided with: an indoor unit that is installed on an indoor wall surface and that has a first heat exchanger; an outdoor unit that is installed outdoors and that has a second heat exchanger; a refrigerant pipe that passes through a through-hole in a wall that separates the indoors from the outdoors and that connects the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; and a ventilation device that ventilates air in the room. The ventilation device includes: a ventilation pipe that passes through the through hole from indoors and is drawn out to the outdoors; a base part connected to the ventilation pipe outdoors; and a ventilation fan supported by the base part. The base part includes: a base body provided with an air passage that connects the ventilation pipe and the ventilation fan, and a drain hole that connects the air passage and the external space; and a drain valve that is switched between a closed state in which the drain hole is opened and an open state in which the drain hole is closed.

Description

air conditioner

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

[0002] In recent years, air conditioners that maintain a comfortable indoor temperature by exchanging heat with indoor air using a heat exchanger inside the indoor unit and then supplying the air indoors have become common. However, since such air conditioners only circulate indoor air using the indoor unit and do not ventilate the air between the indoor unit and the outside, the indoor air becomes polluted if the room is left sealed for a long period of time. Therefore, air conditioners equipped with a ventilation unit that exhausts indoor air to the outside have been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent No. 3570260

[0004] To ensure quietness, it is preferable to place the ventilation fan of the ventilation system outdoors. In this case, for example, when the heater is turned on in winter, the air in the ventilation pipe connecting the room and the ventilation fan is cooled by the outside air, causing condensation to form inside the ventilation pipe. If condensation accumulates inside the ventilation system, it can cause abnormal noise, so it is desirable to properly drain the condensation.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present disclosure has an object to provide an air conditioner that can discharge condensed water inside a ventilation device.

[0006] One aspect of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure comprises an indoor unit installed on a wall surface inside a room and having a first heat exchanger, an outdoor unit installed outside the room and having a second heat exchanger, refrigerant piping connecting the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger through a through hole in the wall separating the room from the outdoors, and a ventilation device that ventilates the air inside the room, the ventilation device having ventilation piping that passes from the room inside the room through the through hole to the outside, a base that is connected to the ventilation piping outside the room, and a ventilation fan supported by the base, the base having an air passage connecting the ventilation piping and the ventilation fan and a base main body that is provided with a drain hole that connects the air passage with an external space, and a drain valve that can be switched between a closed state that opens the drain hole and an open state that closes the drain hole.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an air conditioner that can discharge condensed water inside a ventilation device.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the installation state of an air conditioner according to an embodiment as viewed from the side. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the installation state of an air conditioner according to an embodiment as viewed from an oblique direction. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a ventilation device main body according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a base main body according to an embodiment as viewed diagonally from behind. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a base main body according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a front view of a first member according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a rear view of a second member according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a base main body according to an embodiment, showing a drain valve in a closed state. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a base main body according to an embodiment, showing a drain valve in an open state. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a drain valve according to an embodiment.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be modified as desired within the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure. In addition, in the following drawings, the scale and number of each structure may differ from the scale and number of the actual structure in order to make each configuration easier to understand.

[0010] The drawings also show the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as appropriate. The X-axis indicates one of the horizontal directions. The Y-axis indicates the other of the horizontal directions. The Z-axis indicates the vertical direction. In the following description, the horizontal direction along the X-axis is referred to as the "front-rear direction X," the horizontal direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the "left-right direction Y," and the vertical direction is referred to as the "vertical direction Z." The front-rear direction X, left-right direction Y, and vertical direction Z are perpendicular to each other. In the following description, the side of the vertical direction Z toward which the Z-axis arrow points (+Z direction) is referred to as the upside, and the side of the vertical direction Z opposite to the side toward which the Z-axis arrow points (-Z direction) is referred to as the downside. Furthermore, the side of the front-rear direction X toward which the X-axis arrow points (+X direction) is referred to as the front, and the side of the front-rear direction X opposite to the side toward which the X-axis arrow points (-X direction) is referred to as the rear. The side of the left-right direction Y toward which the Y-axis arrow points (+Y direction) is defined as the left, and the side of the left-right direction Y opposite to the side toward which the Y-axis arrow points (-Y direction) is defined as the right.

[0011] <Overall Configuration> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioner 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner 100 includes an outdoor unit 10, an indoor unit 20, a circulation path section (refrigerant piping) 18, and a ventilation device 30. The outdoor unit 10 is disposed outdoors 7. The indoor unit 20 is disposed indoors 8. The outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are connected to each other by a circulation path section 18 through which a refrigerant 19 circulates. A portion of the ventilation device 30 is disposed indoors 8, and another portion is disposed outdoors 7. The ventilation device 30 exhausts air from the room 8 in which the indoor unit 20 is disposed to the outdoors 7.

[0012] The air conditioner 100 is capable of adjusting the temperature of the air in the room 8 by exchanging heat between the refrigerant 19 flowing in the circulation path portion 18 and the air in the room 8 in which the indoor unit 20 is located. Examples of the refrigerant 19 include fluorine-based refrigerants and hydrocarbon-based refrigerants, which have a low global warming potential (GWP).

[0013] The outdoor unit 10 includes an outdoor unit housing 11, a compressor 12, a heat exchanger 13, a flow rate adjustment valve 14, a blower 15, a four-way valve 16, and a control unit 17. The outdoor unit housing 11 houses the compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13, the flow rate adjustment valve 14, the blower 15, the four-way valve 16, and the control unit 17.

