Indoor unit and air conditioner

Abstract

One aspect of an indoor unit according to the present disclosure is an indoor unit of an air conditioning device, comprising: a heat exchanger; a drain pan disposed below the heat exchanger; a refrigerant sensor unit having a housing; and a casing accommodating the heat exchanger, the drain pan, and the refrigerant sensor unit. The drain pan has a bottom portion extending in a left-right direction and facing the heat exchanger in a vertical direction, and a peripheral wall portion extending upward from an outer edge of the bottom portion. The peripheral wall portion includes a side wall portion extending upward from a first side end portion in the left-right direction of the bottom portion. The casing has a bottom-surface panel located below the heat exchanger, and a side-surface panel located on the first side with respect to the heat exchanger. The refrigerant sensor unit is disposed in a machine room provided between the side wall portion and the side-surface panel, and overlaps with the drain pan in a front-rear direction position. The housing has a gas inlet port which opens downward. A vertical distance between the gas inlet port and the bottom-surface panel is smaller than a vertical distance between the gas inlet port and an upper end of the side wall portion.

Description

Indoor units and air conditioners

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

[0002] Conventionally, air conditioners with a refrigerant sensor attached to the indoor unit have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses an indoor unit in which a drain pan is placed below a heat exchanger and a refrigerant sensor is placed near the drain pan, so that the refrigerant sensor can detect refrigerant gas that has leaked from the heat exchanger and trickled down the drain pan.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-98346

[0004] In conventional indoor units, the refrigerant sensor is located near the drain pan, so if condensation water accumulated in the drain pan were to leak or splash out due to an unexpected event, the condensation water could get on the refrigerant sensor, affecting the detection accuracy of the refrigerant sensor.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, one object of the present disclosure is to provide an indoor unit and an air conditioner that can suppress the effect of condensation water on the detection accuracy of a refrigerant sensor.

[0006] One aspect of an indoor unit according to the present disclosure is an air conditioner indoor unit including: a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows; a drain pan disposed below the heat exchanger; a refrigerant sensor unit including a refrigerant sensor capable of detecting vaporized refrigerant and a housing for accommodating the refrigerant sensor; and a housing for accommodating the heat exchanger, the drain pan, and the refrigerant sensor unit. The drain pan faces the heat exchanger in the vertical direction and has a bottom portion extending in a first direction intersecting the vertical direction, and a peripheral wall portion extending upward from an outer edge of the bottom portion. The peripheral wall portion includes a side wall portion extending upward from an end of the bottom portion on a first side in the first direction. The housing includes a bottom panel disposed below the heat exchanger and a side panel disposed on the first side relative to the heat exchanger. The refrigerant sensor unit is disposed in a machine chamber provided between the side wall portion and the side panel, and overlaps with the drain pan in a second direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction. The housing has a gas inlet opening downward, and the vertical distance between the gas inlet and the bottom panel is smaller than the vertical distance between the gas inlet and the upper end of the side wall portion.

[0007] One aspect of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes the indoor unit described above, the refrigerant circuit, and an outdoor unit.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an indoor unit and an air conditioner that can suppress the effect of condensation water on the detection accuracy of the refrigerant sensor.

[0009] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of an air conditioner of an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an indoor unit of an embodiment. Fig. 6 is a front view of an indoor unit of an embodiment. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a drain pan of an embodiment. Fig. 8 is a side view of a control unit and a refrigerant sensor unit of an embodiment. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a control unit and a refrigerant sensor unit of an embodiment. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a refrigerant sensor unit of an embodiment. Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a refrigerant sensor unit of an embodiment. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a housing main body of a refrigerant sensor unit of an embodiment. Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of an area X in Fig. 3.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be modified as desired within the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure. In addition, in the following drawings, the scale and number of each structure may differ from the scale and number of the actual structure in order to make each configuration easier to understand.

[0011] The drawings also show the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as appropriate. The X-axis indicates one of the horizontal directions. The Y-axis indicates the other of the horizontal directions. The Z-axis indicates the vertical direction. In the following description, the horizontal direction along the X-axis is referred to as the "front-rear direction X," the horizontal direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the "left-right direction Y," and the vertical direction along the Z-axis is referred to as the "vertical direction Z." The front-rear direction X, left-right direction Y, and vertical direction Z are perpendicular to each other. In the following description, the side of the front-rear direction X toward which the X-axis arrow points (+X) is referred to as the front, and the side of the front-rear direction X opposite to the side toward which the X-axis arrow points (-X) is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, the side of the left-right direction toward which the Y-axis arrow points (+Y) is referred to as the right, and the side of the left-right direction Y opposite to the side toward which the Y-axis arrow points (-Y) is referred to as the left. Furthermore, the side of the vertical direction Z toward which the Z-axis arrow points (+Z side) is defined as the upper side, and the opposite side of the vertical direction Z toward which the Z-axis arrow points (-Z side) is defined as the lower side. The left-right direction Y and the front-rear direction X are simply names used to describe the relative positional relationships of the various components, and the actual positional relationships may be other than those indicated by these names. In the following embodiments, the left-right direction Y corresponds to the "first direction," the right (+Y) corresponds to the "first side," and the left corresponds to the "second side." In the following embodiments, the front-rear direction X corresponds to the "second direction," the front (+X) corresponds to the "third side," and the rear corresponds to the "fourth side."

[0012] <Air Conditioner> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an air conditioner 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner 100 includes an indoor unit 10, an outdoor unit 20, and a refrigerant circuit 30. The indoor unit 10 is disposed indoors. The outdoor unit 20 is disposed outdoors. The indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 20 are connected to each other by the refrigerant circuit 30, through which a refrigerant 33 circulates. The indoor unit 10 and the outdoor unit 20 are heat exchange units that exchange heat with the air.

