Indoor machine of air conditioner

Abstract

An indoor machine of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure comprises: a box-shaped housing that has, formed in a lower part thereof, at least one suction port through which air is sucked in, has, formed in an upper part thereof, a blowout port through which air is blown out, and has, formed thereinside, an air passage connecting the suction port and the blowout port; a blower which is disposed in the air passage and which forms a flow of air flowing through the air passage; and a heat exchanger which is, at a location above the suction port, disposed in the air passage on the upstream side of the blower and exchanges heat between a refrigerant flowing thereinside and air flowing through the air passage. The housing has a front panel constituting a side wall on the front side of the housing, a rear panel constituting a side wall on the rear side of the housing and opposite to the front panel, and a bottom panel that constitutes the bottom wall on the bottom surface side of the housing and that has formed therein a lower-surface-side suction port which is a suction port.

Description

Air conditioner indoor unit

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

[0002] Conventionally, there have been air conditioner indoor units that are placed on the floor or the like, draw in indoor air, and send conditioned air out into the room (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The air conditioner indoor unit in Patent Document 1 has an air outlet formed at the top of the housing from which air is blown out, and an air inlet formed below the air outlet. The air inlet is provided in the front panel, which is the front face of the housing, and the air inlet of such an indoor unit is provided with louvers that are inclined relative to the floor surface so that the drawn air is directed diagonally upward.

[0003] Patent No. 6422588

[0004] Regarding the indoor unit of the air conditioner in Patent Document 1, Patent Document 1 describes the relationship between the heat exchanger and the drain pan and the standardization of the housing, etc., but does not describe a configuration for reducing air resistance in the air path inside the housing.In the indoor unit of the air conditioner in Patent Document 1, the airflow that flows in from the intake port located below the front panel is significantly bent upward in the air path inside the housing from a direction along the floor surface, creating air resistance in the airflow inside the housing.

[0005] The present disclosure is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner that reduces air resistance in an air path inside the housing.

[0006] The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present disclosure comprises a box-shaped housing having at least one or more intake ports formed at the bottom through which air is drawn and an outlet port formed at the top through which air is blown out, with an air passage formed inside that connects the intake port and the outlet port; a blower arranged in the air passage and forming a flow of air flowing through the air passage; and a heat exchanger arranged in the air passage above the intake port, upstream of the blower, that exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing inside and the air flowing through the air passage, and the housing has a front panel that forms the side wall on the front side of the housing, a rear panel that forms the side wall on the rear side of the housing and faces the front panel, and a bottom panel that forms the bottom wall on the bottom side of the housing and has a lower intake port, which is an intake port, formed therein.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the housing of an indoor unit of an air conditioner has a bottom panel that forms a bottom wall on the bottom side of the housing and has a bottom inlet, which is an air intake port, formed therein. That is, the housing has a bottom inlet formed on the bottom side. By having this configuration, the airflow flowing in from the bottom inlet is not significantly bent upward from a direction along the floor surface in the air path inside the housing, and is directed toward a heat exchanger located above the inlet, thereby reducing air resistance to the airflow inside the housing.

[0008] 1 is an external perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1, as seen from the lower front side. FIG. 2 is a front view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1, as seen from the front side. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the interior of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an installation mode of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a front view of a modified example of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1, as seen from the front side. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the interior of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to a comparative example. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the interior of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a side view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 9 is a side view of a modified example of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an installation mode of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an installation mode of the indoor unit of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 3, as seen from the front side of the rear panel. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the drain pan of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 3.

[0009] An indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the components shown in the specification are merely examples and are not limited to these descriptions. Furthermore, in the following drawings, including FIG. 1, the relative dimensional relationships and shapes of the components may differ from the actual ones. In the following drawings, identical reference numerals denote identical or equivalent components, and this applies throughout the specification. To facilitate understanding, terms or orientations indicating directions are used as appropriate. However, these notations are used for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the placement, direction, or orientation of devices, appliances, or components. Examples of terms indicating directions or orientations include up, down, right, left, front, back, front, and back.

[0010] Embodiment 1 [Overall configuration of air conditioner indoor unit 100] Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 1, as seen from the lower front side. Fig. 2 is a front view of air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 1, as seen from the front side. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the interior of air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 1. The exterior configuration of air conditioner indoor unit 100 will be described based on Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, and the internal configuration of air conditioner indoor unit 100 will be described using Fig. 3.

[0011] In the following drawings, including Figures 1 and 2, the X-axis direction indicates the left-right and width direction of the indoor unit 100, the Y-axis direction indicates the front-rear and depth direction of the indoor unit 100, and the Z-axis direction indicates the up-down direction of the indoor unit 100. The left-right direction indicates the left and right sides of the housing 10 when a user views the housing 10 from the front side of the housing 10. When viewing the housing 10 of the indoor unit 100 from the front, the indoor unit 100 will be described with the X1 side in the X-axis direction as the left side, the X2 side as the right side, the Y1 side in the Y-axis direction as the front side, the Y2 side as the rear side, the Z1 side in the Z-axis direction as the upper side or top side, and the Z2 side as the lower side or bottom side. Note that the Z2 direction on the Z-axis is the direction of gravity. Furthermore, the positional relationships (e.g., vertical relationships) between the various components in this specification are, in principle, those when the indoor unit 100 is installed and ready for use.

[0012] The air conditioner indoor unit 100 is a device installed indoors, and conditions the air by adjusting the temperature, humidity, etc. of the air in the indoor space to be air-conditioned. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 is a refrigeration cycle device that forms a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, etc. are connected by piping, and houses a heat exchanger 20 that functions as a condenser or evaporator, and a blower 30 inside a housing 10. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 is a device that is installed near the floor, such as a floor-standing or wall-mounted device. An example of an air conditioner that is installed near the floor is a fan coil unit used for air conditioning in buildings, etc.

[0013] Near-floor installation air conditioners are sometimes used as heating appliances both in Japan and overseas. The indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner may be used, for example, to replace a conventional near-floor installation air conditioner or a wall-mounted radiant heater. Therefore, the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner preferably has a width W of 750 mm to 1020 mm, a depth CD of 200 mm to 250 mm, and a unit height H of 600 mm to 750 mm, so as to be replaceable with these conventional devices.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3 , the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner has a housing 10 , a heat exchanger 20 , a blower 30 , a drain pan 40 , and an air filter 50 .

[0015] 1 and 2, the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner has a housing 10. The housing 10 has at least one or more air inlets 120 formed in the lower part through which air is drawn, and an air outlet 110 formed in the upper part through which air is blown out, and an air passage 140 formed inside that connects the air inlets 120 and the air outlet 110. The housing 10 forms the outer shell of the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner, and houses the heat exchanger 20, the blower 30, the drain pan 40, the air filter 50, etc. inside.

