Air conditioner

Abstract

Provided is an air conditioner including: a housing in which a blowout port from which air is blown out is formed; a blower that is provided inside the housing and that sends air toward the blowout port; and a plenum chamber that is placed on an upper part of the housing, that accommodates the air blown out from the blowout port, and from which the air is blown out. The plenum chamber has: a body part that has inner walls on sides thereof; side plates that are attached to outer sides of the inner walls of the body part and that are provided upright from the housing so as to be flush with end surfaces of the housing; and a side-plate fixing part that can adjust the positions of the side plates with respect to the inner walls.

Description

air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner including a housing in which an air outlet through which air is blown out is formed.

[0002] The plenum chamber is placed on top of the air conditioner unit and moved left and right until the end face of the plenum chamber is aligned with the end face of the unit, whereupon it is fixed to the air conditioner unit. An air conditioner to which a plenum chamber is attached is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-10177

[0004] The plenum chamber described in Patent Document 1 is lifted up to move it left and right, and its position is adjusted in that state. Therefore, installation of the plenum chamber requires multiple people, which makes it difficult to install.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an air conditioner in which the workability in installing a plenum chamber is improved.

[0006] The air conditioner of the present disclosure comprises a housing having an air outlet formed therein through which air is blown out, a blower provided inside the housing and sending air toward the air outlet, and a plenum chamber placed on top of the housing and storing and discharging the air blown out from the air outlet, the plenum chamber having a main body portion having inner walls on the sides, a side panel attached to the outside of the inner wall of the main body portion and erected from the housing so as to be flush with the end face of the housing, and a side panel fixing portion that allows the position of the side panel relative to the inner wall to be adjusted.

[0007] The air conditioner according to the present disclosure has a side panel attached to the outside of the inner wall, and the position of the side panel relative to the inner wall is adjusted and fixed by the side panel fixing portion so that it is flush with the end face of the housing. This makes it easy to align the side panel with the end face of the housing, improving the workability of installing the plenum chamber.

[0008] 16 is a circuit diagram showing an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 17 is an assembled perspective view showing an indoor unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view showing an indoor unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an indoor unit main body according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a state in which the front panel is removed from the indoor unit main body according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a secondary side region of a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a plenum chamber according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view showing a plenum chamber according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing a case in which the plenum chamber of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1 is divided along the longitudinal direction, that is, the left-right direction. FIG. 24 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIG. 9. FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a longitudinal cross section, taken along the longitudinal direction, that of the plenum chamber of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 26 is a partial perspective view of the plenum chamber of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 27 is a schematic view showing a longitudinal cross section, taken along the longitudinal direction, that of the plenum chamber of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 28 is a perspective view illustrating a procedure for installing a plenum chamber in the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 29 is an enlarged perspective view of portion B of FIG. 14. FIG. 29 is a perspective view illustrating adjustment of the position of the plenum side panel of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 29 is an enlarged perspective view of portion C of FIG. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a drainage path of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of a plenum chamber of the air conditioner 1 according to a modified example of Embodiment 1.

[0009] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a circuit diagram showing an air conditioner 1 according to embodiment 1. The air conditioner 1 is a device that conditions the air in a space to be air-conditioned, and as shown in Figure 1, is equipped with an outdoor unit 2 and an indoor unit 3. The outdoor unit 2 is equipped with, for example, a compressor 6, a flow path switching device 7, an outdoor heat exchanger 8, an outdoor blower 9, an expansion section 10, and a control box 13. The indoor unit 3 is equipped with, for example, a heat exchanger 11 and a blower 12.

[0010] The refrigerant circuit 4 is configured by connecting a compressor 6, a flow switching device 7, an outdoor heat exchanger 8, an expansion section 10, and a heat exchanger 11 via refrigerant piping 5. The compressor 6 draws in low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, compresses it, and discharges it as high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The compressor 6 is, for example, a capacity-controllable inverter compressor. The flow switching device 7 switches the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 4 and is, for example, a four-way valve. The outdoor heat exchanger 8 exchanges heat between, for example, outdoor air and the refrigerant. The outdoor heat exchanger 8 functions as a condenser during cooling operation and as an evaporator during heating operation. The expansion section 10 is a pressure-reducing valve or expansion valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant and expands it. The expansion section 10 is, for example, an electronic expansion valve whose opening is adjustable.

