Outdoor unit for air-conditioning device

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is an outdoor unit for an air-conditioning device, the outdoor unit comprising a housing that has an internal space that is divided into a heat exchange chamber and a machine chamber. The housing has a ventilation part through which external air that flows into the machine chamber passes. The ventilation part has a ventilation port, a guide part, and a shielding part. The guide part has a first opening part that opens downward to the outside of the housing. The shielding part has a second opening part that opens downward to the inside of the housing and has an opening length that is shorter than the opening length of the first opening part. An upper end of the ventilation port is positioned above a lower end of an electrical component that is provided in the machine chamber.

Description

Air conditioning outdoor unit

[0001] The present invention relates to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner.

[0002] The outdoor unit of an air conditioner includes a housing having an internal space partitioned into a heat exchange chamber and a machine chamber, a heat exchanger and an outdoor fan disposed in the heat exchange chamber, and a compressor and electrical components disposed in the machine chamber. A vent is provided in the panel forming the outer shell of the machine chamber (the side of the housing), and the rotation of the outdoor fan draws outside air into the machine chamber through this vent to cool the electrical components and prevent temperature rise.

[0003] On the other hand, water droplets such as rainwater that are drawn into the machinery compartment through the vent along with the outside air may adhere to the electrical components, potentially causing short circuits or electrical leakage in the electrical components. To solve this problem, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a structure that prevents raindrops from entering the machinery compartment through the vent by providing a shielding portion in the vent that extends toward the inside of the machinery compartment.

[0004] Patent No. 7094355

[0005] However, since the amount of heat generated by electrical components increases as the air conditioning capacity of the air conditioner increases, in air conditioners with relatively high air conditioning capacity, such as those in which multiple indoor units are connected to an outdoor unit, it may be necessary to reduce the distance between the vent and the electrical components in order to sufficiently cool the electrical components. In this case, a technology is required that can ensure sufficient cooling of the electrical components by external air while preventing water droplets, such as rainwater, from being drawn into the machine room through the vent.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an outdoor unit for an air conditioning system that can prevent water droplets such as rainwater from entering the machine room while ensuring sufficient cooling effect of electrical components using outside air.

[0007] An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to one aspect of the present invention includes a housing having an interior space partitioned into a heat exchange chamber and a machine chamber, a heat exchanger and an outdoor fan disposed in the heat exchange chamber, and a compressor and electrical components disposed in the machine chamber. The housing includes a panel portion forming at least a portion of the outer periphery of the machine chamber, and a vent portion provided in the panel portion through which external air flows from the outside of the housing into the machine chamber. The vent portion includes an air vent hole penetrating the panel portion, a guide portion, and a shield portion. The guide portion has a first opening portion that opens downward and outward from the panel portion and has a first opening length that is a length in a first direction parallel to the outer surface of the panel portion, and guides the external air from the first opening portion to the air vent hole. The shield portion has a second opening portion that opens downward and inward from the panel portion and has a second opening length that is shorter than the first length. The upper end of the air vent hole is located above the lower end of the electrical components.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent water droplets such as rainwater from entering the machine room while ensuring a sufficient cooling effect of the electrical components by the outside air.

[0009] 1 is a front perspective view showing the entire outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the entire outdoor unit; FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the outdoor unit; FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of an electrical unit arranged in a housing of the outdoor unit, as viewed from the rear side of the housing; FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the electrical unit; FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the electrical unit, as viewed from the front side of the housing; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the circuit surfaces of each circuit board constituting the electrical unit, where (A) is a first circuit board and (B) is a second circuit board. FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the state when the external cover member is removed in FIG. 4; FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the state when the internal cover member is removed in FIG. 6; FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a main part showing an air vent and an electrical unit; FIG. 11 is an outer perspective view showing the entire external cover member; FIG. 12 is an inner perspective view showing the entire external cover member; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the entire external cover member as viewed from below; FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the relationship between an opening (first opening) and a protrusion in the external cover member, where (A) is a bottom view and (B) is a side cross-sectional view. FIG. 15 is an outer perspective view showing the entire internal cover member. 1A and 1B are a perspective view of the inner surface side showing the entire inner cover member, a side view of the inner cover member, and a bottom view of the inner cover member.

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Figures 1 and 2 show the entire outdoor unit 100 of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 being a perspective view from the front side and Figure 2 being a perspective view from the rear side. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the outdoor unit 100. In each figure, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis indicate three axial directions that are orthogonal to each other, with the X-axis corresponding to the front-rear direction (second direction), the Y-axis corresponding to the left-right direction (first direction), and the Z-axis corresponding to the height direction (third direction).