[0013] The air conditioner 100 can adjust the temperature of the indoor air by exchanging heat between the refrigerant 33 flowing through the refrigerant circuit 30 and the air in the room where the indoor unit 10 is located. Examples of the refrigerant 33 include fluorine-based refrigerants or hydrocarbon-based refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP). Examples of the refrigerant 33 include a single refrigerant selected from R1234yf, R1234ze, R32, and R290, a mixture of two or more of these refrigerants, or a mixture of any of these refrigerants with another refrigerant. Examples of the refrigerant 33 include a mixture of R1132(E) and R1123. Examples of the refrigerant 33 include a mixed refrigerant of R516A, R445A, R444A, R454C, R444B, R454A, R455A, R457A, R459B, R452B, R454B, R447B, R447A, R446A, and R459A.

[0014] The outdoor unit 20 has a compressor 21, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, a flow rate adjustment valve 24, an outdoor unit blower 25, and a four-way valve 22. The compressor 21, the outdoor heat exchanger 23, the flow rate adjustment valve 24, and the four-way valve 22 are connected by a refrigerant circuit 30.

[0015] The four-way valve 22 is disposed in a portion of the refrigerant circuit 30 that is connected to the discharge side of the compressor 21. The four-way valve 22 switches a portion of the paths in the refrigerant circuit 30, thereby reversing the direction of the refrigerant 33 flowing through the refrigerant circuit 30. When the paths connected by the four-way valve 22 are the paths shown by solid lines in the four-way valve 22 in Fig. 1, the refrigerant 33 flows through the refrigerant circuit 30 in the direction shown by the solid arrows in Fig. 1. On the other hand, when the paths connected by the four-way valve 22 are the paths shown by dashed lines in the four-way valve 22 in Fig. 1, the refrigerant 33 flows through the refrigerant circuit 30 in the direction shown by the dashed arrows in Fig. 1.

[0016] The indoor unit 10 has a blower 15 and a heat exchanger 14 arranged around the blower 15. The indoor unit 10 is capable of cooling operation to cool the air in the room where the indoor unit 10 is arranged, and heating operation to warm the air in the room where the indoor unit 10 is arranged.

[0017] When the indoor unit 10 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 flows in the direction shown by the solid arrow in Fig. 1. In other words, when the indoor unit 10 is in cooling operation, the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 circulates through the compressor 21, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 of the outdoor unit 20, the flow control valve 24, and the heat exchanger 14 of the indoor unit 10, in that order, before returning to the compressor 21. During cooling operation, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 in the outdoor unit 20 functions as a condenser, and the heat exchanger 14 in the indoor unit 10 functions as an evaporator.

[0018] On the other hand, when the indoor unit 10 is in heating operation, the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 flows in the direction shown by the dashed line in Fig. 1. In other words, when the indoor unit 10 is in heating operation, the refrigerant 33 flowing in the refrigerant circuit 30 circulates through the compressor 21, the heat exchanger 14 of the indoor unit 10, the flow control valve 24, and the outdoor heat exchanger 23 of the outdoor unit 20 in that order, before returning to the compressor 21. During heating operation, the outdoor heat exchanger 23 in the outdoor unit 20 functions as an evaporator, and the heat exchanger 14 in the indoor unit 10 functions as a condenser.

[0019] <Indoor Unit> Next, the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment will be described in more detail. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment is a wall-mounted indoor unit that is fixed to the upper region of a wall surface inside a room. A remote controller 10a is attached to the indoor unit 10. The remote controller 10a transmits radio waves such as infrared rays toward the indoor unit 10 when operated by a resident in the room. This allows the resident to remotely control the indoor unit 10 by operating the remote controller 10a.

[0020] Figure 3 is a front view of indoor unit 10 with front panel 11b removed. As shown in Figure 3, indoor unit 10 of this embodiment includes, in addition to the above-mentioned housing 11, heat exchanger 14, and blower 15, a drain pan 40, a control unit 50, and a refrigerant sensor unit 60. Housing 11 houses heat exchanger 14, blower 15, drain pan 40, control unit 50, and refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0021] <Housing> As shown in FIG. 2 , the housing 11 of this embodiment is a substantially rectangular box-like shape that is elongated in the left-right direction Y. The housing 11 has a top panel 11a, a front panel 11b, a bottom panel 11c, a first side panel (side panel) 11d, a second side panel 11e, and a back panel 11f. The top panel 11a covers the internal space of the housing 11 from above. The front panel 11b covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the front (+X). The bottom panel 11c covers the internal space of the housing 11 from below. The first side panel 11d covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the right (+Y). The second side panel 11e covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the left (-Y). The back panel 11f covers the internal space of the housing 11 from the rear (-X).

[0022] The housing 11 is provided with an air inlet 12 and an air outlet 13. The air inlet 12 is provided on the top panel 11a. The air inlet 12 opens upward and extends in the left-right direction Y. A filter 12a that removes dust from the air that is drawn in is disposed in the air inlet 12. The air outlet 13 is provided at the lower end of the front panel 11b. The air outlet 13 opens forward (+X) and downward and extends in the left-right direction Y. The air outlet 13 is provided with an air direction vane 13a that adjusts the direction of the air that is blown out.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the interior space of the housing 11 is provided with a fan chamber 11A and a machine chamber 11B. The fan chamber 11A and the machine chamber 11B are arranged side by side in the left-right direction Y. The fan chamber 11A is equipped with a heat exchanger 14, a blower 15, and a drain pan 40. The fan chamber 11A is also connected to the air inlet 12 and the air outlet 13. The machine chamber 11B is arranged to the right (+Y) of the fan chamber 11A. The machine chamber 11B is equipped with a control unit 50 and a refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0024] <Blower> The blower 15 in this embodiment is a crossflow fan. The blower 15 has an impeller 15a extending in the left-right direction Y and a drive motor 15b disposed to the right (+Y) of the impeller 15a. The impeller 15a is generally cylindrical and has multiple blades (not shown) arranged in the circumferential direction. The impeller 15a and the drive motor 15b rotate the impeller 15a around a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction Y.

