Air conditioner, air conditioning system, and method for manufacturing air conditioner

Abstract

An outdoor unit (10B) comprises: a communication circuit (130) that communicates with an indoor unit via a signal line (33) and a shared line (32); a power supply circuit (140) of which the input and output are electrically insulated from each other, that generates low-voltage communication power on the basis of power received from an external power supply, and supplies the low-voltage communication power to the communication circuit (130); and a shared line first connection unit (151) and a shared line second connection unit (152) that fix the connection destination of the shared line (32) to either the external power supply or the power supply circuit (140). The shared line first connection unit (151) and the shared line second connection unit (152) fix the connection destination of the shared line (32) to the external power supply in a first configuration, and fix the connection destination of the shared line (32) to the power supply circuit (140) in a second configuration. As a result, it is possible to handle both the first and second configurations, provide wiring between the outdoor unit (10B) and the indoor unit at low voltage and with electrical insulation from the external power supply, and prevent complexity in production management.

Description

Air conditioner, air conditioning system, and method of manufacturing an air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner, an air conditioning system, and a method for manufacturing an air conditioner.

[0002] In air conditioning systems installed in office buildings, stores, etc., a configuration in which the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected by a three-core cable including a power line, a common line, and a signal line (hereinafter referred to as a "first configuration") is widely adopted (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Air conditioning systems with a configuration in which external power sources corresponding to the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are separately secured (hereinafter referred to as a "second configuration") are also known.

[0003] In the air conditioning system of the first configuration, the outdoor unit connects the power line and the common line to the L phase and N phase of the external power supply, respectively, and supplies power received from the external power supply to the indoor unit via the power line and the common line, and supplies communication power generated in a non-isolated manner from the external power supply to the indoor unit via the signal line and the common line.In the air conditioning system of the second configuration, the outdoor unit connects the common line to the N phase of the external power supply, and supplies communication power generated in a non-isolated manner from the external power supply to the indoor unit via the signal line and the common line.

[0004] In this way, in either configuration, a signal line and a common line are required for communication between air conditioners (outdoor unit, indoor unit), and since the common line is connected to the N phase of the external power supply, the voltage between the common line and ground becomes high (e.g., 100 VAC).

[0005] Patent No. 6425798

[0006] Meanwhile, in many markets, including Japan, air conditioning systems of the first configuration are required from the standpoint of ease of installation and cable costs, while in some markets, such as North America, the wiring between air conditioners is required to be low voltage (e.g., 24 VAC) and insulated from external power sources. In such markets, air conditioning systems of the second configuration, which do not use power lines, are assumed, but in conventional air conditioning systems of the second configuration, the common lines are high voltage and not insulated from external power sources, so it is expected that installation costs will be high or local contractors will often refuse to perform the installation work, which is one of the factors preventing sales expansion into these markets.

[0007] Furthermore, it is desirable to configure the air conditioner to be compatible with both the first and second configurations so as to avoid complicating production management of the air conditioner.

[0008] For this reason, there is a demand for the proposal of a new technology for air conditioners that is compatible with both the first and second configurations and that, in the second configuration, enables wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from external power sources.

[0009] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide an air conditioner, an air conditioning system, and a method for manufacturing an air conditioner that are compatible with both the first and second configurations and that, in the second configuration, enable wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from an external power source.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the air conditioner of the present disclosure is an air conditioner configured to be connectable to other devices via a cable including at least a shared line and a signal line, and comprises: a communication circuit that communicates with the other devices via the signal line and the shared line; a power supply circuit whose input and output are electrically isolated, and which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplies it to the communication circuit; and a shared line connection destination fixing unit that fixes the connection destination of the shared line to either the external power source or the power supply circuit, wherein in a first configuration in which power received from the external power source is supplied to the other devices, the shared line connection destination fixing unit fixes the connection destination of the shared line to the external power source, and in a second configuration different from the first configuration, fixes the connection destination of the shared line to the power supply circuit.

[0011] According to the present disclosure, both the first and second configurations are supported, and in the second configuration, it is possible to wire the air conditioners at a low voltage and insulated from the external power source.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows an example of a first configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 shows an example of a second configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of an outdoor unit in an air conditioning system with a second configuration according to embodiment 1. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of an indoor unit in an air conditioning system with a second configuration according to embodiment 1. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart illustrating the steps of a shared line connection process in embodiment 1. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart illustrating the steps of a power supply circuit connection process in embodiment 1. FIG. 7 shows an example of a first configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 2. FIG. 8 shows an example of a second configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 2. FIG. 9 shows the configuration of an outdoor unit in an air conditioning system with a second configuration according to embodiment 2. FIG. 10 shows the steps of a communication circuit connection process in embodiment 2. FIG. 11 shows an example of a first configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 3. FIG. 12 shows an example of a second configuration of an air conditioning system according to embodiment 3. FIG. 13 shows the configuration of an outdoor unit in an air conditioning system with a second configuration according to embodiment 3. FIG. 14 shows the configuration of an indoor unit in an air conditioning system with a second configuration according to embodiment 3.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0014] (Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating the configurations of air conditioning systems 1A and 1B according to embodiment 1. The air conditioning systems 1A and 1B are systems that provide air conditioning for buildings such as buildings and stores. In FIG. 1, the air conditioning system 1A includes an outdoor unit 10A, an indoor unit 20A, a connection line 30A connecting the outdoor unit 10A and the indoor unit 20A, and a power line 50 connecting the outdoor unit 10A to an external power source 40. The outdoor unit 10A is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure, and the indoor unit 20A is an example of another device according to the present disclosure. The air conditioning system 1A is configured such that only the outdoor unit 10A is directly connected to the external power source 40, and the outdoor unit 10A supplies AC power received from the external power source 40 to the indoor unit 20A. Hereinafter, this configuration will be referred to as a first configuration.

[0015] Connection line 30A is an example of a cable according to the present disclosure. Connection line 30A is a three-core cable including a power line 31, a common line 32, and a signal line 33. Power line 50 is a two-core cable including an L-phase line 51 and an N-phase line 52. The number of cores in power line 50 is not limited to two, but may be three or more, as long as it is an appropriate number of cores depending on whether air conditioning system 1A is grounded and the configuration of the external power source.

[0016] 2 , air conditioning system 1B includes an outdoor unit 10B, an indoor unit 20B, a connection line 30B connecting the outdoor unit 10B and the indoor unit 20B, a power line 50 connecting the outdoor unit 10B to an external power supply 40, and a power line 70 connecting the indoor unit 20B to an external power supply 60. The outdoor unit 10B is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure, and the indoor unit 20B is an example of another device according to the present disclosure. Air conditioning system 1B is configured such that the outdoor unit 10B and the indoor unit 20B are individually and directly connected to the external power supply 40 and the external power supply 60. Hereinafter, this configuration will be referred to as a second configuration.

[0017] The connection line 30B is an example of a cable according to the present disclosure. The connection line 30B is a two-core cable including a common line 32 and a signal line 33. The connection line 30B may also be a three-core cable including an unused power supply line. The power line 70 is a two-core cable including an L-phase line 71 and an N-phase line 72. The number of cores in the power line 70 is not limited to two, and may be three or more, as long as it is an appropriate number of cores depending on whether the air conditioning system 1B is grounded and the configuration of the external power supply.

[0018] 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the outdoor unit 10B according to embodiment 1. The outdoor unit 10B includes a terminal 111 connected to the L-phase wire 51, a terminal 112 connected to the N-phase wire 52, an open terminal 113, a terminal 114 connected to the common line 32, a terminal 115 connected to the signal line 33, a filter circuit 120, a communication circuit 130, a power supply circuit 140, a first shared line connection portion 151, a second shared line connection portion 152, a first inspection terminal TP1 located on the external power supply 40 side of the first shared line connection portion 151 and capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply 40, and a second inspection terminal TP2 located on the common line 32 side of the first shared line connection portion 151 and capable of measuring the potential of the common line 32.

[0019] In addition, the outdoor unit 10B is equipped with a control unit (not shown) that performs overall control of the outdoor unit 10B, and components necessary for air conditioning such as a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor fan, an expansion valve, and various sensors.