[0012] [Overall Schematic Configuration of the Outdoor Unit] The outdoor unit 100 is connected to an indoor unit (not shown) via refrigerant piping (not shown). The outdoor unit 100 includes a metal housing 10 that forms the outer shell of the outdoor unit 100. As shown in FIG. 3 , the housing 10 has an internal space 10s that is partitioned into a heat exchange chamber 1 and a machinery chamber 2. A heat exchanger (outdoor heat exchanger) 4, an outdoor fan 5, and the like are disposed in the heat exchange chamber 1. In the machinery chamber 2, a compressor 6, an accumulator 7, an electrical unit (electrical components) 8 equipped with various electronic components that control each part of the outdoor unit 100, and the like are disposed. The heat exchange chamber 1 and the machinery chamber 2 are partitioned by a partition plate 3 disposed inside the housing 10.

[0013] The housing 10 has a top panel 11 , a heat exchange chamber front panel 12 , a machine chamber front panel 13 , a machine chamber rear panel 14 , side panels 15 , and a bottom plate 16 .

[0014] The top panel 11 forms the top surface of the housing 10, and the bottom panel 16 forms the bottom surface of the housing 10. The heat exchange chamber 1 is formed by the partition plate 3, the top panel 11, the heat exchange chamber front panel 12, the side panels 15, and the bottom plate 16. The machine chamber 2 is formed by the partition plate 3, the top panel 11, the machine chamber front panel 13, the machine chamber rear panel 14, and the bottom plate 16. The machine chamber front panel 13 has an upper front panel portion 13a and a lower front panel portion 13b, and the machine chamber rear panel 14 has an upper rear panel portion 14a and a lower rear panel portion 14b.

[0015] The heat exchange chamber 1 takes in external air from the rear side of the housing 10 and blows it out from the front side. A fan guard 12G is provided on the heat exchange chamber front panel 12. The outdoor fan 5 is disposed in the heat exchange chamber 1 via a fan motor fixing portion 5A fixed to the bottom plate 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the heat exchanger 4 has an L-shaped planar shape that bends from the rear of the heat exchange chamber 1 toward the inside of the side panel 15. The heat exchanger 4 covers almost the entire rear surface of the heat exchange chamber 1 and is exposed to the outside through a rectangular opening formed between the top panel 11, the bottom plate 16, the machine chamber rear panel 14, and the side panel 15, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0016] The compressor 6 and accumulator 7 disposed in the machine room 2 are installed on a bottom plate 16. The electrical unit 8 is disposed in the upper part of the machine room 2, above the compressor 6 and the accumulator 7. The machine room 2 also contains a piping group 4P (see FIG. 3 ) consisting of a plurality of closely spaced refrigerant piping connected to the heat exchanger 4, and various wiring groups connecting the electrical unit 8 to the outdoor fan 5 and the compressor 6.

[0017] Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of the electrical unit 8 and ventilation section 20 arranged in the machine chamber 2, as viewed from the rear side of the housing 10. Fig. 5 is a partial side view of the electrical unit 8 and ventilation section 20. Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view of the electrical unit 8 and ventilation section 20, as viewed from the front side of the housing 10. Note that the partition plate 3, heat exchanger 4, etc. are omitted from Figs. 4 to 6, and the machine chamber front panel 13 is also omitted from Figs. 5 and 6.

[0018] The electrical unit 8 includes a circuit board 82 on which a plurality of electronic components 81 for controlling the operation of the outdoor fan 5, compressor 6, etc. are mounted. In this embodiment, the circuit board 82 has a first circuit board 82-1 and a second circuit board 82-2. The first circuit board 82-1 is disposed on the front side of the electrical unit 8, and the second circuit board 82-2 is disposed on the rear side of the electrical unit 8. FIG. 7(A) is a diagram showing the circuit side of the first circuit board 82-1. FIG. 7(B) is a diagram showing the circuit side of the second circuit board 82-2.

[0019] A filter circuit is mounted on the first circuit board 82-1. The filter circuit is connected to the power supply line between the input terminal and the rectifier circuit. A common mode choke coil 81a is connected to the filter circuit as the electronic component 81 to reduce noise caused by switching of the rectifier circuit and inverter circuit.

[0020] A rectifier circuit 81d, a booster circuit, and an inverter circuit 81e are mounted on the second circuit board 82-2. The booster circuit is connected to electronic components 81, such as a switching element 81f, a choke coil 81b, and a capacitor 81c for charging and discharging power.