[0016] The housing 10 is formed in a box shape with a space formed inside. The housing 10 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in Figures 1 and 2. However, the housing 10 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and may be formed in other shapes, such as a polygonal prism or a cylinder, as long as it is formed in a box shape with a space inside.

[0017] The housing 10 is formed with a plurality of intake ports 120 through which air is drawn in and a plurality of outlet ports 110 through which air is blown out. The intake ports 120 are openings formed in the housing 10, and form through-holes that communicate between the inside of the housing 10 and the outside of the housing 10. The intake ports 120 are portions through which air passes that is drawn into the inside of the housing 10 from the outside of the housing 10 by the air flow created by the blower 30.

[0018] The air outlet 110 is an opening formed in the housing 10, and forms a through-hole that connects the inside of the housing 10 to the outside of the housing 10. The air outlet 110 is a portion through which air passes that is blown from the inside of the housing 10 to the outside of the housing 10 by the air flow formed by the blower 30. The air blown out from the air outlet 110 has been adjusted in temperature and humidity by the heat exchanger 20.

[0019] The housing 10 has a front panel 11 that forms the front side wall surface, a rear panel 12 that forms the rear side wall surface, a right side panel 13 that forms the right side wall surface, and a left side panel 14 that forms the left side wall surface. The housing 10 also has a top panel 15 that forms the ceiling wall surface, and a bottom panel 16 that forms the bottom wall surface. The panels that form each side of the housing 10 form the outer shell of the housing 10, and the inner surfaces of each panel form the air passages 140, and the outer surfaces of each panel form the design surface of the indoor unit 100.

[0020] The front panel 11 and the back panel 12 are arranged to face each other in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10. The right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14 are arranged to face each other in the left-to-right direction (X-axis direction) of the housing 10. The top panel 15 and the bottom panel 16 are arranged to face each other in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10.

[0021] The front panel 11 constitutes the side wall on the front side of the housing 10. A lower air inlet 121 and an upper air inlet 123 are formed in the front panel 11. The lower air inlet 121 and the upper air inlet 123 are one of multiple air inlets 120 formed in the housing 10. The lower air inlet 121 is an air inlet 120 formed in the lower part of the front panel 11, and the upper air inlet 123 is an air inlet 120 formed in the upper part of the front panel 11. In addition to the multiple air inlets 120 provided in the lower part of the housing 10, the indoor unit 100 may also be provided with an air inlet 120 in the upper part of the front panel 11. The air inlet 120 is a collective term for the lower air inlet 121, the upper air inlet 123, and a lower air inlet 122 described later.

[0022] The lower air inlet 121 and the upper air inlet 123 are openings formed in the front panel 11 of the housing 10, and form through holes that communicate between the inside of the housing 10 and the outside of the housing 10. The lower air inlet 121 and the upper air inlet 123 are portions of the front panel 11 through which air passes that is drawn from the outside of the housing 10 into the inside of the housing 10 by the air flow created by the blower 30. Inside the housing 10, the indoor unit 100 is provided with an air filter 50 downstream of the lower air inlet 121 and the upper air inlet 123 so as to cover the entire downstream air path.

[0023] As described above, the front panel 11 constitutes the side wall on the front side of the housing 10, and has a lower air inlet 121, which is one of the multiple air inlets 120, formed in the lower part. The lower air inlet 121 is formed in the lower part of the front panel 11. For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower air inlet 121 is formed along the lower edge 11b of the front panel 11. In other words, the lower air inlet 121 is formed in the front panel 11 near the boundary with the bottom panel 16. Note that the lower air inlet 121 only needs to be formed in the lower part of the front panel 11, and does not necessarily have to be formed along the lower edge 11b.

[0024] The upper air inlet 123 is formed at the top of the front panel 11. The upper air inlet 123 is formed between the front air outlet 111 (described later) and the lower air inlet 121 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The lower air inlet 121 and the upper air inlet 123 are formed below the air outlet 110. The upper air inlet 123 is provided at a position closer to the blower 30 than the lower air inlet 121.

[0025] A front-side air outlet 111 is formed in the front panel 11. The front-side air outlet 111 is one of a plurality of air outlets 110 formed in the housing 10. The front-side air outlet 111 is an opening formed in the front panel 11 of the housing 10, and forms a through-hole that connects the inside of the housing 10 to the outside of the housing 10. The front-side air outlet 111 is a portion through which air passes that is blown from the inside of the housing 10 to the outside of the housing 10 by the air flow formed by the blower 30.

[0026] The front-side air outlet 111 is formed in the upper part of the front panel 11. The front-side air outlet 111 is formed higher than the upper air inlet 123. The front-side air outlet 111 is formed, for example, along the upper edge 11a of the front panel 11, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . That is, the front-side air outlet 111 is formed in the front panel 11 near the boundary with the top panel 15. Note that the front-side air outlet 111 only needs to be formed in the upper part of the front panel 11, and does not necessarily have to be formed along the upper edge 11a.

[0027] The top panel 15 forms a ceiling wall on the top side of the housing 10 and faces the bottom panel 16 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10. The top panel 15 forms a ceiling wall that serves as the upper surface of the housing 10. An upper air outlet 112 is formed in the top panel 15. The upper air outlet 112 is one of multiple air outlets 110 formed in the housing 10. The upper air outlet 112 is an opening formed in the top panel 15 of the housing 10 and forms a through-hole that connects the inside of the housing 10 to the outside of the housing 10. The upper air outlet 112 is a portion through which air passes that is blown from the inside of the housing 10 to the outside of the housing 10 by the air flow formed by the blower 30.

[0028] The upper surface air outlet 112 is formed in the front side (Y1 side) of the top panel 15. For example, as shown in Fig. 1 , the upper surface air outlet 112 is formed along the front edge 15a and upper edge 11a of the top panel 15. That is, the upper surface air outlet 112 is formed in the top panel 15 near the boundary with the front panel 11. Note that the upper surface air outlet 112 only needs to be formed in the front side (Y1 side) of the top panel 15, and does not necessarily have to be formed along the front edge 15a and upper edge 11a.

[0029] The bottom panel 16 forms the bottom wall on the bottom side of the housing 10, and is formed with a lower air inlet 122, which is one of the multiple air inlets 120. The bottom panel 16 forms the bottom wall that forms the lower surface of the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , the bottom panel 16 is formed with a lower air inlet 122. The lower air inlet 122 is one of the multiple air inlets 120 formed in the housing 10.

[0030] The lower air inlet 122 is an opening formed in the bottom panel 16 of the housing 10, and forms a through-hole that connects the inside of the housing 10 with the outside of the housing 10. The lower air inlet 122 is a portion of the bottom panel 16 through which air passes that is drawn from the outside of the housing 10 into the inside of the housing 10 by the air flow created by the blower 30. The indoor unit 100 has an air filter 50 provided inside the housing 10, downstream of the lower air inlet 122.