[0020] The outdoor unit 10A in the air conditioning system 1A has the same configuration as the outdoor unit 10B. However, in the outdoor unit 10A, the terminal 113 is connected to the power line 31. The outdoor units 10A and 10B also differ in the internal states of the shared line first connection portion 151 and the shared line second connection portion 152. Details of the shared line first connection portion 151 and the shared line second connection portion 152 will be described later.

[0021] The filter circuit 120 is a circuit that prevents noise from the external power supply 40. The filter circuit 120 has input terminals 121 and 122 and output terminals 123 and 124. The terminal 121 is connected to the terminal 111, and the terminal 122 is connected to the terminal 112. The terminal 123 is connected to the terminal 113 and the terminal 142 of the power supply circuit 140, and the terminal 124 is connected to the terminal 141 of the power supply circuit 140, the terminal c of the first shared line connection portion 151, and the terminal c of the second shared line connection portion 152. The terminals 121 and 123, and the terminals 122 and 124 are electrically connected within the filter circuit 120.

[0022] The communication circuit 130 is an example of a communication circuit according to the present disclosure. The communication circuit 130 is a circuit configured to include electronic components such as transistors and photocouplers, and a communication driver integrated circuit (IC), not shown, and communicates with the indoor unit 20B by forming a current loop between the outdoor unit 10B and the indoor unit 20B via a signal line 33 and a shared line 32. The communication circuit 130 is connected in series to the signal line 33. The communication circuit 130 includes an input terminal 131 and an output terminal 132. The terminal 131 is connected to a terminal 144 of the power supply circuit 140, and the terminal 132 is connected to a terminal 115.

[0023] The power supply circuit 140 is an example of a power supply circuit according to the present disclosure. The power supply circuit 140 is an isolated power supply circuit in which the internal input and output are electrically isolated by reinforced insulation. The power supply circuit 140 generates communication power, which is low-voltage DC power, based on AC power received from an external power supply 40 and supplies the generated communication power to the communication circuit 130. The power supply circuit 140 has input terminals 141 and 142 and output terminals 143 and 144. The terminal 141 is connected to the terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120, and the terminal 142 is connected to the terminal 123 of the filter circuit 120. The terminal 143 is connected to the terminal a of the shared line second connection portion 152, and the terminal 144 is connected to the terminal 131 of the communication circuit 130. The potential of the terminal 143 serves as the reference potential of the communication power.

[0024] In addition to the power supply circuit 140, the outdoor unit 10B is equipped with a power supply circuit (not shown) that generates power to drive the above-mentioned control unit, compressor, outdoor fan, and other actuators, based on AC power received from the external power supply 40.

[0025] The shared line first connection portion 151 and the shared line second connection portion 152 are examples of shared line connection destination fixing portions according to the present disclosure. The shared line first connection portion 151 and the shared line second connection portion 152 fix the connection destination of the shared line 32 to either the external power supply 40 or the power supply circuit 140. The shared line first connection portion 151 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 114, terminal b is connected to terminal b of the shared line second connection portion 152, and terminal c is connected to terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120. The shared line second connection portion 152 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 143 of the power supply circuit 140, terminal b is connected to terminal b of the shared line first connection portion 151, and terminal c is connected to terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120. The shared line first connection part 151 and the shared line second connection part 152 are composed of, for example, jumpers, connectors, switches, relays, etc., and are circuits in which terminal a is connected to either terminal b or terminal c depending on whether it is for the first configuration or the second configuration.

[0026] 3 , in the outdoor unit 10B corresponding to the second configuration, the terminals a of the first shared line connection portion 151 and the second shared line connection portion 152 are connected to the terminals b. As a result, the connection destination of the shared line 32 is fixed to the power supply circuit 140. On the other hand, in the outdoor unit 10A corresponding to the first configuration, the terminals a of the first shared line connection portion 151 and the second shared line connection portion 152 are connected to the terminals c. As a result, the connection destination of the shared line 32 is fixed to the external power supply 40.

[0027] The second configuration according to the present disclosure is premised on a configuration that enables wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from an external power source, but in destinations where wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from an external power source is not required, the outdoor unit 10A corresponding to the first configuration may be installed in the same manner as the conventional second configuration. In this case, as in the conventional configuration, the common line 32 in the second configuration is configured to be high voltage and not insulated from an external power source.

[0028] <Configuration of indoor unit 20B in air conditioning system 1B> Figure 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of indoor unit 20B according to embodiment 1. Indoor unit 20B includes a terminal 211 connected to L-phase wire 71, a terminal 212 connected to N-phase wire 72, a terminal 213 connected to shared line 32, a terminal 214 connected to signal line 33, a power supply circuit 220, a communication circuit 230, a power supply circuit first connection part 241, and a power supply circuit second connection part 242.

[0029] In addition, the indoor unit 20B is equipped with a control unit (not shown) that performs overall control of the indoor unit 20B, and components necessary for air conditioning such as an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor fan, a solenoid valve, and various sensors.

[0030] The indoor unit 20A in the air conditioning system 1A has the same configuration as the indoor unit 20B. However, in the indoor unit 20A, the terminal 212 is connected to the power supply line 31, and the terminal 211 is open. The indoor units 20A and 20B also differ in the internal states of the power supply circuit first connection part 241 and the power supply circuit second connection part 242. Details of the power supply circuit first connection part 241 and the power supply circuit second connection part 242 will be described later.

[0031] The power supply circuit 220 is a circuit that generates power for driving the above-mentioned control unit, the indoor fan, actuators such as solenoid valves, etc., based on AC power received from an external power supply 60 (external power supply 40 in the indoor unit 20A). The power supply circuit 220 has input side terminals 221 and 222 and an output side terminal (not shown). Terminal 221 is connected to terminal a of a power supply circuit first connection part 241, and terminal 222 is connected to terminal a of a power supply circuit second connection part 242. In addition, the control unit, actuators, etc. are connected to the output side terminal (not shown) of the power supply circuit 220.

[0032] The communication circuit 230 is a circuit configured to include electronic components such as transistors and photocouplers, and a communication driver IC (not shown), and communicates with the outdoor unit 10B by forming a current loop between the outdoor unit 10B and the indoor unit 20B via the signal line 33 and the shared line 32. The communication circuit 230 is connected in series to the signal line 33. The communication circuit 230 has an input side terminal 231 and an output side terminal 232. The terminal 231 is connected to the terminal 214, and the terminal 232 is connected to the terminal 213.

[0033] The power supply circuit first connection portion 241 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 221 of the power supply circuit 220, terminal b is connected to terminal 211, and terminal c is connected to terminal 212. The power supply circuit second connection portion 242 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 222 of the power supply circuit 220, terminal b is connected to terminal 212, and terminal c is connected to terminal 213. The power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242 are constituted by, for example, jumpers, connectors, switches, relays, etc., and are circuits in which terminal a is connected to either terminal b or terminal c depending on whether it is for the first configuration or the second configuration.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, in the indoor unit 20B corresponding to the second configuration, terminals a of the power supply circuit first connection part 241 and the power supply circuit second connection part 242 are connected to terminals b, whereas in the indoor unit 20A corresponding to the first configuration, terminals a of the power supply circuit first connection part 241 and the power supply circuit second connection part 242 are connected to terminals c.

[0035] <Common Line Connecting Step> FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a common line connecting step, which is a step of work on the common line first connecting portion 151 and the common line second connecting portion 152, performed by an operator in the manufacturing process of the outdoor units 10A, 10B.

[0036] (Step S1100) If the object to be manufactured is an outdoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., outdoor unit 10B (Step S1100; Yes), the shared line connection process proceeds to Step S1101. On the other hand, if the object to be manufactured is not an outdoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., outdoor unit 10A (Step S1100; No), the shared line connection process proceeds to Step S1103.

[0037] (Step S1101) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of the first common line connection portion 151. Then, the common line connection process proceeds to step S1102. This results in non-continuity between the first check terminal TP1 and the second check terminal TP2. The first check terminal TP1 and the second check terminal TP2 are examples of the first check terminal and the second check terminal according to the present disclosure, respectively.

[0038] (Step S1102) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of the shared line second connection portion 152. The shared line connection process then ends. As a result, the shared line 32 is connected to terminal 143 of the power supply circuit 140, and the connection destination of the shared line 32 is fixed to the power supply circuit 140. Furthermore, in the air conditioning system 1B, the reference potential of the communication power is fixed to the potential of the shared line 32.