[0021] In the inverter circuit 81e, six switching elements 81f, each made of a power semiconductor element, are connected in a three-phase bridge to form a switching circuit. The inverter circuit 81e converts the DC voltage of the capacitor 81c into a three-phase AC voltage and supplies the converted DC voltage to a motor (M) serving as a load. The inverter circuit adjusts the rotation speed and output torque of the motor (M) by controlling the switching (ON / OFF) of each switching element (not shown) in the inverter circuit. A cooling device 83 for cooling the power semiconductor elements is provided in the rectifier circuit 81d, part of the boost circuit (switching elements 81f), and the inverter circuit 81e. In this embodiment, the cooling device 83 is a refrigerant cooling device that bypasses part of the refrigerant and performs cooling using the refrigerant.

[0022] The first circuit board 82-1 is arranged so that the circuit surface on which the electronic components 81 are mounted faces the machine chamber front panel 13 of the machine chamber 2. The second circuit board 82-2 is arranged so that the circuit surface faces the machine chamber rear panel 14. Both circuit boards are attached to the electrical unit support member 8A installed in the machine chamber 2 (see FIG. 5).

[0023] Of the electronic components 81 mounted in the electrical unit 8, coils and capacitors generate heat during operation of the outdoor unit 100. For this reason, the outdoor unit 100 needs to cool the heat-generating electronic components with external air drawn into the interior of the housing 10 by the rotation of the outdoor fan 5. In this embodiment, a ventilation section 20 through which external air flowing from outside the housing 10 into the interior of the machine chamber 2 passes is provided in a position facing the electrical unit 8 in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction) on the upper rear panel section 14a of the machine chamber rear panel 14, which forms part of the housing 10.

[0024] The electrical unit support member 8A is installed at a predetermined distance from the machinery compartment front panel 13 so as to provide a gap between them. Providing a gap between the electrical unit support member 8A and the machinery compartment front panel 13 allows external air that has passed through the ventilation section 20 to pass through the gap, thereby allowing the external air to be delivered to the first circuit board 82-1. Furthermore, the electrical unit support member 8A of this embodiment has a notch 8Ac (see FIGS. 7A and 7B ) near the common mode choke coil 81a mounted on the first circuit board 82-1. This allows external air to more easily reach the heat-generating component (common mode choke coil 81a) of the first circuit board 82-1, which is located on the back side of the electrical unit support member 8A when viewed from the ventilation section 20 side.

[0025] [Ventilation Section] Next, the ventilation section 20 will be described in detail.

[0026] 5, the ventilation section 20 is provided at a position facing the electrical unit 8 of the upper rear panel 14a in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). The ventilation section 20 has a ventilation hole 21 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) that penetrates the upper rear panel 14a, an external cover member 22 attached to the outer surface of the upper rear panel 14a so as to cover the ventilation hole 21, and an internal cover member 23 attached to the internal surface of the upper rear panel 14a so as to cover the ventilation hole 21.

[0027] Fig. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the state when the outer cover member 22 is removed in Fig. 4, and Fig. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the state when the inner cover member 23 is removed in Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the main part showing the vent 21 and the electrical unit 8.

[0028] (Ventilation Opening) The ventilation opening 21 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the ventilation opening 21 includes a first ventilation opening 211 and a second ventilation opening 212. By providing these two ventilation openings 211, 212 as the ventilation opening 21, the opening area of ​​the ventilation opening 21 is increased, thereby ensuring the amount of external air that flows in necessary to cool the electrical unit 8.

[0029] The first ventilation opening 211 and the second ventilation opening 212 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction of the upper rear panel portion 14a, and the second ventilation opening 212 is located below the first ventilation opening 211. As shown in FIG. 10 , the upper end (21H) of the ventilation opening 21 (first ventilation opening 211) is positioned so as to be higher than the lower end (8L) of the electrical unit 8. This positioning reduces the distance between the ventilation section 20 and the electrical unit 8. This allows the external air passing through the ventilation section 20 to quickly hit the electrical unit 8 before being heated inside the machine chamber 2. This improves the cooling effect of the external air passing through the ventilation section 20 on the electrical unit 8. In this embodiment, not only the upper end of the ventilation section 21 but also the lower end (21L) of the ventilation opening 21 (second ventilation opening 212) is positioned so as to be higher than the lower end (8L) of the electrical unit 8. As a result, the electronic component mounted on the second circuit board 82-2 (the choke coil 81b in the example of FIG. 10) is positioned at the same height as the ventilation opening 21, and the distance between the ventilation section 20 and the electrical unit 8 becomes even closer.