[0031] The lower air inlet 122 is formed in the front (Y1 side) portion of the bottom panel 16. For example, as shown in Fig. 1 , the lower air inlet 122 is formed along the front edge 16a and the lower edge 11b of the bottom panel 16. In other words, the lower air inlet 122 is formed in the bottom panel 16 near the boundary with the front panel 11.

[0032] The lower air inlet 122 may be formed in the front (Y1 side) portion of the bottom panel 16, and does not necessarily have to be formed along the front edge 16a and the lower edge 11b. The lower air inlet 122 is formed in a position facing at least a part of the heat exchanger 20 with the air filter 50 interposed therebetween in the up-down direction of the housing 10.

[0033] The rear panel 12 forms a side wall on the rear side of the housing 10, and faces the front panel 11 in the front-to-rear direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10. The right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14 form a pair of side panels 134 of the housing 10. The pair of side panels 134 form side walls on the side sides of the housing 10, and face each other in the left-to-right direction (X-axis direction) of the housing 10.

[0034] Next, the internal configuration of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 will be described using Figure 3. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 houses a heat exchanger 20, a blower 30, a drain pan 40, and an air filter 50 inside a housing 10. An air passage 140 that connects the air inlet 120 and the air outlet 110 is formed inside the housing 10. The air filter 50, the heat exchanger 20, the blower 30, and the drain pan 40 are provided along the air passage 140 of the housing 10.

[0035] (Heat Exchanger 20) The heat exchanger 20 is a device that exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing therein and the air supplied by the blower 30. The heat exchanger 20 is disposed in the air passage 140 upstream of the blower 30 of the housing 10, and exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing therein and the air flowing through the air passage 140. The heat exchanger 20 functions as a condenser or an evaporator, and adjusts the temperature and humidity of the air drawn into the housing 10 through the air inlet 120. The heat exchanger 20 is, for example, a fin-and-tube heat exchanger, and includes a plurality of fins 23 arranged side by side in the left-right direction of the housing 10 at predetermined intervals, and a plurality of heat transfer tubes 24 that penetrate the fins 23 in the direction in which the fins 23 are arranged, and into which the refrigerant flows.

[0036] The heat exchanger 20 includes a front-side heat exchanger 21 and a rear-side heat exchanger 22. The front-side heat exchanger 21 is disposed so as to slope from the front side to the rear side of the housing 10 from above to below the housing 10. The rear-side heat exchanger 22 is disposed so as to slope from the rear side to the front side of the housing 10 from above to below the housing 10.

[0037] The front-side heat exchanger 21 and the rear-side heat exchanger 22 are disposed so that their lower ends are adjacent to or in contact with each other. In other words, the front-side heat exchanger 21 and the rear-side heat exchanger 22 are disposed in the air passage 140 so that the distance between them increases from the upstream side to the downstream side in the air flow direction in a side view. That is, the heat exchanger 20 is disposed in the air passage 140 so as to form a V-shape in a side view. The front-side heat exchanger 21 and the rear-side heat exchanger 22 are disposed in a V-shape so as to sandwich the blower 30 therebetween. The heat exchanger 20 is disposed obliquely to ensure an effective area for heat exchange and to reduce the external dimensions of the housing 10. At the same time, the heat exchanger 20 also serves as a partition plate that guides air to always pass through the heat exchanger 20.

[0038] For example, piping with a diameter of 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm can be used for the heat transfer tubes 24 constituting the heat exchanger 20, in accordance with the reduction in the amount of refrigerant due to the reduction in piping volume. Furthermore, the heat exchanger 20 may use a sub-heat exchanger 26 with a small number of pipes inside the main front heat exchanger 21 and rear heat exchanger 22, in order to expand the heat exchange capacity range.

[0039] The heat exchanger 20 is disposed inside the housing 10 so as to be located above the suction ports 120, such as the lower suction port 121 and the bottom suction port 122. The heat exchanger 20 is provided inside the housing 10 so as to be located diagonally above the lower suction port 121. The heat exchanger 20 is provided inside the housing 10 so as to be located above the bottom suction port 122. The heat exchanger 20 is provided inside the housing 10 so that at least a portion thereof faces the bottom suction port 122 in the up-down direction.

[0040] (Blower 30) The blower 30 is disposed in the air passage 140 of the housing 10 and forms an air flow that flows through the air passage 140. The blower 30 forms an air flow and supplies the air to the heat exchanger 20. The blower 30 is a transverse flow blower, for example, a once-through fan or a crossflow fan. The blower 30 is disposed in the air passage 140 at a position downstream of the heat exchanger 20 in the air flow, and is disposed above the heat exchanger 20. As the fan of the blower 30 rotates, indoor air is drawn into the housing 10 through the air intake 120. The air drawn into the housing 10 passes through the air passage 140 and exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 20 to become conditioned air, which is then blown out from the air outlet 110.

[0041] 3, the outer diameter of the fan of the blower 30 is defined as fan outer diameter D, and the vertical dimension of the housing 10 is defined as unit height H. The indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner is configured, for example, so that the fan outer diameter D is 115 mm and the unit height H is 600 mm. The relationship between the fan outer diameter D and the unit height H is preferably 0.15≦D / H≦0.20.

[0042] If the fan outer diameter D of the indoor unit 100 is small relative to the unit height H, the fan rotation speed for the required air volume will be high, resulting in increased noise. Also, if the fan outer diameter D of the indoor unit 100 is large relative to the unit height H, the heat exchanger 20 and the blower 30 will be positioned too close to each other, causing turbulence in the air flow near and inside the blower 30 and actually increasing noise. For this reason, it is preferable that the relationship between the fan outer diameter D and the unit height H (fan outer diameter D / unit height H) be within the above range.

[0043] (Drain pan 40) The drain pan 40 is disposed inside the housing 10, and is provided below the lower end of the heat exchanger 20 inside the housing 10 to receive condensation water generated in the heat exchanger 20. The drain pan 40 is provided below the heat exchanger 20 in the direction of gravity. More specifically, the drain pan 40 is provided below the lower end of the front-side heat exchanger 21 and the lower end of the rear-side heat exchanger 22. The drain pan 40 is formed to extend in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) of the housing 10.

[0044] The drain pan 40 has a water receiving portion 41 for receiving condensed water on the surface facing the front heat exchanger 21 and the rear heat exchanger 22. The water receiving portion 41 is formed in a gutter shape and is recessed so as to receive condensed water. During cooling operation, when the indoor air is cooled by the heat exchanger 20 and reaches the dew point, condensed water forms on the heat exchanger 20. This condensed water is held by surface tension between the fins 23 and falls downward due to gravity, and is collected in the water receiving portion 41 of the drain pan 40.