[0014] The compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13, the flow rate adjustment valve 14, and the four-way valve 16 are provided in a portion of the circulation path 18 that is located inside the outdoor unit housing 11. The compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13, the flow rate adjustment valve 14, and the four-way valve 16 are connected by a portion of the circulation path 18 that is located inside the outdoor unit housing 11.

[0015] The four-way valve 16 is provided in a portion of the circulation path section 18 that is connected to the discharge side of the compressor 12. The four-way valve 16 can reverse the direction of the refrigerant 19 flowing through the circulation path section 18 by switching a portion of the path of the circulation path section 18. When the path connected by the four-way valve 16 is the path shown by the solid line on the four-way valve 16 in Fig. 1, the refrigerant 19 flows through the circulation path section 18 in the direction shown by the solid arrow in Fig. 1. On the other hand, when the path connected by the four-way valve 16 is the path shown by the dashed line on the four-way valve 16 in Fig. 1, the refrigerant 19 flows through the circulation path section 18 in the direction shown by the dashed arrow in Fig. 1.

[0016] The indoor unit 20 includes an indoor unit housing 21, a heat exchanger 22, a blower 23 as a blower, and a control unit 24. The indoor unit housing 21 houses the heat exchanger 22, the blower 23, and the control unit 24. The indoor unit 20 is capable of cooling operation to cool the air in the room 8 in which the indoor unit 20 is located, and heating operation to warm the air in the room 8 in which the indoor unit 20 is located. Note that the blower 23 is illustrated in FIG. 1 .

[0017] When the indoor unit 20 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant 19 flowing in the circulation path portion 18 flows in the direction shown by the solid arrow in Fig. 1. In other words, when the indoor unit 20 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant 19 flowing in the circulation path portion 18 circulates through the compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13 of the outdoor unit 10, the flow control valve 14, and the heat exchanger 22 of the indoor unit 20 in that order, before returning to the compressor 12. During cooling operation, the heat exchanger 13 in the outdoor unit 10 functions as a condenser, and the heat exchanger 22 in the indoor unit 20 functions as an evaporator.

[0018] On the other hand, when the indoor unit 20 is in heating operation, the refrigerant 19 flowing in the circulation path portion 18 flows in the direction shown by the dashed line in Fig. 1. In other words, when the indoor unit 20 is in heating operation, the refrigerant 19 flowing in the circulation path portion 18 circulates through the compressor 12, the heat exchanger 22 of the indoor unit 20, the flow control valve 14, and the heat exchanger 13 of the outdoor unit 10 in that order, before returning to the compressor 12. In heating operation, the heat exchanger 13 in the outdoor unit 10 functions as an evaporator, and the heat exchanger 22 in the indoor unit 20 functions as a condenser.

[0019] 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams showing the installation state of the air conditioner 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the indoor unit 20 is a wall-mounted indoor unit that is fixed to an upper region of a wall surface 9a of the room 8. The indoor unit 20 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the left-right direction Y.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 2, the blower 23 is housed in the indoor unit housing 21. The blower 23 extends in the left-right direction Y. The blower 23 rotates around its rotation axis by a fan motor 23a. The heat exchanger 22 is disposed inside the indoor unit housing 21, between the blower 23 and the indoor unit air inlet 20a. The heat exchanger 22 extends in the left-right direction Y.

[0021] The indoor unit housing 21 has an outer shell member 21b and an air passage member 21d. The outer shell member 21b is a member that constitutes part of the outer shell of the indoor unit housing 21. The outer shell member 21b improves the design of the exterior of the indoor unit 20. The outer shell member 21b is a substantially rectangular box-shaped member that opens on the wall surface 9a side. The opening of the outer shell member 21b on the wall surface 9a side is closed by the air passage member 21d. The air passage member 21d is a member that constitutes part of the air passage through which air drawn into the indoor unit housing 21 by the blower 23 passes. The air passage member 21d is hooked onto an installation plate (not shown) that is fixed to the wall surface 9a on the room 8 side. This fixes the indoor unit 20 to the wall surface 9a.

[0022] The indoor unit housing 21 has an indoor unit inlet 20a and an indoor unit outlet 20b. In this embodiment, the indoor unit inlet 20a and the indoor unit outlet 20b are formed in an outer shell member 21b. The indoor unit inlet 20a opens upward and extends in the axial direction. A filter (not shown) is disposed in the indoor unit inlet 20a. On the other hand, the indoor unit outlet 20b opens toward the room 8 and extends in the axial direction. A wind direction control vane 25 is disposed in the indoor unit outlet 20b.

[0023] Air from the room 8 is drawn into the indoor unit housing 21 through the indoor unit inlet 20a by driving the blower 23. The air drawn into the indoor unit housing 21 through the indoor unit inlet 20a passes through the heat exchanger 22 and is blown out into the room 8 from the indoor unit outlet 20b. The air passing through the indoor unit outlet 20b is blown by the air direction control vane 25 in the vertical direction Z and the left-right direction Y of the room 8.

[0024] A control unit 24 is provided inside the indoor unit housing 21. The control unit 24 is disposed inside the indoor unit housing 21 at one end in the left-right direction Y. The control unit 24 controls the fan motor 23 a, the airflow direction control vane 25, the heat exchanger 22, etc.

[0025] The external shape of the indoor unit housing 21 is a rectangular pillar extending in the left-right direction Y. The indoor unit housing 21 has an upper surface 21p facing upward and a lower surface 21q facing downward. The indoor unit air inlet 20a is provided on the upper surface 21p. The indoor unit air outlet 20b is provided on the lower surface 21q.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, a drain hose 20d is provided to the indoor unit 20. The tip of the drain hose 20d extends to the outside 7. The drain hose 20d discharges drain water that condenses on the heat exchanger 22 to the outside 7 during cooling.