[0039] (Step S1103) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the first shared line connection portion 151. After that, the shared line connection process proceeds to step S1104. As a result, the shared line 32 is connected to terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120, enabling connection of the shared line 32 to the external power supply 40. In addition, conduction is established between the first check terminal TP1 and the second check terminal TP2.

[0040] (Step S1104) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the second shared line connection portion 152. The shared line connection process then ends. As a result, in the air conditioning system 1A, the reference potential of the communication power is fixed to the potential of the external power supply 40. Furthermore, the input and output of the power supply circuit 140 are no longer electrically isolated, and the power supply circuit 140 becomes a non-insulated power supply circuit with respect to the external power supply 40.

[0041] There is no limitation on the method of connecting terminals a and b or terminals a and c for shared line first connection portion 151 and shared line second connection portion 152, and for example, terminals a and b or terminals a and c may be connected by operating an operation portion (e.g., a dip switch, a rotary switch, etc.) provided on the outdoor unit. In this case, the work on shared line first connection portion 151 and shared line second connection portion 152 may be performed after the outdoor unit is shipped.

[0042] <Power Supply Circuit Connection Process> FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the power supply circuit connection process, which is a process of work on the power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242, performed by an operator in the manufacturing process of the indoor units 20A, 20B.

[0043] (Step S1200) If the object to be manufactured is an indoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., indoor unit 20B (Step S1200; Yes), the power supply circuit connection process proceeds to Step S1201. On the other hand, if the object to be manufactured is not an indoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., indoor unit 20A (Step S1200; No), the power supply circuit connection process proceeds to Step S1203.

[0044] (Step S1201) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of power supply circuit first connection portion 241. Then, the power supply circuit connecting process proceeds to step S1202. As a result, terminal 211 and terminal 221 of power supply circuit 220 are connected.

[0045] (Step S1202) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of power supply circuit second connection portion 242. The power supply circuit connection process then ends. This connects terminal 212 to terminal 222 of power supply circuit 220, enabling power supply circuit 220 to be connected to external power supply 60.

[0046] (Step S1203) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of power supply circuit first connection portion 241. Thereafter, the power supply circuit connecting process proceeds to step S1204. As a result, terminal 212 and terminal 221 of power supply circuit 220 are connected.

[0047] (Step S1204) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the power supply circuit second connection portion 242. The power supply circuit connection process then ends. This connects terminal 213 to terminal 222 of the power supply circuit 220, enabling connection between the power supply circuit 220 and the external power supply 40 via the outdoor unit 10A.

[0048] There is no limitation on the method for connecting terminals a and b or terminals a and c of power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and power supply circuit second connection portion 242, and for example, terminals a and b or terminals a and c may be connected by operating an operation portion (e.g., a DIP switch, a rotary switch, etc.) provided on the indoor unit. In this case, the work on power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and power supply circuit second connection portion 242 may be performed after the indoor unit has been shipped.

[0049] As described above, the outdoor units 10A, 10B according to the first embodiment are configured to be connectable to the indoor units 20A, 20B via connection lines 30A, 30B including at least the shared line 32 and the signal line 33, and include a communication circuit 130 that communicates with the indoor units 20A, 20B via the signal line 33 and the shared line 32, a power supply circuit 140 whose input and output are electrically isolated and that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the external power source 40 and supplies it to the communication circuit 130, and a first shared line connection part 151 and a second shared line connection part 152 that fix the connection destination of the shared line 32 to either the external power source 40 or the power supply circuit 140, and in the first configuration, the first shared line connection part 151 and the second shared line connection part 152 fix the connection destination of the shared line 32 to the external power source 40, and in the second configuration, fix the connection destination of the shared line 32 to the power supply circuit 140.

[0050] This makes it possible to accommodate both the first and second configurations, and in the second configuration, it becomes possible to wire the outdoor unit 10B and the indoor unit 20B at low voltage while isolating them from the external power supply 40. Furthermore, there is no need to manage the production of multiple types of circuit boards with different power supply circuit patterns for each destination, which prevents production management from becoming complicated.

[0051] Furthermore, in the first configuration, the reference potential of the communication power is fixed to the potential of the external power supply 40, so the communication power can be non-insulated from the external power supply 40, and there is no need to separately implement the non-insulated power supply circuit required in the first configuration, thereby reducing the circuit board area and circuit component costs.

[0052] Furthermore, since the power supply circuit 140 has reinforced insulation with respect to the external power supply 40, the wiring between the outdoor unit 10B and the indoor unit 20B can be installed more safely.

[0053] It also has a first inspection terminal TP1 located on the external power supply 40 side of the shared line first connection portion 151 and capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply 40, and a second inspection terminal TP2 located on the shared line 32 side of the shared line first connection portion 151 and capable of measuring the potential of the shared line 32, and in the first configuration, there is electrical continuity between the first inspection terminal TP1 and the second inspection terminal TP2, and in the second configuration, there is no electrical continuity between the first inspection terminal TP1 and the second inspection terminal TP2.

[0054] This makes it possible to easily inspect whether the wiring between the outdoor unit 10B and the indoor unit 20B is insulated from the external power supply 40 during the production stage by checking the electrical continuity between the first inspection terminal TP1 and the second inspection terminal TP2.

[0055] (Variant 1) In air conditioning system 1A, a plurality of indoor units having a configuration similar to indoor unit 20A may be connected to outdoor unit 10A, and in air conditioning system 1B, a plurality of indoor units having a configuration similar to indoor unit 20B may be connected to outdoor unit 10B.

[0056] (Variation 2) The indoor unit may have the same configuration as outdoor units 10A, 10B (see FIG. 3), and the outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit may have the same configuration as indoor units 20A, 20B (see FIG. 4). In this case, the indoor unit is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure, and the outdoor unit is an example of another device according to the present disclosure.

[0057] The technical ideas according to the above-described modifications may be realized independently or in appropriate combination.

[0058] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In the following description, components and the like common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0059] 7 and 8 are diagrams showing the configurations of air conditioning systems 1C and 1D according to embodiment 2. Air conditioning systems 1C and 1D are systems that provide air conditioning for buildings such as buildings and stores. In FIG. 7 , air conditioning system 1C includes an outdoor unit 10C, an indoor unit 20A, a connection line 30A connecting the outdoor unit 10C and the indoor unit 20A, and a power line 50 connecting the outdoor unit 10C to an external power supply 40. The outdoor unit 10C is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure. Air conditioning system 1C is an air conditioning system having a first configuration. The configuration of air conditioning system 1C differs from that of air conditioning system 1A according to embodiment 1 in that it includes an outdoor unit 10C instead of the outdoor unit 10A, but otherwise the configurations of both systems are similar.

[0060] 8, air conditioning system 1D includes an outdoor unit 10D, an indoor unit 20B, a connection line 30B connecting outdoor unit 10D and indoor unit 20B, a power line 50 connecting outdoor unit 10D to an external power supply 40, and a power line 70 connecting indoor unit 20B to an external power supply 60. Outdoor unit 10D is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure. Air conditioning system 1D is an air conditioning system of a second configuration. The configuration of air conditioning system 1D differs from air conditioning system 1B according to embodiment 1 in that it includes outdoor unit 10D instead of outdoor unit 10B, but in other respects the configurations of both are similar.

[0061] <Configuration of outdoor unit 10D in air conditioning system 1D> Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of outdoor unit 10D according to embodiment 2. Outdoor unit 10D includes terminal 111 connected to L phase wire 51, terminal 112 connected to N phase wire 52, open terminal 113, terminal 114 connected to common line 32, terminal 115 connected to signal line 33, filter circuit 120, communication circuit 130, power supply circuit 140, non-insulated power supply circuit 160, communication circuit first connection portion 171, communication circuit second connection portion 172, a first inspection terminal TP1 located on the external power supply 40 side of communication circuit first connection portion 171 and capable of measuring the potential of external power supply 40, and a second inspection terminal TP2 located on the shared line 32 side of communication circuit first connection portion 171 and capable of measuring the potential of common line 32.