[0030] The first ventilation opening 211 and the second ventilation opening 212 are each a group of through holes that are an aggregate of a plurality of through holes. The shape and size of each through hole are not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, each ventilation opening 211, 212 is formed from punched metal that is an aggregate of circular holes with a diameter of approximately 3 mm. Of course, this is not a limitation, and each ventilation opening 211, 212 may have other shapes such as a lattice shape or a mesh shape.

[0031] (External Cover Member) Next, the external cover member of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. Figure 11 is a perspective view of the outer surface side showing the entire external cover member 22, Figure 12 is a perspective view of the inner surface side showing the entire external cover member 22, and Figure 13 is a perspective view of the entire external cover member 22 as seen from below.

[0032] The external cover member 22 prevents the ventilation opening 21 from being exposed to the outside and prevents rainwater from entering the ventilation opening 21. The external cover member 22 is a molded body made of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene (PP). The external cover member 22 of this embodiment has a first external cover 221, a second external cover 222, and a connecting portion 223 that connects the first external cover 221 and the second external cover 222 together.

[0033] 4 and 8, the first outer cover 221 is disposed on the outer surface of the upper rear panel 14a so as to face the first ventilation opening 211. Meanwhile, the second outer cover 222 is disposed on the outer surface of the upper rear panel 14a so as to face the second ventilation opening 212.

[0034] 12 , the inner surface of the external cover member 22 has an abutment surface 224 that comes into contact with the outer surface of the upper rear panel portion 14a. The abutment surface 224 is a flat surface that forms part of each of the first external cover 221, the second external cover 222, and the connecting portion 223. An upper end portion 224U of the abutment surface 224 has three engagement claws 225 that protrude toward the front (positive X direction) and are spaced apart in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

[0035] The first external cover 221 has a shallow dish shape with an opening end 221T extending longitudinally in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) at its lower end, and the interior of the first external cover 221 forms an inflow passage P1 (see FIG. 14B ) connecting the opening end 221T and the first ventilation port 211. The second external cover 222 also has a shallow dish shape with an opening end 222T extending longitudinally in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) at its lower end, and the interior of the second external cover 222 forms an inflow passage P1 (see FIG. 14B ) connecting the opening end 222T and the second ventilation port 212. In addition, latching claws 226 protruding toward the front (+X direction) are provided at both ends in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the inner surface 222B of the second external cover 222 that are perpendicular to the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) of the housing 10.

[0036] The three engagement claws 225 of the external cover member 22 are engaged with three engagement holes 141 provided in the upper rear panel portion 14a directly above the first ventilation opening 211. The two latching claws 226 of the external cover member 22 are latched with two latching holes 142 provided on both sides of the second ventilation opening 212 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) in the upper rear panel portion 14a. In this manner, the external cover member 22 is attached to the upper rear panel portion 14a.

[0037] When the external cover member 22 is attached to the outer surface of the upper rear panel portion 14a, an opening W11 (FIGS. 4 and 14A) is formed between the opening end 221T of the first external cover 221 and the outer surface of the upper rear panel portion 14a. Similarly, an opening W12 (FIGS. 4 and 14A) is formed between the opening end 222T of the second external cover 222 and the outer surface of the upper rear panel portion 14a. In this embodiment, the openings W11 and W12 are formed to be the same or approximately the same shape and size. In this embodiment, the opening length, which is the length in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the opening W11 on the first external cover 221 side, is formed slightly shorter than the opening length of the opening W12 on the second external cover 222 side.

[0038] The openings W11 and W12 correspond to the "first opening" of the present invention, which opens downward and outward from the upper rear panel portion 14a. The first outer cover 221 corresponds to the "guide" of the present invention, which guides external air from the opening W11 to the first ventilation port 211. Similarly, the second outer cover 222 corresponds to the "guide" of the present invention, which guides external air from the opening W12 to the second ventilation port 212.

[0039] The connecting portion 223 is a plate-shaped portion that connects the first external cover 221 and the second external cover 222 in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction). By providing the connecting portion 223, the external cover member 22 having the first external cover portion 221 and the second external cover portion 222 can be integrally formed.

[0040] The connecting portions 223 are provided at both left-right (Y-axis) ends of the lower end of the first outer cover 221 and at both left-right (Y-axis) ends of the upper end of the second outer cover 222. This allows the first outer cover 221 and the second outer cover 222 to be connected together without obstructing the flow of external air passing through the opening end 221T (opening W11).