[0011] The heat exchanger 11 exchanges heat between, for example, indoor air and a refrigerant. The heat exchanger 11 acts as an evaporator during cooling operation and as a condenser during heating operation. The blower 12 is a device that sends indoor air to the heat exchanger 11.

[0012] (Operation Modes, Cooling Operation) Next, the operation modes of the air conditioner 1 will be described. First, cooling operation will be described. In cooling operation, the refrigerant drawn into the compressor 6 is compressed by the compressor 6 and discharged in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 6 passes through the flow switching device 7 and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 8, which functions as a condenser. In the outdoor heat exchanger 8, the refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air sent by the outdoor blower 9, condensing and liquefying. The condensed liquid refrigerant flows into the expansion section 10, where it expands and is decompressed to become a low-temperature, low-pressure, two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant. The two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant then flows into the heat exchanger 11, which functions as an evaporator. In the heat exchanger 11, the refrigerant exchanges heat with indoor air sent by the blower 12, evaporating and gasifying. At this time, the indoor air is cooled, and cooling is performed in the room. The evaporated refrigerant in a low-temperature, low-pressure gas state passes through the flow switching device 7 and is sucked into the compressor 6 .

[0013] (Operation Mode, Heating Operation) Next, the heating operation will be described. In the heating operation, the refrigerant drawn into the compressor 6 is compressed by the compressor 6 and discharged in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 6 passes through the flow path switching device 7 and flows into the heat exchanger 11, which functions as a condenser. In the heat exchanger 11, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the indoor air sent by the blower 12 and condenses to a liquid. At this time, the indoor air is heated, and heating is performed in the room. The condensed liquid refrigerant flows into the expansion section 10, where it expands and decompresses to become a low-temperature, low-pressure, two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant. The two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant then flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 8, which functions as an evaporator. In the outdoor heat exchanger 8, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the outdoor air sent by the outdoor blower 9 and evaporates to a gas. The evaporated low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant passes through the flow path switching device 7 and is drawn into the compressor 6.

[0014] The air conditioner 1 does not necessarily have to have the flow path switching device 7. In this case, the air conditioner 1 becomes a dedicated cooling machine or a dedicated heating machine.

[0015] (Indoor unit 3) Figure 2 is an assembled perspective view showing the indoor unit 3 pertaining to embodiment 1, and Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the indoor unit 3 pertaining to embodiment 1. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the indoor unit 3 has an indoor unit main body 3a and a plenum chamber 60 provided on an upper part of the indoor unit main body 3a.

[0016] (Indoor Unit Main Body 3a) Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the indoor unit main body 3a according to Embodiment 1, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the indoor unit main body 3a according to Embodiment 1 with the front panel 21 removed. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the indoor unit main body 3a includes a housing 20 forming an outer shell, a heat exchanger 11, a blower 12, a drain pan 24 that collects condensed water from the heat exchanger 11, and a control box 13 having a control unit that controls the blower 12, etc. The indoor unit 3 takes in air through an intake port 21a formed in the front panel 21 of the housing 20 (shown by the open arrow in Figs. 4 and 5). The heat exchanger 11 is disposed inside the intake port 21a.

[0017] An air passage is formed inside the housing 20, extending from an air inlet 21a formed in the front panel 21 to a housing-side outlet 23a formed in the top panel 23. Air drawn into the housing 20 passes through the heat exchanger 11, where it is conditioned, and is then blown out through the housing-side outlet 23a formed in the top panel 23 of the housing 20 (indicated by the white arrow in Figure 5). Each side of the housing 20 is a side panel 22, and the rear of the housing 20 is a rear panel 25. In the following description, the side of the housing 20 where the front panel 21 is located is referred to as the front side, and the side opposite the front panel 21 is referred to as the rear side. The left and right sides of the housing 20 correspond to the left and right sides when viewing the housing 20 from the front panel 21. That is, the x direction, which is the positive direction of the x axis, is the right, and the opposite direction along the x axis is the left. The direction parallel to the plane defined by the x and z axes is the horizontal direction, and the y direction is the upward direction. The front-to-rear direction of the air conditioner 1 is the direction along the z axis shown in Figure 4.