[0062] In addition, the outdoor unit 10D is equipped with a control unit (not shown) that performs overall control of the outdoor unit 10D, and components necessary for air conditioning such as a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor fan, an expansion valve, and various sensors.

[0063] The outdoor unit 10C in the air conditioning system 1C has the same configuration as the outdoor unit 10D. However, in the outdoor unit 10C, the terminal 113 is connected to the power supply line 31. The outdoor units 10C and 10D also differ in the internal states of the communication circuit first connection portion 171 and the communication circuit second connection portion 172. Details of the communication circuit first connection portion 171 and the communication circuit second connection portion 172 will be described later.

[0064] The filter circuit 120 is an example of a filter circuit according to the present disclosure. Similar to the first embodiment, the filter circuit 120 is a circuit that prevents noise from the external power supply 40 and includes input terminals 121 and 122 and output terminals 123 and 124. The terminal 121 is connected to the terminal 111, and the terminal 122 is connected to the terminal 112. The terminal 123 is connected to the terminal 113, the terminal 142 of the power supply circuit 140, and the terminal 162 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, and the terminal 124 is connected to the terminal 141 of the power supply circuit 140, the terminal 161 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, and the terminal c of the communication circuit first connection unit 171. The terminals 121 and 123, and the terminals 122 and 124 are electrically connected within the filter circuit 120.

[0065] As in the first embodiment, the communication circuit 130 is a circuit configured to include electronic components such as transistors and photocouplers, and a communication driver IC (not shown), and communicates with the indoor unit 20B by forming a current loop between the outdoor unit 10D and the indoor unit 20B via the signal line 33 and the shared line 32. The communication circuit 130 is connected in series to the signal line 33. The communication circuit 130 has an input-side terminal 131 and an output-side terminal 132. The terminal 131 is connected to terminal a of the communication circuit second connection portion 172, and the terminal 132 is connected to terminal 115.

[0066] The power supply circuit 140 is an example of an isolated power supply circuit according to the present disclosure. As in the first embodiment, the power supply circuit 140 is an isolated power supply circuit in which an internal input and output are electrically isolated by reinforced insulation. The power supply circuit 140 generates communication power, which is low-voltage DC power, based on AC power received from an external power supply 40 and supplies the generated communication power to the communication circuit 130. The power supply circuit 140 has input terminals 141 and 142 and output terminals 143 and 144. The terminal 141 is connected to the terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120, and the terminal 142 is connected to the terminal 123 of the filter circuit 120. The terminal 143 is connected to the terminal b of the communication circuit first connection portion 171, and the terminal 144 is connected to the terminal b of the communication circuit second connection portion 172. The potential of the terminal 143 serves as a reference potential for the communication power. The power supply circuit 140 is mounted on a dedicated circuit board, and the circuit board is mounted in a manner that allows it to be removed from the outdoor unit in the first configuration, that is, the outdoor unit 10C.

[0067] The non-insulated power supply circuit 160 is an example of a non-insulated power supply circuit according to the present disclosure. The non-insulated power supply circuit 160 is a non-insulated power supply circuit in which the internal input and output are not electrically isolated. In the first configuration, the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 generates communication power, which is low-voltage DC power, based on AC power received from the external power supply 40 and supplies the generated communication power to the communication circuit 130. The non-insulated power supply circuit 160 includes input terminals 161 and 162 and output terminals 163 and 164. The terminal 161 is connected to the terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120, and the terminal 162 is connected to the terminal 123 of the filter circuit 120. The terminal 163 is connected to the terminal c of the communication circuit first connection portion 171, and the terminal 164 is connected to the terminal c of the communication circuit second connection portion 172. In the first configuration, the potential of the terminal 163 serves as the reference potential of the communication power.

[0068] In addition to the power supply circuit 140 and the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, the outdoor unit 10D also includes a power supply circuit (not shown) that generates power for driving the above-mentioned control unit, the compressor, the actuators such as the outdoor fan, etc., based on AC power received from the external power supply 40.

[0069] The communication circuit first connection portion 171 and the communication circuit second connection portion 172 are an example of a communication power supply source fixing portion according to the present disclosure. The communication circuit first connection portion 171 and the communication circuit second connection portion 172 fix the communication power supply source to either the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 or the power supply circuit 140. The communication circuit first connection portion 171 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 114, terminal b is connected to terminal 143 of the power supply circuit 140, and terminal c is connected to terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120 and terminal 163 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160. The communication circuit second connection portion 172 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 131 of the communication circuit 130, terminal b is connected to terminal 144 of the power supply circuit 140, and terminal c is connected to terminal 164 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160. The communication circuit first connection part 171 and the communication circuit second connection part 172 are composed of, for example, jumpers, connectors, switches, relays, etc., and are circuits in which terminal a is connected to either terminal b or terminal c depending on whether it is for the first configuration or the second configuration.

[0070] 9 , in the outdoor unit 10D corresponding to the second configuration, the terminals a of the communication circuit first connection portion 171 and the communication circuit second connection portion 172 are connected to the terminals b. This fixes the supply source of power for communication to the power supply circuit 140. On the other hand, in the outdoor unit 10C corresponding to the first configuration, the terminals a of the communication circuit first connection portion 171 and the communication circuit second connection portion 172 are connected to the terminals c. This fixes the supply source of power for communication to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160.

[0071] The second configuration according to the present disclosure is premised on a configuration that enables wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from an external power source, but in destinations where wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from an external power source is not required, the outdoor unit 10C corresponding to the first configuration may be installed in the same manner as the conventional second configuration. In this case, as in the conventional configuration, the common line 32 in the second configuration is configured to be high voltage and not insulated from an external power source.

[0072] <Communication Circuit Connecting Step> FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a communication circuit connecting step, which is a step of work performed by an operator on the communication circuit first connecting portion 171 and the communication circuit second connecting portion 172 in the manufacturing process of the outdoor units 10C and 10D.

[0073] (Step S2100) If the object to be manufactured is an outdoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., outdoor unit 10D (Step S2100; Yes), the communication circuit connection process proceeds to Step S2101. On the other hand, if the object to be manufactured is not an outdoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., outdoor unit 10C (Step S2100; No), the communication circuit line connection process proceeds to Step S2103.

[0074] (Step S2101) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of the first communication circuit connection portion 171. Then, the communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S2102. This results in a discontinuity between the first test terminal TP1 and the second test terminal TP2. Furthermore, in the air conditioning system 1D, the reference potential of the communication power is fixed to the potential of the shared line 32.

[0075] (Step S2102) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of the communication circuit second connection portion 172. The communication circuit connection process then ends. This connects the communication circuit 130 to terminal 144 of the power supply circuit 140, and the communication power supply source in the air conditioning system 1D is fixed to the power supply circuit 140.

[0076] (Step S2103) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the communication circuit first connection portion 171. Thereafter, the communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S2104. As a result, the shared line 32 is connected to terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120, enabling connection of the shared line 32 to the external power supply 40. Furthermore, conduction is established between the first test terminal TP1 and the second test terminal TP2. Furthermore, in the air conditioning system 1C, the reference potential of the communication power is fixed to the potential of the external power supply 40.

[0077] (Step S2104) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the communication circuit second connection portion 172. The communication circuit connection process then ends. This connects the communication circuit 130 to terminal 164 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, and the source of communication power in the air conditioning system 1C is fixed to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160.

[0078] There is no limitation on the method of connecting terminals a and b or terminals a and c for communication circuit first connection portion 171 and communication circuit second connection portion 172, and for example, terminals a and b or terminals a and c may be connected by operating an operation portion (e.g., a dip switch, a rotary switch, etc.) provided on the outdoor unit. In this case, the work on communication circuit first connection portion 171 and communication circuit second connection portion 172 may be performed after the outdoor unit has been shipped.

[0079] As described above, the outdoor units 10C, 10D according to the second embodiment are configured to be connectable to the indoor units 20A, 20B via the connection lines 30A, 30B including at least the shared line 32 and the signal line 33, and include a communication circuit 130 that communicates with the indoor units 20A, 20B via the signal line 33 and the shared line 32, a non-insulated power supply circuit 160 whose input and output are not electrically isolated and that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the external power supply 40 and supplies it to the communication circuit 130, and a non-insulated power supply circuit 160 whose input and output are electrically isolated and that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the external power supply 40 and supplies it to the communication circuit 130. The power supply circuit 140 generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the power source 40 and supplies the generated power to the communication circuit 130, and includes a communication circuit first connection portion 171 and a communication circuit second connection portion 172 that fix the source of the communication power to either the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 or the power supply circuit 140, in a first configuration, the communication circuit first connection portion 171 and the communication circuit second connection portion 172 fixing the source of the communication power to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, and in a second configuration, fixing the source of the communication power to the power supply circuit 140.