[0041] 8, protrusions 143 extending in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) are provided on the outer surface of the upper rear panel 14a directly below the first and second ventilation holes 211 and 212. The protrusions 143 are formed of, for example, a foam resin material such as sponge, but are not limited to this. The protrusions 143 function as water-stopping sections (dam sections) that prevent rainwater and the like from flowing from the openings W11 and W12 along the outer surface of the upper rear panel 14a and spreading toward the first and second ventilation holes 211 and 212 (see FIG. 14B).

[0042] FIG. 14A is a bottom view of the ventilation section 20 showing the relationship between the openings W11 and W12 and the protruding portion 143, and FIG. 14B is a side cross-sectional view thereof. The protruding portion 143 is disposed inside the openings W11 and W12 so as to align with the opening edges 221T and 222T. As shown in FIG. 14A, the length L of the protruding portion 143 is shorter than the opening length Lw1 of the openings W11 and W12, and the height H of the protruding portion 143 is shorter than the opening width Hw1, which is the length of the openings W11 and W12 in the direction perpendicular to the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) and the X-axis direction. The length L and height H of the protruding portion 143 can be set arbitrarily as long as they do not significantly limit the opening area of ​​the openings W11 and W12.

[0043] (Internal cover member) Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the outer surface side showing the entire internal cover member 23. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the inner surface side showing the entire internal cover member 23. Fig. 17 is a side view of the internal cover member 23. Fig. 18 is a bottom view of the internal cover member 23.

[0044] The inner cover member 23 is intended to prevent rainwater that has passed through the ventilation opening 210 from scattering toward the electrical unit 8 inside the machinery room 2. The inner cover member 23 is a molded body made of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene (PP). The inner cover member 23 has a first inner cover 231, a second inner cover 232, and a lid portion 233.

[0045] 6 and 9, the first inner cover 231 is disposed on the inner surface of the upper rear panel 14a so as to face the first ventilation opening 211. Meanwhile, the second inner cover 232 is disposed on the inner surface of the upper rear panel 14a so as to face the second ventilation opening 12.

[0046] 16, the inner surface of the inner cover member 23 has an abutment surface 234 that contacts the inner surface of the upper rear panel 14a. The abutment surface 234 is a continuous flat surface that forms a part of each of the first inner cover 231, the second inner cover 232, and the lid portion 233.

[0047] A pair of flanges 235 having screw holes N for fixing the internal cover member 23 to the upper rear panel 14a are provided on both sides in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the internal cover member 23, and the inner surfaces of these flanges 235 are formed to be flush with the abutment surface 234. The pair of flanges 235 are attached to the upper rear panel 14a so as to sandwich the ventilation opening 21 (first ventilation opening 211, second ventilation opening 212) from both sides in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

[0048] The first inner cover 231 is hood-shaped with an open end 231T at its lower end, and the interior of the first inner cover 231 forms an outlet passage P21 (see FIG. 16 ) that connects the open end 231T to the first ventilation port 211. The second inner cover 232 is similarly hood-shaped with an open end 232T at its lower end, and the interior of the second inner cover 232 forms an outlet passage P22 (see FIG. 16 ) that connects the open end 232T to the second ventilation port 212. The outlet passage P21 and the outlet passage P22 are vertically separated by a partition wall 236 provided on the inner surface of the inner cover member 23 (see FIG. 16 ). The partition wall 236 is formed across the entire width (Y-axis) of the inner cover member 23.

[0049] The first inner cover 231 and the second inner cover 232 are integrally formed adjacent to each other in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction). The lid portion 233 is integrally formed adjacent to one side (the heat exchange chamber 1 side in this embodiment) of the first inner cover 231 and the second inner cover 232 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) of the first inner cover 231 and the second inner cover 232. The lid portion 233 cooperates with the first inner cover 231 to cover the first vent hole 211, and cooperates with the second inner cover 232 to cover the second vent hole 212.

[0050] The lid portion 233 has a shallow dish shape that is elongated in the vertical direction. The interior of the lid portion 233 has two spaces P31, P32 that are divided in the vertical direction by a partition wall portion 236. One space P31 connects a partial area of ​​the first vent port 211 to the outflow passage P21 of the first inner cover 231. The other space P32 connects a partial area of ​​the second vent port 212 to the outflow passage P22 of the second inner cover 232.

[0051] The first inner cover 231, the second inner cover 232, and the lid portion 233 each have a different protruding height (height along the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction)) from the inner surface of the upper rear panel portion 14a. That is, as shown in Fig. 17, the first inner cover 231 has the greatest protruding height and the lid portion 233 has the smallest protruding height, while the second inner cover 232 has a greater protruding height than the lid portion 233 and a smaller protruding height than the first inner cover 231.