[0027] <Outdoor unit> The outdoor unit 10 is placed outdoors 7. The outdoor unit housing 11 has an outdoor unit inlet 11b and an outdoor unit outlet 11a. Inside the outdoor unit housing 11, a blower 15 (see FIG. 1) sends air from the outdoor unit inlet 11b side through a heat exchanger 13 (see FIG. 1) toward the outdoor unit outlet 11a, thereby promoting heat exchange in the heat exchanger 13.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 3, the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are connected by a circulation path 18 and a first electrical wiring 10e. The circulation path 18 is configured in a loop shape between the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. Therefore, the circulation path 18 connects the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 with a pair of pipes. The first electrical wiring 10e includes a power supply line that supplies power to the outdoor unit 10 via the indoor unit 20, and a signal line for controlling the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 in cooperation with each other. The circulation path 18 and the first electrical wiring 10e pass through a through-hole 9h provided in the wall 9 that separates the indoor space 8 from the outdoor space 7. As a result, the circulation path 18 and the first electrical wiring 10e are drawn from the indoor space 8 to the outdoor space 7.

[0029] <Ventilation Device> The ventilation device 30 is a device that ventilates the room 8 by discharging the air from the room 8 to the outside 7, and keeps the air in the room 8 clean. The ventilation device 30 may be driven in conjunction with the driving of the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10, or may be driven independently of these.

[0030] The ventilation device 30 has a ventilation intake section 32, ventilation piping 31, and a ventilation device main body 50. The ventilation intake section 32 is attached to the indoor unit 20 in the room 8. The ventilation device main body 50 is installed on a wall surface 9b of the outdoor room 7. The ventilation piping 31 extends across the indoor room 8 and the outdoor room 7.

[0031] The ventilation intake section 32 draws in air from the room 8. The ventilation intake section 32 is provided on the surface of the indoor unit housing 21. In the present embodiment, the ventilation intake section 32 is located on the lower surface 21q of the indoor unit housing 21.

[0032] The ventilation pipe 31 is a tubular pipe. The ventilation pipe 31 connects the ventilation device main body 50 and the ventilation intake section 32. Therefore, one end of the ventilation pipe 31 is located inside the room 8, and the other end is located outside the room 7. The ventilation pipe 31 passes through the inside of the indoor unit housing 21 and the through-hole 9h in the wall 9, and is drawn out to the outside the room 7.

[0033] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the ventilation device main body 50. In the following description of the ventilation device main body 50, the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction Z along the wall surface 9b to which the ventilation device main body 50 is attached is the left-right direction Y, and the direction perpendicular to the wall surface 9b is the front-rear direction X. Furthermore, in the following description, the direction perpendicular to the wall surface 9b, away from the wall surface 9b, is referred to as the forward (+X direction), and the direction approaching the wall surface 9b is referred to as the rear (-X direction). In the following description of the ventilation device main body 50, left and right are defined based on the position of an observer facing forward (+X direction). That is, the left-hand side of an observer facing the opposite side of the wall surface 9b (+X direction) is referred to as the left side (+Y direction), and the right-hand side is referred to as the right side (-Y direction). In this embodiment, the left-hand side of the ventilation device main body 50 and the left-hand side of the outdoor unit 10 coincide with each other, but these left-hand and right-hand sides do not necessarily have to coincide with each other.

[0034] The ventilation device main body 50 has a ventilation fan 51 , a duct member 52 , a backflow check valve 53 , a base 80 , a joint member 75 , and a case 40 .

[0035] The base 80 is fixed to the wall surface 9b with fixing screws (not shown). The base 80 supports other components of the ventilation device main body 50. The ventilation piping 31 (see FIG. 3) is connected to the base 80. The base 80 has the base main body 60, the mounting plate 70, and the drain valve 69.

[0036] The mounting plate 70 is a plate-shaped member made of sheet metal. The mounting plate 70 is disposed between the base body 60 and the wall surface 9b. The mounting plate 70 protects the wall surface 9b. The upper end of the case 40 is engaged with the upper end 70a of the mounting plate 70. The lower end 70c of the mounting plate 70 is bent forward. The lower end of the case 40 is screwed to the lower end 70c of the mounting plate 70.

[0037] The base body 60 is a box-shaped member, and has an air passage 60F provided therein. The air passage 60F is an air flow path connecting the ventilation pipe 31 (see FIG. 3 ) and the ventilation fan 51. The configurations of the base body 60 and the drain valve 69 attached to the base body 60 will be described in detail later.

[0038] The ventilation fan 51 is fixed to the base body 60 from the front (+X direction). The ventilation fan 51 has a cylindrical rotor 51a centered on a central axis extending in the front-rear direction X, a fan motor 51b that rotates the rotor 51a, a fan box 51c that houses the rotor 51a and the fan motor 51b, and a terminal block 51e. The ventilation fan 51 in this embodiment is a so-called sirocco fan. The ventilation fan 51 rotates the rotor 51a to send air from the inner diameter side to the outer diameter side of the rotor 51a.

[0039] The fan box 51c is fixed to a surface of the base body 60 facing forward (+X direction). A rotor 51a and a fan motor 51b are disposed inside the fan box 51c. The fan box 51c has a fan inlet (not shown) connected to the opening 62a of the base body 60 and a fan outlet 51d facing downward. As the rotor 51a rotates, the ventilation fan 51 draws air from the air passage 60F of the base body 60 at the fan inlet and blows the air downward from the fan outlet 51d.

