Ceiling-embedded air conditioner

Abstract

This ceiling-embedded air conditioner is provided with: a body case in which a blowout port is provided on the front surface and a suction port is provided on a surface different from the front surface; a heat exchanger disposed inside the body case along the blowout port; and a blower housed in the body case and disposed on the diagonal back side of the heat exchanger such that some or all of the blower is positioned further to one side in the lateral direction than the back surface of the heat exchanger. The end on the other side in the lateral direction of the blower is positioned further to said one side than the end on the other side in the lateral direction on the back surface of the heat exchanger.

Description

Ceiling-mounted air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a ceiling-mounted air conditioner equipped with a blower.

[0002] Some ceiling-mounted air conditioners (hereinafter also referred to as indoor units) house an indoor heat exchanger and a fan, such as a sirocco fan, that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger within a main body case (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the ceiling-mounted air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1, the interior of the main body case is divided into a front-side outlet area and a rear-side intake area when viewed from the front, with the side with the air outlet facing the front. The indoor heat exchanger is located in the outlet area along the air outlet, and the fan is located directly behind the indoor heat exchanger in the intake area.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-233646

[0004] However, in a configuration in which the blower is located directly behind the indoor heat exchanger in the intake side area, such as the ceiling-mounted air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1, air is blown forward from a blower outlet located in front of the blower and flows directly into the rear of the indoor heat exchanger in the same direction. Therefore, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the entire lateral area of ​​the blower faces the indoor heat exchanger in the front-to-rear direction, and the indoor heat exchanger and the blower are located close to each other, which increases noise such as wind noise.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in light of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a ceiling-mounted air conditioner that can suppress an increase in noise such as wind noise.

[0006] The ceiling-mounted air conditioner of the present disclosure comprises a main body case having an air outlet on the front side and an air inlet on a side different from the front side, a heat exchanger arranged within the main body case along the air outlet, and a blower housed within the main body case and arranged diagonally behind the heat exchanger so that part or all of it is located to one side in the horizontal direction relative to the back surface of the heat exchanger, and the other end of the blower in the horizontal direction is located to one side of the other end of the back surface of the heat exchanger in the horizontal direction.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a ceiling-mounted air conditioner that can suppress an increase in noise such as wind noise.

[0008] 1 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 is installed in the ceiling space. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 as seen from above. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 as seen from below. FIG. 4 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system equipped with the ceiling-embedded air conditioner shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the ceiling-embedded air conditioner shown in FIG. 2 with the top plate removed. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the ceiling-embedded air conditioner shown in FIG. 2 with the controller disassembled and removed. FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing an example of an arrangement of a blower and an indoor heat exchanger different from the example of arrangement shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of the ceiling-embedded air conditioner shown in FIG. 6 with the controller removed.

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a ceiling-mounted air conditioner according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described below. Furthermore, in the following drawings, including FIG. 1, the size relationships between the components may differ from the actual size relationships. Furthermore, in the following description, terms indicating directions are used as appropriate to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure. However, these terms are for the purpose of explaining the present disclosure and do not limit the present disclosure. Examples of terms indicating directions include "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," and "rear." Note that the same or corresponding parts in each drawing will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0010] Embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic side view showing a ceiling-mounted air conditioner according to embodiment 1 installed above the ceiling. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from above. Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from below. In the figures, solid white arrows conceptually indicate air flow. The ceiling-mounted air conditioner is installed above the ceiling, draws in air from the space to be air-conditioned (room), heats or cools it, and supplies the air to the space to be air-conditioned through a ceiling opening 211o in a ceiling 200 via a duct or directly. Hereinafter, the ceiling-mounted air conditioner may be referred to as an indoor unit 100.

[0011] The indoor unit 100 is installed by being embedded in the ceiling 200 of the space to be air-conditioned. In the following description, the indoor unit 100 is defined as being installed within a dropped ceiling 210 as shown in FIG. 1 . The dropped ceiling 210 refers to an area where a portion of the ceiling 200 is lowered. When the dropped ceiling 210 is used as the installation space for the indoor unit 100, a larger installation space can generally be secured compared to when the indoor unit is installed indoors. Furthermore, when the indoor unit 100 is installed above the ceiling, the intake port 10b and the exhaust port 10a can be set relatively freely by, for example, installing ducts, thereby improving the interior design compared to room air conditioners installed indoors.