[0052] By attaching the internal cover member 23 to the inner surface of the upper rear panel portion 14a, the opening end 231T of the second internal cover 231 forms an opening (first small opening) W21 that introduces external air that has passed through the first ventilation port 211 into the machine chamber 2. Similarly, the opening end 232T of the second internal cover 232 forms an opening (second small opening) W22 between itself and the inner surface of the upper rear panel portion 14a that introduces external air that has passed through the second ventilation port 212 into the machine chamber 2.

[0053] The openings W21 and W22 correspond to the "second opening" of the present invention, which opens downward toward the inside of the upper rear panel portion 14a. The first inner cover 231 and the second inner cover 232 correspond to the "shielding portion" of the present invention, which has the openings W21 and W22 (second openings).

[0054] 18 , the opening length Lw21 of the opening W21 of the first inner cover 231 is slightly smaller than the opening length Lw22 of the opening W22 of the second inner cover 232, but is not limited to this, and the opening length Lw21 may be the same as or larger than the opening length Lw22. On the other hand, the opening width Hw21 of the opening W21 of the first inner cover 232 is larger than the opening width Hw22 of the opening W22 of the second inner cover 232.

[0055] Here, the opening lengths Lw21, Lw22 of the two openings W21, W22 in the inner cover member 23 are formed to be shorter than the opening length Lw1 of the two openings W11, W12 in the outer cover member 22.

[0056] Furthermore, the opening widths Hw21 and Hw22 of the two openings W21 and W22 in the inner cover member 23 are formed to be larger than the opening width Hw1 of the two openings W11 and W12 in the outer cover member 22.

[0057] The opening lengths Lw21, Lw22 and opening widths Hw21, Hw22 of the openings W21, W22 are set so that the sum of the opening areas of the two openings W21, W22 in the inner cover member 23 is equal to or greater than the sum of the opening areas of the two openings W11, W12 in the outer cover member 22. The size and number of the through holes forming the ventilation opening 21 are set so that the opening area of ​​the ventilation opening 21 (the sum of the opening area of ​​the first ventilation opening 211 and the opening area of ​​the second ventilation opening 212) is equal to or greater than the sum of the opening areas of the two openings W11, W12 in the outer cover member 22.

[0058] The opening area of ​​the two openings W11 and W12 in the external cover member 22 refers to the area of ​​the opening formed between the opening ends 221T and 222T and the outer surface of the upper rear panel 14a minus the area occupied by the protrusion 143.

[0059] In the outdoor unit 100 of this embodiment configured as described above, rotation of the outdoor fan 5 draws outside air into the heat exchange chamber 1 from the rear side of the housing 10. The outside air drawn into the heat exchange chamber 1 flows through the heat exchanger 4 and is blown out to the front side of the housing 10 via the fan guard 12G of the machine chamber front panel 12.

[0060] Meanwhile, as the outdoor fan 5 rotates, external air is drawn into the machine room 2 from the rear side of the housing 10 through the ventilation section 20. The electrical unit 8, which is disposed opposite the ventilation section 20 in the machine room 2, is cooled by being blown onto the external air drawn into the machine room 2.

[0061] Generally, the heat generated by electrical components increases as the air conditioning capacity of the air conditioner increases, so in air conditioners with relatively high air conditioning capacity, such as those with multiple indoor units connected to an outdoor unit, it may be necessary to reduce the distance between the vent and the electrical components in order to sufficiently cool the electrical components. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the electrical components are sufficiently cooled by external air while preventing rainwater and other water droplets that are drawn in through the vent along with external air from entering the machine room.

[0062] Therefore, in this embodiment, the ventilation section 20 is provided with the external cover member 22 as a guide section, so that the external air taken in from the rear side of the housing 10 toward the machine room 2 is introduced into the ventilation port 21 through the openings W11, W12 of the external cover member 21 that open downward in the housing 10 and the inflow passage P1 inside the external cover member 21. This makes it difficult for rainwater to pass through the ventilation port 21 during operation in rainy weather, for example.