[0080] This makes it possible to accommodate both the first and second configurations, and in the second configuration, it becomes possible to wire the outdoor unit 10D and the indoor unit 20B at low voltage while isolating them from the external power supply 40. Furthermore, there is no need to manage the production of multiple types of circuit boards with different power supply circuit patterns for each destination, which prevents the production management from becoming complicated.

[0081] Furthermore, since the power supply circuit 140 is mounted on a dedicated circuit board, and the circuit board is mounted in a removable manner, in destinations where there is no need for low-voltage wiring between air conditioners that is isolated from external power sources, the power supply circuit 140 can be left unmounted, thereby reducing circuit component costs.

[0082] Furthermore, since the power supply circuit 140 has reinforced insulation with respect to the external power supply 40, the wiring between the outdoor unit 10D and the indoor unit 20B can be installed more safely.

[0083] The communication circuit also includes a first test terminal TP1 located on the external power supply 40 side of the first connection portion 171 of the communication circuit and capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply 40, and a second test terminal TP2 located on the shared line 32 side of the second connection portion 172 of the communication circuit and capable of measuring the potential of the shared line 32. In the first configuration, there is electrical continuity between the first test terminal TP1 and the second test terminal TP2, and in the second configuration, there is no electrical continuity between the first test terminal TP1 and the second test terminal TP2.

[0084] This makes it possible to easily inspect whether the wiring between the outdoor unit 10D and the indoor unit 20B is insulated from the external power supply 40 during the production stage by checking the electrical continuity between the first inspection terminal TP1 and the second inspection terminal TP2.

[0085] The power supply circuit 140 is connected to a filter circuit 120 that prevents noise from the external power supply 40 .

[0086] This allows the filter circuits of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 and the power supply circuit 140 to be shared, eliminating the need to individually implement the filter circuits required for each power supply circuit, thereby reducing the circuit board area and circuit component costs.

[0087] (Variant 1) In air conditioning system 1C, multiple indoor units having a configuration similar to indoor unit 20A may be connected to outdoor unit 10C, and in air conditioning system 1D, multiple indoor units having a configuration similar to indoor unit 20B may be connected to outdoor unit 10D.

[0088] (Variation 2) The indoor unit may have the same configuration as outdoor units 10C and 10D (see FIG. 9), and the outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit may have the same configuration as indoor units 20A and 20B (see FIG. 4). In this case, the indoor unit is an example of an air conditioner according to the present disclosure, and the outdoor unit is an example of another device according to the present disclosure.

[0089] The technical ideas according to the above-described modifications may be realized independently or in appropriate combination.

[0090] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In the following description, components and the like common to the first and second embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0091] 11 and 12 are diagrams showing the configurations of air conditioning systems 1E and 1F according to embodiment 3. The air conditioning systems 1E and 1F are systems that provide air conditioning for buildings such as buildings and stores. In FIG. 11 , the air conditioning system 1E is an example of an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, and includes an outdoor unit 10E, an indoor unit 20C, a connection line 30A connecting the outdoor unit 10E and the indoor unit 20C, and a power line 50 connecting the outdoor unit 10E to an external power supply 40. The outdoor unit 10E is an example of a first device according to the present disclosure, and the indoor unit 20C is an example of a second device according to the present disclosure. The air conditioning system 1E is an air conditioning system of a first configuration.

[0092] 12 , air conditioning system 1F is an example of an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure, and includes an outdoor unit 10F, an indoor unit 20D, a connection line 30B connecting outdoor unit 10F and indoor unit 20D, a power line 50 connecting outdoor unit 10F to an external power supply 40, and a power line 70 connecting indoor unit 20D to an external power supply 60. Outdoor unit 10F is an example of a first device according to the present disclosure, and indoor unit 20D is an example of a second device according to the present disclosure. Air conditioning system 1F is an air conditioning system of a second configuration.

[0093] 13 is a diagram showing the configuration of an outdoor unit 10F in an air conditioning system 1F. The outdoor unit 10F includes a terminal 111 connected to an L-phase wire 51, a terminal 112 connected to an N-phase wire 52, an open terminal 113, a terminal 114 connected to a common wire 32, a terminal 115 connected to a signal wire 33, a filter circuit 120, a communication circuit 130, a non-insulated power supply circuit 160, a communication circuit first connection portion 173, a communication circuit second connection portion 174, a first inspection terminal TP1 located on the external power supply 40 side of the communication circuit first connection portion 173 and capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply 40, and a second inspection terminal TP2 located on the shared line 32 side of the communication circuit first connection portion 173 and capable of measuring the potential of the common line 32.

[0094] In addition, the outdoor unit 10F is equipped with a control unit (not shown) that performs overall control of the outdoor unit 10F, and components necessary for air conditioning, such as a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor fan, an expansion valve, and various sensors.

[0095] The outdoor unit 10E in the air conditioning system 1E has the same configuration as the outdoor unit 10F. However, in the outdoor unit 10E, the terminal 113 is connected to the power supply line 31. The outdoor unit 10E and the outdoor unit 10F also differ in the internal states of the communication circuit first connection portion 173 and the communication circuit second connection portion 174. Details of the communication circuit first connection portion 173 and the communication circuit second connection portion 174 will be described later.

[0096] Similar to the first and second embodiments, the filter circuit 120 is a circuit that prevents noise from the external power supply 40, and includes input terminals 121 and 122 and output terminals 123 and 124. Terminal 121 is connected to terminal 111, and terminal 122 is connected to terminal 112. Terminal 123 is connected to terminal 113 and terminal 162 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, and terminal 124 is connected to terminal 161 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 and terminal c of the communication circuit first connection unit 173. Note that terminals 121 and 123, and terminals 122 and 124 are electrically connected within the filter circuit 120.

[0097] As in the first and second embodiments, the communication circuit 130 is a circuit configured to include electronic components such as transistors and photocouplers, and a communication driver IC (not shown), and communicates with the indoor unit 20D by forming a current loop between the outdoor unit 10F and the indoor unit 20D via the signal line 33 and the shared line 32. The communication circuit 130 is connected in series to the signal line 33. The communication circuit 130 has an input-side terminal 131 and an output-side terminal 132. The terminal 131 is connected to terminal a of the communication circuit second connection portion 174, and the terminal 132 is connected to terminal 115.

[0098] Similar to the second embodiment, the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 is a non-insulated power supply circuit in which the internal input and output are not electrically isolated. In the first configuration, the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 generates communication power, which is low-voltage DC power, based on AC power received from the external power supply 40 and supplies the generated communication power to the communication circuit 130. The non-insulated power supply circuit 160 has input terminals 161 and 162 and output terminals 163 and 164. The terminal 161 is connected to the terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120, and the terminal 162 is connected to the terminal 123 of the filter circuit 120. The terminal 163 is connected to the terminal c of the communication circuit first connection portion 173, and the terminal 164 is connected to the terminal c of the communication circuit second connection portion 174. In the first configuration, the potential of the terminal 163 serves as the reference potential of the communication power.

[0099] In addition to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, the outdoor unit 10F also includes a power supply circuit (not shown) that generates power for driving the above-mentioned control unit, compressor, outdoor fan, and other actuators, based on AC power received from the external power supply 40.

[0100] The communication circuit first connection portion 173 and the communication circuit second connection portion 174 are an example of a communication power supply source fixing portion according to the present disclosure. The communication circuit first connection portion 173 and the communication circuit second connection portion 174 fix the communication power supply source to either the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 or an isolated power supply circuit 250 (described later). The communication circuit first connection portion 173 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 114, terminal b is connected to terminal b of the communication circuit second connection portion 174, and terminal c is connected to terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120 and terminal 163 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160. The communication circuit second connection portion 174 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 131 of the communication circuit 130, terminal b is connected to terminal b of the communication circuit first connection portion 173, and terminal c is connected to terminal 164 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160. The communication circuit first connection part 173 and the communication circuit second connection part 174 are composed of, for example, jumpers, connectors, switches, relays, etc., and are circuits in which terminal a is connected to either terminal b or terminal c depending on whether it is for the first configuration or the second configuration.