[0012] 1, a ceiling opening 211o is provided in a side portion 211 of the dropped ceiling 210, and a grill 6 is attached to the indoor side of the side portion 211 so as to cover the ceiling opening 211o. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that an inspection hatch is not provided in the dropped ceiling 210 (for example, the bottom portion 212) for the sake of the design of the ceiling 200.

[0013] The indoor unit 100 has a main body case 1 made of sheet metal that forms the outer shell. The main body case 1 is a rectangular parallelepiped box (see FIG. 2) with a hollow space formed inside. The main body case 1 is configured such that an air outlet 10a (see FIG. 2) is provided on a first surface S1, and an air inlet 10b (see FIG. 3) is provided on a second surface S2 different from the first surface S1. The first surface S1 and the second surface S2 of the main body case 1 are side surfaces that intersect at right angles.

[0014] The indoor unit 100 is configured so that the main body case 1 is suspended within a dropped ceiling 210 via multiple suspension bolts (not shown) installed vertically on beams or the like of the building. The indoor unit 100 is positioned so that the first surface S1, on which the air outlet 10a (see FIG. 2) of the main body case 1 is provided, faces the ceiling opening 211o. The indoor unit 100 introduces indoor air A1 into the dropped ceiling 210 through the ceiling opening 211o and the grill 6 provided in the side portion 211 of the dropped ceiling 210, and takes in the indoor air A2 that has flowed into the dropped ceiling 210 through the air inlet 10b into the main body case 1. The indoor unit 100 exchanges heat between the indoor air A2 taken into the main body case 1 and a refrigerant to generate conditioned air A3 whose temperature has been adjusted by cooling or heating, and then blows out the conditioned air A3 from the air outlet 10a of the main body case 1. The conditioned air A3 blown out from the air outlet 10a is blown into the room through the ceiling opening 211o provided in the side portion 211 of the dropped ceiling 210 and the grill 6. The conditioned air A4 blown out into the room cools or heats the room.

[0015] In the following, terms indicating directions ("up," "down," "right," "left," "front," or "rear") are defined as indicating directions when viewed from the front, with the second surface S2 of the indoor unit 100 as the bottom surface and the first surface S1 as the front surface. In the drawings, the arrow X direction indicates the width direction of the indoor unit 100, the arrow Y direction indicates the depth direction of the indoor unit 100, and the arrow Z direction indicates the height direction of the indoor unit 100.

[0016] 2, the main body case 1 is composed of a top plate 11 that forms the top surface, a right side plate 12 that forms the right side surface, a left side plate 13 that forms the left side surface, and a rear side plate 14 that forms the back surface (see FIG. 3). In addition, on the outside of the main body case 1, four hanging hardware 19 for hanging bolts are provided on both the left and right sides.

[0017] As shown in Figure 3, the indoor unit 100 includes, within a main body case 1, a blower 2 that circulates indoor air, an indoor heat exchanger 9 that exchanges heat between the indoor air and a refrigerant, and the like. The refrigerant may be water, antifreeze, or any other refrigerant. The indoor unit 100 also includes a drain pan 15 that collects drain water generated in the indoor heat exchanger 9, and a drain pump 16 (see Figure 5 described below) that discharges drain water accumulated inside the drain pan 15 to the outside. The indoor unit 100 also includes a controller 17 that controls functional components such as the blower 2 and the drain pump 18.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 3, the blower 2 is disposed on the left side within the main body case 1, and the indoor heat exchanger 9 is disposed on the right side within the main body case 1. The drain pan 15 is disposed below the indoor heat exchanger 9 and constitutes the right portion of the bottom surface of the main body case 1 (i.e., the above-mentioned second surface S2). The left portion of the bottom surface of the main body case 1 is opened by the intake port 10b. The controller 17 is disposed in front of the blower 2 and constitutes the left portion of the front surface of the main body case 1 (i.e., the above-mentioned first surface S1). The right portion of the front surface of the main body case 1 is opened by the air outlet 10a.

[0019] In the main body case 1, the suction port 10b may be provided on the top plate 11 constituting the upper surface, instead of on the bottom surface. In this case, the bottom plate is provided below the blower 2.

[0020] The indoor heat exchanger 9 is disposed on the right side and front side of the main body case 1, along the air outlet 10a. The indoor heat exchanger 9 has multiple gaps, and air flows through these gaps in the front-to-rear direction (direction of arrow Y). Therefore, the conditioned air A3 is blown out forward at the air outlet 10a. Hereinafter, the direction in which the conditioned air A3 is blown out at the air outlet 10a, i.e., the front-to-rear direction (direction of arrow Y), may be referred to as the blowing direction of the conditioned air A3.