[0063] Furthermore, because the ventilation section 20 is provided with the internal cover member 23 as a shielding section, even if rainwater passes through the ventilation opening 21, the flow of rainwater toward the electrical unit 8 facing the ventilation opening 21 is blocked. This prevents water droplets such as rainwater that are sucked in together with external air from the ventilation opening 21 from entering the machine room 2, while reducing the distance between the ventilation opening 21 and the electrical unit 8 ensures a sufficient cooling effect of the electrical components by external air.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the opening lengths Lw21, Lw22 of the openings W21, W22 in the inner cover member 23 are shorter than the opening length Lw1 of the openings W11, W12 in the outer cover member 22. Therefore, even if rainwater passes through the vent 21, the spread of rainwater flowing into the machine room 2 from the openings W21, W22 can be narrowed compared to the opening length Lw1. As a result, even if the heat exchanger 4 is disposed near the vent 21, the openings W21, W22 can be spaced apart from the piping (so-called U-shaped piping) on ​​the end side of the heat exchanger 4 and the piping section connecting the compressor and the heat exchanger (piping group 4P in FIG. 3 ). This prevents rainwater from hitting and splashing against the piping group 4P on the end side of the heat exchanger 4 and prevents rainwater from adhering to the second circuit board 82-2 facing the inner cover member 23.

[0065] In particular, the lid portion 233 of the internal cover member 23 blocks the outflow path of external air from the ventilation opening 21 to the piping portion 4P of the heat exchanger 4, so that rainwater taken into the machine room 2 along with the external air is not sprayed onto the piping group 4P.

[0066] Furthermore, since the sum of the opening areas of the two openings W21 and W22 in the internal cover member 23 is greater than or equal to the sum of the opening areas of the two openings W11 and W12 in the external cover member 22, external air can be efficiently taken in from outside the housing 10 into the machine room 2 while reducing the flow resistance of the external air passing through the ventilation section 20.

[0067] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opening (first opening) of the external cover member 22 is divided into two openings, an opening W11 of the first external cover 221 and an opening W12 of the second external cover 222, so that it is possible to ensure an opening area corresponding to the opening area of ​​the ventilation section 21 without increasing the opening width Hw1 of the openings W11, W12. This makes it possible to keep the protruding height of the external cover member 22 from the housing 10 (upper rear panel portion 14a) low, and reduce the dimension of the outdoor unit 100 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0068] On the other hand, with regard to the inner cover member 23, the opening (second opening) of the inner cover member 23 is divided into two, the opening W21 of the first inner cover 231 and the opening W32 of the second inner cover 232, and therefore the outside air that has passed through the vent 211 is divided into these two openings W21, W22 and introduced into the machine room 2. This allows the outside air to be blown into the machine room 2 at a flow rate appropriate for the opening area of ​​each of the openings W21, W22. In addition, because the introduction path for rainwater that has passed through the vent 21 into the machine room 2 is divided into two, the possibility of rainwater adhering to the electrical unit 8 can be further reduced by arbitrarily adjusting the positions of the openings W21, W22.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protrusion height of the first inner cover 231 into the machine chamber 2 is greater than the protrusion height of the second inner cover 232 located below the first inner cover 231 into the machine chamber 2, and therefore the opening width Hw22 of the opening W21 in the second inner cover 232 is shorter than the opening width Hw211 of the opening W11 in the first inner cover 231 (see FIGS. 17 and 18 ). This makes it possible to minimize the risk of rainwater discharged from the opening W21 of the first inner cover 231 hitting the upper surface of the second inner cover 232 and splashing toward the second circuit board 82-2 facing the inner cover member 23.

[0070] Furthermore, since the first inner cover 231 has a greater protruding height than the second inner cover 232, the distance between the ventilation section 20 and the electrical unit 8 can be made shorter, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency of the electrical unit 8.

[0071] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and that various modifications can be made.

[0072] For example, in the above embodiment, the guide portion and the shielding portion that constitute the ventilation portion 20 are respectively constituted by an external cover member 22 and an internal cover member 23 that are separate parts from the housing 10, but at least one of the guide portion and the shielding portion may be formed integrally with the housing 10, for example, by cutting and raising processing.

[0073] In addition, in the above embodiment, the external cover member 22 and the internal cover member 23 are each structured to have two cover portions (first and second external covers 221, 222, first and second internal covers 231, 232), but this is not limited to this and each may be formed from a single cover.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the opening lengths Lw21, Lw22 of the openings W21, W22 on the inner cover member 23 side are shorter than the opening length Lw1 of the openings W11, W12 on the outer cover member 22 side, but this is not limited to this. In this case, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained simply by making the opening width Hw22 of the lower opening W22 of the two openings W21, W22 on the inner cover member 23 side shorter than the opening width Hw21 of the upper opening W21.