[0040] The terminal block 51e supports a plurality of terminals (not shown) extending from the fan motor 51b. Electrical wiring (not shown) extending from the indoor unit 20 or the outdoor unit 10 is connected to these terminals.

[0041] The backflow check valve 53 is attached to the fan outlet 51d. The backflow check valve 53 closes the fan outlet 51d. The backflow check valve 53 opens as the ventilation fan 51 blows air out of the fan outlet 51d. The backflow check valve 53 prevents air from flowing back from the fan outlet 51d toward the inside of the ventilation fan 51.

[0042] The duct member 52 is attached to the case 40. The duct member 52 is disposed directly below the fan outlet 51 d. The duct member 52 guides the air blown downward from the fan outlet 51 d to the exhaust port 46 a provided at the lower end of the case 40.

[0043] The case 40 is box-shaped and opens to the rear. The case 40 is supported by the mounting plate 70. The case 40 covers each part of the ventilation device main body 50 (the base 80, the ventilation fan 51, the backflow check valve 53, and the duct member 52). In this way, the case 40 protects each part of the ventilation device main body 50.

[0044] <Drainage Structure of Ventilation Device> Figure 5 is a perspective view of the base body 60 as seen obliquely from the rear. Figure 6 is an exploded view of the base body 60. As shown in Figure 6, the base body 60 has a first member 61 and a second member 62 that are assembled together in the front-rear direction X. In other words, in this embodiment, the front-rear direction X corresponds to the "assembly direction." An air passage 60F is provided inside the base body 60. The air passage 60F is mainly formed between the first member 61 and the second member 62.

[0045] The first member 61 constitutes the rear side (i.e., the wall 9 side (-X direction)) of the base main body 60. On the other hand, the second member 62 constitutes the front side of the base main body 60. The second member 62 supports the ventilation fan 51.

[0046] 5, the base main body 60 has a box-shaped portion 63 that is rectangular when viewed from the rear, and a pipe portion 64 that is shaped like a pipe and is located to the right (in the -Y direction) of the box-shaped portion 63. The box-shaped portion 63 and the pipe portion 64 are formed by assembling a first member 61 and a second member 62 at the front and rear, respectively. Furthermore, the various portions of the air passage 60F are located inside the box-shaped portion 63 and the pipe portion 64, respectively.

[0047] The pipe portion 64 protrudes to the right (in the -Y direction) from the side surface of the box-shaped portion 63 and then extends upward. The internal space of the pipe portion 64 forms the upstream region of the air passage 60F. The ventilation piping 31 is connected to the pipe portion 64. The connection portion between the pipe portion 64 and the ventilation piping 31 is covered by a cylindrical joint member 75 shown in FIG. 4. The joint member 75 protects the connection portion between the pipe portion 64 and the ventilation piping 31.

[0048] Fig. 7 is a front view of the first member 61. Fig. 8 is a rear view of the second member 62.

[0049] 7, the first member 61 is provided with a first opposing surface 61b facing forward (+X direction), a first recess 61c and a valve accommodating recess 61k recessed rearward (−X direction) from the first opposing surface 61b, and a drainage hole 61h that penetrates the first member 61 in the vertical direction Z on a side surface of the first recess 61c and connects the first recess 61c and the valve accommodating recess 61k. The first recess 61c is formed in a U-shape from the pipe portion 64 to the box-shaped portion 63.

[0050] 8 , the second member 62 is provided with a second opposing surface 62b facing rearward (in the −X direction), a second recess 62c recessed forward (in the +X direction) from the second opposing surface 62b, an opening 62a penetrating from the bottom surface of the second recess 62c forward (in the +X direction), and a valve receiving hole 62k penetrating from the second opposing surface 62b forward (in the +X direction). The second recess 62c is formed in a U-shape from the pipe portion 64 to the box-shaped portion 63.

[0051] When the first member 61 and the second member 62 are assembled, the first opposing surface 61b and the second opposing surface 62b face each other and contact each other. When the first member 61 and the second member 62 are assembled, the first recess 61c and the second recess 62c overlap each other when viewed from the front-rear direction X to form the air passage 60F. Furthermore, when the first member 61 and the second member 62 are assembled, the valve accommodating recess 61k and the valve accommodating hole 62k overlap each other when viewed from the front-rear direction X to form the valve accommodating space A. The valve accommodating space A is not a closed space but a space that communicates with the outside space.

[0052] As described above, the first recess 61c and the second recess 62c are U-shaped when viewed from the front-rear direction X. Therefore, the air passage 60F is U-shaped when viewed from the front-rear direction X. Air in the air passage 60F flows downward (in the negative Z direction) from the upper end of the pipe 64, changes direction at the lower end to the left (in the positive Y direction) and upward (in the positive Z direction), and then flows upward toward the opening 62a. The upper end of the pipe 64 constitutes the upstream end 60p of the air passage 60F, and the opening 62a of the second member 62 constitutes the downstream end 60q of the air passage 60F. The upstream end 60p of the air passage 60F is connected to the ventilation pipe 31 (see FIG. 4), and the downstream end 60q (i.e., the opening 62a) of the air passage 60F is connected to the ventilation fan 51 (see FIG. 4). This allows the air passage 60F to connect the ventilation pipe 31 and the ventilation fan 51. The opening 62a is provided with a stator blade 62f for rectifying the air passing through.