[0025] <Heat Exchanger> The heat exchanger 14 is located in front (+X) and above (+Z) the blower 15. A refrigerant flows inside the heat exchanger 14. The heat exchanger 14 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the air in the fan chamber 11A. In this way, the heat exchanger 14 cools or heats the air drawn into the blower 15.

[0026] <Drain Pan> The drain pan 40 is disposed below the heat exchanger 14 and above the bottom panel 11c of the housing 11. The drain pan 40 extends in the left-right direction Y. The drain pan 40 receives condensed water that condenses and drips from the surface of the heat exchanger 14 from below. The condensed water received by the drain pan 40 is discharged to the outdoors via a drain hose (not shown). In addition, in the event of a refrigerant leak from the heat exchanger 14, the drain pan 40 receives vaporized refrigerant (hereinafter referred to as refrigerant gas) from below. The refrigerant gas that has accumulated in the drain pan 40 overflows from the drain pan 40 and is detected by the refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the drain pan 40. The drain pan 40 includes a drain pan main body 41 and a stabilizer 45. The drain pan 40 of this embodiment is a resin-molded product in which the drain pan main body 41 and the stabilizer 45 are integrated. However, the drain pan main body 41 and the stabilizer 45 may be separate components. The drain pan 40 receives condensed water and refrigerant gas in the drain pan main body 41, and regulates the airflow within the fan chamber 11A in the stabilizer 45. Both the drain pan main body 41 and the stabilizer 45 extend in the left-right direction Y. The stabilizer 45 is located rearward (−X) of the drain pan main body 41. The stabilizer 45 has a tongue 46 that protrudes rearward (−X). The tongue 46 extends in the left-right direction Y. The tongue portion 46 faces the outer peripheral surface of the impeller 15a (see FIG. 3) with a gap therebetween.

[0028] The drain pan main body 41 has a storage space A that opens upward. The drain pan main body 41 is capable of storing condensation water in the storage space A. The drain pan main body 41 has a bottom 42 and a peripheral wall 43. The bottom 42 is plate-shaped and extends along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The bottom 42 extends in the left-right direction Y. The bottom 42 faces the heat exchanger 14 in the vertical direction Z. The bottom 42 is located below the storage space A. Condensation water in the storage space A collects above the upper surface of the bottom 42. A drain hole (not shown) that connects to a drain hose is opened in the bottom 42.

[0029] The peripheral wall portion 43 extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom portion 42. When viewed from above, the peripheral wall portion 43 surrounds the storage space A from the front, rear, left, and right. The peripheral wall portion 43 has a front wall portion 43a, a rear wall portion 43b, a first side wall portion (side wall portion) 43c, and a second side wall portion 43d. The front wall portion 43a is located in front of the storage space A (+X). The rear wall portion 43b is located behind the storage space A (-X). The first side wall portion 43c is located to the right of the storage space A (+Y). The second side wall portion 43d is located to the left of the storage space A (-Y). In this embodiment, the heights of the upper ends of the respective portions of the peripheral wall portion 43 are substantially the same. That is, the heights of the upper ends of the front wall portion 43a, the rear wall portion 43b, the first side wall portion 43c, and the second side wall portion 43d are the same. However, the heights of the upper ends of the front wall 43a, the rear wall 43b, the first side wall 43c, and the second side wall 43d may be different from one another. In this case, it is preferable that the upper end of the first side wall 43c be located lower than the upper ends of the front wall 43a, the rear wall 43b, and the second side wall 43d. This allows refrigerant gas accumulated in the storage space A of the drain pan 40 to preferentially overflow from the first side wall 43c. As a result, refrigerant gas in the drain pan 40 can be easily guided to the machine chamber 11B located to the right (+Y) of the first side wall 43c, allowing the refrigerant gas to be immediately detected by the refrigerant sensor unit 60 located in the machine chamber 11B.

[0030] The front wall portion 43a and the rear wall portion 43b face each other in the front-to-rear direction X. The front wall portion 43a slopes in a forward (+X) direction as it extends upward. The rear wall portion 43b slopes in a rearward (-X) direction as it extends upward. That is, the front wall portion 43a and the rear wall portion 43b move away from each other in the front-to-rear direction X as they extend upward. As a result, the front wall portion 43a and the rear wall portion 43b ensure a wide opening of the storage space A in the front-to-rear direction X, and can receive condensation water over a wide range in the front-to-rear direction X and direct the condensation water to the upper surface of the bottom portion 42.

[0031] The first side wall portion 43c and the second side wall portion 43d face each other in the left-right direction Y. The first side wall portion 43c and the second side wall portion 43d each extend along a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction Y. The first side wall portion 43c is located on the rightmost side (+Y) of the peripheral wall portion 43. As shown in FIG. 3 , the machine chamber 11B is provided between the first side wall portion 43c located on the rightmost side (+Y) of the peripheral wall portion 43 and the first side panel 11d of the housing 11.