[0018] The heat exchanger 11 is located behind the intake port 21a when viewed from the side where the front panel 21 of the housing 20 is located. The blower 12 includes two blowers 12 and is located above the heat exchanger 11, between the housing-side outlet 23a and the heat exchanger 11. The blower 12 is connected to a fan 12b (see FIG. 6) and a motor 12c (see FIG. 6), and the motor 12c is inverter-controlled to drive the fan 12b. Air flowing in through the intake port 21a passes through the heat exchanger 11, which is arranged at an incline inside the housing 20, and flows upward inside the housing 20. The air passing through the heat exchanger 11 flows into the fan casing 12a of the blower 12 and is blown out from the housing-side outlet 23a by the fan 12b. The drain pan 24 is located below the heat exchanger 11, which is arranged at an incline inside the housing 20, so as to collect drain water flowing down. In the first embodiment, the fan 12b is a sirocco fan.

[0019] 6 is a perspective view showing the secondary side region of the heat exchanger 11 according to the first embodiment. Here, the secondary side region of the heat exchanger 11 refers to a region inside the housing 20 where air that has passed through the heat exchanger 11 is present. The primary side region of the heat exchanger 11 refers to a region where air is present before passing through the heat exchanger 11. In other words, the primary side region is a region upstream of the heat exchanger 11 in the air passage inside the housing 20. The secondary side region is a region downstream of the heat exchanger 11 in the air passage inside the housing 20.

[0020] The secondary side region of the heat exchanger 11 is equipped with a motor 12c, a fan 12b directly connected to the motor 12c, and a fan casing 12a fixed to the top plate 23 and surrounding the fan 12b. In the first embodiment, two blowers 12 are arranged in the x direction. The control box 13 is arranged alongside the blowers 12 in the horizontal direction, i.e., along the x axis. Because the control box 13 is arranged to the side of the blowers 12, there is no need to remove the control box 13 from the air conditioner 1 when removing the front plate 21 to perform maintenance around the blowers 12, improving maintenance workability. Furthermore, by protecting the wiring outlet (not shown) of the control box 13 and the motor 12c, the area around the blower 12 can be easily cleaned. In the first embodiment, the fan casing 12a is configured to be detachable and separable in the front-to-rear direction of the air conditioner 1, allowing for maintenance such as cleaning of the internal fan 12b.

[0021] A drain pan 24 is disposed in the primary side area of ​​the heat exchanger 11. The heat exchanger 11 and the drain pan 24 are prone to collecting dust and debris due to condensed water. Therefore, the primary side area of ​​the heat exchanger 11 requires frequent cleaning. If the control box 13 is disposed above the drain pan 24 in the primary side area of ​​the heat exchanger 11 in the indoor unit 3, the control box 13 will obstruct cleaning of the heat exchanger 11 and the drain pan 24, making the cleaning process more complicated. Furthermore, if a large amount of cleaning water is splashed on the control box 13 during cleaning, water will seep into the control box 13. This can cause malfunctions of the air conditioner 1, so the control box 13 must be protected before cleaning. The control box 13 according to the first embodiment is disposed in the secondary side area rather than the primary side area, which requires frequent cleaning, thereby facilitating maintenance of the air conditioner 1. Furthermore, by disposing the control box 13 in the secondary side area, cooling efficiency can be improved.

[0022] (Plenum chamber 60) Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the plenum chamber 60 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the plenum chamber 60 is a box-shaped body provided on the top of the indoor unit body 3a. The interior of the plenum chamber 60 is hollow, and a plenum space 60a is formed therein. Air blown out from the two housing-side air outlets 23a flows into the plenum space 60a inside the plenum chamber 60.

[0023] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the plenum chamber 60 according to embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 8, the plenum chamber 60 has a plenum bottom plate 61, a plenum back plate 62, a plenum inner wall 63, plenum side plates 64, a plenum front top plate 65, a plenum rear top plate 66, a plenum front plate 67, a louver portion 68, and a rectifying plate 70. The plenum back plate 62, the plenum front top plate 65, the plenum rear top plate 66, the plenum front plate 67, the louver portion 68, the plenum inner wall 63, and the rectifying plate 70 are examples of a main body.