[0021] Blower 2 has a fan 23, a fan motor 24 that rotates and drives fan 23, and a fan case 20 that houses fan 23 and fan motor 24. Hereinafter, fan 23 and fan motor 24, which are the main operating parts of blower 2, may be referred to as blower section 2x. Blower 2 is, for example, a centrifugal blower, fan 23 is, for example, a sirocco fan, and fan case 20 has a spiral shape. Blower 2 is disposed horizontally within main body case 1 so that the central axis Ax of fan 23 is aligned in the height direction (direction of arrow Z).

[0022] The fan case 20 is configured to be separable into two in the blowing direction (direction of arrow Y) of the conditioned air A3 described above, and has a first casing section 21 on the rear side that includes the blower outlet 20o (see FIG. 5 described below), and a second casing section 22 on the front side. For example, the first casing section 21 and the second casing section 22 of the fan case 20 are divided into front and rear sections by an imaginary plane that extends in the horizontal direction (direction of arrow X) and includes the central axis Ax of the fan 23. In other words, the blower 2 is configured so that the second casing section 22 can be removed from the first casing section 21 to expose the blower section 2x inside the fan case 20.

[0023] Fig. 4 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning system 400 equipped with the ceiling-mounted air conditioner shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 4, the above-mentioned indoor unit 100 is connected to the outdoor unit 300 by connecting piping 40p such as a liquid pipe and a gas pipe, and together with the outdoor unit 300, constitutes the air conditioning system 400.

[0024] The air conditioning system 400 has a refrigerant circuit 40 configured by connecting a compressor 41, an indoor heat exchanger 9, a flow control valve 42, and an outdoor heat exchanger 43 via piping. The air conditioning system 400 also includes the indoor blower (the above-mentioned blower 2) that blows air to the indoor heat exchanger 9, and an outdoor blower 44 that blows air to the outdoor heat exchanger 43. The air conditioning system 400 also includes a controller 17 that controls the refrigeration cycle, and a remote control 402 that is connected to the controller 17 wirelessly or by wire and that inputs commands from the user to the controller 17.

[0025] The indoor unit 100 is equipped with an indoor heat exchanger 9, a flow control valve 42, a blower 2, etc. As described above, the indoor unit 100 is also provided with a drain pan 51. The outdoor unit 300 is equipped with a compressor 41, an outdoor heat exchanger 43, and an outdoor blower 44.

[0026] In the example of Figure 4, the refrigerant circuit 40 is configured by connecting a compressor 41, an indoor heat exchanger 9, a flow control valve 42, and an outdoor heat exchanger 43 in this order, and is configured so that the outdoor unit 300 heats the space to be air-conditioned (indoors).

[0027] The configuration of the refrigerant circuit 40 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 4 . For example, the refrigerant circuit 40 may be configured such that the compressor 41, the outdoor heat exchanger 43, the flow control valve 42 (LEV), and the indoor heat exchanger 9 are connected in this order so that the indoor unit 100 heats the room. Alternatively, the refrigerant circuit 40 may be configured such that a flow switching device, such as a four-way valve, is provided on the refrigerant discharge side of the compressor 41 to switch between cooling and heating operation. The indoor heat exchanger 9 functions as a condenser during heating operation and as an evaporator during cooling operation. Meanwhile, the outdoor heat exchanger 43 functions as an evaporator during heating operation and as a condenser during cooling operation.

[0028] The controller 17 controls the actuators according to the operation mode, the required amount of heat exchange, etc. Specifically, the controller 17 controls the frequency of the compressor 41, the opening of the flow control valve 42, the fan rotation speed of the blower 2, and the fan rotation speed of the outdoor blower 44. The controller 17 is composed of dedicated hardware or a CPU (Central Processing Unit, also referred to as a central processing unit, processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, or processor) that executes a program stored in a storage device.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the ceiling-mounted air conditioner shown in FIG. 2 with the top plate 11 removed. As shown in FIG. 5, the indoor unit 100 has a partition plate 7 and a guide wall 8 inside the main body case 1. The partition plate 7 is a rectangular plate-like member extending in the depth direction (direction of arrow Y) and divides the interior space of the main body case 1 into a side for the blower 2 and a side for the indoor heat exchanger 9. The left end of the indoor heat exchanger 9 is attached to the front portion of the right surface of the partition plate 7. Hereinafter, within the interior space of the main body case 1, the space to the left of the partition plate 7 where the blower 2 is housed may be referred to as the blower housing space Sf, and the space to the right of the partition plate 7 where the indoor heat exchanger 9 is housed may be referred to as the heat exchanger housing space Sh.