[0101] 13 , in the outdoor unit 10F corresponding to the second configuration, terminals a of the communication circuit first connection portion 173 and the communication circuit second connection portion 174 are connected to terminals b. This fixes the supply source of power for communication to the insulated power supply circuit 250, which will be described later. On the other hand, in the outdoor unit 10E corresponding to the first configuration, terminals a of the communication circuit first connection portion 173 and the communication circuit second connection portion 174 are connected to terminals c. This fixes the supply source of power for communication to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160.

[0102] The second configuration according to the present disclosure is premised on a configuration that enables wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from an external power source, but in destinations where wiring between air conditioners at low voltage and insulated from an external power source is not required, the outdoor unit 10E corresponding to the first configuration may be installed in the same manner as the conventional second configuration. In this case, as in the conventional configuration, the common line 32 in the second configuration is configured to be high voltage and not insulated from an external power source.

[0103] <Configuration of indoor unit 20D in air conditioning system 1E> Figure 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of indoor unit 20D pertaining to embodiment 3. Indoor unit 20D includes a terminal 211 connected to L phase wire 71, a terminal 212 connected to N phase wire 72, a terminal 213 connected to shared line 32, a terminal 214 connected to signal line 33, a power supply circuit 220, a communication circuit 230, a power supply circuit first connection part 241, a power supply circuit second connection part 242, an isolated power supply circuit 250, a communication circuit first connection part 261, and a communication circuit second connection part 262.

[0104] In addition, the indoor unit 20D is equipped with a control unit (not shown) that performs overall control of the indoor unit 20D, and components necessary for air conditioning such as an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor fan, a solenoid valve, and various sensors.

[0105] The indoor unit 20C in the air conditioning system 1E has the same configuration as the indoor unit 20D. However, in the indoor unit 20C, the terminal 212 is connected to the power supply line 31, and the terminal 211 is open. The indoor units 20C and 20D also differ in the internal states of the power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242, and the communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262. Details of the power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242, and the communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262 will be described later.

[0106] As in the first embodiment, the power supply circuit 220 is a circuit that generates power for driving the above-mentioned control unit, the indoor fan, actuators such as solenoid valves, and the like, based on AC power received from the external power supply 60 (external power supply 40 in the indoor unit 20C). The power supply circuit 220 has input terminals 221 and 222 and an output terminal (not shown). Terminal 221 is connected to terminal a of the power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and terminal 252 of the isolated power supply circuit 250, and terminal 222 is connected to terminal a of the power supply circuit second connection portion 242 and terminal 251 of the isolated power supply circuit 250. The control unit, actuators, and the like are connected to the output terminal (not shown) of the power supply circuit 220.

[0107] As in the first embodiment, the communication circuit 230 is a circuit configured to include electronic components such as transistors and photocouplers, and a communication driver IC (not shown), and communicates with the outdoor unit 10F by forming a current loop between the outdoor unit 10F and the indoor unit 20D via the signal line 33 and the shared line 32. The communication circuit 230 is connected in series to the signal line 33. The communication circuit 230 has an input-side terminal 231 and an output-side terminal 232. The terminal 231 is connected to the terminal 214, and the terminal 232 is connected to the terminal a of the communication circuit second connection portion 262.

[0108] The isolated power supply circuit 250 is an example of an isolated power supply circuit according to the present disclosure. The isolated power supply circuit 250 is an isolated power supply circuit in which an internal input and output are electrically isolated by reinforced insulation. The isolated power supply circuit 250 generates communication power, which is low-voltage DC power, based on AC power received from an external power supply 60 and supplies the generated communication power to the communication circuit 230. The isolated power supply circuit 250 has input terminals 251 and 252 and output terminals 253 and 254. The terminal 251 is connected to the terminal 222 of the power supply circuit 220, and the terminal 252 is connected to the terminal 221 of the power supply circuit 220. The terminal 253 is connected to the terminal b of the communication circuit second connection portion 262, and the terminal 254 is connected to the terminal b of the communication circuit first connection portion 261. The potential of the terminal 253 serves as the reference potential of the communication power. Furthermore, the isolated power supply circuit 250 is mounted on a dedicated circuit board, and the circuit board is mounted in a manner that allows it to be removed from the indoor unit in the first configuration, i.e., the indoor unit 20C.

[0109] The power supply circuit first connection portion 241 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 221 of the power supply circuit 220, terminal b is connected to terminal 211, and terminal c is connected to terminal 212. The power supply circuit second connection portion 242 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 222 of the power supply circuit 220, terminal b is connected to terminal 212, and terminal c is connected to terminal 213. The power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242 are constituted by, for example, jumpers, connectors, switches, relays, etc., and are circuits in which terminal a is connected to either terminal b or terminal c depending on whether it is for the first configuration or the second configuration.

[0110] As shown in Figure 14, in the indoor unit 20D corresponding to the second configuration, terminals a of the power supply circuit first connection part 241 and the power supply circuit second connection part 242 are connected to terminals b, whereas in the indoor unit 20E corresponding to the first configuration, terminals a of the power supply circuit first connection part 241 and the power supply circuit second connection part 242 are connected to terminals c.

[0111] The communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262 are an example of a communication power supply source fixing portion according to the present disclosure. The communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262 fix the communication power supply source to either the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 or the isolated power supply circuit 250. The communication circuit first connection portion 261 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 213, terminal b is connected to terminal 254 of the isolated power supply circuit 250, and terminal c is connected to terminal c of the communication circuit second connection portion 262. The communication circuit second connection portion 262 has terminals a, b, and c. Terminal a is connected to terminal 232 of the communication circuit 230, terminal b is connected to terminal 253 of the isolated power supply circuit 250, and terminal c is connected to terminal c of the communication circuit first connection portion 261. The communication circuit first connection part 261 and the communication circuit second connection part 262 are composed of, for example, jumpers, connectors, switches, relays, etc., and are circuits in which terminal a is connected to either terminal b or terminal c depending on whether it is for the first configuration or the second configuration.

[0112] 14 , in the indoor unit 20D corresponding to the second configuration, terminals a of the communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262 are connected to terminals b. As a result, the source of power supply for communication is fixed to the isolated power supply circuit 250. On the other hand, in the indoor unit 20C corresponding to the first configuration, terminals a of the communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262 are connected to terminals c. As a result, the source of power supply for communication is fixed to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160.

[0113] <Communication Circuit Connecting Step> FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a communication circuit connecting step, which is a step of work on the communication circuit first connecting portion 173 and the communication circuit second connecting portion 174, performed by an operator in the manufacturing process of the outdoor units 10E and 10F.

[0114] (Step S3100) If the object to be manufactured is an outdoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., outdoor unit 10F (Step S3100; Yes), the communication circuit connection step proceeds to Step S3101. On the other hand, if the object to be manufactured is not an outdoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., outdoor unit 10E (Step S3100; No), the communication circuit line connection step proceeds to Step S3103.

[0115] (Step S3101) The worker connects the terminal a to the terminal b of the first communication circuit connection portion 173. After that, the communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3102. This causes non-continuity between the first check terminal TP1 and the second check terminal TP2.

[0116] (Step S3102) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of the second communication circuit connector 174. The communication circuit connection process then ends. As a result, the communication power supply source in the air conditioning system 1F is fixed to the isolated power supply circuit 250.

[0117] (Step S3103) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the communication circuit first connection portion 173. After that, the communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3104. As a result, the shared line 32 is connected to terminal 124 of the filter circuit 120, enabling connection of the shared line 32 to the external power supply 40. In addition, conduction is established between the first check terminal TP1 and the second check terminal TP2.

[0118] (Step S3104) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the communication circuit second connection portion 174. The communication circuit connection process then ends. As a result, the communication circuit 130 is connected to terminal 164 of the non-insulated power supply circuit 160, and the source of communication power in the air conditioning system 1E is fixed to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160.