[0024] The plenum chamber 60 can be washed by pouring water on it while it is installed in the indoor unit body 3a. When the plenum chamber 60 is to be washed, the louver portion 68, the plenum front plate 67, and the plenum front top plate 65 are removed, and cleaning water is poured on it from the front.

[0025] The plenum bottom plate 61 is attached to the top of the housing 20 of the indoor unit main body 3a. The plenum bottom plate 61 holds the cleaning water that is sprayed from the front when the plenum chamber 60 is cleaned. The plenum bottom plate 61 has an opening 61a that opens in a portion corresponding to the housing-side air outlet 23a. The plenum back plate 62 is a plate-shaped member that extends upward from the back of the plenum bottom plate 61 and closes the back of the plenum chamber 60.

[0026] The pair of plenum inner walls 63 are plate-like members extending upward from both side portions of the plenum bottom plate 61. The pair of plenum side plates 64 are plate-like members provided on the outer sides of the pair of plenum inner walls 63. The pair of plenum side plates 64 are design surfaces that form the left and right side surfaces of the plenum chamber 60. The plenum side plates 64 are fixed to the plenum chamber 60 at side plate fixing portions 80 (see FIG. 10 ). The plenum inner walls 63 and the plenum side plates 64 close the side surfaces of the plenum chamber 60, forming a double structure.

[0027] The plenum front top plate 65 is a plate-like member extending in the width direction that connects the front upper ends of the pair of plenum inner walls 63. The plenum rear top plate 66 is a plate-like member extending in the width direction that connects the rear upper ends of the pair of plenum inner walls 63 and the upper end of the back plate. The plenum front top plate 65 and the plenum rear top plate 66 close the top surface of the plenum chamber 60.

[0028] The pair of plenum front plates 67 are plate-shaped members provided in front of the pair of plenum front plates 67. The louver portion 68 is a member fitted between the plenum bottom plate 61, the pair of plenum front plates 67, and the plenum front top plate 65. A lattice-shaped plenum side outlet 69 is formed in the louver portion 68, and air in the plenum chamber 60 is blown out from the plenum side outlet 69. The rectifying plate 70 is provided to partition the opening 61a of the plenum bottom plate 61, and rectifies the air blown out from the housing side outlet 23a.

[0029] (Side panel fixing portion 80) Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a case where the plenum chamber 60 of the air conditioner 1 according to embodiment 1 is divided along the longitudinal direction, that is, along the left-right direction. Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of portion A in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a view showing a longitudinal cross section of the plenum chamber 60 of the air conditioner 1 according to embodiment 1, that is, along the longitudinal direction, that is, along the left-right direction.

[0030] 9, 10, and 11, the plenum side plate 64 is fixed to the plenum chamber 60 by a side plate fixing portion 80. The plenum side plate 64 is arranged so that its lower end contacts the upper surface of the indoor unit body 3a and is flush with the side panel 22 that forms the end surface of the indoor unit body 3a.

[0031] In the temporarily fixed state, the plenum side plates 64 are movable in the left-right direction, i.e., in the X direction, relative to the plenum inner wall 63. The plenum side plates 64 are moved in the left-right direction, i.e., in the X direction, by the side plate fixing parts 80 to adjust their positions relative to the plenum inner wall 63. By adjusting the positions of the plenum side plates 64 relative to the plenum inner wall 63 by the side plate fixing parts 80, the plenum side plates 64 are fixed so as to be flush with the end faces of the indoor unit body 3a.

[0032] The side panel fixing portion 80 is composed of, for example, a first oblong hole 81 formed in the plenum rear top panel 66 and a first fixing screw 82 inserted through the first oblong hole 81. The first oblong hole 81 is formed at a side end of the plenum rear top panel 66. The first oblong hole 81 has a shape with a long axis extending in the left-right direction and a short axis extending in the front-rear direction. The dimensions of the first oblong hole 81 need only be sufficient to accommodate variations in the left-right dimensions of the plenum chamber 60 and the indoor unit main body 3a. For example, the short axis is 7 mm and the long axis is 12 mm. The first fixing screw 82 is fastened to the plenum side panel 64. Specifically, the first fixing screw 82 is fastened to a side panel flange portion 641 extending inward from the upper end of the plenum side panel 64.