[0053] The air passage 60F has an upstream region 60a extending downward from the upstream end 60p, a downstream region 60b extending downward from the downstream end 60q, and a turning region 60c connecting the lower end of the upstream region 60a with the lower end of the downstream region 60b.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3 , the ventilation piping 31 and the ventilation device main body 50 are disposed outside the room 7. When the ventilation device 30 is operated while the air conditioner 100 is heating the room, for example in winter, heated air from the room 8 passes through the ventilation piping 31 and the ventilation device main body 50. The air in the ventilation piping 31 and the ventilation device main body 50 is cooled by outside air, causing condensation to form inside the ventilation piping 31 and the ventilation device main body 50. The condensed water accumulates at the lower end of the folded region 60c in the air passage 60F shown in FIG. 6 . This condensed water is discharged to the outside of the air passage 60F via the drainage hole 61h.

[0055] 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of the base main body 60 taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 9, the drainage hole 61h is provided in the bottom wall portion of the wall portion that defines the air passage 60F of the base main body 60, the bottom wall portion being located below the air passage 60F. The drainage hole 61h extends downward from the air passage 60F to connect the air passage 60F to the outside space. The upper end of the drainage hole 61h opens in the folded region 60c of the air passage 60F. The upper end of the drainage hole 61h also opens upward at the lower end of the path of the air passage 60F.

[0056] The drain hole 61h has a lower end that opens downward. A valve accommodating space A is provided below the drain hole 61h. The opening at the lower end of the drain hole 61h is connected to the valve accommodating space A. A drain valve 69 is disposed in the valve accommodating space A.

[0057] 11 is a perspective view of the drain valve 69. The drain valve 69 has a plate body 69a, a pair of arms 69b extending from the plate body 69a, and a pair of shafts 69c located at the tips of the arms 69b.

[0058] In the following description, when viewed from the thickness direction of the plate body 69a, the direction in which the long sides of the plate body 69a extend is defined as the longitudinal direction D1 of the plate body 69a, and the direction in which the short sides of the plate body 69a extend is defined as the width direction D2 of the plate body 69a.

[0059] The plate body 69a is provided with a blocking surface 69f and a pair of drainage guide portions 69g. The blocking surface 69f is provided on one surface of the plate body 69a. The blocking surface 69f is a flat surface parallel to the extension direction of the plate body 69a. The blocking surface 69f is formed at a position recessed from one plate surface of the plate body 69a. The blocking surface 69f reaches one end of the plate body 69a in the longitudinal direction D1. Furthermore, the blocking surface 69f does not reach the other end of the plate body 69a in the longitudinal direction D1. The plate body 69a has a step portion 69d on the other side of the blocking surface 69f in the longitudinal direction D1. A regulating surface 69s, described later, is provided on the other side of the step portion 69d in the longitudinal direction D1.

[0060] The drain guide portions 69g are disposed on both edge portions of the plate body 69a in the width direction D2 relative to the closing surface 69f, and extend in the longitudinal direction D1 of the plate body 69a.

[0061] The pair of arms 69b are connected to opposite sides of the plate body 69a in the width direction D2. The arms 69b extend outward in the width direction D2 of the plate body 69a (away from the plate body 69a) and further to the other side in the longitudinal direction D1 of the plate body 69a. Note that here, "the other side in the longitudinal direction D1" refers to the direction opposite to the direction in the longitudinal direction D1 of the plate body 69a where the blocking surface 69f reaches the end of the plate body 69a. The pair of arms 69b are formed symmetrically to each other in the width direction D2 of the plate body 69a.

[0062] The shaft portion 69c extends from the other end of the arm portion 69b in the longitudinal direction D1 toward the outside in the width direction D2 of the plate body 69a. The pair of shaft portions 69c are arranged coaxially. The pair of shaft portions 69c are cylindrical with the rotation axis J as their center. The rotation axis J is an imaginary line extending in the width direction D2 of the plate body 69a. In other words, the rotation axis J extends parallel to the blocking surface 69f.

[0063] 8, recesses 62j are provided on each of the side surfaces in the left-right direction Y of the valve housing hole 62k of the second member 62. The pair of recesses 62j are recessed in the left-right direction Y from the side surfaces in the left-right direction Y of the valve housing hole 62k, and are recessed forward (in the +X direction) from the second opposing surface 62b.

[0064] As shown in Figure 9, the recess 62j accommodates the shaft 69c of the drain valve 69. The opening of the recess 62j is covered by the second opposing surface 62b of the second member 62. This prevents the shaft 69c from coming off the recess 62j. The shaft 69c is rotatably supported within the recess 62j. When the drain valve 69 is attached to the base body 60, the closing surface 69f of the drain valve 69 faces the opening of the drain hole 61h below the drain hole 61h.

[0065] When the ventilation fan 51 is driven, negative pressure is created within the air passage 60F. This creates negative pressure within the drain hole 61h, causing air to flow upward through the drain hole 61h and draw in the drain hole 61h. The drain valve 69 rotates to one side in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 9 ) around the rotation axis J, covering the opening of the drain hole 61h with the blocking surface 69f. That is, the drain valve 69 of this embodiment closes the drain hole 61h while the ventilation fan 51 is operating. Closing the drain hole 61h with the drain valve 69 prevents air from flowing into the air passage 60F through the drain hole 61h, thereby preventing a decrease in the intake efficiency of the ventilation fan 51. In the following description, the state in which the drain valve 69 closes the drain hole 61h is referred to as the closed state. FIG. 9 shows the drain valve 69 in the closed state.