[0030] A through-hole air opening 7o is provided at the rear side of the partition plate 7. A blower outlet 20o of the fan case 20 is connected to the air opening 7o of the partition plate 7. Specifically, the peripheral edge of the blower outlet 20o in the first casing portion 21 of the fan case 20 is fixed with screws to the peripheral edge of the air opening 7o on the left face of the partition plate 7. Air is sent from the blower 2 into the heat exchanger housing space Sh through the air opening 7o provided at the rear side of the partition plate 7.

[0031] The guide wall 8 is provided at the rear of the heat exchanger housing space Sh within the main body case 1. The guide wall 8 guides air toward the indoor heat exchanger 9, which is disposed perpendicular to the partition plate 7. The guide wall 8 curves forward and extends from the rear end of the right surface of the partition plate 7 to the right end of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9. The guide wall 8 slopes forward increasingly as it approaches the indoor heat exchanger 9, i.e., toward the right. The guide wall 8 extends rightward along the rear side panel 14 near the partition plate 7 and forward along the right side panel 12 near the indoor heat exchanger 9. Air sent from the blower 2 into the heat exchanger housing space Sh through the air outlet 7o, i.e., the airflow toward the right, is transformed by the guide wall 8 into a forward airflow and flows into the indoor heat exchanger 9.

[0032] Within the main body case 1, the blower 2 and the indoor heat exchanger 9 are arranged in the depth direction (arrow Y direction) such that the blower outlet 20o of the fan case 20 is located further back than the air inlet surface (i.e., the back surface 9b) of the indoor heat exchanger 9. When the inside of the main body case 1 is viewed from above, the blower 2 and the indoor heat exchanger 9 are arranged so that the surface on which the blower outlet 20o is formed intersects with the back surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9. In other words, when the inside of the main body case 1 is viewed from above, the partition plate 7 provided with the air blowing opening 7o and the indoor heat exchanger 9 are arranged so that the partition plate 7 intersects with the back surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9.

[0033] The blower 2x is attached to the main body case 1. Specifically, the motor body of the fan motor 24, to which the fan 23 is attached, is attached to the inside of the surface of the main body case 1 opposite to the surface on which the suction port 10b (see FIG. 3) is provided. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the suction port 10b is provided on the bottom surface of the main body case 1, and therefore the blower 2x is attached to the inner surface of the top plate 11. The motor body is fixed to the top plate 11 with fasteners such as screws. Note that the attachment structure for attaching the motor body to the top plate 11 is not limited to the above-mentioned fasteners. The attachment structure may be configured with, for example, rails that slidably support the motor body so that the blower 2x can be pulled forward.

[0034] In addition, if the intake port 10b is provided on the top plate 11 of the main body case 1 and a bottom plate is provided below the blower 2, the blower section 2x is attached to this bottom plate of the main body case 1 by an attachment structure.

[0035] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the ceiling-mounted air conditioner shown in Figure 2 with the controller 17 disassembled and removed. As shown in Figure 6, the controller 17 has a control board 17b that controls each functional component, a control box 17c that houses the control board 17b and each wiring, and a lid 17a that prevents moisture or dust from inside the ceiling 200 from entering the inside of the controller 17. The controller 17 has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0036] The controller 17 is detachably fixed to the main body case 1. Specifically, the control box 17c is attached to the main body case 1 from the front with fasteners 17e such as screws. The lid 17a is attached to the control box 17c, or to the main body case 1 via the control box 17c, from the front with fasteners 17d and 17f such as screws.

[0037] When viewed from the front surface (i.e., first surface S1) where the air outlet 10a is provided, the main body case 1 has a closing lid S1a that forms part of the front surface (first surface S1). That is, when the closing lid S1a is removed, the main body case 1 is configured such that an opening 10c is formed in part of the front surface.

[0038] The controller 17 may be attached to the closing lid S1a of the main body case 1, may be provided integrally with the closing lid S1a, or may be disposed between the blower 2x and the closing lid S1a inside the main body case 1. In either case, the controller 17 is disposed in front of the blower 2. The controller 17 is preferably disposed so that the lid 17a is located on the front side. Hereinafter, the controller 17 is defined as being provided integrally with the closing lid S1a, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0039] 6 , an opening 10c is provided on the left side of the front surface (first surface S1) of the main body case 1, and the opening 10c is closed when the controller 17 is attached. With the controller 17 attached, the lid 17a of the controller 17 forms the left side of the front surface (first surface S1) of the main body case 1. In other words, the lid 17a of the controller 17 functions as the closing lid portion S1a of the main body case 1.