[0045] (Air filter 50) Air filter 50 captures dirt, dust, etc. in the air passing through air filter 50. Air filter 50 is disposed inside housing 10 between air inlet 120 and heat exchanger 20, and removes dust from the air drawn in through air inlet 120. Air filter 50 removes and filters dirt, dust, etc. from the air passing through air filter 50 by the air flow created by the operation of blower 30 disposed inside housing 10.

[0046] The air filter 50 is disposed downstream of the air inlet 120 and upstream of the heat exchanger 20 in the direction of the air flow generated by the blower 30. The air filter 50 is provided from the front panel 11 to the rear panel 12 so as to cover the side and bottom portions of the heat exchanger 20.

[0047] (Vane 130) The indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner may have a vane 130 in the portion of the air outlet 110. The vane 130 is an air direction adjusting plate. The vane 130 is, for example, a plate-shaped member that adjusts the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 110 in the vertical direction. In order to deliver airflow to the ceiling and floor, the vanes 130 provided in the air outlet 110 are provided with at least one on the front side and one on the top side. The vane 130 provided on the front side of the housing 10 is referred to as a front-side vane 131, and the vane 130 provided on the top side of the housing 10 is referred to as a top-side vane 132.

[0048] The front vane 131 is provided at the air outlet 110 so as to be able to open and close freely so as to open and close the air outlet 110. The front vane 131 adjusts the angle of the plate of the front vane 131 according to the operation mode, for example, an upward-blowing only operation that directs air in an upward direction, or an up-and-down blowing operation that directs air in an up-and-down direction. The front vane 131 changes the angle of the front vane 131 in the up-and-down direction at the air outlet 110, for example, or maintains the angle of the front vane 131.

[0049] The top vane 132 is provided at the air outlet 110 so as to be able to open and close freely so as to open and close the air outlet 110. For example, in order to promote air circulation in the room, the top vane 132 may be positioned at an angle that keeps the air outlet 110 open at all times when the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is operating.

[0050] The movable range of the vanes 130 is preferably 0° to 90° for the front vanes 131 and 30° to 75° for the top vanes 132, for example, when the plane of the vanes 130 when the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is stopped is used as a reference. The vanes 130 may be set to an optimal angle depending on the purpose, such as efficiently circulating air in the room, blowing air onto the user, or avoiding blowing air onto the user.

[0051] [Installation of Air Conditioner Indoor Unit 100] Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an installation mode of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 according to Embodiment 1. In Figure 4, the outline arrow indicates the direction of air flow. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 needs to be installed at a distance from the floor F in order to draw air from the floor F side. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 is preferably installed in a position where the distance T between the bottom panel 16 and the floor F is 100 mm or more so that a nozzle head serving as the suction port of a vacuum cleaner or an automatic vacuum cleaner can enter underneath the indoor unit 100 during cleaning. Furthermore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is preferably installed in a position where the distance T between the bottom panel 16 and the floor F is 150 mm or less so as to avoid interference with a window frame during installation and operation.

[0052] As described above, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is preferably installed so that the distance T between the bottom panel 16 of the housing 10 and the floor surface F is 100 mm or more and 150 mm or less. In order to ensure the distance T between the bottom panel 16 of the housing 10 and the floor surface F, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is, for example, fixed to the wall WL of the room and hung from the wall WL, as shown in Fig. 4 .

[0053] 5 is a front view, seen from the front side, of a modified example of the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. The housing 10 of the indoor unit 100 may have legs 150 to ensure a distance T between the bottom panel 16 of the housing 10 and the floor surface F. The legs 150 may be integral with other members constituting the housing 10, or may be separate members.

[0054] When the legs 150 are integral with other members constituting the housing 10, for example, the legs 150 may be the lower end portions of the right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14. In this case, the legs 150 are formed by the portions of the right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14 that extend downward below the bottom panel 16. When the legs 150 are separate from the other members constituting the housing 10, for example, the legs 150 are columnar members that are attached to the bottom panel 16.

[0055] [Operation and effect of air conditioner indoor unit 100] Figure 6 is a side view showing the interior of air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to a comparative example. Solid arrows in Figure 6 indicate the flow of air flowing inside housing 10. Air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to the comparative example has air inlet 120L formed in front panel 11. Note that air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to the comparative example does not have air inlet 120 corresponding to lower air inlet 122 formed in bottom panel 16 in air conditioner indoor unit 100 according to embodiment 1.

[0056] In the indoor unit 100L of the air conditioner according to the comparative example, the airflow that flows in from the air inlet 120L provided below the front panel 11 is bent significantly upward from a direction along the floor surface in the air passage 140L inside the housing 10. Therefore, in the indoor unit 100L of the air conditioner according to the comparative example, air resistance is generated against the airflow inside the housing 10.

[0057] Figure 7 is a side view showing the interior of the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1. The solid arrows in Figure 7 indicate the flow of air flowing inside the housing 10. The housing 10 of the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to embodiment 1 has a bottom panel 16 that forms the bottom wall on the bottom side of the housing 10 and in which a lower surface air inlet 122, which is one of the air inlets 120, is formed. In other words, the lower surface air inlet 122 is formed on the bottom side of the housing 10.

[0058] The air conditioner indoor unit 100 has this configuration, resulting in an airflow path configuration in which the bottom air inlet 122, heat exchanger 20, and blower 30 are aligned in a straight line. Therefore, in the air conditioner indoor unit 100, the airflow flowing in from the bottom air inlet 122 is directed toward the heat exchanger 20 located above the air inlet 120 without being significantly deflected upward from a direction along the floor surface in the airflow path 140 within the housing 10. This allows the air conditioner indoor unit 100 to reduce air resistance to the airflow within the housing 10. As a result, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption and improve quietness compared to the air conditioner indoor unit 100L of the comparative example. Furthermore, because the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption compared to the air conditioner indoor unit 100L of the comparative example, it can achieve improved energy efficiency compared to the indoor unit 100L.

[0059] Furthermore, due to the above configuration, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can more easily flow air to the heat exchanger 20 on the rear side compared to the air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to the comparative example, and therefore can make more effective use of the heat exchanger 20 compared to the air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to the comparative example. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 can improve heating and cooling performance compared to the air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to the comparative example.

[0060] Embodiment 2 Figure 8 is a side view of an air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 2. Note that parts having the same configuration as those in the air conditioner indoor unit 100 of Figures 1 to 5 and 7 are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 2 further specifies the configuration of the right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14. The following description will focus on the configuration of Embodiment 2 that differs from Embodiment 1, and configuration not described in Embodiment 2 is the same as Embodiment 1.

[0061] In the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to embodiment 2, a side air inlet 125 is formed on a side surface of the housing 10. The side air inlet 125 is formed on the right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14. The right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14 are collectively referred to as side panels 134. The side panels 134 are panels that make up the side surfaces of the housing 10. The side air inlet 125 is formed on a pair of side panels 134. That is, a side air inlet 125, which is one of the multiple air inlets 120, is formed on each of the pair of side panels 134.