[0119] There is no limitation on the method of connecting terminals a and b or terminals a and c for communication circuit first connection portion 173 and communication circuit second connection portion 174, and for example, terminals a and b or terminals a and c may be connected by operating an operation portion (e.g., a dip switch, a rotary switch, etc.) provided on the outdoor unit. In this case, the work on communication circuit first connection portion 173 and communication circuit second connection portion 174 may be performed after the outdoor unit has been shipped.

[0120] <Power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process> Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process, which is a process performed by an operator during the manufacturing process of the indoor units 20C, 20D, and includes a power supply circuit connection process, which is a process for working on the power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242, and a communication circuit connection process, which is a process for working on the communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262.

[0121] (Step S3200) If the object to be manufactured is an indoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., indoor unit 20D (Step S3200; Yes), the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to Step S3201. On the other hand, if the object to be manufactured is not an indoor unit corresponding to the second configuration, i.e., indoor unit 20C (Step S3200; No), the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to Step S3205.

[0122] (Step S3201) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of power supply circuit first connection portion 241. Then, the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3202. This connects terminal 211 and terminal 221 of power supply circuit 220.

[0123] (Step S3202) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of power supply circuit second connection portion 242. Then, the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3203. This connects terminal 212 to terminal 222 of power supply circuit 220, thereby enabling power supply circuit 220 to be connected to external power supply 60.

[0124] (Step S3203) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of the first communication circuit connection portion 261. After that, the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3204.

[0125] (Step S3204) The worker connects terminal a to terminal b of the second communication circuit connection portion 262. The power supply circuit connection and communication circuit connection process then ends. As a result, the communication circuit 230 is connected to terminal 253 of the isolated power supply circuit 250, and the source of communication power in the air conditioning system 1F is fixed to the isolated power supply circuit 250.

[0126] (Step S3205) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of power supply circuit first connection portion 241. Thereafter, the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3206. This connects terminal 212 and terminal 221 of power supply circuit 220.

[0127] (Step S3206) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of power supply circuit second connection portion 242. Thereafter, the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3207. As a result, terminal 213 is connected to terminal 222 of power supply circuit 220, and a configuration is achieved in which power supply circuit 220 and external power supply 40 can be connected via outdoor unit 10E.

[0128] (Step S3207) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the first communication circuit connection portion 261. After that, the power supply circuit connection / communication circuit connection process proceeds to step S3208.

[0129] (Step S3208) The worker connects terminal a to terminal c of the second communication circuit connector 262. The power supply circuit and communication circuit connection process then ends. As a result, the communication power supply source in the air conditioning system 1E is fixed to the non-insulated power supply circuit 160.

[0130] Note that there is no limitation on the method for connecting terminals a and b or terminals a and c of the power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242. For example, terminals a and b or terminals a and c may be connected by operating an operation portion (e.g., a DIP switch, a rotary switch, etc.) provided on the indoor unit. In this case, the work for the power supply circuit first connection portion 241 and the power supply circuit second connection portion 242 may be performed after the indoor unit is shipped. Furthermore, there is no limitation on the method for connecting terminals a and b or terminals a and c of the communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262. For example, terminals a and b or terminals a and c may be connected by operating the operation portion. In this case, the work for the communication circuit first connection portion 261 and the communication circuit second connection portion 262 may be performed after the indoor unit is shipped.

[0131] As described above, the air conditioning systems 1E, 1F according to the third embodiment are configured so that the outdoor units 10E, 10F and the indoor units 20C, 20D can be connected via connection lines 30A, 30B including at least the shared line 32 and the signal line 33, and include communication circuits 130, 230 that perform communication between the outdoor units 10E, 10F and the indoor units 20C, 20D via the signal line 33 and the shared line 32, a non-insulated power supply circuit 160 whose input and output are not electrically isolated and that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power supply 40 and supplies it to the communication circuits 130, 230, and a power supply circuit 160 whose input and output are electrically isolated. The communication circuit includes an isolated power supply circuit that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power supply and supplies the generated power to the communication circuits, and first communication circuit connectors and second communication circuit connectors that fix the source of the communication power to either the non-insulated power supply circuit or the isolated power supply circuit. In a first configuration, the communication circuit first connectors and second communication circuit connectors fix the source of the communication power to the non-insulated power supply circuit, and in a second configuration, fix the source of the communication power to the isolated power supply circuit.

[0132] This makes it possible to accommodate both the first and second configurations, and in the second configuration, it becomes possible to wire the outdoor unit 10F and the indoor unit 20D at low voltage while isolating them from the external power supply 40. Furthermore, there is no need to manage the production of multiple types of circuit boards with different power supply circuit patterns for each destination, which prevents the production management from becoming complicated.

[0133] Furthermore, the non-insulated power supply circuit 160 is mounted in the outdoor units 10E and 10F, and the isolated power supply circuit 250 is mounted in the indoor units 20C and 20D.

[0134] As a result, the outdoor units 10E and 10F do not need to mount an isolated power supply circuit, and the circuit board area of ​​the outdoor units 10E and 10F can be reduced.

[0135] (Variant 1) In air conditioning system 1E, multiple indoor units having a configuration similar to indoor unit 20C may be connected to outdoor unit 10E, and in air conditioning system 1F, multiple indoor units having a configuration similar to indoor unit 20D may be connected to outdoor unit 10F.

[0136] (Variation 2) The indoor unit may have the same configuration as outdoor units 10E and 10F (see FIG. 13), and the outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit may have the same configuration as indoor units 20C and 20D (see FIG. 14). In this case, the indoor unit is an example of a first device according to the present disclosure, and the outdoor unit is an example of a second device according to the present disclosure.

[0137] The technical ideas according to the above-described modifications may be realized independently or in appropriate combination.

[0138] The present disclosure allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. That is, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0139] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described below. (Supplementary Note 1) An air conditioner configured to be connectable to another device via a cable including at least a shared line and a signal line, comprising: a communication circuit that communicates with the other device via the signal line and the shared line; a power supply circuit having an input and an output electrically isolated from each other, the power supply circuit generating low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power supply and supplying the low-voltage communication power to the communication circuit; and a shared line connection destination fixing unit that fixes the connection destination of the shared line to either the external power supply or the power supply circuit, wherein the shared line connection destination fixing unit fixes the connection destination of the shared line to the external power supply in a first configuration in which power received from the external power supply is supplied to the other device, and fixes the connection destination of the shared line to the power supply circuit in a second configuration different from the first configuration. (Supplementary Note 2) The air conditioner described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein in the first configuration, a reference potential of the communication power is fixed to the potential of the external power supply. (Supplementary Note 3) The air conditioner according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the power supply circuit is reinforced insulated from the external power supply. (Supplementary Note 4) The air conditioner according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, further comprising: a first test terminal on the external power supply side of the fixed common line connection part and capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply; and a second test terminal on the common line side of the fixed common line connection part and capable of measuring the potential of the common line, wherein in the first configuration, there is electrical continuity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal, and in the second configuration, there is no electrical continuity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal.(Supplementary Note 5) An air conditioner configured to be connectable to other devices via a cable including at least a shared line and a signal line, comprising: a communication circuit that communicates with the other devices via the signal line and the shared line; a non-isolated power supply circuit, a power supply circuit whose input and output are not electrically isolated, that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power supply and supplies the low-voltage communication power to the communication circuit; an isolated power supply circuit, whose input and output are electrically isolated, that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the external power supply and supplies the low-voltage communication power to the communication circuit; and a communication power supply source fixing unit that fixes a source of the communication power to either the non-isolated power supply circuit or the isolated power supply circuit, wherein the communication power supply source fixing unit fixes the source of the communication power to the non-isolated power supply circuit in a first configuration that supplies power received from the external power supply to the other devices, and fixes the source of the communication power to the isolated power supply circuit in a second configuration different from the first configuration. (Supplementary Note 6) The air conditioner of Supplementary Note 5, wherein the isolated power supply circuit is mounted on a dedicated circuit board, and the circuit board is installed in a removable manner. (Supplementary Note 7) The air conditioner of Supplementary Note 5 or 6, wherein the isolated power supply circuit has reinforced insulation with respect to the external power supply. (Supplementary Note 8) The air conditioner of any one of Supplements 5 to 7, further comprising: a first test terminal on the external power supply side of the fixed communication power supply source unit, capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply; and a second test terminal on the shared line side of the fixed communication power supply source unit, capable of measuring the potential of the common line, wherein in the first configuration, there is continuity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal, and wherein in the second configuration, there is no continuity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal. (Supplementary Note 9) The air conditioner of any one of Supplementary Notes 5 to 8, further comprising a filter circuit that blocks noise from the external power supply, and wherein the non-isolated power supply circuit and the isolated power supply circuit are connected to the filter circuit.(Supplementary Note 10) An air conditioning system configured so that a first device and a second device can be connected via a cable including at least a shared line and a signal line, comprising: a communication circuit for communicating between the first device and the second device via the signal line and the shared line; a non-insulated power supply circuit, which is a power supply circuit whose input and output are not electrically isolated, and which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power supply and supplies the low-voltage communication power to the communication circuit; an isolated power supply circuit, which is a power supply circuit whose input and output are electrically isolated, and which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the external power supply and supplies the low-voltage communication power to the communication circuit; and a communication power supply source fixing unit that fixes a supply source of the communication power to either the non-insulated power supply circuit or the isolated power supply circuit, The air conditioning system according to claim 10, wherein the communication power supply source fixing unit fixes the communication power supply source to the non-isolated power supply circuit in a first configuration in which power received from the external power supply is supplied from the first device to the second device, and fixes the communication power supply source to the isolated power supply circuit in a second configuration different from the first configuration. (Supplementary Note 11) The air conditioning system according to Supplementary Note 10, wherein the non-isolated power supply circuit is implemented in the first device and the isolated power supply circuit is implemented in the second device. (Appendix 12) A method for manufacturing an air conditioner comprising: a communication circuit configured to be connectable to other devices via a cable including at least a shared line and a signal line, and communicating with the other devices via the signal line and the shared line; and a power supply circuit having electrically isolated input and output, the power supply circuit generating low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplying it to the communication circuit, the method comprising a shared line connection step of fixing the connection destination of the shared line to the external power source when the air conditioner is configured to correspond to a first configuration in which power received from the external power source is supplied to the other devices, and fixing the connection destination of the shared line to the power supply circuit when the air conditioner is configured to correspond to a second configuration different from the first configuration.