[0040] In addition, in the example of Figure 6, the upper, left, and lower sides of the control box 17c form part of the upper, left, and lower sides of the main body case 1, so when the controller 17 is removed from the main body case 1, the space around the opening 10c becomes slightly wider on the upper, left, and lower sides.

[0041] 1 and 3 to 6, a method of accessing the controller 17 and the blower 2 during maintenance (e.g., inspection, cleaning, or part replacement) of the indoor unit 100 of the present disclosure will be described. As described above, the present disclosure assumes a case in which an inspection hatch is not provided in the dropped ceiling 210 (e.g., the bottom surface 212) due to the design of the ceiling 200. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, maintenance of the controller 17 and the blower 2 is performed by a worker inserting their hands through a ceiling opening 211o that is opened by removing the grill 6 provided in the dropped ceiling 210.

[0042] As described above, in the indoor unit 100 of the present disclosure, the opening 10c (see FIG. 6 ) is provided on the front surface (first surface S1) of the main body case 1 where the air outlet 10a is provided, i.e., on the side surface facing the ceiling opening 211o and located in front of the blower 2. This configuration makes it easy to perform maintenance on the controller 17 and the blower 2 even after installation of the indoor unit 100 is complete, as described below.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 and 6, a worker can reach through the ceiling opening 211o to access the controller 17 on the front of the main body case 1. For example, the worker can use the ceiling opening 211o to attach and detach the cover 17a of the controller 17, attach and detach wiring, or attach and detach the control box 17c. The direction in which the cover 17a is attached to the control box 17c, the direction in which the control box 17c is attached to the main body case 1, and the direction in which the cover 17a and the control box 17c are fastened (i.e., the direction in which the fasteners 17d, 17e, and 17f are pushed in) are all forward and backward (in the direction of arrow Y). The worker can fasten and detach components from the front. This facilitates fastening and detaching of components. After removing the controller 17 from the indoor unit 100, the worker can perform maintenance in a space larger than the ceiling 200 (e.g., indoors).

[0044] 1, 5, and 6, an operator can reach into the main body case 1 and access the blower 2 through the front opening 10c created by removing the controller 17. For example, the operator can use the front opening 10c to attach or detach the front second casing section 22 of the fan case 20 or the blower section 2x. In this way, the front opening 10c of the main body case 1 also functions as a path for attaching or detaching the blower section 2x or the second casing section 22. In a configuration in which these components can be attached or detached, the opening 10c is formed to be large enough for them to pass through.

[0045] Specifically, the width Wo of the opening 10c is greater than the width of the blower 2x (for example, the outer diameter Lf of the fan 23 shown in FIG. 7, which will be described later) and the width Wc of the second casing 22 (see FIG. 7, which will be described later). Also, the height Ho of the opening 10c is greater than the height Hf of the blower 2x (see FIG. 8, which will be described later) and the height of the second casing 22 (not shown).

[0046] After removing the second casing part 22, the worker can reach into the main body case 1 through the front opening 10c and perform maintenance on the exposed air blower 2x. Also, the worker can pull out the air blower 2x to the outside through the front opening 10c and then perform maintenance on the air blower 2x in a space (e.g., indoors) that is larger than the inside of the ceiling 200.

[0047] 5, the fan case 20 is divided in the front-to-rear direction (direction of arrow Y) at a position such that the opening width (not shown) of the first casing portion 21 and the second casing portion 22 at the dividing boundary is greater than the outer diameter Lf (see FIG. 7 described below), which is the maximum width of the fan 23. This allows the front second casing portion 22 to be removed without interfering with the outer periphery of the fan 23, and also allows the blower portion 2x to be removed after removing the second casing portion 22 without interfering with the peripheral wall of the rear first casing portion 21.

[0048] 5, the first casing portion 21 at the rear of the fan case 20, which includes the blower outlet 20o, is fixed to the partition plate 7 and incorporated into the main body case 1. Specifically, the first casing portion 21 has a plate-shaped frame portion (not shown) around the blower outlet 20o, and this frame portion faces the left side surface of the partition plate 7 shown in FIG. 5 and is fixed with screws to the peripheral edge of the air opening 7o in the partition plate 7. The second casing portion 22 is attached to the first casing portion 21 and incorporated into the main body case 1.