[0062] The housing 10 has a side air inlet 125 formed on a side surface of the housing 10 at a position upstream of the air filter 50 in the direction of the flow of air generated by the blower 30. The side air inlet 125 is formed in a rectangular shape when the housing 10 is viewed from the side, as shown in Fig. 8, for example. Note that the side air inlet 125 is not limited to a rectangular shape when the housing 10 is viewed from the side.

[0063] 9 is a side view of a modified example of the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. The indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to the modified example of Embodiment 2 has side air inlets 125a formed on a side surface of the housing 10. The side air inlets 125a are formed on the right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14. That is, the side air inlets 125a are formed on a pair of side panels 134. The side air inlets 125a are formed on the side surface of the housing 10 at a position upstream of the air filter 50 in the direction of flow of air generated by the blower 30.

[0064] The front panel 11 may be detachably attached to the housing 10, for example, or may be detachably attached to the pair of side panels 134. The side air inlet 125a is formed along a side edge 134a of the side panel 134 on the side closer to the front panel 11. In a side view of the housing 10, the side air inlet 125a includes a notch-shaped portion formed in the side edge 134a of the side panel 134 on the side closer to the front panel 11. Each of the pair of side panels 134 has a notch-shaped cutout 134b formed in the side edge 134a on the side closer to the front panel 11. The cutout 134b is a through hole formed in the right side panel 13 and the left side panel 14. The side air inlet 125a is an opening formed by the front panel 11 and the side panel 134. In the housing 10, a side air inlet 125a, which is one of the plurality of air inlets 120, is formed by the front panel 11 and the cutouts 134b of each of the pair of side panels 134. In other words, the side air inlet 125a is a through hole formed by the front panel 11 and the side panel 134.

[0065] 9, the side air inlet 125a is formed in a trapezoidal shape with the front panel 11 side being the lower base and the rear panel 12 side being the upper base when the housing 10 is viewed from the side. Note that the side air inlet 125a is not limited to a configuration formed in a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side of the housing 10. Note that, as described above, the side air inlet 125a and the side air inlet 125 are formed to be located upstream of the air filter 50 in the direction of the air flow generated by the blower 30.

[0066] [Installation mode of air conditioner indoor unit 100] Figure 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an installation mode of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to embodiment 2. In Figure 10, the outline arrows indicate the direction of air flow. As shown in Figure 10, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to embodiment 2 also draws in air from the side surface of the housing 10.

[0067] [Operation and effect of air conditioner indoor unit 100] Housing 10 of air conditioner indoor unit 100 has a pair of side panels 134 that form side walls on the side surfaces of housing 10 and that are formed with side air inlet 125, which is one of the multiple air inlets 120. That is, in air conditioner indoor unit 100 according to embodiment 2, side air inlet 125 is formed in side panel 134.

[0068] The air conditioner indoor unit 100 has side air inlets 125 on the side panel 134, and therefore has more air inlets 120, which reduces air resistance to the airflow flowing into the housing 10 compared to indoor units that do not have side air inlets 125. As a result, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption and improve quietness compared to indoor units that do not have side air inlets 125. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption compared to the air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to the comparative example, and therefore can improve energy efficiency compared to the indoor unit 100L.

[0069] Furthermore, by having side air inlets 125 on the side panels 134, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce air resistance compared to an indoor unit that does not have side air inlets 125, making it easier for air to flow through the heat exchanger 20. Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can make more effective use of the heat exchanger 20 and improve heating and cooling performance compared to an indoor unit that does not have side air inlets 125.

[0070] Furthermore, the housing 10 of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 has a side air inlet 125a, which is one of the plurality of air inlets 120, formed by the front panel 11 and the cutouts 134b of each of the pair of side panels 134. With this configuration, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 according to the second embodiment has the side air inlet 125a formed on the side surface of the housing 10.

[0071] The air conditioner indoor unit 100 has side air inlets 125a on the side of the housing 10, and therefore has more air inlets 120 than an indoor unit that does not have side air inlets 125a, thereby reducing air resistance to the airflow within the housing 10. As a result, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption and improve quietness compared to an indoor unit that does not have side air inlets 125a. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption compared to the air conditioner indoor unit 100L according to the comparative example, and therefore can improve energy efficiency compared to the indoor unit 100L.

[0072] Furthermore, by having side air inlets 125a on the side of the housing 10, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce air resistance compared to an indoor unit that does not have side air inlets 125a, making it easier for air to flow through the heat exchanger 20. Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can make more effective use of the heat exchanger 20 and improve heating and cooling performance compared to an indoor unit that does not have side air inlets 125a.

[0073] Furthermore, side air inlet 125 and side air inlet 125a are formed to be located upstream of air filter 50 in the direction of air flow formed by blower 30. Therefore, air conditioner indoor unit 100 according to embodiment 2 can reliably allow air that flows in through side air inlet 125 and side air inlet 125a to pass through air filter 50.

[0074] Embodiment 3 FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an installation mode of an air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 3. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 3, as seen from the front side of the rear panel 12. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the drain pan 40 and its vicinity in the air conditioner indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 3. Note that parts having the same configuration as those in the air conditioner indoor unit 100 of FIGS. 1 to 5 and 7 to 10 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. The indoor unit 100 pertaining to Embodiment 3 further specifies the configuration of the drain pan 40 and rear panel 12. The following description will focus on the configuration of Embodiment 3 that differs from Embodiments 1 and 2, and configuration not described in Embodiment 3 is the same as in Embodiments 1 and 2.

[0075] Inside the housing 10, between the drain pan 40 and the rear panel 12, a rear-side air passage 140a is formed, which is part of the air passage 140 and is the air passage 140 through which air drawn in from the plurality of air inlets 120 flows toward the heat exchanger 20. The rear-side air passage 140a is the air passage 140 through which air drawn in mainly from the lower-side air inlet 122 flows toward the heat exchanger 20.

[0076] In rear-side air passage 140a, the horizontal air passage width L between drain pan 40 and rear panel 12 varies at each position in the up-down direction of housing 10. Drain pan 40 is the side wall closer to rear panel 12 in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of housing 10, and has a rear sidewall portion 42 facing rear panel 12. Air passage width L of rear-side air passage 140a is the distance between rear panel 12 of housing 10 and rear sidewall portion 42 of drain pan 40 in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of housing 10.

[0077] 11 , in the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to the third embodiment, the air passage width L of the rear-side air passage 140a formed between the rear panel 12 of the housing 10 and the rear side wall portion 42 of the drain pan 40 varies in the height direction of the housing 10. The air passage width L of the rear-side air passage 140a is formed to narrow as it goes upward (toward the Z1 side) in the housing 10. In other words, the rear-side air passage 140a is formed so that the air passage width L between the drain pan 40 and the rear panel 12 widens as it goes downward in the housing 10.