[0032] <Control Unit> FIG. 5 is a side view of the control unit 50 and the refrigerant sensor unit 60. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the control unit 50 and the refrigerant sensor unit 60. As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 50 has an electrical component box 52, a control board 51, a terminal block 54, cables 53, a cable guide 59, and a receiving device 58. That is, the indoor unit 10 includes the electrical component box 52, the control board 51, the terminal block 54, the cables 53, the cable guide 59, and the receiving device 58. The control board 51 controls the components necessary for the air conditioner 100 to perform heating and cooling operations. The control board 51 controls each part of the indoor unit 10. The control board 51 controls the blower 15, the heat exchanger 14, and the like based on the measurement results of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and various sensors provided in the heat exchanger 14. The control board 51 can also communicate with the control unit (not shown) of the outdoor unit 20 via the terminal block 54. A cable 53 extending from the outdoor unit 20 is connected to the terminal block 54. The terminal block 54 functions as a repeater for communication between the control board 51 of the indoor unit 10 and the control unit of the outdoor unit 20.

[0033] The control board 51 has a plurality of electronic components mounted on its surface. These electronic components include, for example, transistors and a microcomputer. In this embodiment, the control unit 50 has only one control board 51, but the control unit 50 may have a plurality of control boards 51. In this case, the plurality of control boards 51 are connected to each other.

[0034] The multiple cables 53 are connected to the control board 51 or the terminal block 54. Some of the multiple cables 53 connect each part of the indoor unit 10 to the control board 51. Furthermore, some of the multiple cables 53 connect the terminal block 54 to a control unit (not shown) of the outdoor unit 20.

[0035] The electrical component box 52 is a box that houses the control board 51 or the terminal block 54. An opening is provided in a lower portion 52a of the electrical component box 52, which opens the internal space of the electrical component box 52 downward. A cable guide 59 that covers the opening is fixed to the lower portion 52a of the electrical component box 52.

[0036] The cable guide 59 has a hollow portion 59A formed therein that communicates with an opening formed in the lower portion 52a of the electrical component box. The cable guide 59 also has a cable insertion portion 59a that opens the hollow portion 59A rearward (−X). The multiple cables 53 are inserted through the cable insertion portion 59a, pass through the hollow portion 59A of the cable guide 59, and are guided from the lower portion 52a of the electrical component box 52 into the internal space of the electrical component box 52. In other words, the cable guide 59 guides the multiple cables 53 into the interior of the electrical component box 52.

[0037] The cable guide 59 has a sensor fixing portion 59d and a receiving device fixing portion 59b. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is fixed to the sensor fixing portion 59d. The receiving device 58 is fixed to the receiving device fixing portion 59b. The sensor fixing portion 59d and the receiving device fixing portion 59b are arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction X. The sensor fixing portion 59d is located rearward (-X) of the receiving device fixing portion 59b.

[0038] The sensor fixing portion 59d has a sensor support surface 59f, a first boss 59e, and a locking portion 59g. The sensor support surface 59f is located between the first boss 59e and the locking portion 59g in the front-rear direction X. The sensor support surface 59f is a flat surface perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The first boss 59e is located in front of the sensor support surface 59f (+X). The first boss 59e has a cylindrical shape that protrudes downward. A screw hole 59h that opens downward is provided on the lower end surface of the first boss 59e. A fixing screw 59j that secures the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is inserted into the screw hole 59h. The locking portion 59g is a plate-like shape that extends along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The locking portion 59g is located behind the sensor support surface 59f (-X). The locking portion 59g is also located below the sensor support surface 59f. The locking portion 59g has a front edge facing forward (+X). A notch 59k is provided at the front edge of the locking portion 59g. The notch 59k opens forward (+X). A method for fixing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 to the sensor fixing portion 59d will be described later.

[0039] The receiver fixing portion 59b has a plurality of second bosses 59c aligned in the left-right direction Y. The second bosses 59c are cylindrical and protrude downward. A screw hole that opens downward is provided on the lower end surface of each second boss 59c. The receiver 58 is screwed to the second bosses 59c from below. In other words, the receiver 58 is fixed to the cable guide 59.

[0040] The receiver 58 includes an antenna unit (not shown), a receiving board (not shown) on which the antenna unit is mounted, a receiver case 58a that houses these components, and a display unit 58b provided on the front surface of the receiver case 58a. The receiver 58 receives radio waves from the remote controller 10a transmitted from the front (+X) side of the indoor unit 10. For this reason, the receiver 58 is disposed inside the housing 11 so as to face the front (+X) side. Furthermore, a window 11w is provided on the front panel 11b of the housing 11 in a portion located in front (+X) of the receiver 58 to prevent damage to the radio waves reaching the receiver 58. The display unit 58b is, for example, a light-emitting diode, and displays the operating status of the indoor unit 10 by emitting light. The display unit 58b is disposed so as to be visible from inside the room through the window 11w.

[0041] <Refrigerant Sensor Unit> The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is disposed below the control unit 50. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is detachably fixed to the cable guide 59. As shown in FIG. 5 , the refrigerant sensor unit 60 in this embodiment is located rearward (−X) from the receiving device 58. As shown in FIG. 6 , at least a portion of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 overlaps the receiving device 58 when viewed in the front-rear direction X. According to this embodiment, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and the receiving device 58 are disposed side by side in the front-rear direction X, thereby enabling the machine room 11B to be reduced in size in the left-right direction Y. Furthermore, by disposing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 rearward (−X) from the receiving device 58, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is prevented from blocking radio waves reaching the receiving device 58 from the remote controller 10a.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3 , the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is located to the right (+Y) of the drain pan 40. When refrigerant gas leaks from the heat exchanger 14, the refrigerant gas is heavier than air and flows downward to accumulate in the storage space A of the drain pan 40. The refrigerant gas then flows over the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40 into the machine chamber 11B and accumulates above the bottom panel 11c, which is located below the drain pan 40. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 detects the refrigerant gas accumulating above the bottom panel 11c and transmits the detection result to the control unit 50.