[0033] When the side plate fixing parts 80 are temporarily fixed by loosening the first fixing screws 82, the plenum side plates 64 become movable in the left-right direction. The plenum side plates 64 are moved left-right, and the left-right position of the plenum side plates 64 is adjusted. When the plenum side plates 64 are flush with the end faces of the indoor unit main body 3a, the side plate fixing parts 80 are fastened at that position. This fixes the plenum side plates 64 to the main body of the plenum chamber 60.

[0034] It should be noted that there may be a plurality of first oblong holes 81 and first fixing screws 82. Furthermore, the first oblong holes 81 may be provided in the plenum rear top plate 66, or may be provided in both the plenum front top plate 65 and the plenum rear top plate 66.

[0035] (Plenum bottom plate 61) Figure 12 is a partial perspective view of the plenum chamber 60 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing a longitudinal cross section along the left-right direction of the longitudinal direction of the plenum chamber 60 of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the plenum bottom plate 61 is configured in a tray shape and includes a main plate 611 and rising portions 612 extending upward from each side of the main plate 611.

[0036] The plenum bottom plate 61 is fixed to the indoor unit body 3a with screws 91. The plenum bottom plate 61 is attached, for example, to the upper end of the housing-side flange portion 3b that is formed so as to extend upward from the top surface of the indoor unit body 3a. The plenum bottom plate 61 is fixed to the housing-side flange portion 3b of the indoor unit body 3a with screws 91 provided in a total of six locations, for example, three locations in the front-to-rear direction and two locations in the left-to-right direction.

[0037] The opening 61a provided in the main plate 611 is provided to circulate air discharged from the housing-side outlet 23a formed in the indoor unit body 3a and to discharge cleaning water accumulated in the plenum bottom plate 61. The opening 61a is located above the housing-side outlet 23a, and its opening area is the same as or smaller than the opening area of ​​the housing-side outlet 23a of the indoor unit body 3a. This allows cleaning water accumulated in the plenum bottom plate 61 to be discharged into the indoor unit body 3a without leaking to the outside.

[0038] The rising portions 612 are provided to hold back wash water that accumulates on the plenum bottom plate 61. Of the rising portions 612, those located on the sides have bottom plate flange portions 613 that extend outward from their upper ends. The bottom plate flange portions 613 are connected to the plenum inner wall 63. Specifically, the bottom plate flange portions 613 are connected to an inner wall flange portion 631 that extends outward from the lower end of the plenum inner wall 63. The plenum inner wall 63 is fixed to the plenum bottom plate 61 by fastening the bottom plate flange portion 613 and the inner wall flange portion 631 together.

[0039] Since the plenum bottom plate 61 has the raised portion 612, the joint between the plenum inner wall 63 and the plenum bottom plate 61 can be made higher than the main plate 611 of the plenum bottom plate 61. Furthermore, since the inner wall flange portion 631 and the bottom plate flange portion 613 both extend outward, the screws 90 that fasten the inner wall flange portion 631 and the bottom plate flange portion 613 are positioned outside the air path for cool air.

[0040] (Installation Procedure) Figure 14 is a perspective view illustrating the installation procedure for the plenum chamber 60 in the air conditioner 1 according to embodiment 1. Figure 15 is an enlarged perspective view of part B in Figure 14. Figure 16 is a perspective view illustrating the position adjustment of the plenum side plate 64 of the air conditioner 1 according to embodiment 1. Figure 17 is an enlarged perspective view of part C in Figure 16.

[0041] 14 to 17, in the procedure for installing the plenum chamber 60, first, the plenum chamber 60, from which the louver portion 68, plenum front plate 67, and plenum front top plate 65 have been removed, is placed on top of the indoor unit main body 3a. Next, the plenum bottom plate 61 is fixed to the housing-side flange portion 3b of the indoor unit main body 3a with screws 91. In this way, the plenum chamber 60 is fixed to the indoor unit main body 3a.