[0078] The rear sidewall 42 is formed to extend in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10 and also in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) of the housing 10. Here, the upper end of the rear sidewall 42 is referred to as the sidewall upper end 42a, and the lower end of the rear sidewall 42 is referred to as the sidewall lower end 42b. The rear sidewall 42 is inclined so that the sidewall upper end 42a is closer to the rear panel 12 than the sidewall lower end 42b when the housing 10 is viewed from the side.

[0079] The drain pan 40 is the side wall farthest from the rear panel 12 in the front-to-rear direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10, and has a front sidewall 43 that faces the front panel 11. The front sidewall 43 is located on the front side, and the rear sidewall 42 is located on the rear side, and the front sidewall 43 and the rear sidewall 42 face each other in the front-to-rear direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10. The drain pan 40 has a bottom wall 44 that connects the lower end of the front sidewall 43 to the lower end of the rear sidewall 42. The front sidewall 43, the rear sidewall 42, and the bottom wall 44 form a U-shaped cross section of the drain pan 40 along the front-to-rear direction (Y-axis direction) and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10.

[0080] In the air conditioner indoor unit 100, a temperature difference occurs between the intake air that comes into contact with the drain pan 40 and the condensed water present in the drain pan 40. If the wall thickness of the drain pan 40 is thin, the temperature of the lower surface of the drain pan 40 will be the temperature of the condensed water. In this state, when the intake air comes into contact with the lower surface of the drain pan 40, condensation occurs on the lower surface of the drain pan 40, causing water droplets to drip into the intake air duct.

[0081] The walls of drain pan 40 need to have a certain degree of thickness to suppress the effect of the temperature of condensation water present in drain pan 40. When expanding air passage width L of rear-side air passage 140a in indoor unit 100, it is preferable to achieve this by changing the shape of rear panel 12 as described below, rather than widening air passage width L of rear-side air passage 140a by changing the shape, such as the thickness, of the walls of drain pan 40.

[0082] The rear panel 12 has a heat exchanger receiving portion 12c that abuts the upper end of the heat exchanger 20, and a gutter portion 18 that is formed in a gutter shape below the heat exchanger receiving portion 12c and collects condensation water that has transferred from the heat exchanger 20 to the rear panel 12.

[0083] The rear panel 12 constituting the housing 10 is in contact with the heat exchanger 20, and condensation water flows from the heat exchanger 20. More specifically, the rear panel 12 constituting the housing 10 is in contact with the upper end of the rear-side heat exchanger 22, and condensation water generated in the rear-side heat exchanger 22 flows through the rear panel 12. As shown in FIG. 12 , the rear panel 12 requires a gutter for collecting condensation water that flows from the heat exchanger 20. Therefore, the rear panel 12 has a gutter portion 18 that functions as a gutter for collecting condensation water. Note that the gutter portion 18 may also collect condensation water generated on the rear panel 12.

[0084] Gutter 18 is a groove-shaped portion provided to collect condensation water flowing downward along rear panel 12 and direct it into drain pan 40. The groove-shaped portion of gutter 18 is formed, for example, so that a vertical cross section in the direction in which condensation water flows in gutter 18, i.e., a cross section along the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) and up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of housing 10, is approximately U-shaped. Gutter 18 is provided along the plate surface of rear panel 12.

[0085] The gutter portion 18 is formed so that the height differs between a central portion 12a in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the rear panel 12 and both end portions 12d in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the rear panel 12. The highest point of the gutter portion 18 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the rear panel 12 is a gutter central portion 18a located in the central portion 12a in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the rear panel 12. The width direction (X-axis direction) of the rear panel 12 is the width direction (X-axis direction) of the housing 10, and the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the rear panel 12 is the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10.

[0086] Both ends of the gutter portion 18 are referred to as gutter end portions 18b. The gutter end portions 18b are formed to be located lower than the gutter center portion 18a in the height direction of the rear panel 12. The gutter portion 18 is inclined downward from the gutter center portion 18a toward the gutter end portions 18b. In other words, the gutter portion 18 is inclined downward in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the rear panel 12 from the center portion 12a toward both end portions 12d of the rear panel 12.

[0087] The gutter portion 18 is formed to extend in the width direction (X-axis direction) and up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the rear panel 12 along the plate-like portion 12b of the rear panel 12. When the rear panel 12 is viewed from the front, the gutter portion 18 is formed in a mountain shape with a central portion that is convex upward.

[0088] The gutter portion 18 is formed in the plate-like portion 12b below the heat exchanger receiving portion 12c of the rear panel 12. The gutter center portion 18a is provided at a position in the gutter portion 18 that is closest to the heat exchanger receiving portion 12c. The gutter end portions 18b are provided at positions farther from the heat exchanger receiving portion 12c than the gutter center portion 18a.

[0089] 11 , the lower portion 18c of the gutter portion 18 is formed so that the thickness of the wall constituting the gutter portion 18 increases from bottom to top in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10. In other words, the lower portion 18c of the gutter portion 18 is formed so as to protrude toward the side where the drain pan 40 is located in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10 as it increases from bottom to top.

[0090] The lower portion 18c of the gutter portion 18 has an inclined surface 18c1 facing the side where the bottom panel 16 is placed and the side where the drain pan 40 is placed. The lowest end 18c2 of the inclined surface 18c1 is formed lower than the upper end 40c of the drain pan 40 on the side closer to the back panel 12. The lowest end 18c2 of the inclined surface 18c1 is the lower end of both gutter ends 18b. The upper end 40c of the drain pan 40 is the side wall upper end 42a of the back side wall portion 42.

[0091] The housing 10 has a bridge portion 19. The bridge portion 19 spans between the gutter portion 18 and the drain pan 40, connecting the gutter portion 18 and the drain pan 40. The bridge portion 19 is a columnar member extending between the gutter portion 18 and the drain pan 40, and has a groove-shaped portion provided to allow condensation water at both ends 18b of the gutter to flow into the drain pan 40. The bridge portion 19 forms a water channel for allowing condensation water collected in the gutter portion 18 to flow into the drain pan 40.

[0092] The bridge portion 19 is formed to have a groove-like portion, and connects both gutter ends 18b of the gutter portion 18 to the rear side wall portion 42 of the drain pan 40. The bridge portion 19 is formed, for example, so that a vertical cross section in the direction in which condensed water flows, i.e., a cross section in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10, is approximately U-shaped.