[0140] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-097803 filed on June 18, 2024, the entire specification, claims and drawings of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0141] The present disclosure can be suitably employed in a system for air conditioning a building.

[0142] 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F Air conditioning system, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F Outdoor unit, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D Indoor unit, 30A, 30B Connection line, 31 Power line, 32 Shared line, 33 Signal line, 40, 60 External power supply, 50, 70 Power line, 51, 71 L-phase line, 52, 72 N-phase wire, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 121, 122, 123, 124, 131, 132, 141, 142, 143, 144, 161, 162, 163, 164, 211, 212, 213, 214, 221, 222, 231, 232, 251, 252, 253, 254, a, b, c terminals, 120 filter circuit, 130, 230 communication circuit, 140 power supply circuit, 151 shared line first connection portion, 152 shared line second connection portion, 160 non-insulated power supply circuit, 171, 173, 261 communication circuit first connection portion, 172, 174, 262 communication circuit second connection portion, 241 power supply circuit first connection portion, 242 Power supply circuit second connection portion, 250: isolated power supply circuit, TP1: first test terminal, TP2: second test terminal

Claims

1. An air conditioner configured to be connectable to other equipment via a cable including at least common lines and signal lines, A communication circuit that communicates with the other device via the signal line and the shared line, A power supply circuit in which the input and output are electrically isolated, the power supply circuit that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplies it to the communication circuit, The system includes a common line connection destination fixing unit that fixes the connection destination of the common line to either the external power supply or the power supply circuit, In a first configuration in which power received from the external power supply is supplied to the other equipment, the connection destination of the shared line is fixed to the external power supply, and in a second configuration different from the first configuration, the connection destination of the shared line is fixed to the power supply circuit. Air conditioner.

2. In the first configuration, the reference potential of the communication power is fixed to the potential of the external power supply. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

3. The power supply circuit is provided with enhanced insulation from the external power supply. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2.

4. On the external power supply side of the shared line connection destination fixing part, there is a first test terminal capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply, The shared line connection destination fixing part further comprises a second test terminal on the shared line side capable of measuring the potential of the shared line, In the first configuration, there is electrical conductivity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal, and in the second configuration, there is no electrical conductivity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2.

5. An air conditioner configured to be connectable to other equipment via a cable including at least common lines and signal lines, A communication circuit that communicates with the other device via the signal line and the shared line, A power supply circuit in which the input and output are not electrically isolated, and which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplies it to the communication circuit; A power supply circuit in which the input and output are electrically isolated, comprising an isolated power supply circuit that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the external power supply and supplies it to the communication circuit, The system includes a communication power source fixing unit that fixes the source of the communication power to either the non-isolated power supply circuit or the isolated power supply circuit, In a first configuration in which the fixed power source for communication supplies power received from the external power source to the other equipment, the power source for communication is fixed to the non-isolated power supply circuit. In a second configuration different from the first configuration, the power source for communication is fixed to the isolated power supply circuit. Air conditioner.

6. The isolated power supply circuit is mounted on a dedicated circuit board, and the circuit board is mounted in a removable manner. The air conditioner according to claim 5.

7. The isolated power supply circuit is reinforced insulated from the external power supply. The air conditioner according to claim 5 or 6.

8. On the external power supply side of the fixed power supply unit for communications, there is a first test terminal capable of measuring the potential of the external power supply, The fixed power supply unit for communications further includes a second test terminal on the common line side capable of measuring the potential of the common line, In the first configuration, there is electrical conductivity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal, and in the second configuration, there is no electrical conductivity between the first test terminal and the second test terminal. The air conditioner according to claim 5 or 6.

9. The system further includes a filter circuit to prevent noise from the external power supply, The non-isolated power supply circuit and the isolated power supply circuit are connected to the filter circuit. The air conditioner according to claim 5 or 6.

10. An air conditioning system in which a first device and a second device are connected via a cable including at least a common line and a signal line, A communication circuit that performs communication between the first device and the second device via the signal line and the shared line, A power supply circuit in which the input and output are not electrically isolated, and which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplies it to the communication circuit; A power supply circuit in which the input and output are electrically isolated, comprising an isolated power supply circuit that generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from the external power supply and supplies it to the communication circuit, The system includes a communication power source fixing unit that fixes the source of the communication power to either the non-isolated power supply circuit or the isolated power supply circuit, In a first configuration in which the fixed power source for communication supplies power received from the external power source from the first device to the second device, the power source for communication is fixed to the non-isolated power supply circuit. In a second configuration different from the first configuration, the power source for communication is fixed to the isolated power supply circuit. Air conditioning system.

11. The non-isolated power supply circuit is implemented in the first device, and the isolated power supply circuit is implemented in the second device. The air conditioning system according to claim 10.

12. A method for manufacturing an air conditioner comprising: a communication circuit configured to be connectable to other equipment via a cable including at least a common line and a signal line, and communicating with the other equipment via the signal line and the common line; and a power supply circuit having an input and an output that are electrically isolated, which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplies it to the communication circuit; When the air conditioner is configured to use the power received from the external power source to supply power to the other equipment, the connection destination of the shared line is fixed to the external power source. When the air conditioner is configured to use a second configuration different from the first configuration, the connection destination of the shared line is fixed to the power supply circuit. This includes a shared line connection step. A method for manufacturing air conditioners.

13. A method for manufacturing an air conditioner comprising: a communication circuit configured to be connectable to other equipment via a cable including at least a common line and a signal line, and communicating with the other equipment via the signal line and the common line; a non-isolated power supply circuit whose input and output are not electrically isolated, which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplies it to the communication circuit; and an isolated power supply circuit whose input and output are electrically isolated, which generates low-voltage communication power based on power received from an external power source and supplies it to the communication circuit; When the air conditioner is configured to use the power received from the external power source to supply power to the other equipment, the power source for communication is fixed to the non-isolated power supply circuit. When the air conditioner is configured to use the air conditioner to use a second configuration different from the first configuration, the power source for communication is fixed to the isolated power supply circuit. A method for manufacturing air conditioners.