[0042] Next, with the plenum chamber 60 fixed to the indoor unit body 3a, the first fixing screws 82 of the side plate fixing parts 80 are loosened, thereby temporarily fixing the plenum side plates 64 and adjusting the position of the plenum side plates 64. When the first fixing screws 82 are loosened, the first fixing screws 82 can move along the first elongated holes 81 of the side plate fixing parts 80, allowing the position of the plenum side plates 64 to be adjusted. Therefore, there is no need to lift and move the entire plenum chamber 60 when adjusting the position of the plenum side plates 64.

[0043] When the first fixing screws 82 are moved along the first elongated holes 81 of the side plate fixing portions 80, the plenum side plates 64 move left and right, thereby changing the position of the plenum side plates 64 relative to the plenum inner wall 63. By moving the plenum side plates 64 left and right, the plenum side plates 64 are aligned with the end faces of the indoor unit body 3a. At this time, the first fixing screws 82 function as handles, allowing fine adjustments to the position of the plenum side plates 64. Once the alignment of the plenum side plates 64 with the end faces of the indoor unit body 3a is complete, the first fixing screws 82 are tightened, fixing the position of the plenum side plates 64. This completes the installation of the plenum chamber 60 to the indoor unit body 3a.

[0044] In this way, there is no need to lift and move the plenum chamber 60 to adjust the position of the plenum side plate 64, so even if there are individual differences in the left-right dimensions of the indoor units 3, it is possible to adjust the position of the plenum side plate 64 to suit those individual differences. As a result, the installation work of the plenum chamber 60 can be performed by a single worker, improving the ease of installation.

[0045] Furthermore, by finely adjusting the position of the plenum side plate 64 using the first fixing screws 82 of the side plate fixing parts 80, the plenum side plate 64 can be made flush with the end face of the indoor unit body 3a even if there is variation in the external dimensions of the indoor unit body 3a and the plenum chamber 60, that is, individual differences. This prevents the end face of the indoor unit body 3a and the end face of the plenum chamber 60 from mismatching, resulting in a step, and improves the design of the air conditioner 1.

[0046] Furthermore, the side of the plenum chamber 60 has a double structure consisting of a plenum inner wall 63 and a plenum side plate 64, and the plenum side plate 64 is provided away from the cold air passage. Therefore, the plenum side plate 64 does not come into contact with the cold air, and condensation on the outer surface of the plenum side plate 64 can be suppressed.

[0047] (Drainage path of cleaning water) Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing the drainage path of the air conditioner 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 18, when cleaning the plenum chamber 60, the louver portion 68, the plenum front panel 67, and the plenum front top panel 65 are removed, and cleaning water is sprayed onto the plenum chamber 60 from the front of the plenum chamber 60.

[0048] The flush water sprayed into the plenum chamber 60 is received by the plenum inner wall 63, flows down the plenum inner wall 63 and is guided to the plenum bottom plate 61, where it is blocked and retained by the rising portion 612 of the plenum bottom plate 61. The retained flush water flows out from the opening 61a of the plenum bottom plate 61 and is discharged into the indoor unit body 3a via the housing-side outlet 23a of the indoor unit body 3a. This prevents the flush water that has accumulated in the plenum bottom plate 61 from flowing out the front surface of the plenum chamber 60 or from the joint between the plenum chamber 60 and the indoor unit body 3a.

[0049] The volume of the plenum bottom plate 61 is, for example, 0.012 m ３ The height of the rising portion 612 of the plenum bottom plate 61 is, for example, 25 mm. The volume of the plenum bottom plate 61 is a volume that takes more than one minute for water to accumulate at the front surface of the plenum chamber 60 or up to the joint between the plenum chamber 60 and the indoor unit main body 3a when the water flow rate during cleaning is 10 L / min. The volume of the plenum bottom plate 61 is set to 0.012 m ３ This makes it difficult for cleaning water to reach the front surface of the plenum chamber 60 and the joint between the plenum chamber 60 and the indoor unit main body 3a, and prevents the cleaning water from flowing out of the plenum chamber 60 or the indoor unit main body 3a.