[0093] The air conditioner indoor unit 100 has a bridge portion 19, and by providing water channels from both ends of the gutter portion 18 to the drain pan 40, condensation water adhering to the rear panel 12 can be collected in the gutter portion 18 and flow from the gutter portion 18 to the drain pan 40. For this reason, as shown in Figure 13, the indoor unit 100 needs the portion of the gutter portion 18 through which condensation water flows to be higher in the height direction than the upper end of the drain pan 40. The bridge portion 19 is inclined so that the portion connected to the gutter portion 18 is higher than the portion connected to the drain pan 40.

[0094] 13 , the distance between the bottom wall surface 16b of the bottom panel 16 and the side wall upper end 42a of the rear side wall portion 42 of the drain pan 40 in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10 is defined as the drain pan distance Hd. The distance between the bottom wall surface 16b of the bottom panel 16 and both gutter ends 18b of the gutter portion 18 in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10 is defined as the gutter distance Hb. Note that the gutter distance Hb is the distance between the bottom wall surface 16b of the bottom panel 16 and the water-flowing portions of both gutter ends 18b of the gutter portion 18. The air conditioner indoor unit 100 is formed so that the gutter distance Hb is greater than the drain pan distance Hd in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 10 (drain pan distance Hd < gutter distance Hb).

[0095] In the air conditioner indoor unit 100, the point where the width of the rear-side air passage 140a in the front-to-rear direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 10 is smallest is between the upper end of the drain pan 40 and the gutter portion 18. The lower portion 18c of the gutter portion 18 protrudes toward the side where the drain pan 40 is located as it extends from bottom to top, and is formed with an inclined surface 18c1 that faces the side where the bottom panel 16 is located and the side where the drain pan 40 is located. The rear-side air passage 140a is formed between the drain pan 40 and the inclined surface 18c1 of the gutter portion 18. Therefore, the rear-side air passage 140a is formed so that the air passage width L between the drain pan 40 and the rear panel 12 becomes wider as it extends downward in the housing 10.

[0096] Furthermore, rear sidewall 42 of drain pan 40 is inclined so that, when housing 10 is viewed from the side, sidewall upper end 42a is closer to rear panel 12 than sidewall lower end 42b. At least a portion of rear-side air passage 140a is formed by rear sidewall 42 and inclined surface 18c1 of gutter 18. Therefore, rear-side air passage 140a is formed so that air passage width L between drain pan 40 and rear panel 12 becomes wider toward the bottom of housing 10.

[0097] [Operation and effect of air conditioner indoor unit 100] In rear-side air passage 140a of air conditioner indoor unit 100, air passage width L between drain pan 40 and rear panel 12 varies at each position in the vertical direction of housing 10. By forming indoor unit 100 with air passage width L that matches positions in air passage 140 of housing 10 with different air volumes, air resistance of air in air passage 140 inside housing 10 can be reduced.

[0098] Furthermore, the rear-side air passage 140 a of the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner is formed so that the air passage width L between the drain pan 40 and the rear panel 12 becomes wider as it goes downward in the housing 10 .

[0099] By having this configuration, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce the air resistance of the air passing through the rear side of the housing 10 compared to when the maximum width in the front-to-rear direction of the rear-side air passage 140a is at the upper end of the drain pan 40. Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption and improve quietness compared to air conditioner indoor units that do not have this configuration. Because the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption compared to air conditioner indoor units that do not have this configuration, it can improve energy efficiency.

[0100] Furthermore, by having this configuration, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is configured so that the rear-side air passage 140a contracts the airflow toward the heat exchanger 20. Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can pass the air flowing toward the rear-side heat exchanger 22 toward the center of the heat exchanger 20 without bias, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0101] The rear panel 12 of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 also has a gutter portion 18. The lower portion of the gutter portion 18 protrudes upward toward the side where the drain pan 40 is located, and forms an inclined surface 18c1 that faces the side where the bottom panel 16 is located and the side where the drain pan 40 is located. The rear-side air passage 140a is formed between the drain pan 40 and the inclined surface 18c1 of the gutter portion 18.

[0102] Due to this configuration, the rear-side air passage 140a of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is formed so that the air passage width L between the drain pan 40 and the rear panel 12 becomes wider as it goes downward in the housing 10. By having this configuration, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce the air resistance of the air passing through the rear side of the housing 10 compared to when the inclined surfaces face the side where the top panel 15 is located and the side where the drain pan 40 is located. Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption and increase quietness compared to air conditioner indoor units not having this configuration. Because the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption compared to air conditioner indoor units not having this configuration, it can improve energy efficiency.

[0103] Furthermore, the lowermost end 18c2 of the inclined surface 18c1 in the gutter portion 18 of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is formed below the upper end 40c of the drain pan 40 on the side closer to the rear panel 12.

[0104] Due to this configuration, the rear-side air passage 140a of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is formed so that the air passage width L between the drain pan 40 and the rear panel 12 becomes wider as it moves downward in the housing 10. By having this configuration, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce the air resistance of the air passing through the rear side of the housing 10 compared to when the maximum width of the rear-side air passage 140a in the front-to-rear direction is at the upper end of the drain pan 40. Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption and improve quietness compared to air conditioner indoor units not having this configuration. Because the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption compared to air conditioner indoor units not having this configuration, it can improve energy efficiency.

[0105] Furthermore, the drain pan 40 of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 has a rear sidewall portion 42 that faces the rear panel 12. The rear sidewall portion 42 is inclined so that the sidewall upper end portion 42a is closer to the rear panel 12 than the sidewall lower end portion 42b. At least a portion of the rear-side air passage 140a is formed by the rear sidewall portion 42 and the inclined surface 18c1 of the gutter portion 18.

[0106] Due to this configuration, the rear-side air passage 140a of the air conditioner indoor unit 100 is formed so that the air passage width L between the drain pan 40 and the rear panel 12 becomes wider as it moves downward in the housing 10. By having this configuration, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce the air resistance of the air passing through the rear side of the housing 10 compared to when the maximum width of the rear-side air passage 140a in the front-to-rear direction is at the upper end of the drain pan 40. Therefore, the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption and improve quietness compared to air conditioner indoor units not having this configuration. Because the air conditioner indoor unit 100 can reduce power consumption compared to air conditioner indoor units not having this configuration, it can improve energy efficiency.

[0107] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are examples of the contents of the present disclosure, and may be combined with other known technologies, or parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure.