[0075] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Heat exchange chamber 2...Machine chamber 4...Heat exchanger 5...Outdoor fan 6...Compressor 8...Electrical unit 10...Housing 11...Top panel 12...Heat exchange chamber front panel 13...Machine chamber front panel 14...Machine chamber rear panel 14a...Upper rear panel 15...Side plate 16...Bottom plate 20...Ventilation section 21...Ventilation hole 22...External cover member 23...Internal cover member 143...Protrusion 211...First ventilation hole 212...Second ventilation hole 221...First external cover 222...Second external cover 231...First internal cover 232...Second internal cover 233...Cover P1...Inlet passage P21, P22...Outlet passage W11, W12...Opening (first opening) W21, W22...Opening (second opening)

Claims

1. An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device comprising: a housing having an internal space partitioned into a heat exchange chamber and a machinery chamber, a heat exchanger and an outdoor fan respectively arranged in the heat exchange chamber, and a compressor and electrical components respectively arranged in the machinery chamber, wherein the housing has a panel section forming at least a part of the outer shell of the machinery chamber, and a ventilation section provided in the panel section through which external air flowing from outside the housing into the interior of the machinery chamber passes, the ventilation section having: a vent hole penetrating the panel section; a guide section having a first opening which opens downward and to the outside of the panel section and has an opening length of a first length which is the length in a first direction parallel to the outer surface of the panel section, and which guides the external air from the first opening to the vent hole; and a shielding section having a second opening which opens downward and to the inside of the panel section and has an opening length of a second length which is shorter than the first length, wherein the upper end of the vent hole is located above the lower end of the electrical components.

2. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the second opening has a larger opening width, which is the length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, than the first opening.

3. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner as described in claim 2, wherein the guide section is an external cover member attached to the outer surface of the panel section so as to face the vent opening and having an inlet passage connecting the first opening and the vent opening.

4. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner as described in claim 3, wherein the shielding portion is an internal cover member attached to the inner surface of the panel portion so as to face the vent opening and having an outflow passage connecting the vent opening and the second opening.

5. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner as described in claim 4, wherein the vent is a group of through holes that is a collection of a plurality of through holes, and the external cover member is disposed on the outer surface of the panel portion so as to face the group of through holes.

6. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner as described in claim 2, wherein the vents include a first vent and a second vent arranged side by side in the vertical direction of the panel portion, the external cover member has a first external cover arranged on the outer surface of the panel portion so as to face the first vent, and a second external cover arranged on the outer surface of the panel portion so as to face the second vent, and the first opening is provided in each of the first external cover and the second external cover.

7. An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device as described in claim 6, wherein the external cover member further has a connecting portion that connects the first external cover and the second external cover, and the connecting portion is provided at the end of the external cover member in the first direction.

8. An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device as described in claim 6, wherein the internal cover member has a first internal cover arranged on the inner surface of the panel portion so as to face the first air vent, and a second internal cover arranged on the inner surface of the panel portion so as to face the second air vent, and the second opening includes a first small opening corresponding to the first internal cover and a second small opening corresponding to the second internal cover.

9. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 8, wherein the second inner cover is disposed below the first inner cover, and the opening width of the second small opening is shorter than the opening width of the first small opening.

10. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner as described in claim 9, wherein the internal cover member further has a lid portion that shields a partial area of ​​the air vent, and the lid portion has a space portion that connects the partial area of ​​the air vent to the first small opening and the second small opening.

11. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner as described in claim 3, wherein the ventilation section further has a protrusion section that is provided on the outer surface of the panel section along the first direction and is located between the first opening and the ventilation port.

12. An outdoor unit for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the electrical components and the ventilation section are arranged above the casing relative to the compressor.

13. A housing having an internal space partitioned into a heat exchange chamber and a machine chamber, a heat exchanger and an outdoor fan respectively arranged in the heat exchange chamber, and a compressor and electrical components respectively arranged in the machine chamber, wherein the housing has a panel section forming at least a part of the outer hull of the machine chamber, and a ventilation section provided in the panel section through which external air flowing from the outside of the housing into the inside of the machine chamber passes, the ventilation section having: an air vent penetrating the panel section; a guide section having a first opening which opens downward and to the outside of the panel section and has an opening length of a first length which is a length in a first direction parallel to the outer surface of the panel section, and which guides the external air from the first opening to the air vent; and a shielding section having a second opening which opens downward and to the inside of the panel section and has an opening length of a second length shorter than the first length, wherein the upper end of the air vent is located above the lower end of the electrical components, The outdoor unit of an air conditioning device, wherein the shielding portion includes a plurality of shielding portions each having a first shielding portion and a second shielding portion provided below the first shielding portion, and the second opening in the second shielding portion has an opening width, which is the length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, that is shorter than the second opening in the first shielding portion.

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