[0050] Furthermore, the plenum bottom plate 61 and the plenum inner wall 63 are fastened together by screws 90 that pass through the bottom plate flange portion 613 and the inner wall flange portion 631, which extend outward. Therefore, the screws 90 are provided outside the air passage for the cold air, and the screws 90 do not come into contact with the cold air, which prevents condensation from forming on the screws 90.

[0051] (Modification) Figure 19 is a partially exploded perspective view of the plenum chamber 60 of the air conditioner 1 according to a modification of Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 19, the side panel fixing portion 80 may be configured by a second oblong hole 83 formed in the plenum side panel 64 and a second fixing screw (not shown) that passes through the second oblong hole 83.

[0052] The second oblong hole 83 is formed in a side plate flange 641 extending inward from the front end of the periphery of the plenum side plate 64 toward the inside of the plenum chamber 60. The second oblong hole 83 has a shape in which the major axis extends in the left-right direction and the minor axis extends in the up-down direction. The dimensions of the second oblong hole 83 are the same as those of the first oblong hole 81, for example, the minor axis is 7 mm and the major axis is 12 mm. The second fixing screw is fastened to the plenum inner wall 63. Specifically, the second fixing screw is fastened to an inner wall flange 631 extending outward from the front end of the plenum inner wall 63 toward the outside of the plenum chamber 60. The second oblong hole 83 and the second fixing screw allow easy adjustment of the position of the plenum side plate 64.

[0053] The side panel fixing portion 80 may be composed of a first oblong hole 81 and a first fixing screw 82, or may be composed of a second oblong hole 83 and a second fixing screw, or may be composed of a first oblong hole 81, a first fixing screw 82, a second oblong hole 83, and a second fixing screw.

[0054] Furthermore, the form of the side plate fixing portion 80 is not particularly limited as long as it can adjust and fix the position of the plenum side plate 64 relative to the plenum inner wall 63. For example, the side plate fixing portion 80 may be configured such that a groove formed in the inner wall flange portion 631 and a claw formed on the plenum side plate 64 slide on each other.

[0055] The air conditioner 1 according to the present embodiment described above has a plenum side plate 64 attached to the outside of the plenum inner wall 63. The side plate fixing portion 80 adjusts and fixes the position of the plenum side plate 64 relative to the plenum inner wall 63 so that it is flush with the end face of the indoor unit body 3a. Therefore, when installing the plenum chamber 60, even if the external dimensions of the indoor unit body 3a vary, the plenum side plate 64 can be moved to match the external dimensions of the indoor unit body 3a and aligned with the end face of the indoor unit body 3a. This facilitates alignment of the plenum chamber 60 and eliminates the need to lift the plenum chamber 60 for alignment, improving the workability of installing the plenum chamber 60. Furthermore, regardless of whether or not there is dimensional variation in the indoor unit body 3a or the plenum chamber 60, the occurrence of a step at the boundary between the indoor unit body 3a and the plenum chamber 60 can be suppressed, improving the design of the air conditioner 1.

[0056] The plenum chamber 60 also has a plenum bottom plate 61 that includes a main plate 611 with openings 61a formed therein and rising portions 612 extending upward from each side of the main plate 611. The flushing water in the plenum chamber 60 is blocked by the rising portions 612 of the plenum bottom plate 61 and discharged through the openings 61a of the main plate 611. This prevents water from leaking from the front surface of the plenum chamber 60 and from the joint between the plenum chamber 60 and the indoor unit body 3a. The plenum bottom plate 61 and the plenum inner wall 63 also separate the air passage from the plenum side plates 64, preventing cold air from coming into contact with the plenum side plates 64, thereby preventing condensation from forming on the outer surfaces of the plenum side plates 64.

[0057] Furthermore, the main plate 611 of the plenum bottom plate 61 is fixed onto the housing-side flange portion 3b that extends upward from the housing-side air outlet 23a of the indoor unit body 3a. Therefore, the flushing water collects on the plenum bottom plate 61, moves along the main plate 611 of the plenum bottom plate 61 to the opening 61a, passes through the housing-side flange portion 3b, and is discharged into the indoor unit body 3a from the housing-side air outlet 23a. This makes it possible to prevent water leakage from joints between the plenum chamber 60 and the indoor unit body 3a.