[0066] In the closed state shown in FIG. 9 , the plate 69 a is disposed along a horizontal plane (X-Y plane). Furthermore, when viewed from the axial direction of the rotation axis J, the center of gravity G of the drain valve 69 and the blocking surface 69 f are disposed on the same horizontal side of the rotation axis J (rearward (−X direction) in this embodiment). Therefore, a moment is applied to the drain valve 69 in the closed state due to its own weight in the other circumferential direction about the rotation axis J (clockwise in FIG. 9 ). When the ventilation fan 51 stops and the air pressures inside and outside the air passage 60F become equal, the drain valve 69 rotates to the other circumferential direction about the rotation axis J (clockwise in FIG. 9 ), moving the blocking surface 69 f away from the opening of the drain hole 61 h. This opens the opening of the drain hole 61 h. That is, the drain valve 69 in this embodiment opens the drain hole 61 h when the ventilation fan 51 is stopped. Condensation water generated in the ventilation pipe 31 and the air passage 60F accumulates at the lower end of the air passage 60F. The drain valve 69 opens the drain hole 61h to discharge the condensation water accumulated in the air passage 60F downward through the drain hole 61h. In the following description, the state in which the drain valve 69 opens the drain hole 61h is referred to as the open state. Figure 10 shows the drain valve 69 in the open state.

[0067] As shown in Figure 10, the drain valve 69 switches to an open state when the amount of condensation water accumulating in the air passage 60F increases, even while the ventilation fan 51 is running. When the amount of condensation water accumulating in the air passage 60F exceeds a predetermined amount, the weight of the condensation water on the blocking surface 69f exceeds the suction force caused by the negative pressure in the air passage 60F. In this case, the condensation water rotates the drain valve 69 to the other side in the circumferential direction (clockwise in Figure 10), opening the drain hole 61h. This allows the condensation water to be discharged from the drain hole 61h.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 10 , a protrusion 69m is provided on the underside of the plate body 69a. The protrusion 69m is provided in a region on the opposite side of the blocking surface 69f with respect to the rotation axis J in the longitudinal direction D1 of the plate body 69a. According to the drain valve 69 of this embodiment, the provision of the protrusion 69m increases the weight on the opposite side of the blocking surface 69f with respect to the rotation axis J, thereby bringing the center of gravity G closer to the rotation axis J. By bringing the center of gravity G closer to the rotation axis J, when negative pressure occurs in the air passage 60F, the drain valve 69 can be rotated to one side in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 10 ) with a slight suction force, thereby increasing the speed at which it transitions to the closed state. Furthermore, the provision of the protrusion 69m prevents the drain valve 69 from coming into contact with the base body 60 when it is installed upside down on the base body 60. That is, the protrusion 69m also serves to prevent the drain valve 69 from being installed in an incorrect orientation.

[0069] In this embodiment, the drain valve 69 is switched between a closed state in which the drain hole 61h is open and an open state in which the drain hole 61h is closed. The drain valve 69 is closed when the ventilation fan 51 is driven and negative pressure is created in the air passage 60F. The drain valve 69 is also opened by its own weight when the ventilation fan 51 is stopped and the pressure in the air passage 60F becomes equal to atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, even when the ventilation fan 51 is driven, the drain valve 69 is opened by the weight of condensed water when a sufficient amount of condensed water accumulates in the air passage 60F. In this case, when the drain valve 69 is opened, the condensed water in the air passage 60F is discharged through the drain hole 61h, and the drain valve 69 rotates by its own weight again to close the drain hole 61h.

[0070] In the open state, condensation water flowing out of the drainage holes 61h flows downward along the closed surface 69f and then drips onto the ground along the surface of the base body 60. The condensation water flows along the closed surface 69f while being guided by the drainage guide portion 69g and the step portion 69d shown in FIG.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 10 , a restricting surface 69s is provided on the upper surface of the plate body 69a. The restricting surface 69s is provided in an area opposite the closing surface 69f with respect to the rotation axis J in the longitudinal direction D1 of the plate body 69a. The restricting surface 69s faces the other side in the circumferential direction (clockwise in FIG. 10 ) centered on the rotation axis J. The restricting surface 69s faces a stopper portion 62s provided on the base main body 60 in the up-down direction. The stopper portion 62s is located directly above the drain valve 69. In the closed state shown in FIG. 9 , the stopper portion 62s faces the restricting surface 69s with a gap therebetween, and in the open state shown in FIG. 10 , the stopper portion 62s comes into contact with the restricting surface 69s.

[0072] The stopper portion 62s limits the angle of inclination of the drain valve 69 in the open state, and prevents the gap between the blocking surface 69f and the drain hole 61h in the open state from becoming too wide. As a result, when the air passage 60F becomes negative pressure, the drain valve 69 can instantly rotate due to the suction force of the air passage 60F and instantly close the drain hole 61h.

[0073] The tilt angle of the drain valve 69 in the open state relative to the drain valve 69 in the closed state is preferably 10° or less. In other words, the movable range of the drain valve 69 around the rotation axis J is preferably 10° or less. The plate body 69a in this embodiment is arranged horizontally in the closed state, and therefore tilts at an angle of 10° or less from the horizontal in the open state. By setting the tilt angle of the drain valve 69 in the open state relative to the closed state to 10° or less, the distance between the blocking surface 69f of the drain valve 69 and the opening of the drain hole 61h can be made sufficiently close even in the open state.