[0049] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, fan case 20 has opposing top and bottom wall portions 20a and 20b, and a peripheral wall portion 20c connecting the outer peripheries of top and bottom wall portions 20a and 20b. Fan openings 20ao and 20bo are provided in top and bottom wall portions 20a and 20b, respectively. As described above, fan outlet 20o is provided in a portion of the outer periphery of fan case 20 (specifically, in the frame portion provided around fan outlet 20o of first casing portion 21). In a configuration in which air inlet 10b is provided on the bottom surface of main body case 1, when blower 2 is housed in main body case 1, fan opening 20bo provided in bottom wall portion 20b of fan case 20 functions as fan inlet 20i. The blower 2 is disposed in the main body case 1 so that the blower outlet 20 o faces the blower opening 7 o of the partition plate 7 .

[0050] In the example of Figure 5 above, when the inside of the main body case 1 is viewed from the front side (i.e., the first surface S1) where the air outlet 10a is provided, the blower 2 and the indoor heat exchanger 9 are positioned such that the entire blower 2 is located to the left of the indoor heat exchanger 9.

[0051] In this case, the blower 2 does not overlap the indoor heat exchanger 9 in a front view. Therefore, the blower outlet 20o of the blower 2 does not have a portion facing the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9, i.e., the surface upstream of the air flow in the indoor heat exchanger 9, in the depth direction (arrow Y direction). Furthermore, the air blown out from the blower outlet 20o changes direction on its way to the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 and flows into the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9. Therefore, compared to the conventional case, the area of ​​the blower 2 facing the indoor heat exchanger 9 is smaller, and the air path from the blower 2 to the indoor heat exchanger 9 is longer, thereby suppressing an increase in noise, such as wind noise. The longer air path from the blower 2 to the indoor heat exchanger 9 allows air with a more average wind speed to flow into the indoor heat exchanger 9 than in the conventional case.

[0052] Furthermore, as described above, when a curved guide wall 8 is provided in the air passage from the blower 2 to the indoor heat exchanger 9, the air gradually changes direction along the guide wall 8 while flowing through the air passage, allowing for smooth direction changes.

[0053] Note that in the present disclosure, the arrangement of the blower 2 and the indoor heat exchanger 9 is not limited to the above arrangement. In the present disclosure, the blower 2 may be arranged diagonally behind the indoor heat exchanger 9 within the main body case 1 so that part or all of the blower 2 is located to one side of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 in the horizontal direction (the direction of arrow X). Here, the other end of the blower 2 in the horizontal direction is located to one side of the other end of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 in the horizontal direction. In other words, when the inside of the main body case 1 is viewed from the front side (i.e., the first surface S1), at least this other end of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 does not overlap with the blower 2.

[0054] 7 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of an arrangement of the blower 2 and the indoor heat exchanger 9 different from the example of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5 . In the example illustrated in FIG. 7 , when the interior of the main body case 1 is viewed from the front (i.e., the first surface S1), a portion of the blower 2, including the left end 2L, is positioned to the left of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9, and the remaining portion of the blower 2, including the right end 2R, is positioned behind the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9. In addition, within the main body case 1, the right end 2R of the blower 2 is positioned to the left of the right end 9R on the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9. In other words, when the interior of the main body case 1 is viewed from the front (i.e., the first surface S1), the left end 9L on the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 overlaps with the blower 2, but the right end 9R on the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 does not overlap with the blower 2.

[0055] Even in this case, the area of ​​the blower 2 facing the indoor heat exchanger 9 is smaller than in the conventional case, and the air path from the blower 2 to the indoor heat exchanger 9 is longer, so an increase in noise such as wind noise is suppressed.

[0056] 7 , the majority of the blower 2, including its left end 2L and central axis Ax, is disposed to the left of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9. In this case, the front portion (the portion indicated by diagonal lines in FIG. 7 ), including the front end 2F of the blower 2, can be disposed in front of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 in the depth direction (the direction of the arrow Y).

[0057] Incidentally, ceiling-mounted air conditioners (indoor units 100) with small height and depth dimensions for the main body case 1 are preferred in order to make the ceiling 200 appear higher and because they are likely to be installed near an entrance passage. Also, when installed in a space where it is difficult to ensure depth, such as a ceiling recess, there are conventional indoor units 100 with a configuration in which the suction port 10b of the indoor unit 100 can be switched between being located on the back side and the bottom side so that the suction port 10b is not blocked.