[0043] Figure 4 schematically shows the arrangement of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 relative to the drain pan 40. As shown in Figure 4, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is arranged to the right (+Y) of the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 also overlaps with the drain pan 40 in the front-rear direction X. According to this embodiment, by arranging the refrigerant sensor unit 60 near the right (+Y) of the drain pan 40, it is easy to immediately detect refrigerant gas that has overflowed from the drain pan 40 to the right (+Y).

[0044] In this specification, the phrase "one component overlaps with another component in one direction" means that the range of positions of one component in one direction overlaps the range of positions of the other component in one direction. Therefore, the phrase "refrigerant sensor unit 60 overlaps with drain pan 40 in the front-rear direction X" means that the range of positions of refrigerant sensor unit 60 from the front to rear in the front-rear direction X overlaps at least partially with the range of positions of drain pan 40 from the front to rear in the front-rear direction X.

[0045] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. As shown in Figure 8, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 has a refrigerant sensor 70 and a housing 80. The refrigerant sensor 70 is housed inside the housing 80. The refrigerant sensor 70 has a sensor board 73, a sensor element 71, and an element case 72.

[0046] The sensor board 73 is fixed to the inner surface of the housing 80. The sensor board 73 extends along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The sensor board 73 has a mounting surface 73a on which a plurality of elements are mounted. In this embodiment, the mounting surface 73a faces forward (+X).

[0047] The sensor element 71 detects vaporized refrigerant gas. The sensor element 71 is mounted on a mounting surface 73a of a sensor substrate 73. The sensor element 71 is surrounded by an element case 72, which protects the sensor element 71. The element case 72 is cylindrical and extends forward (+X) from the mounting surface 73a. The element case 72 has a base end 72a fixed to the mounting surface 73a and a tip end 72b opposite the base end 72a. The base end 72a of the element case 72 is fixed tightly to the mounting surface 73a with an adhesive or the like. A case opening 72h is provided at the tip end 72b of the element case 72 to introduce refrigerant gas into the interior of the element case 72. The refrigerant gas flows into the interior of the element case 72 through the case opening 72h.

[0048] 7 , an accommodating space B for accommodating the refrigerant sensor 70 is defined inside the housing 80. A gas inlet 80a is defined on the bottom surface of the housing 80. The gas inlet 80a introduces refrigerant gas leaking from the heat exchanger 14 into the accommodating space B.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8, the housing 80 has a lid 81, a housing main body 82, and a sealing member 89. The lid 81 and the housing main body 82 are assembled together to define an accommodation space B. In this specification, the direction in which the lid 81 and the housing main body 82 are assembled is referred to as an assembly direction D1. In this embodiment, the assembly direction D1 is the vertical direction Z. In this embodiment, the housing main body 82 is positioned below the lid 81.

[0050] The cover 81 has a first box-shaped portion 81b, a first flange portion 81c, and a pair of protrusions 81d. The first box-shaped portion 81b opens downward at a first opening 81a. The first opening 81a faces the housing main body 82 in the assembly direction D1. The first flange portion 81c is connected to the outer edge of the first opening 81a. The first flange portion 81c protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the first opening 81a. The first flange portion 81c surrounds the first opening 81a as viewed in the assembly direction D1. The pair of protrusions 81d are provided on the side surfaces of the first flange portion 81c. The pair of protrusions 81d are arranged on both sides of the first opening 81a in the left-right direction Y, sandwiching the first opening 81a therebetween. The pair of protrusions 81d protrude in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the first opening 81a. The tip surface of the projection 81d is inclined in a direction in which the projection height increases as it moves away from the housing main body 82 in the assembly direction D1.

[0051] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the housing main body 82. As shown in Figure 9, the housing main body 82 has a second box-shaped portion 82b, a second flange portion 82c, a fixing plate portion 82e, a locking hook 84, and a pair of arms 82d. The second box-shaped portion 82b opens at a second opening 82a. The second opening 82a faces the cover 81 in the assembly direction D1.

[0052] The second box-shaped portion 82b is provided with a gas inlet 80a. An inner surface 82k of the second box-shaped portion 82b, which extends along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction X, is provided with a groove 82m. The groove 82m is connected to the gas inlet 80a. The groove 82m extends upward (+Z) from the gas inlet 80a. The groove 82m faces the case opening 72h of the element case 72 shown in FIG. 8 in the front-rear direction X. The groove 82m is provided on the inner surface 82k of the second box-shaped portion 82b, allowing refrigerant gas that has entered the housing 80 from the gas inlet 80a to be smoothly guided through the groove 82m to the case opening 72h. This allows refrigerant gas that has entered the housing 80 to be smoothly guided into the element case 72, allowing the sensor element 71 in the element case 72 to immediately detect the refrigerant gas. As a result, the detection response of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be improved.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 8 , the second box-shaped portion 82b is formed by multiple walls configured in a box shape. The multiple walls of the second box-shaped portion 82b include a first wall 80b, a second wall 80d, a third wall 80e, and a bottom wall 80c. The first wall 80b and the bottom wall 80c extend along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The bottom wall 80c is located at the lowest of the multiple walls that make up the second box-shaped portion 82b. The downward-facing surface of the bottom wall 80c forms the bottom surface of the housing 80. The first wall 80b is located higher than the first wall 80b. A gas inlet 80a opens in the first wall 80b. The second wall 80d and the third wall 80e connect the first wall 80b and the bottom wall 80c. The second wall portion 80d extends downward from the left (-Y) end of the first wall portion 80b. The second wall portion 80d extends along a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction Y. Although the second wall portion 80d of the present embodiment has a stepped portion, the second wall portion 80d may have a uniform, flat, plate-like shape. The second wall portion 80d of the present embodiment overlaps with the gas inlet 80a in the front-rear direction X. That is, the range of the second wall portion 80d from the front end to the rear end in the front-rear direction X at least partially overlaps with the range of the gas inlet 80a from the front end to the rear end in the front-rear direction X. The third wall portion 80e extends downward from the rear (-X) end of the first wall portion 80b. The third wall portion 80e extends along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction X.