[0108] 10 Housing, 11 Front panel, 11a Upper edge portion, 11b Lower edge portion, 12 Rear panel, 12a Central portion, 12b Plate-shaped portion, 12c Heat exchanger receiving portion, 12d Both ends, 13 Right side panel, 14 Left side panel, 15 Top panel, 15a Front edge portion, 16 Bottom panel, 16a Front edge portion, 16b Bottom wall surface, 18 Gutter portion, 18a Gutter central portion, 18b Gutter both ends, 18c Lower portion, 18c1 Inclined surface, 18c2 Bottom end portion, 19 Bridge portion, 20 Heat exchanger, 21 Front side heat exchanger, 22 Rear side heat exchanger, 23 Fin, 24 Heat transfer tube, 26 Sub-heat exchanger, 30 Blower, 40 Drain pan, 40c Upper end portion, 41 Water receiving portion, 42 Rear side wall portion, 42a: upper end of side wall, 42b: lower end of side wall, 43: front side wall portion, 44: bottom wall portion, 50: air filter, 100: indoor unit, 100L: indoor unit, 110: outlet, 111: front side outlet, 112: upper side outlet, 120: intake port, 120L: intake port, 121: lower intake port, 122: lower side intake port, 123: upper intake port, 125: side side intake port, 125a: side side intake port, 130: vane, 131: front side vane, 132: top side vane, 134: side panel, 134a: side edge portion, 134b: notch portion, 140: air duct, 140L: air duct, 140a: rear side air duct, 150: legs, CD: depth, D Fan outer diameter, F floor surface, H unit height, Hb gutter distance, Hd drain pan distance, L air duct width, T distance, WL wall section.

Claims

1. A box-shaped housing having at least one or more air inlets through which air is sucked formed at the lower part, an air outlet through which the air is blown out formed at the upper part, and an air passage communicating the air inlet and the air outlet formed inside; A blower disposed in the air passage for forming a flow of the air flowing through the air passage; A heat exchanger disposed in the air passage on the upstream side of the blower above the air inlet for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside and the air flowing through the air passage; Comprising: The housing A front panel constituting a side wall on the front side of the housing; A rear panel constituting a side wall on the rear side of the housing and facing the front panel; A bottom panel constituting a bottom wall on the bottom side of the housing and having a lower surface side air inlet which is the air inlet formed thereon; Having: The housing Is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape; The front panel; The rear panel; The bottom panel; A top panel constituting a ceiling wall on the top side of the housing and facing the bottom panel; A pair of side panels constituting side walls on the side of the housing; Having: Each of the pair of side panels Has a notch formed in a notch shape at a side edge portion close to the front panel; The housing An indoor unit of an air conditioner in which a side surface side air inlet which is the air inlet is formed by the front panel and the notches of each of the pair of side panels.

2. A box-shaped housing having at least one or more air inlets through which air is sucked formed at the lower part, an air outlet through which the air is blown out formed at the upper part, and an air passage communicating the air inlet and the air outlet formed inside; A blower disposed in the air passage for forming a flow of the air flowing through the air passage; A heat exchanger disposed in the air passage on the upstream side of the blower above the air inlet for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside and the air flowing through the air passage; Comprising: The housing A front panel constituting a side wall on the front side of the housing; A rear panel constituting a side wall on the rear side of the housing and facing the front panel; A bottom panel constituting a bottom wall on the bottom side of the housing and having a lower surface side air inlet which is the air inlet formed thereon; Having: Inside the housing, further comprising a drain pan provided below the lower end portion of the heat exchanger for receiving condensed water generated by the heat exchanger; The housing Inside the housing, between the drain pan and the rear panel, there is formed a rear-side air duct which is part of the air duct and through which the air sucked in from the lower-side suction port travels toward the heat exchanger. The rear-side air duct has a horizontally varying air duct width between the drain pan and the rear panel at each position in the vertical direction of the housing. The rear-side air duct is formed such that the air duct width between the drain pan and the rear panel becomes wider as it goes downward in the housing. The rear panel has a heat exchanger receiving portion that contacts the upper end of the heat exchanger, and a gutter portion formed in a gutter shape below the heat exchanger receiving portion for collecting the condensed water transmitted from the heat exchanger to the rear panel. It has The lower part of the gutter portion protrudes toward the side where the drain pan is disposed from bottom to top, and an inclined surface facing the side where the bottom panel is disposed and the side where the drain pan is disposed is formed. The rear-side air duct is an indoor unit of an air conditioner formed between the drain pan and the inclined surface of the gutter portion.

3. The housing is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, has a front panel, a rear panel, a bottom panel, a top panel that constitutes the ceiling wall on the top surface side of the housing and faces the bottom panel, and a pair of side panels that constitute the side walls on the side surface side of the housing and in which side surface side suction ports serving as the suction ports are formed. The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, which has

4. The housing is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, has a front panel, a rear panel, a bottom panel, a top panel that constitutes the ceiling wall on the top surface side of the housing and faces the bottom panel, and a pair of side panels that constitute the side walls on the side surface side of the housing. It has Each of the pair of side panels has a notch portion formed in a notch shape at the side edge portion closer to the front panel. The housing is the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2, in which the side surface side suction port serving as the suction port is formed by the front panel and the notch portions of each of the pair of side panels.

5. Inside the housing, it further has an air filter for removing and filtering dust from the air passing through the air duct. The side surface side suction port The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 4, which is formed so as to be located on the upstream side of the air filter in the direction in which the air flows formed by the blower.

6. Inside the housing, a drain pan is further provided below the lower end of the heat exchanger to receive the condensed water generated in the heat exchanger. The housing Inside the housing, between the drain pan and the rear panel, a rear side air passage that is part of the air passage and through which the air sucked from the lower surface side suction port travels toward the heat exchanger is formed. The rear side air passage The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal air passage width between the drain pan and the rear panel is different at each position in the vertical direction of the housing.

7. The rear side air passage The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein the air passage width between the drain pan and the rear panel is formed to become wider as it goes downward in the housing.

8. The rear panel A heat exchanger receiving portion that abuts against the upper end of the heat exchanger; A gutter portion that is formed in a gutter shape below the heat exchanger receiving portion and collects the condensed water transmitted from the heat exchanger to the rear panel. has The lower part of the gutter portion Projects toward the arrangement side of the drain pan as it goes from bottom to top, and an inclined surface facing the arrangement side of the bottom panel and the arrangement side of the drain pan is formed. The rear side air passage The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 7, which is formed between the drain pan and the inclined surface of the gutter portion.

9. The lowermost end of the inclined surface The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 2 or 8, which is formed below the upper end of the side closer to the rear panel of the drain pan.

10. The drain pan In the front-rear direction of the housing, it is a side wall closer to the rear panel and has a rear side wall portion facing the rear panel. The rear side wall portion The upper end of the side wall, which is the upper end portion, is inclined so as to approach the rear panel more than the lower end of the side wall, which is the lower end portion. At least a part of the rear side air passage The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 8, which is formed by the rear side wall portion and the inclined surface of the gutter portion.

11. The drain pan In the front-rear direction of the housing, it is a side wall closer to the rear panel and has a rear side wall portion facing the rear panel. The rear side wall portion is formed to be inclined such that a side wall upper end portion that is an upper end portion approaches the rear panel more than a side wall lower end portion that is a lower end portion. At least a part of the rear side air passage is the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 9, which is formed by the rear side wall portion and the inclined surface of the gutter portion.