[0058] In the indoor unit 100 of the present disclosure, as described above, the front portion of the blower 2 can be positioned forward of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9 in the depth direction (arrow Y direction), which allows the diameter of the fan 23 to be increased while maintaining the depth, width, and height dimensions. Furthermore, by placing the blower 2 horizontally, an intake port 10b can be provided on the bottom surface, allowing for a configuration in which air is drawn in from below.

[0059] Figure 8 is a schematic front view of the ceiling-mounted air conditioner (indoor unit 100) with the controller 17 shown in Figure 6 removed. The air velocity distribution at the air outlet 10a of the indoor unit 100 will be described using Figure 8. In Figure 8, the dashed-dotted line L10 and the dashed-two-dotted line L11 each connect positions where the air velocity is equal. In Figure 8, the air outlet 10a is divided into three regions, viewed from the front, in order of increasing air velocity: a first region R1 within line L10, a second region R2 outside line L10 and within line L11, and a third region R3 outside line L11.

[0060] In a conventional indoor unit 100, multiple small fans 23 are arranged horizontally (in the direction of arrow X) directly behind the horizontally elongated indoor heat exchanger 9. Each fan 23 is vertically oriented with its central axis Ax extending horizontally (in the direction of arrow X) and the blower outlet 20o located in front of it. In this conventional indoor unit 100, the air speed distribution at the outlet 10a of the indoor unit 100 is such that a high-air speed region (e.g., first region R1) is interrupted horizontally (in the direction of arrow X). Furthermore, at the outlet 10a, there are regions between the fans 23 where the air speed is extremely slow (e.g., a region where the air speed is slower than the air speed in the third region R3).

[0061] On the other hand, in the indoor unit 100 of the present disclosure, the air speed distribution at the air outlet 10a of the indoor unit 100 is such that regions of high air speed (for example, the first region R1) are continuous in the horizontal direction (the direction of the arrow X). Also, the formation of regions of extremely slow air speed at the air outlet 10a is suppressed.

[0062] As described above, the ceiling-mounted air conditioner (indoor unit 100) according to Embodiment 1 includes a main body case 1 having an air outlet 10a on the front surface thereof and an air inlet 10b on a surface different from the front surface (e.g., rear panel 14). The ceiling-mounted air conditioner also includes a heat exchanger (indoor heat exchanger 9) arranged within the main body case 1 along the air outlet 10a, and a blower 2 housed within the main body case 1 and positioned diagonally behind the heat exchanger so that part or all of the blower 2 is located laterally to one side of the rear surface 9b of the heat exchanger. The other lateral end of the blower 2 is located to one side of the other lateral end of the rear surface 9b of the heat exchanger.

[0063] As a result, compared to the conventional case, the area of ​​the blower 2 facing the indoor heat exchanger 9 is smaller, and the air path from the blower 2 to the indoor heat exchanger 9 is longer. Therefore, compared to the conventional case, an increase in noise such as wind noise is suppressed, and the air speed is averaged at the indoor heat exchanger 9 and the air outlet 10a, improving heat exchange performance.

[0064] The blower 2 is placed horizontally so that the extension direction of the central axis Ax is the vertical direction (the direction of the arrow Z). The heat exchanger (indoor heat exchanger 9) and the blower 2 are arranged so that the central axis Ax of the blower 2 is located to one side of the back surface 9b of the heat exchanger in the horizontal direction (the direction of the arrow X).

[0065] 7, a portion of the front side of the blower 2 can be positioned forward of the rear surface 9b of the indoor heat exchanger 9, allowing the diameter of the fan 23 to be increased while maintaining the depth, width, and height dimensions of the main body case 1. Furthermore, by placing the blower 2 horizontally, an intake port 10b can be provided on the bottom surface of the main body case 1, allowing for a configuration in which air is drawn in from below.

[0066] In addition, the ceiling-mounted air conditioner (indoor unit 100) is provided within the main body case 1 and has a curved guide wall 8 that guides air from the blower 2 to the back surface 9b of the heat exchanger so that air flows from the back to the front at the back surface 9b of the heat exchanger.

[0067] In this way, by providing a curved guide wall 8 in the air path from the blower 2 to the indoor heat exchanger 9, which is longer than in the conventional case, the air gradually changes direction along the guide wall 8 while flowing through the path, and the wind speed is averaged.