[0054] By assembling the housing main body 82 to the lid body 81, the first opening 81a and the second opening 82a overlap each other. As a result, the internal spaces of the first box-shaped portion 81b and the second box-shaped portion 82b are connected to each other, forming the storage space B. The second flange portion 82c is connected to the outer edge of the second opening 82a. The second flange portion 82c protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembling direction D1 and away from the second opening 82a. The second flange portion 82c surrounds the second opening 82a when viewed from the assembling direction D1. The pair of arms 82d are connected to the second flange portion 82c.

[0055] The pair of arms 82d are disposed on both sides of the second opening 82a in the left-right direction Y. Each arm 82d has a pair of connecting pieces 82i extending toward the lid 81 in the assembly direction D1 and a locking piece 82j connecting the tips of the pair of connecting pieces 82i. When the housing main body 82 is assembled to the lid 81, the protrusions 81d of the lid 81 are inserted into the area surrounded by the pair of connecting pieces 82i, the locking piece 82j, and the outer edge of the second flange 82c. The pair of protrusions 81d are respectively hooked onto the pair of locking pieces 82j, thereby fixing the housing main body 82 to the lid 81. Furthermore, because the tip surfaces of the protrusions 81d are inclined, the locking piece 82j slide along the tip surfaces of the protrusions 81d when the housing main body 82 is assembled to the lid 81, causing the pair of arms 82d to elastically deform. This allows the operator to easily hook the locking piece 82j onto the projection 81d.

[0056] The fixing plate portion 82e has a plate shape extending along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The fixing plate portion 82e is provided on the outer edge of the second flange portion 82c. The fixing plate portion 82e protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the second opening 82a. In this embodiment, the fixing plate portion 82e protrudes forward (+X). The fixing plate portion 82e is provided with a screw insertion hole 82h that penetrates the fixing plate portion 82e in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 6 , a fixing screw 59j is inserted into the screw insertion hole 82h. The fixing screw 59j is also screwed into the screw hole 59h of the cable guide 59. This fixes the fixing plate portion 82e to the cable guide 59.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 9 , the locking hook 84 is provided on the outer edge of the second flange portion 82c. The locking hook 84 protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction D1 and away from the second opening 82a. In this embodiment, the locking hook 84 protrudes rearward (−X direction). The locking hook 84 and the fixing plate portion 82e are located on opposite sides of the second opening 82a in the front-rear direction X and protrude in opposite directions in the front-rear direction X. The locking hook 84 has a first protrusion 84a, a second protrusion 84b, and a locking plate portion 84c arranged in a crank shape. The first protrusion 84a extends rearward (−X direction) from the second flange portion 82c. The second protrusion 84b extends upward (+Z direction) from the tip of the first protrusion 84a. The locking plate portion 84c extends rearward (−X direction) from the upper end of the second protrusion 84b. The locking plate portion 84c has a plate shape that is perpendicular to the assembly direction D1. The locking plate portion 84c has a downward-facing locking surface 84f that extends along a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG. 6 , with the refrigerant sensor unit 60 fixed to the cable guide 59, the locking hook 84 is inserted into the notch 59k of the cable guide 59. The locking surface 84f of the locking hook 84 faces and contacts the upper surface of the locking portion 59g where the notch 59k is provided. This allows the locking hook 84 to be locked to the locking portion 59g.

[0058] As shown in Figure 8, the sealing member 89 is sandwiched between the first flange portion 81c of the housing 80 and the second flange portion 82c of the housing main body 82. The sealing member 89 is made of a sponge-like elastic material. The sealing member 89 is frame-shaped when viewed from the assembly direction D1. The sealing member 89 is compressed in the assembly direction D1 between the first flange portion 81c and the second flange portion 82c. As a result, the sealing member 89 closes the gap between the lid body 81 and the housing main body 82, sealing the storage space B from the outside.

[0059] The procedure for fixing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 to the cable guide 59 will be described with reference to Figure 6. First, the worker inserts the locking hook 84 of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 into the notch 59k of the cable guide 59 from the front (+X). Next, the worker passes the fixing screw 59j through the screw insertion hole 82h of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and further tightens the fixing screw 59j into the screw hole 59h of the cable guide 59. This causes the upper surface 60u of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 provided on the cover 81 to come into contact with and press against the sensor support surface 59f of the cable guide 59. According to this embodiment, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be firmly fixed to the cable guide 59 by tightening one fixing screw 59j.

[0060] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of region X in FIG. 3 and illustrates the arrangement of the drain pan 40, the control unit 50, and the refrigerant sensor unit 60. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is disposed in the machine chamber 11B. The lower end wall portion 80c of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is disposed along the bottom panel 11c of the housing 11. A small gap is provided between the lower surface of the lower end wall portion 80c and the upper surface of the bottom panel 11c. Furthermore, the first wall portion 80b, which is positioned above the lower end wall portion 80c, faces the bottom panel 11c in the vertical direction Z with a gap therebetween. As described above, the lower end wall portion 80c is provided with a gas inlet 80a that opens downward. The gas inlet 80a faces the bottom panel 11c.