[0074] <Summary> The air conditioner 100 of this embodiment includes an indoor unit 20, an outdoor unit 10, a circulation path section (refrigerant piping) 18, and a ventilation device 30. The indoor unit 20 is installed on a wall surface 9a of the room 8 and has a heat exchanger (first heat exchanger) 22. The outdoor unit 10 is installed on the outdoor space 7 and has a heat exchanger (second heat exchanger) 13. The circulation path section 18 passes through a through-hole 9h in the wall 9 separating the room 8 from the outdoor space 7, connecting the heat exchanger 22 of the indoor unit 20 to the heat exchanger 13 of the outdoor unit 10. The ventilation device 30 ventilates the air in the room 8. The ventilation device 30 includes a ventilation pipe 31, a base 80, and a ventilation fan 51. The ventilation pipe 31 passes through the through-hole 9h from the indoor unit 20 and is drawn out to the outdoor space 7. The base 80 is connected to the ventilation pipe 31 at the outdoor space 7. The ventilation fan 51 is supported by a base 80. The base 80 has a base main body 60 and a drain valve 69. The base main body 60 is provided with an air passage 60F and a drain hole 61h. The air passage 60F connects the ventilation piping 31 and the ventilation fan 51. The drain hole 61h connects the air passage 60F with the outside space. The drain valve 69 can be switched between a closed state in which the drain hole 61h is open, and an open state in which the drain hole 61h is closed.

[0075] According to the above-described configuration, as shown in FIG. 3 , the ventilation fan 51 is disposed inside the ventilation device main body 50 located outside the room 7. This prevents noise caused by the operation of the ventilation fan 51 from being transmitted to the room 8, thereby maintaining a quiet interior space inside the room 8. However, disposing the ventilation fan 51 outside the room 7 can cause condensation to form in the ventilation piping 31 of the ventilation device 30 and in the air passage 60F (see FIG. 5 ) of the base 80, leading to accumulation of this condensation in the air passage 60F. If condensation accumulates in the air passage 60F, it may vibrate due to the wind flowing through the air passage 60F during operation, potentially generating abnormal noise. Furthermore, if the amount of condensation accumulates in the air passage 60F increases, it may compress the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 60F, increasing the air resistance of the air passage 60F. Furthermore, there is concern that the condensation in the air passage 60F may cause mold growth.

[0076] 9, the drain valve 69 can close the drain hole 61h in a closed state. By keeping the drain valve 69 in a closed state when the ventilation fan 51 is driven, it is possible to prevent air from flowing into the air passage 60F through the drain hole 61h, and to prevent the intake efficiency of the ventilation fan 51 from decreasing due to the influence of the drain hole 61h.

[0077] According to the above-described configuration, as shown in FIG. 10 , drain valve 69 can open drain hole 61h when in an open state. In the open state, condensation water in air passage 60F can be discharged to the outside of air passage 60F through drain hole 61h. As a result, abnormal noise, a reduced cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage, and mold growth caused by condensation water in air passage 60F can be suppressed. In addition, because air passage 60F in this embodiment is located upstream of ventilation fan 51, discharging condensation water in air passage 60F can suppress the condensation water from entering ventilation fan 51, thereby improving the reliability of ventilation fan 51.

[0078] According to the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, the drain hole 61h opens downward to the exterior space. The drain valve 69 includes a plate 69a. The plate 69a is provided with a blocking surface 69f below the drain hole 61h and facing the opening of the drain hole 61h. The base body 60 supports the drain valve 69 rotatably about a rotation axis J extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG. 9 , in the closed state, the drain valve 69 rotates to one side in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis J (counterclockwise in FIG. 9 ) to cover the opening of the drain hole 61h with the blocking surface 69f. As shown in FIG. 10 , in the open state, the drain valve 69 rotates to the other side in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis J (clockwise in FIG. 10 ) to move the blocking surface 69f away from the opening of the drain hole 61h.

[0079] According to the above-described configuration, the drain valve 69 has a blocking surface 69f of the plate body 69a that faces the opening of the drain hole 61h below the drain hole 61h. Therefore, when negative pressure is created within the air passage 60F as the ventilation fan 51 is driven, the blocking surface 69f is sucked into the opening of the drain valve 69, automatically transitioning the drain valve 69 from an open state to a closed state. In other words, a ventilation device 30 can be realized that does not require a separate actuator to drive the drain valve 69. Here, the term "direction intersecting the vertical direction Z" refers to a direction extending at an angle inclined relative to the vertical direction Z or a direction extending perpendicular to the vertical direction Z, and does not include a direction parallel to the vertical direction Z.

[0080] Furthermore, with the above-described configuration, the drain valve 69 switches between an open state and a closed state by rotational movement about the rotation axis J. This allows the drain valve 69 to be configured with a simple structure that switches between an open state and a closed state, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the ventilation device 30. Furthermore, by employing a drain valve 69 that opens and closes by rotational movement, even in the closed state, if the amount of condensed water in the air passage 60F becomes large, the weight of the condensed water can cause the drain valve 69 to switch to the open state. In other words, a drain valve 69 that automatically switches to the open state depending on the amount of condensed water can be realized.

[0081] According to the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, in the closed state, when viewed from the axial direction of the rotation axis J, the center of gravity G of the drain valve 69 and the closed surface 69f are positioned on the same horizontal side of the rotation axis J (rearward (-X direction) in this embodiment).

[0082] According to the above-described configuration, drain valve 69 opens under its own weight. Therefore, when ventilation fan 51 is stopped, drain valve 69 opens drain hole 61h under its own weight, and condensed water in air passage 60F can be discharged through drain hole 61h. This prevents condensed water from remaining in air passage 60F of stopped ventilation device 30, and keeps air passage 60F clean even when ventilation device 30 is not used for a long period of time.

[0083] According to the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, the drain valve 69 has a restricting surface 69s facing the other side in the circumferential direction (clockwise in FIG. 10 ) about the rotation axis J. The base body 60 has a stopper portion 62s that contacts the restricting surface 69s in the closed state.

[0084] According to the above-described configuration, the opening degree of the drain valve 69 in the open state can be limited by the stopper portion 62s. This prevents the blocking surface 69f from moving too far away from the opening of the drain hole 61h when the drain valve 69 is open. When the air passage 60F becomes negative pressure due to the operation of the ventilation fan 51, the suction force of the air passage 60F can rotate the drain valve 69 to close the drain hole 61h.