[0068] The blower 2 also has a sirocco fan and a fan motor 24 that rotates and drives the sirocco fan. An opening 10c large enough for the sirocco fan and fan motor 24 to pass through is formed on one lateral side of the air outlet 10a on the front surface of the main body case 1, and a removable closing lid S1a is provided on this opening 10c.

[0069] As a result, when the blocking lid portion S1a is removed, an opening 10c separate from the air outlet 10a is formed on the front surface of the main body case 1. This opening 10c is large enough to allow the sirocco fan and fan motor 24 to pass through. Therefore, during maintenance, an operator can remove the air blower 2x from the main body case 1 through the opening 10c without removing the indoor heat exchanger 9, making maintenance of these components easy.

[0070] The ceiling-mounted air conditioner (indoor unit 100) is also provided with a controller 17 that is attached to the front side of the closing lid S1a or is provided integrally with the closing lid S1a. This allows workers to easily access the controller 17 during maintenance, making it easy to perform maintenance on the controller.

[0071] The ceiling-mounted air conditioner (indoor unit 100) also includes a controller 17 provided on one lateral side of the air outlet 10a on the front surface of the main body case 1. This allows workers to easily access the controller 17 during maintenance, making maintenance of the controller easy.

[0072] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, while an example using a sirocco fan as the fan 23 has been described, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and other types of fans such as turbo fans can be used in the same manner. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the blower 2 is horizontally placed and the indoor unit 100 is configured to draw air from below, but the blower 2 may be vertically placed and the indoor unit 100 may draw air from the rear.

[0073] 1 main body case, 2 blower, 2F front end, 2L left end, 2R right end, 2x blower section, 6 grill, 7 partition plate, 7o blower opening, 8 guide wall, 9 indoor heat exchanger, 9L left end, 9b rear surface, 10a outlet, 10b intake port, 10c opening, 11 top plate, 12 right side plate, 13 left side plate, 14 rear side plate, 15 drain pan, 16 drain pump, 17 controller, 17a lid, 17b control board, 17c control box, 17d fixing device, 17e fixing device, 17f fixing device, 18 drain pump, 19 hanging hardware, 20 fan case, 20a upper wall portion, 20ao blower opening, 20b bottom wall portion, 20bo blower opening, 20c Circumferential wall portion, 20i: blower suction port, 20o: blower outlet port, 21: first casing portion, 22: second casing portion, 23: fan, 24: fan motor, 40: refrigerant circuit, 40p: connecting piping, 41: compressor, 42: flow control valve, 43: outdoor heat exchanger, 44: outdoor blower, 51: drain pan, 100: indoor unit, 200: ceiling, 210: ceiling, 211: side portion, 211o: ceiling opening, 212: bottom portion, 300: outdoor unit, 400: air conditioning system, 402: remote control, A1: indoor air, A2: indoor air, A3: conditioned air, A4: conditioned air, Ax: central axis, Hf: height, Ho: height, Lf: outer diameter, R1: first region, R2: second region, R3: third region, S1: first surface, S1a: Blocking lid portion, S2 second surface, Sf blower accommodating space, Sh heat exchanger accommodating space.

Claims

1. A ceiling-embedded air conditioner, comprising: a main body case having an air outlet provided on a front surface thereof and a suction port provided on a surface different from the front surface; a heat exchanger disposed in the main body case along the air outlet; and a blower disposed in the main body case and partially or entirely located obliquely behind the heat exchanger on one side in the lateral direction with respect to the back surface of the heat exchanger, wherein an end portion of the blower on the other side in the lateral direction is located on the one side with respect to an end portion of the back surface of the heat exchanger on the other side in the lateral direction.

2. The ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the blower is horizontally disposed such that the extending direction of a central axis thereof is in the vertical direction, and the heat exchanger and the blower are disposed such that the central axis of the blower is located on the one side in the lateral direction with respect to the back surface of the heat exchanger.

3. The ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a curved guide wall provided in the main body case for guiding air from the blower to the back surface of the heat exchanger such that the air flows from the back side to the front side.

4. The ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the blower has a sirocco fan and a fan motor for rotationally driving the sirocco fan, and an opening large enough for the sirocco fan and the fan motor to pass through is formed on the one side in the lateral direction of the air outlet on the front surface of the main body case, and a detachable closing lid is provided at the opening.

5. The ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to claim 4, further comprising a controller attached to the front side of the closing lid or provided integrally with the closing lid.

6. The ceiling-embedded air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a controller provided on the one side in the lateral direction of the air outlet on the front surface of the main body case.

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