[0061] The refrigerant sensor unit 60 of this embodiment is disposed on the side of the drain pan 40, thereby enabling it to immediately detect refrigerant gas overflowing from the drain pan 40. However, disposing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 near the drain pan 40 raises concerns that condensed water that accumulates in the drain pan 40 may leak or splash from the drain pan 40 and enter the interior of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. According to this embodiment, the gas inlet 80a of the housing 80 faces downward, making it difficult for condensed water to enter the gas inlet 80a. This prevents condensed water from affecting the operation of the refrigerant sensor 70, thereby improving the reliability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0062] In this specification, the distance in the vertical direction Z between the gas inlet 80a and the upper end 43p of the first sidewall portion 43c is referred to as the first vertical distance L1. The distance in the vertical direction Z between the gas inlet 80a and the bottom panel 11c is referred to as the second vertical distance L2. In this embodiment, the second vertical distance L2 is smaller than the first vertical distance L1 (L2<L1). When condensation water accumulated in the drain pan 40 flows out or splashes from the drain pan 40, the condensation water passes over the first sidewall portion 43c of the drain pan 40 and enters the machine chamber 11B. Therefore, by ensuring that the first vertical distance L1 is sufficiently large, condensation water flowing out or splashing from the drain pan 40 is less likely to reach the gas inlet 80a. Furthermore, by making the second vertical distance L2 sufficiently small, refrigerant gas that accumulates above the bottom panel 11c can more easily flow into the housing 80, thereby improving the detection responsiveness of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. That is, according to the present embodiment, by making the first vertical distance L1 relatively large and the second vertical distance L2 relatively small, the detection responsiveness of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be improved while ensuring the reliability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0063] 10 also illustrates a center line CL located at the center of the housing 80 in the left-right direction Y. In this embodiment, the gas inlet 80a is located on the opposite side of the center line CL from the drain pan 40. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the gas inlet 80a is located to the right (+Y) of the center of the housing 80 in the left-right direction Y. According to this embodiment, the gas inlet 80a can be located sufficiently spaced from the drain pan 40 in the left-right direction Y, thereby preventing condensation water from entering the housing 80.

[0064] <Summary> As shown in FIG. 1 , the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment is an indoor unit 10 of an air conditioner 100. Also, as shown in FIG. 3 , the indoor unit 10 includes a heat exchanger 14, a drain pan 40, a refrigerant sensor unit 60, and a housing 11. Refrigerant flows through the heat exchanger 14. The drain pan 40 is disposed below the heat exchanger 14. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 includes a refrigerant sensor 70 capable of detecting vaporized refrigerant and a housing 80 that houses the refrigerant sensor 70. The housing 11 houses the heat exchanger 14, the drain pan 40, and the refrigerant sensor unit 60. As shown in FIG. 10 , the drain pan 40 faces the heat exchanger 14 in the vertical direction Z and includes a bottom 42 extending in a left-right direction (first direction) Y that intersects with the vertical direction Z, and a peripheral wall 43 extending upward from the outer edge of the bottom 42. The peripheral wall 43 includes a first side wall 43c extending upward from a right (first side, +Y) end 42a of the bottom 42. The housing 11 has a bottom panel 11c located below the heat exchanger 14 and a first side panel 11d located to the right (+Y) of the heat exchanger 14. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is disposed in the machine chamber 11B between the first side wall 43c and the first side panel 11d, and overlaps with the drain pan 40 in the front-to-rear direction (second direction) X, which is perpendicular to both the vertical direction Z and the left-to-right direction Y. The housing 80 has a gas inlet 80a that opens downward. The vertical distance between the gas inlet 80a and the bottom panel 11c (second vertical distance L2) is smaller than the vertical distance between the gas inlet 80a and an upper end 43p of the first side wall 43c (first vertical distance L1).

[0065] According to the above-described configuration, by disposing the drain pan 40 below the heat exchanger 14, refrigerant gas leaking from the heat exchanger 14 can be collected by the drain pan 40. Furthermore, by disposing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 to the right (+Y) of the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40 and overlapping the drain pan 40 in the front-rear direction X, the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can immediately detect refrigerant gas that overflows the first side wall portion 43c and the drain pan 40. However, by disposing the refrigerant sensor unit 60 near the heat exchanger 14, some of the condensed water collected by the drain pan 40 is more likely to reach the refrigerant sensor unit 60 if it leaks or scatters from the drain pan 40. According to the above-described configuration, the gas inlet 80a of the housing 80 opens downward, which prevents condensed water from entering the housing 80 through the gas inlet 80a. Furthermore, when condensed water flows out of or splashes from the drain pan 40, the condensed water passes over the first side wall portion 43c of the drain pan 40 and reaches the refrigerant sensor unit 60. According to the above-described configuration, by ensuring a sufficiently large first vertical distance L1, condensed water is less likely to reach the gas inlet 80a from the drain pan 40, and entry of condensed water into the housing 80 is suppressed. This suppresses condensed water from affecting the operation of the refrigerant sensor 70, improving the reliability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60. In addition, according to the above-described configuration, by making the second vertical distance L2 sufficiently small, refrigerant gas can immediately flow into the housing 80 when it accumulates above the bottom panel 11c, improving the responsiveness of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 in detecting refrigerant gas leaks.