[0058] Furthermore, the plenum inner wall 63 is fixed to the indoor unit body 3a via the plenum bottom plate 61 by fixing an inner wall flange 631 extending outward from the lower end to a bottom plate flange 613 extending outward from the upper end of the rising portion 612. Therefore, the joint between the plenum inner wall 63 and the plenum bottom plate 61 is located higher than the main plate 611 of the plenum bottom plate 61, so that cleaning water accumulated in the plenum bottom plate 61 is less likely to come into contact with the joint, thereby suppressing water leakage from the joint. Furthermore, because the inner wall flange 631 and the bottom plate flange 613 extend outward, condensation on the screws 90 fastening the inner wall flange 631 and the bottom plate flange 613 does not come into contact with cold air, thereby suppressing condensation on the screws 90.

[0059] The side panel fixing portion 80 is configured with a first oblong hole 81 provided in the plenum rear top panel 66 and a first fixing screw 82 that is inserted into the first oblong hole 81 and fixed to the plenum side panel 64. Therefore, by pinching the first fixing screw 82 and moving it along the first oblong hole 81 to adjust the position of the plenum side panel 64 relative to the plenum inner wall 63, it is easy to fine-tune the position of the plenum side panel 64.

[0060] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Air conditioner, 2 Outdoor unit, 3 Indoor unit, 3a Indoor unit body, 3b Housing side flange portion, 4 Refrigerant circuit, 5 Refrigerant piping, 6 Compressor, 7 Flow path switching device, 8 Outdoor heat exchanger, 9 Outdoor blower, 10 Expansion section, 11 Heat exchanger, 12 Blower, 12a Fan casing, 12b Fan, 12c Motor, 13 Control box, 20 Housing, 21 Front plate, 21a Intake port, 22 Side panel, 23 Top plate, 23a Housing side outlet, 24 Drain pan, 25 Rear panel, 60 Plenum chamber, 60a Plenum space, 61 Plenum bottom plate, 61a Opening, 62 Plenum back plate, 63 Plenum inner wall, 64 Plenum side plate, 65 Plenum front top plate, 66 Plenum rear top plate, 67 Plenum front plate, 68 louver portion, 69 plenum side air outlet, 70 air straightening plate, 80 side plate fixing portion, 81 first oblong hole, 82 first fixing screw, 83 second oblong hole, 90 screw, 91 screw, 611 main plate, 612 rising portion, 613 bottom plate flange portion, 631 inner wall flange portion, 641 side plate flange portion.

Claims

1. A housing in which an air outlet through which air is blown is formed; A blower provided inside the housing for sending air toward the air outlet; A plenum chamber placed on the upper part of the housing for receiving and discharging the air blown out from the air outlet; Comprising; The plenum chamber, A main body portion having an inner wall on the side; A side plate attached to the outside of the inner wall of the main body portion and standing upright from the housing so as to be flush with the end face of the housing; A side plate fixing portion capable of adjusting the position of the side plate with respect to the inner wall; Having; An air conditioner.

2. The plenum chamber further includes a bottom plate placed on the upper part of the housing, The bottom plate, A main plate formed with an opening portion disposed above the air outlet of the housing; Rising portions extending upward from each side of the main plate; Having; The air conditioner according to Claim 1.

3. The main plate of the bottom plate is fixed on the housing side flange portion extending upward from the air outlet of the housing. The air conditioner according to Claim 2.

4. The inner wall has an inner wall flange portion extending outward from the lower end, By fastening the inner wall flange portion to the bottom plate flange portion extending outward from the upper end of the rising portion, The inner wall is fixed to the housing via the bottom plate. The air conditioner according to Claim 2 or 3.

5. The side plate fixing portion, A long hole formed in the top plate constituting the top surface of the main body portion; A fixing screw inserted through the long hole and fixed to the side plate; Composed of; The air conditioner according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

6. The side plate fixing portion, A long hole formed in the top plate constituting the top surface of the main body portion; A fixing screw inserted through the long hole and fixed to the side plate; Composed of; The air conditioner according to Claim 4.