[0085] According to the air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, the drain valve 69 has a shaft portion 69c centered on the rotation axis J. The base main body 60 has a first member 61 and a second member 62 that are assembled in an assembly direction (front-rear direction X in this embodiment) perpendicular to the rotation axis J. The second member 62 has a recess 62j that accommodates the recessed shaft portion 69c on one side in the assembly direction (front (+X direction) in this embodiment). The first member 61 covers the opening of the recess 62j from the other side in the assembly direction (rear (-X direction) in this embodiment).

[0086] According to the above-described configuration, a bearing portion that rotatably supports the shaft portion 69c can be formed by the recess 62j of the second member 62 and the first member 61 covering the opening of the recess 62j. Therefore, when assembling the first member 61 and the second member 62, the shaft portion 69c of the drain valve 69 can be accommodated in the recess 62j, thereby easily attaching the drain valve 69 to the base body 60. Furthermore, when forming a bearing hole in the first member 61 or the second member 62, it is necessary to mold the hole in the first member 61 or the second member 62 using a mold having a slide core oriented perpendicular to the assembly direction. In contrast, according to the above-described configuration, the bearing portion can be formed using only a mold whose removal direction is the assembly direction, allowing the base body 60 to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0087] In air conditioner 100 of this embodiment, air passage 60F has upstream region 60a extending downward from upstream end 60p, downstream region 60b extending downward from downstream end 60q, and folded-back region 60c connecting the lower end of upstream region 60a with the lower end of the downstream region. Drainage hole 61h opens in folded-back region 60c.

[0088] According to the above-described configuration, the upper end of drainage hole 61h opens in the lowest region (turn-back region 60c) among the regions constituting air passage 60F, allowing condensation water accumulating at the lower end of air passage 60F to be efficiently discharged through drainage hole 61h. Furthermore, according to the above-described configuration, air passage 60F is bent in a U-shape between upstream end 60p and downstream end 60q. This makes it easier for condensation water generated in ventilation pipe 31 and air passage 60F to remain in turn-back region 60c, which is the turn-back portion of air passage 60F, and prevents condensation water from entering ventilation fan 51, which is located downstream of air passage 60F.

[0089] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments. For example, although the above-described embodiments have been described with the drainage holes extending vertically, a configuration in which at least a portion of the drainage holes extends horizontally may also be employed.

[0090] 7...outdoor, 8...indoor, 9...wall, 9a, 9b...wall surface, 9h...through hole, 10...outdoor unit, 13...heat exchanger (second heat exchanger), 18...circulation path portion (refrigerant piping), 19...refrigerant, 20...indoor unit, 22...heat exchanger (first heat exchanger), 30...ventilation device, 31...ventilation piping, 51...ventilation fan, 60...base main body, 60a...upstream region, 60b...downstream region, 60c...turned region, 60p...upstream end, 60q...downstream end, 60F...air path, 61...first member, 61h...drain hole, 62...second member, 62j...recess, 62s...stopper portion, 69...drain valve, 69a...plate body, 69c...shaft portion, 69f...blocking surface, 69s...regulating surface, 80...base, 100...air conditioner, G...center of gravity, J...rotation axis

Claims

1. an indoor unit installed indoors and having a first heat exchanger; an outdoor unit installed outdoors and having a second heat exchanger; a refrigerant pipe passing through a through hole in a wall separating the indoor space from the outdoor space and connecting the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; A ventilation device for ventilating the air in the room, The ventilation device includes: A ventilation pipe extending from the room through the through hole to the outside of the room; A base connected to the ventilation pipe outside the room; a ventilation fan supported by the base, The base portion is a base body provided with an air passage connecting the ventilation pipe and the ventilation fan, and a drain hole connecting the air passage with an external space; a drain valve that is located below the drain hole and faces an opening of the drain hole, and that can be switched between an open state that opens the drain hole and a closed state that closes the drain hole, The drain valve is When the ventilation fan is driven, the inside of the air passage becomes negative pressure, and the air passage is sucked into the opening of the drain hole, and the state transitions to the closed state. The weight of condensation water accumulated in the air passage causes the air passage to transition to the open state against the negative pressure. Air conditioner.

2. The drainage hole opens downward to an external space, The drain valve has a plate body having a blocking surface that faces an opening of the drain hole below the drain hole, The base body supports the drain valve rotatably about a rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting a vertical direction, The drain valve is In the closed state, the nozzle rotates to one side in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis to cover the opening with the closing surface, In the open state, the closing surface is moved away from the opening by rotating toward the other side in the circumferential direction. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

3. In the closed state, the center of gravity of the drain valve and the closing surface are disposed on the same side in the horizontal direction with respect to the rotation axis as viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis. The air conditioner according to claim 2.

4. The drain valve has a restriction surface facing the other side in the circumferential direction, The base body has a stopper portion that contacts the restriction surface in the closed state. The air conditioner according to claim 2.

5. The drain valve has a shaft portion centered on the rotation axis, The base body has a first member and a second member that are assembled in an assembly direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, the second member has a recess that is recessed on one side in the assembly direction and accommodates the shaft portion, The first member covers the opening of the recess from the other side in the assembly direction. The air conditioner according to claim 2.

6. The air passage is an upstream region extending downwardly from the upstream end; a downstream region extending downwardly from the downstream end; a folded region connecting a lower end of the upstream region and a lower end of the downstream region, The drainage hole opens into the folded region. An air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5.