[0066] In indoor unit 10 of this embodiment, gas inlet 80a is positioned to the right (+Y) of center line CL, which is the center of housing 80 in the left-right direction Y. With this configuration, gas inlet 80a can be positioned farther away from drain pan 40 in the left-right direction Y than when gas inlet 80a is positioned to the left (-Y) of center line CL. As a result, condensed water is less likely to reach gas inlet 80a from drain pan 40, preventing condensed water from entering housing 80 and improving the reliability of refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0067] In the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment, the housing 80 has a first wall portion 80b where the gas inlet 80a opens, and a second wall portion 80d extending downward from the left (-Y) end of the first wall portion 80b. As shown in FIG. 8 , the second wall portion 80d overlaps the gas inlet 80a in the front-rear direction X. With this configuration, the second wall portion 80d is disposed between the gas inlet 80a and the drain pan 40. Therefore, even if some of the condensed water scattered from the drain pan 40 adheres to the outer surface of the housing 80, the condensed water flows downward along the second wall portion 80d, making it less likely to reach the gas inlet 80a. This prevents the condensed water from entering the gas inlet 80a.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 6 , the indoor unit 10 of this embodiment is disposed in the machine chamber 11B and includes an electrical component box 52 that houses a control board 51 or a terminal block 54 therein, and a cable guide 59 that is fixed to the bottom of the electrical component box 52 and guides a cable 53 connected to the control board 51 or the terminal block 54 into the interior of the electrical component box 52. The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is detachably fixed to the cable guide 59. This configuration allows the refrigerant sensor unit 60 to be fixed to the electrical component box 52 using the cable guide 59. This eliminates the need for additional components for fixing the refrigerant sensor unit 60, reducing the number of components in the indoor unit 10 and contributing to resource conservation. Furthermore, the detachability of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 from the cable guide 59 facilitates maintenance of the refrigerant sensor unit 60.

[0069] The indoor unit 10 of this embodiment is fixed to a cable guide 59 and includes a receiver 58 that receives radio waves from the remote controller 10a transmitted from the front (third side, +X). The refrigerant sensor unit 60 is located rearward (fourth side, -X) of the receiver 58, and at least a portion of the refrigerant sensor unit 60 overlaps the receiver 58 when viewed from the front-to-rear direction X. By arranging the refrigerant sensor unit 60 and the receiver 58 side by side in the front-to-rear direction X, the area behind the receiver 58 (-X) can be effectively utilized, and an increase in the size of the machine room 11B due to the refrigerant sensor unit 60 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by arranging the refrigerant sensor unit 60 behind the receiver 58 (-X), the refrigerant sensor unit 60 is prevented from blocking radio waves from the remote controller 10a reaching the receiver 58.

[0070] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and the following configurations and methods may also be employed. Furthermore, the configurations and methods described in this specification may be combined as appropriate within the scope of not being mutually inconsistent.

[0071] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the refrigerant sensor unit is described as being used in a wall-mounted indoor unit. However, the refrigerant sensor unit of the embodiment can also be used in other types of indoor units, and can be widely used in various devices equipped with a blower other than air conditioners. The method of attaching the refrigerant sensor unit in the above-described embodiment is one example, and the refrigerant sensor unit may be fixed to the cable guide in any configuration as long as it is detachable.

[0072] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10...indoor unit, 10a...remote controller, 11...housing, 11c...bottom panel, 11d...first side panel (side panel), 11B...machine room, 14...heat exchanger, 20...outdoor unit, 30...refrigerant circuit, 33...refrigerant, 40...drain pan, 42...bottom, 42a...end, 43...peripheral wall, 43c...first side wall (side wall), 43p...upper end, 51...control board, 52...electrical component box, 52a...lower part, 53...case cable, 54...terminal block, 58...receiving device, 59...cable guide, 60...refrigerant sensor unit, 70...refrigerant sensor, 80...housing, 80a...gas inlet, 80b...first wall portion, 80d...second wall portion, 100...air conditioner, X...front-rear direction (second direction), +X...front (third side), -X...rear (fourth side), Y...left-right direction (first direction), +Y...right (first side), -Y...left (second side), Z...vertical direction

Claims

1. An indoor unit of an air conditioner, a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows; a drain pan disposed below the heat exchanger; a refrigerant sensor unit having a refrigerant sensor capable of detecting vaporized refrigerant and a housing that accommodates the refrigerant sensor; a housing that houses the heat exchanger, the drain pan, and the refrigerant sensor unit; an electrical equipment box that houses a control board or a terminal block therein; a cable guide fixed to a lower portion of the electrical equipment box and guiding a cable connected to the control board or the terminal block into the electrical equipment box, The drain pan is a bottom portion that faces the heat exchanger in a vertical direction and extends in a first direction that intersects with the vertical direction; a peripheral wall portion extending upward from the outer edge of the bottom portion, the peripheral wall portion includes a side wall portion extending upward from an end portion on a first side in the first direction of the bottom portion, The housing includes: a bottom panel located below the heat exchanger; a side panel located on the first side of the heat exchanger, the refrigerant sensor unit is disposed in a machine room provided between the side wall portion and the side panel, and a position in a second direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction overlaps with the drain pan; the housing has a gas inlet opening downward; a vertical distance between the gas inlet and the bottom panel is smaller than a vertical distance between the gas inlet and an upper end of the side wall portion; the electrical equipment box is disposed in the machine room, The refrigerant sensor unit is detachably fixed to the cable guide. Indoor unit.

2. a receiving device fixed to the cable guide and receiving radio waves from a remote controller transmitted from a third side in the second direction; the refrigerant sensor unit is located on a fourth side in the second direction with respect to the receiving device, and at least a portion of the refrigerant sensor unit overlaps with the receiving device when viewed from the second direction. The indoor unit according to claim 1.

3. the gas inlet is disposed on the first side of the center of the housing in the first direction. The indoor unit according to claim 1.

4. The housing includes: a first wall portion in which the gas inlet is opened; a second wall portion extending downward from an end portion of the first wall portion on a second side in the first direction, The second wall portion overlaps with the gas inlet at a position in the second direction. The indoor unit according to claim 1.

5. An indoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4; a refrigerant circuit through which the refrigerant circulates; An outdoor unit; Air conditioner.